Round 2! Hon Andrew A. Fahie fights for Opposition Leader post!
Firstly, in coordination with the President of the VIP, a letter was written and signed by Dr Natalio D. Wheatley to Governor John S. Duncan OBE dated December 9, 2016 giving him the new executive officers of the VIP and advising the Governor to use the information to “assist in the administration of relevant onuses, inclusive of appointments.”
In addition, this news site was made to understand that Hon Fahie has gone further in relaying to the Governor, via telephone, and the Leader of the Opposition Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3), via a letter, his interest in being named the Opposition Leader, a post already decided upon in the Third House of Assembly following the 2015 general elections.
Another coup by Hon Fahie?
In fact after the 2015 general elections, Hon Fahie led a “coup d’etat” against Hon Fraser for the post of Opposition Leader in which he had some six former candidates, who ran on the party ticket in the 2015 elections, sign a letter to the United Kingdom appointed governor to make him Opposition Leader, even after Hon Fraser went into the election as Party Leader.
After both men could not agree on who should be the Opposition Leader, Governor Duncan chose Hon Fraser as the Leader of the Opposition.
It is important to note that when Hon Fraser won the VIP Chairmanship in 2014, Hon Ralph T. O’Neal OBE stayed on as Leader of the Opposition until the people returned to the polls in 2015.
Following the November 30, 2016 VIP Executive members’ election in which Hon Fahie was elected as the new Party Boss, he now feels he should be named the Opposition Leader, even after not supporting the then Chairman Hon Fraser for Opposition Leader back in 2015.
A divided VIP
Many of the VIP delegates, who our newsroom spoke to for this article, did not want their names to be used but had mixed views. Many concluded that this is not a fight Hon Fahie and the new President Dr Wheatley should have taken on. One said “for as long as I am a party member I have never known of any time the governor was written to with who was elected as the party executive...you clearly see the hidden motives here…it’s a big turn off, they are not really interested in unity but power by any means, it will be even harder for the party to heal.”
Another said “Well if Fahie is the Party Chairman why not give him the Leader of the Opposition job? But I know the VIP constitution only speaks to, if the party wins an election the Chairman should be Chief Minister but it did not address the Opposition Leader’s post…it’s sad to learn about another public fight over this at a time when we need to come together.”
‘I don’t support it at this time’- Rajah A. Smith
VIP Delegate Head for the Second District and former candidate, Mr Rajah A. Smith was clear that he does not support the alleged move by Hon Fahie to overthrow Hon Fraser as Opposition Leader. “I do not support it at this time but I will not go into details now,” Mr Smith told this news site.
Another former candidate Charmaine Rosan-Bunbury said she wasn’t aware of Hon Fahie’s alleged intentions but added that something like that should be brought to all party members first. She, however, did not say whether she was for or against Hon Fahie becoming Opposition Leader.
Dr Karl Dawson, who also ran as an At Large Candidate at the 2015 General Elections on the VIP ticket, declined to comment. “I do not wish to comment at this time,” Dr Dawson stated.
Hon Fraser was also reached but declined to speak on the matter. "I do not comment on internal party matters," the Opposition Leader Hon Fraser noted.
Governor to decide again
According to our sources the matter is now in the hands of the Governor yet again for him to make a decision and it is noted that he has asked for the Attorney General to advise him on the matter.
The rules of the House of Assembly and the Virgin Islands Constitution state that a majority of elected Members from either side of the aisle, regardless of party affiliation, will advise the governor on who will become Premier or Opposition Leader.
It is our understanding that Governor Duncan will make a decision in the coming days as to whether Hon Fraser remains Leader of the Opposition or be replaced with Hon Fahie.
Mischief afoot?
Meanwhile, Hon Fahie, when asked whether he had indeed expressed to Governor John S. Duncan OBE his alleged renewed interest in becoming Leader of the Opposition, the VIP Boss advised us to get our facts straight.
“Get your facts from who told you about this allegation but make sure they are accurate because it seems as if mischief is what this is about,” Hon Fahie stated.
President of the VIP, Dr Natalio D. Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru could not be reached for a comment as of time of publication.
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102 Responses to “Round 2! Hon Andrew A. Fahie fights for Opposition Leader post!”
He is an unmitigated disaster, and might be the reason that the NDP stays in office next time
What we have NOW is not working! Period!
But nothing on the scale of these guys in gov now.
Money, Power, Greed, & Disrespect will finish destroy what's left of our country.
Please! Please! Please! Are there any honest/credible/country-first citizens who we can get to form a NEW PARTY. Please! Save us from these two (2) sets. NDP & VIP need to be put-down like how we do horses with broken legs.
Pep........
Good point VINO. All these power hungry zealots had to do was wait until the next elections....But I guess that is too much to ask. I'm starting to feel sorry for Fraser now. How many stabs can one back take....?!! And you all trying to tell me we will be better off with this bunch than we are now? AHA HAAAAA......
closer don't marginalize him more. there are only 2 of you in legislature. bide your time and include people who have a network. I was just feeling better with your guidance and bigger direction. Now fighting being set up. Not now, not yet, if ever.
Effective politics is knowing what battles to fight and which ones to leave on the dung head. Hon Fahie has been on the battle field for a while and should have learnt the rules of the game and gained more political and personal maturity. He should have been steeped in emotional intelligence, learning how to navigate thru the mine fields. This latest escapade is amateurish, does not demonstrate humilty and bring to the fore the hunger for POWER. Hopefully, this is a momentary laps in judgement. Common on man!
My concern everyone like the NDP and young people who want to form new party, do they really know where we were many years ago? We should be cautious with seeking "CHANGE"! NDP banked on change now we see that change is not always the best outcome. Change could mean our very livelihood is been threatened. Change could mean poverty and crime. Change could mean not listening to the people. Change could mean bigamist, egotistic, greed, self interest.
Look at who's fighting for us, do we need to pick up a Johnny come lately? I strongly believe we need to go back to the drawing board go back to our legacy the one that we are proud of. I join that one resident that feels we need to go back to where we were. It was a good place I had more in my pocket and my children were fed and our country was safe. The time to show leadership is now not tomorrow or when it's too late. I know a lot of us feel like fools with the last snap election. It wasn't good for us. Allow the VIP to put their team together. We will have more to evaluate closer to Election Day.
Andy, you should have waited! It's you the people want for Premier, not Frazer...
........aahhhhhhh. Andrew, bad , bad timing.....