Opposition Member and Second District Representative Hon Melvin M. Turnbull aka ‘Mitch’ said he has noticed a pattern in the territory where people thrive on negativity. Photo: VINO/File

During the Elections Season of 2019, personal cyber-attacks via political memes against politicians and their families were especially high, leading to widespread condemnation from legislators including former HoA member, Myron V, Walwyn and now Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R2). Photo: VINO/File

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Lone Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) Opposition Member of the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly, Hon Melvin M. Turnbull aka ‘Mitch’ said he has noticed a pattern in the territory where people thrive on negativity.

‘For every one positive word spoken, there’s twenty-five negative words that follow,” Hon Turnbull told the House at the Thursday, August 1, 2019 sitting, during the debate on the Misuse and Cyber Crime Amendment Act 2019.

Sensationalism

According to the Second District Representative, “Everybody hides being something to do foolishness, you create fake Facebook account, you get a dummy chip, you send around WhatsApp, you go on news sites and post,” he said in relation to the country’s social media use.  

During the Elections Season of 2019, personal cyber-attacks via political memes against politicians and their families were especially frequent, leading to widespread condemnation from legislators including the now Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) and then Minister for Education, Myron V. Walwyn.

Radio show host and commentator, Julio S. Henry aka Sam had publically accused the National Democratic Party (NDP) of leading the nasty campaign, which according to him was a tactic employed by the party in the past.

According to Hon Turnbull, negativity thrives because the territory thrives on sensationalism, “if you’re trending it don’t matter what it is, we thrive on negativity,” he reiterated in his statements to the House.

Willy Lynch Mentality

In urging citizens to stop the negativity, Hon Turnbull said, “If you do something good, somebody is going to find something to put a negative spin on it.”  

“The Willy Lynch mentality is very much still alive, and what's troubling Mr Speaker is [it is] something we don’t realise,” he said in pointing out that the extent of this public negativity is not realised. 

“We are our own worst enemies and we can’t get no further than where we are supposed to be because we keep holding down each other,” he said.

However, Hon Turnbull said even as Virgin Islanders pull each other down with negativity, immigrants coming to the territory become "kings and queens amongst us."