D7 & D8 candidates to respond to questions from public today
The event, which is being put on by the church’s Men’s Ministries, will take place from 6:30 PM today, Sunday, March 12, 2023, at the church’s location in Long Look.
The candidate line-up is expected to include incumbent Seventh District Representative Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley, who is also the Premier and Minister of Finance; Independent Seventh District Candidate Perline R. Scatliffe-Leonard; Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Marlon A. Penn, the incumbent representative for the Eighth District; and the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) candidate in the Eighth District Mr L. Allen Wheatley.
Bringing ‘awareness’
The church’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Natasha Chalwell told our news centre that the forum aims to bring awareness to the residents of the two districts.
“The aim of the forum is to allow the residents of the Seventh and the Eighth Districts to hear what the candidates have to say concerning basic issues,” Chalwell said.
“It is just a way to educate the voters as to what these candidates are presenting, so that they can make an informed decision when it comes to elections and who they are going to choose as their candidate,” Chalwell further explained.
Pre-prepared & unprepared questions
The candidates are expected to respond to pre-prepared questions as well as choose from an unprepared list. The PRO disclosed that the pre-prepared questions were done by a group of church members who came together, voiced their concerns and decided on the questions.
“We’re also going to have an opportunity for the public to ask a question but it wouldn’t be out loud. What is going to happen is they would get a piece of paper. They can put their question in a basket, we’re going to have a basket for each candidate and there’s going to be a specific time allotted. So, they may be able to choose two or three questions from those questions that those who are in attendance would have put in the basket, “Chalwell said.
Theodore E. James, who is a member of the church’s Men’s Ministries, is expected to be the moderator of the forum that will be live-streamed on the church’s Facebook page.
“We know at this time, everybody is going to have their own political rallies and campaigns, but some people are not comfortable going to the political campaigns and rallies. So, we just made this an opportunity for them to come together and hear what the candidates have to say,, Chalwell noted.
According to a statement on the church’s Facebook page, a warm welcome is extended, particularly to residents in the Seventh and Eighth Districts.
“As Kingdom Citizens, we have much to bring to politics - a deeper commitment to justice and compassion which throughout history has made a difference in the political sphere. At CWC COGOP Long Look, we endorse the education of VI Voters to make prayerful, informed decisions. Join us as we converse with these 2023 Declared Candidates”, the statement reads.
.png)
Follow Us On
34 Responses to “D7 & D8 candidates to respond to questions from public today”
I vote Marlon last time and no different now.
play the tape
1st place - Marlon
2nd Place - Perline
The last 2 talking gibrish and look like they on assignment to empty the cookie jar AGAIN and to finish the former's work. Zero vision. How ironic.
- New High School buildings and facility to take our teachers and children out of that moldy building they were put in by the NDP for a ridiculous amount of money monthly paid to the NDP partner where that contract was never audited.
- Electric shuttle bus ride service around town free to all who use it.
- New Road Town Market Square.
- National Sustainable development plan projecting the way forward for the BVI for the next 20 years which shows progressive and innovative thinking. This was assisted by the UN.
- Thousands of persons received their belonger status after being bluffed by NDP for years.
- Direct flights to USA(Miami) and back starting soon.
- Revived the Cruise industry after Covid
- Salary review for all public officers ongoing
- Paid some of the many increments due to public officers long before VIP took office.
- Repaired the BFEC school building on VG
- Repaired 3 Administration buildings on VG from the damage from Irma. One in North Sound and two in the Valley.
- Fixed the resivor in North Sound, VG and the water woes.
- Repaired the Administration building in JVD from the damage from Irma and named it.
- Fixed the Lee Road in Virgin Gorda
- Constructed new port dock, building and other facilities on JVD.
- Paved Dog Hole road on JVD.
- Constructed and paved new and existing roads on JVD.
- Address JVD water issues.
- Paved and Repaired new and existing roads on Anegada.
- Repaired CCEC school structure on Anegada
- Repaired basketball court and sport facility on Anegada
- Repaired Fire station building on Anegada.
- Repaired community center building on Anegda.
- Repaired Administration building on Anegada.
- Repaired many community centers on Tortola including Sea Cow's Bay, Brewer's Bay, West End and others.
- Constructed new modern lab at the hospital in Road Town.
- Completed and opened Hospital in VG.
- Passed many good governance legislation
- Governed during the most difficult time in the BVI and world during covid coupled with dealing with all the damages left unattended to by the NDP Government after Iram and Maria.
- Did an excellent job in keeping a high majority of us safe and alive during the worse of covid and prevented the economy from tanking out with some of the same grants they are now being crucified for now by others who want the public to think the good they did to help is really bad.
- Repaired many of the roads and infrastructure on Tortola and the other sister islands from the damages from Irma and Maria.
- Restarted the scholarship abroad programme that was stop after Irma where 50 or more BVI people are now receiving government scholarships yearly to study abroad.
- Teacher Associate & Bachelors programme at HLSCC and UWI to ensure teachers are trained and qualified.
- Gained accreditation of hospital.
- Assistance in funding Masters and above programmes.
- Major duty tax break for all during covid to pass on to consumers to try to assist in lowering the cost of living which is rising worldwide.
- Unemployment benefits during COVID where no one in the private industry could work during to the lock down.
- Transportation programme to assist taxi industry during covid lock down.
- Amended customs act to allow for many entrepreneurs in the marine industry during covid.
- Started Marine course and certification at HLSCC to create more opportunities in the marine industry through jobs and entrepreneurs by training and qualifying persons interested from BVI.
- Retrained and retool persons in the Hospitality industry during covid to prepare them for new opportunities.
- Started certification programme in the area of alternative energy at HLSCC.
- Gained accreditation of HLSCC.
- Continued subsidy for ferry transportation to and from Anegada for Anegadians.
- Repairing the Administration building in Tortola that was damaged after Irma and never attended to by the NDP.
- Tax break on stamp duty for all belongers purchasing land and property during the covid era.
- Saved many businesses, persons and university students from demise through the same grants they are now being crucified for by the well planned attack.
- Constructed, Repaired and paved many new and existing roads on Tortola.
- Repaired the Ivan Dawson school and many other school facilities on Tortola.
- Commenced construction of the long awaited and promised new school facility on Jost Van Dyke.
- Made sure everyone was fed during all the lock downs with covid with food vouchers and home deliveries among other means.
- kept us informed and safe as much as was possible during the early bad days of covid where no government in the world knew what to do as there was no playbook for this worse pandemic in the last 100 years.
- Made sure all district representatives received the same amount of funds whether in government or opposition to try to help we the people during the worse of covid.
- The first government in years to pass all budgets on time and balanced each budget each of the four years in office.
- Passed all financial ratings regionally and abroad.
- Funded many senior citizens programmes to take care of our seniors.
- Restarted the Alternative Education programme so persons who did not finish school can attend and get their high school diploma.
- Repaired the multipurpose complex and a/c after major damages due to Irma.
- Repaired the police stations and marine bases after damages from Irma.
- Assisted in the opening of Banco Popular on VG so there can be banking on VG again.
- Passed consumer protection legislation.
Will stop there for now as the list is extensive. The VIP good far out weighs their negative and that is why the ongoing devious plots are intensifying to try to get in people's mind otherwise to try to influence the elections and try to get VIP out but who GOD BLESS no man can curse.
Belonger given when some persons did not meet the criteria, thousands of dollar spent for west end ferry consultantion knowing that the design is not sustainable for the area, no fery terrminal got to go back to the drawing board. Statutory boards with the wrong process of appointing persons to boards which do not have the proper skill set. It was so bad the governor had to dismental their appointments. What about port building, and premier office conflict of interest was there by the owner, no pspertrail on government contracting the rental of these building go back to the COI report. What about the AC contract for the mulitpurpose building given up to now no AC in the building.
I can go on and on
You voted against your own party saying you have no confidence in your own self, now how can we have confidence in you????? Just a question, help me understand.