Hon Marlon A. Penn debunks reports he is making a political shift
Speculation has also been rife about Hon Penn possibly joining the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government, following the rebellion of his fellow Opposition and NDP member Hon Myron V. Walwyn (R6) who, along with Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2) and Hon Stacy R Mather (AL) of Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM), has formed a political alliance.
Addressing legislators at the Third Sitting of the Second Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA) on February 24, 2025, Hon Penn did not confirm any plans to leave the NDP, telling members instead his decisions would be guided by what he perceives as the best interests of the Virgin Islands.
Team BVI
“I want to make something very clear, I will always be on the side of Team BVI,” Hon Penn told fellow legislators.
Qualifying his position further, he was adamant, “Whatever is in the interest of this country and its people, Marlon A. Penn will always be there to fight for the people and the industries that empower the people of the Virgin Islands, not political empowerment for me, or anyone around me; So I make that extremely clear.”
This statement comes amid increasing speculation about his political direction, particularly following his participation in the high-level discussions in Asia alongside Premier Wheatley.
“I know I heard the pundits and their affiliates speculating about the reason why I was there, and all the decisions and things that I’m going to make when I go down there, and when I come back, and you’re going to see when you come back where you’re going to be, and all the things they were planting,” Hon Penn stated.
Political maturity
In another rare moment of bipartisan praise, Hon Penn also commended Premier Wheatley for his approach to engaging the Opposition on financial services matters, particularly during their recent travels.
“I have to publicly, I think the Premier is the first Minister of Financial Services that has involved in the level that he has done so, the Opposition. I think it spoke volumes on a recent trip to Asia, in terms of the private sector, and their understanding that you have a collaborative approach on this industry.”
Hon Penn further described this as “political maturity” that demonstrated to the Asia-Pacific partners, a "level of commitment from the government, not just the executive, but from the government, to address the issues confronting the industry."
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8 Responses to “Hon Marlon A. Penn debunks reports he is making a political shift”
But after the elections, he was confronted with a hard truth—the public was not nearly as enthusiastic about his coalition as he was. And in that moment, he learned a critical lesson: Loyalty is a cornerstone of leadership. That is precisely why Hon. Fahie, for all his flaws, was so effective. Like him or not, if you were on his team, you knew he had your back. The Premier has now learned this lesson. And that is why I do not see him removing Hon. Fraser. Let’s be frank—Fraser saved him. And the other VIP members have stood by him. To betray them now would be the end of his political career.
I can see Hon. Smith returning to the team. But let’s be clear—her miscalculation came at a cost. Her path to the premiership was right where she was, and her coming back is a strategic move that benefits them both. However, his real dilemma will be finding a way to bring her and others back into the fold without alienating those who have stood firmly by him. If he fails to balance this, it will be his undoing
PVIM, NDP, PU have fallen apart as the opposition group(political power; looking out for themselves rather than the people and development of this territory
Come again Marlon
Waiting on the answers.