Hon Ralph T. O’Neal OBE was 'a walking encyclopedia'- Skelton-Cline
The African proverb, 'when an old man dies, a library burns to the ground,' is now reflected with the loss of Mr O'Neal.
"He was a man of his conviction, if he tells you something, that's what it was... so the short time I came to know him, I was grateful for the opportunity, clearly a walking encyclopedia, a walking library [and] historian," Skelton-Cline said on the Tuesday, November 12, 2019, edition of his radio show in public radio.
Joining Mr Skelton-Cline was Mr Daniel Cline aka 'Pops', prominent businesswoman Ms Patsy C. Lake, along with Attorney-at-Law Mr Lewis S. Hunte, all close friends and associates of the late Hon O'Neal.
A 'good old friend' - Ms Lake
Calling him a good old friend, Ms Lake said herself and Hon O'Neal went way back, "Let's say from the time he was a good singer boy... he had an excellent base voice at times and he served our methodist church choir for many many years," she said.
Both Mr O'Neal and Ms Lake attended the Methodist Church where his wife, former First Lady Mrs Edris O'Neal OBE, serves as Reverent. "It is also in the church that he met his wife," Ms Lake told Skelton-Cline.
"He was very caring in his political days. I guess that's what made him so popular, cause he did care about people," Ms Lake said in noting that people could take their issues to him for the way forward and for solutions.
Mr Daniel Cline recalled Hon O'Neal's drive for greater autonomy against the British while vying for power to lead the government of the Virgin Islands and the battles he fought for the people of the VI.
He was passionate about politics Mr Cline said, "Many times I go to see him, and we talk... once it's politics he stays focus," even at an elderly age he told the panel.
Mr Hunte, in adding his voice to the conversation, said Hon O'Neal had served the territory for 64 years of public service. "64 years in all going back to the teaching days. In this days he used to be known as Jack," he revealed.
They all called him a strong leader and a good family man who put the needs of the people first and respected the views of the Opposition in the VI House of Assembly.
Legacy of Hon O'Neal
Premier Andrew A. Fahie (R1) in statements released on November 12, 2019, said from the young age of 18, Mr O'Neal commenced his career as a public officer, serving as a primary school teacher.
A few years after, having felt the need to do more for his country, he decided to work hard and later he ascended to be the second Speaker of the Legislative Council in 1958.
Then in 1975, Honourable O’Neal decided to join the political arena and became the elected representative for the 7th District. He then went on to become the District Representative for the 9th District and he represented this district until 2015 when he retired from active politics.
"In May of 1995, he became Chief Minister following the sudden passing of another Virgin Islands stalwart, the Honourable H. Lavity Stoutt. He was the second Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) and we were happy to honour his legacy at a Gala during our 47th Anniversary on November 17, 2018," Premier Fahie said.
First Premier
Hon O'Neal was later appointed the territory’s first Premier when the Constitution was amended in 2007 and subsequently became the first member of the House of Assembly (HoA) in recent VI history to have been bestowed with the title of Member Emeritus.
According to Hon Fahie, "Honourable O'Neal also willingly gave of himself in other public service areas including the Rotary Club of Tortola where he was a founding member, and also the BVI Red Cross, where he served at the highest level. He was also involved in sports, including cricket."
Just weeks ago, during the Seventh Sitting of the Second Session of the Fourth HoA, a resolution was debated and passed to rename the Central Administration Complex in honour of Hon O'Neal.
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