Hon Turnbull claims VIP offered him Deputy Premier's post on elections night
Hon Turnbull made the claims during an April 27, 2023, joint press conference with the Opposition Members on the aftermaths of elections 2023 and said despite the reported opportunity to take the first jump, his integrity prevented him from doing otherwise.
“We stood on integrity...I was one of the members that were speaking out and speaking truth to power. I will continue to do that for the people of the Virgin Islands.”
Hon Turnbull added, “While I'm speaking truth, I failed to mention earlier that about 10:00 PM on Monday. I received the first call from the Virgin Islands Party to be the Deputy Premier, so if I was hungry for power I would have already gone,” he added.
Hon Fraser was initially approached - Premier Dr Whealtey
It remains unclear who called Hon Turnbull and the exact terms of the offer, but Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Whealty (R7) has revealed that the initial target of the VIP was Progressive United's Hon Julian Fraser and the Third District seat as the 7th seat to form the Government with the VIP.
Hon Fraser is a former member of the VIP and led the party into the 2015 General Elections, which the VIP lost.
Hon Turnbull added that he stood on integrity in not taking up the offer. “So I shared with my party chairman and the other members of the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement. I cannot say one thing to people and represent something else,” he said.
The now opposition political parties comprising PVIM, NDP, and PU have since unilaterally blamed Hon Lorna G. Smith, OBE for derailing their plans to come together and form a government when she took her At Large seat to the Virgin Islands Party.
Hon Turnbull added that his integrity; however, will remain solid moving forward, "I think it's extremely important to always remember whose I am, and I know that the people of the Virgin Islands are the priority and have to be the priority as we go from strength to strength and raise the reputation, raise the integrity, and raise the standard of the Virgin Islands,” he said.
VIP was willing to work with other party members
Meanwhile, NDP Chairman Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) and Hon Stacy Mather (AL) of PVIM have also claimed the VIP contacted them to join the 'green team' to form the next government.
This confirms that the VIP was willing to work with elected members from the different parties; however, they failed to take up the offers.
The Opposition Members have now been sheepishly complaining that the people voted for a coalition government but got something else.
85 Responses to “Hon Turnbull claims VIP offered him Deputy Premier's post on elections night”
For example, Jesus instructed his disciples to pray that God’s will would be done on earth (Matt. 6:10). If everything that happens is God’s will, such prayer is superfluous. In Romans 1:10, Paul said he prayed for “a prosperous journey in the will of God” to see the believers there. Another meaningless prayer? No.
The will of God for an individual, whether revealed in the written Word of God or by direct revelation, generally comes to pass only when that person understands it and, by his own, acts accordingly.
Rather than sit passively by waiting for God’s will to happen, we must make a diligent effort to learn God’s Word and then aggressively obey it.
God’s will, for example, is that people do not steal, but rather that they work to earn what they need (Eph. 4:28). Very simple. We just do what He says. But are some people stealing? Yes.
If everything that happens were God’s will, then nothing would be sin or disobedience. What a travesty of logic!
While man talking woman walking. GONE!
She made that decision for the betterment of the country.
Everyone just have to work together so this country can move forward.
If we the voting public had rejected the VIP the way we needed to we will not we will not be here now.
Let’s embrace them and keep them accountable moving forward.
That all we can do.
look a set of them jumped over on the other to form the unity government not one word from some of U(some of them cares only about their political welfare)
it is so disgraceful to hear our own VI Landers pull down; while other comes into the british virgin islands and live in such unity
But they had to settle for Lorna.
Who will be impossible for them to control.
You’re all acting like a bunch of 12 year old girls, it’s an embarrassment to the BVI.
This just goes to show we need the Uk’s help.
They got left behind..
Pettiness in leadership show immaturity and arrogance in behavior. Most leaders cannot become lions, as they will not know when to use strategies. Do you think a lion chase it’s prey with angry words, and big mistake billboard. He strategize at night and during the day it carries out its plan and then go to sleep after it’s accomplished the task. Think about nature it have all the answers.
We not hearing from the man in the sixth..,too upset to speak??
Either NDP or PVIM should have taken the VIP offer from the time whiskers started to play the fool. In fact on the drive back from Sea Cow Bay they should have been on the phone sealing a deal with Sowande.
ake the postion and you all still talking b@ s
For your three men to Run the Cabinet!
Talk dat nugh