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‘I am the Bishop behind the curtain, come home’ – Hon Fraser
“I don’t know if everyone in here is a VIP but I tell you the truth, I came here to embrace every one of you. No matter what vile things you might have said about anyone of us as a candidate or as a representative or as a Minister, come home,” said Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3), Chairman of the VIP.
He added, “…come home, I am the Bishop behind the curtain you could confess, I have no hard feeling for anyone for all the things you would have said or done, just come home to the Virgin Islands Party, this is the party of the people.” This and other statements were described by Honourable Andrew A. Fahie as ‘the political alter call’.
The team led by the Party’s new Chairman Honourable Fraser, included among others his competitor during the elections Representative for the First District Honourable Andrew A. Fahie and VIP President Mr Carvin Malone.
Absent was the Representative for the Ninth District Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal OBE who residents were told would have no doubt been present had it not been for the ill health of his wife. The Former First Lady Rev. Edris O’Neal is said to have been hospitalized for over four days. No mention has been made of the extent of her condition.
In addressing the audience at the general meeting held at the Ashford Waters Community Centre last night June 18, 2014 Honourable Fraser started the ball rolling by first letting his people know his feelings of the culture of disrespect that plagues the current NDP led government.
“The culture of disrespect which first surfaced in the election campaign of 2011 when a candidate referred to the Territory’s sitting Deputy Premier as an empty kerosene pan, and again another who is today as sitting Minister referred to the then sitting Premier as an emperor without clothes, continues to this day. As you would have seen that Minister insulting this member of the Opposition on the floor of the House of Assembly,” said Hon Fraser.
He however challenged those present and those within the reaches of his voice not desert the party after election.
Hon Fraser ‘held his cap firmly on his head’ by admitting that to the fact that one the reasons for things being where they are with their supporters is the fact that they are guilty of not keeping meetings with the public in the manner as they had last night.
Another of the many confessions of the night also came from Hon Fraser when he highlighted some shortfalls of politicians. “The problem we have with the politicians right now is that they are not listening to the people on the ground, I am guilty of it, I have done it before and I know how it happened. It isn’t something you set out to do, it just happens and until you have a means of keeping your feet grounded it’s going to happen to you.” This attracted a loud round of applause from the large audience.
He added, “What I mean sarcastically is that governments don’t listen to people.”
Hon Fraser also took time out to talk about the state of affairs of the Territory under the NDP administration. He said that the economy tanked since this current government took office some two and a half years ago. “...and for those two and a half years they told you that the reason the country was in the mess it’s in was because we left it in a $40 million hole. And we allowed that lie to go unchallenged all that time.”
He said that as a party they must understand it is not enough to remind the people of their suffering by simply repeating the many bad policies and failed policies of this government. “We must state what we will be doing that is different,” said Hon Fraser.
He spoke briefly on the dreaded water situation that plagues the Territory. “The situation with water scarcity reduces us to third world standard. Dumping raw municipal sewage in the ocean off our shoreline in the 21st century is despicable and would be remedied within one year alone. All this would come at no cost to government,” he noted.
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22 Responses to “‘I am the Bishop behind the curtain, come home’ – Hon Fraser”
However, overtime since the untimely passing of the founder, it seems to have lost some focus. As an example after the 2011 thrashing by the NDP, it was shell shocked and was floundering, wallowing in self pity and going long periods with little or no communication with its base.
Moreover, another reason for its current trouble is poor succession planning. An organization cannot survive without succession planning, eg, JW Georges. The only memory of the venerable business on Main St. is a plaque on the building. Succession planning needs to be an integral and sustaining part of the VIP rebuilding.
Yet another oversight of the VIP was it failure to recognize and embrace the rapidly changing generational shift. The olde bulls and heifers are only along for a short stay. And to main continuity and relevancy of the party, the party must integrate and bring along the young bulls/heifers(no insult intended to the beautiful queens).
Moreover, in addition to the rapid rebuilding of the party, the leadership must fan out thru the length and breadth of the territory talking about where the territory is, where it needs to be in the short/long-term and how it will get there. It must not only finger the problems but also develop a plan for addressing, implementing and funding.
A big problem with vip is not just its politicians but some of it followers who don't tell the politicians right from wrong but I like frazer he has ghuts and balls and thats a good start.
I am with you Mr chairman.
"Leadership"- "The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly".
The challenge of rebuilding the party is like attempting to climb Mount Everest. It will be difficult but doable.
The Hon Fraser has a monumental personal and professional challenge ahead. From the personal side, he has to overcome the perception that he is arrogant and all knowing. This perception cannot be erased with words; it must be genuinely attack and address through consistent action. He needs a Saul-liked(NPolitico) moment. He can overcome this hurdle by becoming a servant leader, serving the people by providing strong leadership, acting unselfishly, advocating for the unconnected and voiceless..........etc. He need to do in Martin Luther King, Cesar Chavez, Gandhi, Mandella, Pope Francis, Mother Theresa, Jesus......etc style. It will take humility and civility to turn the corner.
On the professional side, a heavy lift is needed. The BVI has a myriad of problems and it will require skilled ,experienced, innovative and creative leadership/management to climb out of the deep and widening hole. It (BVI) needs a Joseph-like( E. Leonard) leader to lead it through lean times back to the good times. The leader must make it morning in the BVI again (Regan).