NDP billboard ‘is a shameful act to mislead & deceive the people'- Premier
NDP behind ‘shameful’ billboard- Premier
While the billboard, which lists several issues it claims were mistakes of the VIP administration, does not indicate who or which party is behind it, Premier Wheatley has said he has been informed by “good sources” that it is the work of the National Democratic Party (NDP).
Dr Wheatley was at the time speaking on the VIP Let’s Talk radio show on ZBVI 780 AM on April 18, 2023, when he was asked to address the issue of increments.
The Premier and VIP Chairman said Government has already budgeted the money in the last Supplementary Appropriation (SAP) and a Cabinet decision has already been made to pay increments for 5 years.
Dr Wheatley said he; however, wanted to set the record clear, “because I saw a billboard, a shameful billboard speaking about not paying increments. I got from good sources the National Democratic Party put up that billboard talking about the VIP is a government of mistakes.”
NDP failed to deliver on promised increments
“They have up on the billboard no payment of increments. And can you believe that? The National Democratic Party of the last administration did not pay increments for 2016, for 2017, or for 2018.”
In fact, it was during the National Democratic Party campaign prior to the June 8, 2015, elections, then leader of the NDP administration Dr D. Orlando Smith had announced on May 12, 2015, that Government had to withhold payment of increments because the Government needed the money to do "other things".
While making a promise to pay, what Dr Smith did not say is that the promised payment of the increments came as a result of heavy agitation by members of the Opposition.
Nevertheless, the NDP failed to deliver on its promise and prior to the 2019 elections it also made another promise to pay but the electorate booted the NDP from office.
VIP administration paid increments for 2016, 2017 & 2018- Premier
On VIP Let’s Talk last night, Premier Wheatley emphasised that the Virgin Islands Party had to pay the increments for those years that the National Democratic Party was in power.
He reminded that the VIP administration paid the increments for 2016, 2017 and 2018, “and in Cabinet we made the decision to pay increments in 2018 and 2019 with arrears. And for 2020, 2021 and 2022, we moved up the steps.
“So when persons coming to you with nonsense telling you there has been no increments paid, you tell them that the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) in this administration made sure that increments will be paid for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 years, two of the years in arrears.”
‘Google’ the facts
The Premier urged the electorate not to listen to the misinformation but get the fact “You can look for it. It was a Cabinet decision and it was made public….a press release was done on it, google it. It is the truth and compare it to the lies that are being told on billboards up and down the Virgin Islands, which in my view is a shameful act to mislead and deceive the people of the Virgin Islands.”
Our reporter while taking a photograph of the billboard this morning was told by a member of the public that the billboard was spreading misinformation.
“Don’t worry about taking that picture parna, it’s all lies,” a man working in the vicinity stated.
Meanwhile, Dr Wheatley said he will address some of the other misinformation that at the VIP’s closing rally on Saturday, adding that he will be talking about 10 glass houses.
“And you don’t want to miss it. It’s going to be fire!”
NDP Chairman Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) did not respond to our question about whether the NDP was behind the billboard.
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87 Responses to “NDP billboard ‘is a shameful act to mislead & deceive the people'- Premier”
I loved Hon. Aaron's passion and love for the people I "m hearing good things about him I wish I could've given him a vote
Lorna Smith
Lets get Lorna in our Corner
thank good Monday all this SH** would be over
- 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. I use it all the time and love 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 & watching the NDP give status to only their rich white friends just before the 2019 general elections.
- Direct flights to USA(Miami) and back starting soon.
- Revived the Cruise industry after Covid
- Salary review for all public officers ongoing with the only delay being the Governor and his office.
- Paid some of the many increments due to public officers by the NDP Government 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 Anegada.
- Repaired Administration building on Anegada.
- Saving millions through purchase of new asphalt plant to fix our horrible public roads the NDP said they fixed with $16 mill from Social Security that still remains not properly unaccounted for and somehow missed the COI.
- 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.
- negotiated with banks to do moratorium to assist the BVI people & businesses with difficulties being experienced in payment during covid.
- 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.
- Repaired many sport facilities including basketball courts like East End, West End, Diamond, Anegada, VG, Carrot Bay, Sea Cow's Bay and all over.
- Restarted the seniors prpgramme to cherish our seniors and honor them.
Will stop there for now as the list is extensive in only 4 years. The VIP good far outweighs 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 to turn it over to their rich and famous friends but who GOD BLESS no man can curse.
1. The increment! VIP Started paying when they came into power 2019 some of the increments that were supposed to be paid by the NDP government. I know because I am a beneficiary to the testimony, NDP go sit down!!!!! and right now I know of increments that are ready to be paid, but isn't going through because of people in position on the inside that did not sign to it to be spiteful, and to give the government a bad name. So, if NDP Know what is good for them they will take down the shameless attitude they have up on boards, they don't realize they are just waking up the remembrance of their negligence of before, SHAMELESS PEOPLE
The First time is a Mistake
The Second time is you did not Understand
The Third time is Willfulness or not taking Heed
The Fourth time is Rebelliousness and Disregard
The Fifth time is a Reprobate Mind
The Sixth time is Due for Punishment
The Seventh time is the Wrath of God
1. you have children in moldy place for 30,000.00 a month just to give your friend a money in the pocket so you can get your whistle wet?!!!!
2. You were given 8,000,000.00 for incinerator and e ain't work proper a day?!!!!!
3. Not a plane flying in our air from the 7.2 but yet still want the people to put you in there so when the plane that coy get comes to be the ones to celebrate???!!!!!! come on mhen!!!!!
4. All the talk of the 90 days project just after election still waiting to be completed!!! eh?
5. The pair park dilemma still isn't straighten out!
6. The money that was actually given to complete repair on road & sewage in East End, Long Look isn't anywhere to be found. oh yes it in the pair park sitting down, relaxing
7. The Wall of CHINA!
8. Manual Reef Hotel Project that was suppose to start since NDP take office, nothing yet
9. NHI scheme!
10. Price control that was just a talk by the NDP, but was never going to be a reality for them because mostly all have business that would not benefit from going through with it.
and the list can go on, and on, and on. All you need to stop waking up sleeping dogs, stop digging holes and standing in it. NDP Take out the mold from all you eyes when you all trying to take out the little spec from others. YOU all don't hear to wheel and come again.
The VIP that paid in remembers 8 years ago has absolutely nothing to do with y’all current swamp! This group of VIP has Lavity rolling in his grave!
Natalio deserves his own chance. One of his best actions was to remove Carvin and Vincent from cabinet, so that pulls some weight with me. If he and VIP wins, and he puts any of those two back in, then we will know he is a fake. But it may be better to take a chance with his VIP than the blatantly toxic NDP1 and NDP2
Y’all like crabs in a bucket trying to reach the top.
What about Schools, roads, hospital, mental health, minimum wage, and the list goes on until the cows come home.
Please can we see new blood all around with youth and understanding of the outside world.
I will not be voting for anyone and y’all as bad as each other.
We voting vip all the way
How disrespectful to call us humans mistakes
Moreover, it is not negative campaigning to highlight an opponent’s demonstrated weaknesses and downplay their strengths. It is also not negative campaigning to avoid being “swiftboated”, ie, not letting lies go unresponded to. Negative campaigning works mostly with all-in-base-voters, low and information voters. Typically,the purveyors of negative campaigning stirs up certain grievances and fears in voters, ie, a candidate is anti-immigrant, etc. let’s buckle up for negative campaigning will be here for a while, for negative campaigning works. Just saying an opponent is spreading falsehoods though may be untrue , is ignored by the purveyors. No consequences. Further, if one is in politics, one must know the rules of the game and know how to play the game. Politics is not for choir boys or girls. Politics is a contact sport, touching opponents up close and personal. One must know how to play in the swamp with foreign, terrifying swamp creatures.
If this is politics,it’s demeaning, hurtful,shameful and downplaying the work that others have done to keep this country from going way under. I must say that the Premier stand in the gap and negotiate for this country to keep its constitution. I applaud him for that, he stood his ground and we’re able to keep the country together. He show us an example.
Now some malicious person want to call them out, as a mistake. I want to know if other parties never make mistakes. It’s part of life that say, you can become a better version of your self with improvement on your mistakes.
These election candidates need to stop dehumanizing others, these are people as your brothers and sisters, with emotions ,feelings and this is how they are treated. Whoever ,put those boards up main objective is to break the VIP party. It is not right.God is watching.
The people crying
That's why we are voting VIP ALL THE WAY.
Until we get 13 perfect candidates on any party slate...we voting VIP ALL THE WAY.
Going Green ????
Not one.
Tortola Vision Centre
Omar Hodge Building
Road Town
Hopefully this helps.
So Who ever going be health minister job going be hell if he dont sort out better packages for the Hezlth care workers
We need a system that attracts COMPETENT individuals!!!!!!!
Negative campaigning whether on billboards or radio/TV/ social media campaign ads, town hall meetings, speeches, etc. is an integral part of politics in the VI and else. Voters have a visceral reaction to negative campaigning. It affects some voters warmly; others, repulse it. As another blogger, Political Analyst, noted negative campaigning persist because it persists, ie, many voters embrace the negative campaigning. Political Analyst outlined the vices of negative campaigning. Candidates negative campaign because it yields results. Most political ads are contrast add, ie, attacking opponents or promoting the candidate. Many ads are fear appealing, lies, distortion, etc. The bottomline is that negative campaigning will continue because many voters demand it and it will not diminish or stop until there is consequence for it. Politicians are opportunists who attack the weaknesses of opposing combatants. Elections are a popularity contest and negative campaigning in a twisted way may perhaps provide an edge, a competitive advantage.