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Ralph O’Neal on replacement – That’s a difficult person to find!
In an exclusive interview with Virgin Islands News Online, O’Neal who is now the Opposition Leader following his party’s 9-4 defeat at the November 7, 2011 polls by the National Democratic Party, was asked who he had in mind to replace him as Leader of the party when he steps down.
“That’s a difficult person to find you know, because you might be a leader and you will be doing what you think is your best and even those you are leading would criticize and say this man don’t know what he is doing and so on and so on. So that person is a very difficult person to find,” the former Premier told this news agency.
He admitted that such a “man or woman” will have to be “thick skinned”.
“You have to withstand a lot and put up with a lot of jealousy and what not. So the person has to be a well-rounded person in the art of dealing and handling people. Has to know when to drop back, you have to know when to go forward, you have to know when it’s time to put your foot down.”
Asked if there is anyone in the party who he thinks has the potential to fill that capacity, Hon. O’Neal said he will leave that decision up to Congress as he would not want for anyone to think that he forced anything upon them.
“What I will tell you I will take an example when certain people are needed to do certain things; everybody is an expert in it and would want to try it. So I leave it to Congress to make up their minds.”
Many have been calling for Hon. O'Neal to step down as Party Leader and even retire from politics citing his age and health.
Regarding his current tenure as Opposition Leader which is for 18 months, the 9th District Representative said, “Congress will make some decisions at some point” but he is also conscious of the fact that “I am not here to mind the world”.
“… and at some time, God spared my life. I might want to go, to do other things to rest, and take a trip to one or two countries that I would like to see. And you know there will be a replacement, as to when that will be I cannot say at this time. It is a matter that will have to go before the party congress.”
The four re-elected members of the Virgin Islands Party are: 9th District Representative and Opposition Leader Hon. O’Neal; along with the three likely front runners to head the party, 1st District Representative Hon. Andrew Fahie, 2nd District Representative Hon. J. Alvin Christopher and 3rd District Representative Hon. Julian Fraser.
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