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Ralph O’Neal responds to Hubert O’Neal's "bribery" claims!
Dr. O'Neal recently stated that he may have lost to Mr. Ralph T. O'Neal at the elections because the district representative allegedly gave out last-minute contracts, which Dr. O'Neal described as bribes, and called on Governor Boyd McCleary and Supervisor of Elections Juliette Penn to investigate allegations of “bribery” among other things.
“If this young man has made the first attempt, the second attempt, the third attempt and he hasn’t beaten me, he thought he would beat me the fourth go round, and he didn’t, I think he should just accept what happen. I cannot see the reason for his going on,” the Opposition Leader told Virgin Islands News Online in an exclusive interview today Thursday November 24, 2011 from his office at the House of Assembly Chambers.
Hon. O’Neal explained that the contracts that he signed two days before election were for guard rails on the alternative road on Virgin Gorda and was given to several different contractors for which the money had already been approved.
“In fact the people who signed the contracts were willing to go to work on election day,” he pointed out. He further claimed that in 2003, the then Minister for Communications and Works Elmore Stoutt, two days before elections, was also signing contracts in Virgin Gorda and when he took office as Premier in 2007, he also met a contract that was signed by the then Chief Minister now Premier Dr. D. Orlando Smith which he honoured.
“When I came down to office I met a contract signed by the then Chief Minister Mr. Smith, two days before election, a contract to Ira Smith Company for transport to Anegada and I made no fuss about it, I respected the contract until when the time was due and we advertise for other carriers. So I don’t know what the fuss is all about,” he stated.
The former Premier said a lot of persons have lost elections and even he had lost the first time he ran, but he was satisfied.
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