Cornerstone! Lorna Smith joins VIP to help form new gov’t
It has now been confirmed that former First Lady, Lorna Smith, has joined forces with the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) to help form the next government.
“Elected members of the Virgin Islands Party and Territorial At-Large member Lorna G. Smith, OBE have signed official documents in the presence of His Excellency John James Rankin CMG,” a statement from the VIP explained.
It was also stated that the swearing-in ceremony will follow later this evening.
Negotiations saw newly elected lawmakers locked in dialogue overnight about a possible coalition government and this continued well past noon today after election results did not produce a clear winner yesterday.
A party or a coalition of elected members requires a majority of seven seats in the House of Assembly (HOA) before they can form the government. The person that is selected as leader of the group after this process is completed is then nominated to be appointed as Premier by the governor.
Smith initially campaigned as an independent Territorial At-Large candidate but later teamed up with the National Democratic Party (NDP), the organisation which her husband and former Premier, Dr D Orlando Smith, led as Chairman for nearly 20 years.
In an earlier statement, Smith assured residents that their objectives in electing her would be at the forefront of her mind.
The party extended thanks to the electorate for placing its trust in the VIP and said it remained committed to fostering a government of inclusion, integrity, accountability and transparency.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Typical Lorna!
Lorna in we corner my a$$. Only Lorna is in her corner.
Better we have Lorna watching them than Fraser.
Their corruption will be very limited with her watching.
Plus she might encourage them to get something done.
this “lady” is a traitor
I will not bash anyone,but instead I wish all of you the best. Things are changing in the world and I hope all the members CAN WORK together for a better BVI. At some point we have to stop fighting each other and who from where and what’s not. In the end, I want to be able to live in peace, so hopefully you guys will put your heads together and tackle the crimes that have continue to plague our community. Many people turned a blind eye to the increase of gun violence and even when an innocent 11yr old was gunned down, people refused to speak up. Let this be a positive change for our beautiful BVI.
So given that she received more than any other VIP member it would be reasonable she becomes premier no?
Judas
Lorna I need to my votes back pleas
He remains and is the best candidate for premier. Very happy Lorna saw the bigger picture and put country and people before herself. Cindy eat or suck salt! Which ever you prefer . God is in control not man. All your evilness back fired on you. Now deal with it .. crazy A**. ??
PS.. your predictions were way you offf! Shows how clueless you are. One would have thought being in the public eye you would have came a lot closer to your predictions. Also shows that you made those predictions base on your hate and not logic. Crazy thing!
You clearly knew perline could not beat Wheatley.. maybe in your crazy reality. This is reality. Wake up from Lala land..
That’s not why we elected Lorna – to prop up the old incompetent and corrupt former government. She’d better get them to change their tune and quickly. Perhaps at least the bikes will now all be rounded up!
Well,well,now we know, the Lady in red is in the corner for the COUNTRY, can I get an Amen.Who is it that said “if you want something done right, give it to a WOMAN”?
An utter betrayal by Lorna to gain political power. You should be ashamed of yourself Lorna. I want my vote back.
Mark, go collect your sister please!
Its a coalition government.
Six of them and Lorna.
I know who my money is on to come out on top.
She will run rings round them.
traitor
Frazer had an opportunity to be something but I guess Lorna is a little smarter. Sometimes we just need to swallow our pride…
By doing this Lorna has basically turned around to the BVI population and said … I don’t care what you wanted, I am in this for me. If you COMBINE the votes that each of the 5 VIP members elected in the districts got you are STILL over 1000 votes behind the number of votes that Stacy Mather got alone, and he’s not going to have a chance! This is so backwards its unreal. 487 people voted for our premier – THAT IS ALL, he KNOWS that if he had run at large he would NEVER have gotten in. Lorna’s decision does NOT come from what is best for the country, unless she is so narcissistic that she believes what is best for the country is HER alone. Mather should be in the sitting government, so should Ronnie. This is disgusting. People voted for Lorna because they did NOT want the VIP to get in. POINT. BLANK. PERIOD. We would have been 100000000 times better off if the governor had appointed a premier and we had gone that route.
HL Stoutt decesed is indeed the Father of The Virgin Islands and Lorna no pun intended who I call his adopted daughter is like The mother of same. Crisis brought her to the fore at the right moment, like a mother hen, she will maintain order and help revive the territory.
We lost all respect for Lorna. Waste of vote
HL Stoutt deceased is indeed the Father of The Virgin Islands and Lorna no pun intended who I call his adopted daughter is like The mother of same. Crisis brought her to the fore at the right moment, like a mother hen, she will maintain order and help revive the territory.
Look how Lorna outplayed those pompous idiots on the other side. Now they will all be in the Opposition for 4 or more years reduced to just complaining at every HOA sitting. Smart enough to win but not smart enough to be sworn in as Government! LMAO!
Meh son, you ain have to look far! You have some outside wife right inside your camp!
If Lorna left her other two NDP members and crossed over to form a coalition government with the 6 VIP Members means the 7 members of PVIM, NDP, PU which included Lorna could not agree on a way forward to form and run a government. They asked for a coalition government. They got it. Now greed & selfishness caused them to throw it away. Obviously, they had no concern for the country other than themselves.
Put them in their place Lorna. Wasn’t expecting this but hey…maybe it is for the best. Keep an eye on those scoundrels. Just as long as she stays true to the people.
What this amounts to is Mrs Smith obtaining a huge number of votes from voters who want nothing more to do with the VIP and cast their precious vote with the sole purpose of voting the VIP out of office.
Just think of the irreparable damage they have done to this Territory in four short years. What she has done is nothing short of a fraud on the voting public.
Mrs Smith – please realise that because of this many people do not like you, but absolutely nobody trusts you.
She will presumably deal with the bikes in front of her house as a priority. Then she will disappear flying first class and staying in 5 star hotels for much of the next 4 years. The promise to fix immigration and labour will be forgotten.
What a sc**bag!
The gentle lady knows her worth. Being the second highest vote getter, she has apparently leveraged her territorial wide support into the Deputy Premiership quite swiftly. Timing is everything. Talk about a power move…this is it.
Now, I am not a party ideologue. I don’t personally care which party is in power as I see the issues they have to deal with as the same, however, this development is perhaps the best outcome in the interest of the country at this moment in time.
Now, I realize some may take issue with this move, however, I did not see a coalition government being formed by the PVIM, NDP, and the PU.
If media reports and the grapevine were true, it appears there were too many egos within all 3 parties o form this government.
In sum, I think it was a good move on the Honorable elect Lady’s part. This demonstrates to me that she is putting country above self and party while exacting a price. Nothing wrong with that.
Its been over a decade know that I have advocated for a coalition government, and here we are. My thinking then and now was that a government with little opposition is not a good government, and such a coalition will begin to break this cycle of party politics whereby one party has all the cards.
From this day forth that will change as there are 13 very capable strong men and women who will lead us forward. They have to talk to each other, and compromise as needed to get things done. By doing so, their decisions will be more balanced and dominated by one party over the other. I cannot think of a more democratic process.
Now, congrats to all who contested and won as well as those who tried. A few notables:
1. Congrats to Mr. Dawson is in order. A man who was at the helm of the college until he was kicked out, left these lands to head another institution, returned home, and never give up on serving his people. Now he has been elected to the HOA. I respect that.
2. Congrats to Mrs Hodge Smith — a woman who tried before and kept on coming back. I like people who persevere and never give up. That’s admirable. I wish her well in her new role.
3. There is something about Mr. Rhymer that I find likable and apparently others do, but I am happy to see him re-elected. The same goes for Ms DeCastro.
4. Perhaps my biggest congrats goes to Stacy Budda. Until last night I knew little of him. It seems to me he just came out of no where and shot straight to the top of the vote getter list. That’s quite impressive for a political newcomer.
As for the Premier, I think he is a good guy, and will continue to do his best for the country.
Now, I trust all those who were elected will put country first and do what is in the best interest of this country and all BVI Islanders.
I hope they get off on the right foot by making certain they register their interest as required within a specific time period, complete the COI recommendations, an get our country beyond the problems it currently has.
To those who did not participate in this election either by not registering to vote, or registering and not voting, let me say something to you:
Shame on you.
You checked out and said you will not participate in this democracy. As such you have no right to complain about anything that happens in this country as you did not see it fit to make a difference when you could.
Don’t come on these blogs and complain when you have not lifted a finger to exercise your right to vote. Don’t hot up other peoples’ ear with your complaints either. Keep it to yourselves. Don’t want to hear it.
All the best to our new government. I believe we have elected 13 very good people to lead us forward.
Don’t let us down.
Foxy Lady in the hen house!
Before the election she would not shut up about getting the VIP out.
Now she has Lorna on her sofa, she seems awfully quiet about her prize chat show guest / election advert client being responsible for putting them back in power. Another example of self-interest and shameful lack impartiality from our “press”.
AMEN!!!!! Men egos are to much for me papa.
Well, did you attend the Constitution Review meetings and make this point or make a submission? The system is wack. It has a veneer of democracy but it really just legitimises power plays by the few. A new political system is needed because the math isn’t mathing
” Who to Blame”? (1)NDP (2)PVIM (3)PU . Power Struggle.
If for whatever reason Natalio can no longer be Prime Minister, Lorna takes the slot.
Okay, now that you are in there Lorna, please follow through with dealing with one of your pet peeves: The nuisance that scooters and motorcycles have become.
Sound so foolish ,then y Mather didn’t go over? Stay there stress.
Anyone stopped to think that maybe she simply walked away from the chaos that engulfed the PVIM, NDP and PU camp.
You think it is easy to manage egos like Skelton, Walwyn, Turnbull and Fraser.
A lot of Campaign Promises will now be swept under the Rug. Eg. Fixing NHI. Among others.
In a comment earlier today I stated that Lorna would not join with the VIP.
I now accept that my comment was completely untrue and ignorant.
I trusted Lorna and simply could not believe that she would act like a snake in a desperate bid for power.
I am sorry, and have decided not to post any more comments for 60 days so that I are not so rash in the future.
Those who know who I am will understand.
Goodbye until the end of June!
Rubber Duck
Ms Smith and each of the other 4 elected at-large candidates received just over 1/3 of the 9000+ votes available to each of them from the at-large voting pool.
Most elected district representatives received over 50% of the roughly 750-1200 votes available to them in their various districts. (9 districts of about 1000 votes cast each)
Stop pretending the number of votes can be compared between district candidates and at large candidates. Remember that while each of the winning 4 at-large candidates received votes from just over a third of the voters, almost two thirds of the voters DID NOT vote for each candidate.
Politically, I don’t care- but this is a lie going around. If we want to be responsible citizens, we must seek the truth.
Lorna did not betrayed us! Some kind of move had to be made by someone or by a number of persons before time runs out. The longer it takes, it reveals the hard truth that some people cannot work together for this country. We should be thanking this woman from stopping the fighting that was not getting us anywhere closer to forming the government. Please let me know if we prefer that the fighting be continued and the Governor take things into his hands, and form the government for us. Then may as well we let the UK take this place over from now, since we are not capable enough to do anything for ourselves. We need to stop. When we need to fight- we go on mute. When we need to be on mute- we want a fight. Can’t make these things up. We continue to confuse the young people because we are unable to lead by example. We are a bunch of trouble makers. Stop it!! ?
Who is her brother (grasshopper)
I think she has done the right thing. She has has tremendous skill and good judgmen. If the VIP are to be in power anyway, then her being there will improve the team. This is a good outcome, we should be grateful.
Bottom line is ayo dumb for putting VIP in a position where they only needed one more member to take control. Lorna just figure better she than somebody else. Take the licks ayo gonna get for the next 4 years and don’t complain now
This place have a large percentage of voters who basically blackmail candidates into paying them for their vote and then turn around and call politicians corrupt and greedy. Take a look at yourselves. You are, then, what you vote for. R u tek dat!
A faustian bargain. Hope the VIP can deal with that.
It got to be obeah from Senegal because our voting population really this stupid for real?
Gotta be the home of the year! Lorna was there when hubby rouges (her brother) took us for a ride. How soon we forget! Lorna will show you all her real colors soon. She was and is all about self. Nothing gonna change…..I hope they implode in 6 months!
In the aftermath of these elections – decision 2023 I am reminded of 2 quotes that I fully agree with and is demonstrated by the LS-VIP alliance. The first is from L Tolstoy : “Anything is better than lies and deceit” and the second is from Friedrich Nietzsche “I’m not upset that you lied to me. I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.”
The inconvenient truth is that many failed to pay attention to the track record we were invited to examine and judge open. If that was done perhaps this recent chess move would not have been as shocking….once again the Virgin Islands has been sucker punched and left wounded, not knowing who to trust or believe. How can we repair, restore and rebuild in this environment and with this tone at the top which conveys the “by any means necessary….make it happen no matter what” mantra that we need to dispel in order to restore the trust and confidence which the people must have in its government in order to strengthen Good Governance….questions abound
Now cue the band music from the 40s and 50s long bygone era which is already playing as we await the swearing in ceremony of the Premier and Ministers of Government. Don’t take my word for it…check out the link….smh….where do we go from here???? only time will time, let’s remain vigilant and engaged
The best thing that happened to this country is that the concrete party did not form the Government. They didn’t want Lorna so she joined VIP. Those two greedy white head men from up the ghut didn’t want her or Frazer.
The almighty is in the mids Lorna being with NDP 1 or 2 was not an option for her during the elections they all tried to pull her down but she got through.
I hate this country. It’s official.
Pure a$shusness you spouting!
Wishful thinking.
Four more years of the same nonsense. Too much to stomach.
To all of you out there who’s thinking Lorna is a sellout is a bunch of sick people who don’t understand how the election works. Lorna did the VIP a favor cause everyone wants to be Chief and no Indians. Would you had prefer Frazer who so badly wants to get control to throw this country backwards.
Lorna did the best thing caused she put country over self. If some of you dumb @$$ would read and understand you won’t be on here chatting stupidness.
Lorna will create apathy and disillusionment among voters that politician are power hungry and Frazer with his colonial deportment with head parted in the center as though he have blond hair a relic of the 50’s imposed on black people to look presentable to the whites, and Ronnie being spoil with money believe he should rule every one. Am glad they couldn’t say Myron wanted power because he had to fight stigmatization by some people and still attain this much.
God did not do this all we can do is wait and see what will take place
Thank you Hon Lorna Smith. Much gratitude. I am convinced that by the Grace of God your decision to step in and up at the most daunting point in our history saved these Islands. Blessings and good wishes to you and family.
These Islands are Blessed indeed. Your VI family has always been and continues to be a Blessing in the History past and present of these Islands in many extraordinary ways.
Wellcongrats to all. We will how this all plays out over the next four.
Still baffeled why people who said they are going in to rob, steal and fill their pockets were reelected though. Our people are still blind, bamboozled and politically weak.
This lady is dishonest. She will do well in the VIP party.
You plan to kill he nuh? You need to shut your trap. This was ordained to shut all the wagging tongues against Mr. Wheatley. All the other parties will sit on the Opposition and say, “how I missed an opportunity.” Bam, Bam. We wish the Premier and his team strength to take our country forward.
She walked away? Not the liar who claim she would be a negotiator for the BVI and could do so on an international level because of her experience. She couldn’t do so among the parties? Nothing for the people to consider. She has proven herself to be a liar and something tells me that she don’t give a rats ass.
We prefer honesty and loyalty. If she wanted to make independent decisions, she should have stayed as an independent candidate. She would NOT have gotten the votes. So what if the Governor would have ended up selecting the Premier. It would not have been slowande or Fraser. She selected slowande after the majority of the people clearly stated NO because it meant she could become deputy. She has put herself before the country. She has lost the respect of the majority and the trust of all. If she really in the country’s corner, she will prove it. Otherwise, she goes down in history as a traitor, a jezebel, a judas.
Too dumb to read that Lorna could have stayed right where she was and it would be down to the governor to choose. The governor would not have chosen slowande nor Fraser so you talking piss. Lorna chose slowande for the country, against the country’s wishes, because it meant she got deputy, now aint that a frig?
You mean Pauline did not have half the money Wheatley was walking around with to hand out.
Lorna campaigned as a member of the NDP. You could not have forgotten that this quickly, unless you have dementia.
The only important thing to you is the repair to immigration and labour? Ok. We got who you are
You confidently stated that she would not join them. You are a fool!
During his tenure as Minister of Education, Mr. Andrew Fahie lowered the standards for the school leaving exam. He allowed students, who could not pass the exam on their own merit, to take the exam multiple times until they finally succeeded. He then printed banners which he erected around Road Town boasting of a 98% pass rate. I remember very clearly stating to friends and colleagues in the next 10-15 year cycle we were going to reap what was sown by him, a poorly educated populace who cannot reason using induction or deduction.
And here we are. On the surface, Mr. Fahie’s actions while serving in government seemed comical and asinine. However, I think it is apparent today, he executed a well planned longitudinal plan to create an electorate that would continue to vote against their own interests in order to keep him and his co-conspirators in office. We can look to America and see a similar if not identical strategy being deployed by the Republicans. I think it’s safe to say America is descending into madness and we can assume we will too.
The VI electorate doesn’t seem to understand the Westminster political system. If they did, I do believe we would have garnered much different outcomes on Monday. The treachery involving Julian Fraser and Lorna Smith revealed exactly what politics in the Virgin Islands is really about. Some would say they already knew that and that is why they did not bother to exercise their right to vote. However, have people really considered the bigger looming issue created by their choices?
The very small brain trust that the territory depends on to mitigate the gross errors, incompetence and pure evil of the elected government are overwhelmed, overworked, discouraged and fed-up with having to rescue the territory out of the holes the government continuously digs. How long are they expected to continue in this futile endeavor? Many have sacrificed potential lives elsewhere to remain here and do the good work that needs to be done, but I believe this is a turning point for many of them. What will the territory do if they were to leave en masse?
This is the biggest crisis looming on the horizon as the wounds of Monday start to scab over. Without our front line of defenders, how do we make a case for we DO have the expertise to continue to govern and run the key services of this territory? How do we convince these good people not to leave their territory for greener less tumultuous pastures, and more importantly who will replace them when they are gone?
My view changed overnight. Perhaps Lorna realised that as the other guys were not willing to compromise to make a deal if she didnt make a deal with the VIP then it would be the Governor who chose the next Premier? Lesser of two evils?
Lorna has not joined the VIP. She has outsmarted them and has them by the cojones. They can do nothing without her approval.
Truly an eagle flying over chickens.
I understand your logic but the cart is before the horse. It is not law yet that the at large or highest number of votes sit in government. I believe that added to the problem. At the poles people voted 6 VIP 3NDP 3 PVIM 1 PU. To form the government you need a majority. I believe even they themselves lost sight of that. 3 parties uniting under 1 leader is hard and then when people only want to sit as leader thats harder. Until we have voting for premier as law, we have to operate this way.
Very well put, indeed. The only thing to add is that this has happened countless times before – Frazer did it, Ethlyn Smith did it, CB Romney did it, Alvera did it, Mark and so forth. The Westminster system is what is at fault, not the voters. The voters are simply tired of voting for change and then getting more of the same. Their cynicism grows with each election, with each failed promise, with each new evidence of corruption. They now understand that voting doesn’t and can’t fix things given the system. The system needs to change and more robust measures need to be out in place to end corruption. Then maybe people will start voting again.
Lorna was pragmatic. The guys all wanted top spot and asked too much so looks like she was the only one of them able to compromise for the sake of the BVI. Good luck to her – hopefully she will do whats right for the people. Otherwise the Goveror would have chosen the Premier and nothing would have got done for 4 years. She can still hold the VIP to account if she doesn’t agree with their policies. Now the corruption has been aired and Fahie gone perhaps the Government now can concentrate on the issues that really need to done – education for the children, sewerage, roads, DMV, Labour and Immigration and the years of accounts which stopped the BVI from getting loans after the hurricane in 2017.
But its ndp and pvim fault… they just couldnt decide all of them wanted premier…shame on them… but lorna couldof a waited a bit she was too quick.
The digraced Coach wherever he is now and in the future of this current Government won’t be able to pull the strings of VIP members to continue his reign in these VI Because Lorna in We Corner.
Thanks to the Almighty intervention and guidance.