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Give Lorna Smith the respect she deserves — Premier

Deputy Premier Lorna Smith.

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has stated that the public needs to give Minister Lorna Smith the respect she deserves, adding her suspension of the Trade Commission wasn’t due to a lack of knowledge, as some have posited.

Minister Smith suspended the Trade Commission recently, stating that she needs more time to figure out a cost-effective way to establish the institution.

But some — including Bishop John Cline, who was set to sit on the board of the Trade Commission — have suggested that the minister suspended the Commission because she didn’t have enough information on the entity.

But speaking on the Morning Braff radio show recently, Premier Wheatley said Minister Smith’s decision was a well-informed one.

“We have to give the Deputy Premier the proper respect. It is not because she doesn’t understand. The challenge is, when she looked at the legislation and the plan to set up, she believed certain things needed to be revisited and that’s going to take time,” Premier Wheatley stated.

He added: “Let’s give her the respect, she’s an intelligent lady. She’s been a civil servant for many years — all the way back to when my grandfather was around, when Cyril Romney and Lavity Soutt were around. I believe she deserves some respect and the benefit of the doubt.”

The Premier also added that significant work on the Trade Commission was done under former Premier Dr D Orlando Smith’s tenure and Minister Smith would have discarded all her husband’s work if she were to suspend it arbitrarily.

“The Trade Commission was started under the D Orlando Smith administration — he’s the current Minister of Trade’s husband. I certainly don’t think the Deputy Premier would throw away the good work her husband did in office,” Premier Wheatley stated.

Minister Smith has said she hopes to arrive at a decision on the Trade Commission within one year.

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16 Comments

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  1. I will say this and drop the mic says:

    I just want my promised increment that you government promised and already have in the budget to give. What the hold up people have bills and pay eh and cost of living keep going up

    Like 13
    Dislike 1
  2. So… says:

    This is an explanation without giving an explanation? What “certain things” need to be revisited? Why is there no timeframe on when these “certain things” can be expected to be sorted out? This ain’t got nothing to do with disrespect or because she is a woman or who she married to or who your grandfather is or how long she been a civil servant or none of that.

    Like 21
  3. Smh says:

    This man needs to just shut up.

    Like 15
  4. SMH says:

    Respect is earned, Lorna is involved in most of the bad deals over the years and has a lot to hide. She cannot be trusted. She needs to sit down in her corner.

    Like 20
    Dislike 2
  5. EXCUSE ME???? says:

    Mrs. Smith disrespected herself and over three Thousand Voters with her DECEPTION….. I didn’t hear her offer any reasons why she intentionally deceived the people of the BVI. She should be ashamed of herself. Respect is earned. She needs to go in her own Corner down Mc. Namara. No respect from me. I could NEVER respect a blatant DECEIVER.

    Like 29
    Dislike 1
  6. Please says:

    What a weak old sun of a gun. Them saying she don’t even respect you behind closed doors and treats you like s**t allegedly and so you are afraid of her.
    A set of you all trying to hold it together until next year when you all will make 5yrs and will be eligible for life time pension as a politician. You don’t have any respect for yourself, the people, or anything your grandfather stood for.

    Like 14
    Dislike 1
    • @please says:

      Didn’t his grandfather almost brought BVI to its knees. I think the public even surrounded government house with rocks and bats and stuff calling him out.

      • @@please says:

        No, when his grandfather took over in 1971 from Lavity. the BVI was near bankruptcy. He worked hard to get the finances on its keel which called for less spending and when he did the British fulfilled his request and granted him finance under his full control.

        Willard was a bit gunshy about spending but had strong policies and ensured a strong ethical and moral standing amongst politicians and civil servants.

        Lavity liked to spend but coming off of the Batehill debacle he had a difficult time gauging the finances especially when he enacted certain changes that called for spending such as a new high school where he made secondary education across the board before only a privileged few mostly from Raod Town was allowed to attend high school.

        Willard is the father of offshore finance It was his Govt that brought Double taxation to the territory in 1976. He and Lavity were two great leaders. Natalio and his Govt are cl**less.

  7. FACTS says:

    The Trade Commission initiative started under her husband but she stop it as she was never for it because she love the political power she had with the old system. The last Premier is who moved forward to implement the Trade Commission to create fairness and remove political biasness. This woman is a fr**d and it will be exposed.

  8. NO NOT ME says:

    I WILL NEVER RESPECT A DELILAH TYPE PERSON

    Like 15
    Dislike 1
  9. Action says:

    I don’t usually agree with you àccidental. But I am in your corner on this one. I agree you should first start by showing her the respect that she deserve. 3000± to 400 votes show her some respect make her premier. You didn’t expect with your limited knowlethat she would have allowed you to lead did you. We all know that she is the defacto leader. You sitting in the big chair but wearing a short pants. How do you think the other cabinet members are looking at you Mr accidental.

    Like 9
    Dislike 3
  10. The Truth says:

    I don’t have a phd but it doesn’t take much to know that the premier himself does not respect the NDP and Lorna as he continues to talk bad about her husband who was the chairman of the NDP and former premier. He e continues to bash Orlando Smith even last week when he was on Tola radio. Also he has no respect for the people in general and especially those in long look who he totally ignores. All he talks about is so call international Issues concerning self determination yet he can’t focus on proper infrastructure, tourism, and complains that money for retirees is too much of the budget. Yet his administration ensures that once they make 5 years in office full retirement as a politician is assured whether they perform or not and poor civil servants have to wait 25 to get a dollar which runs out before you make 65 years.When you go to him he complains there is no money but he continues to spend money on lavish trips overseas that doesn’t bring anything including revenue to the country but he intends to spend a further $100,000 before the year ends which is in 2 months.

    Like 9
    Dislike 1
  11. Norris Turnbull says:

    Aren’t there other pressing issues to address?

  12. Sonny Black says:

    Luarna in the Corner can run off a pier for all I care. She should go home and take a nap, eat her oatmeal and leave for working to ppl that know what to do. And Premier Sl** Wande think he is a dictator to tell ppl how to treat Luarna in the Corner. He should quit.

    Like 10
    Dislike 1
  13. BOI says:

    U have your own site keepI your racially motivated rhetoric on your yello site b @ ( no not not me ) U DAMN RIGHT , ITS NOT ME > ITS YOU WHO IS CRUCIFYING EVERYBODY BY BLOGGING UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES TO DECIEVE THE PEOPLE / @ excuse me ) TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND EXCUSE YOURSELF ~ QUIETLY ( thank U wiGo

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  14. Rubber Duck says:

    To understand the purpose of this Trade Commission you need to read the act that founded it.

    Its purpose is not to reduce prices or promote business.

    Its entire purpose is to restrict trade. It envisions areas of business that will be exclusive to the elites, the government and its cronies. It gives this Commission power to take over existing businesses like some Pol Pot Communist regime without any due process. It talks of protected businesses without competition allowed.

    Its a Fahie beast right there with his barges and bails.

    We need to scrap it now.

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