Hurricanes prevented me from fulfilling old campaign promises
Dr Hubert O’Neal. (File photo)
By Esther Durand, BVI News Staff
Ninth District Representative Dr Hubert O’Neal has named the 2017 disasters and the subsequent closure of major Virgin Gorda resorts as the reasons he lapsed in fulfilling some of his campaign promises during general elections some three years ago.
Following a public meeting on Virgin Gorda this week, Dr O’Neal said he is willing to represent the district for another term and beseeched his constituents for a chance to restore Virgin Gorda to its former glory.
“I want the people to be patient. We will recover. I can see it and we have come a long way since the storms. But I am begging and pleading for some patience while we try to address all these issues,” he said.
“During the [election] campaign in 2015, I campaigned on several projects that I am to deliver. We had the closure of some of our major resorts including Little Dix Bay and the impact that had on our economy in Virgin Gorda. And then the storms have come and made life even more difficult,” he explained.
The Ninth District representative then said it is ‘not easy being an elected official, right now’. But, despite the ‘difficulties’, said he is not daunted.
“I am not giving up. I am going to fight as hard as I can to restore life as we know it on Virgin Gorda,” he promised.
Unfazed by opponents
O’Neal said is grateful for the faith residents in the Ninth District had placed in him back in 2015. He further said he is not worried about his potential political opponents for the upcoming general election, which is constitutionally due in 2019.
The Virgin Islands Party recently selected Sister Islands Programme Coordinator Vincent Wheatley as its candidate who will contest the seat for the Ninth District, which comprises Virgin Gorda and Anegada.
A number of residents of Anegada and Virgin Gorda have labelled Dr O’Neal as an absentee representative and, for some time now, have been calling for better representation.
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More BS!
I Hope the People of the 9th District stick with their word and VOTE OUT Hurbert!
He said he’s “unfazed” and “not worried”. LETS MAKE HIM WORRIED AND FAZED FOR HIS POSITION/SPOT!
LET US MAKE HIM AN OFFICIAL “ABSENTEE” #unfitt
We will he has done nothing for us and we are itching to get rid of him and get some real leadership
Will imagine. For over 40 plus years the former representative did little in his term. Will a selected few Benefited from his many terms but the over all betterment of the district didn’t improve much and on 2 occasion. He was head of the BVI as chief minister and premier and for you all to have so much to say about a one term rep that sicken one term u all want a man to fix 40 plus years of misrepresentation and one of the biggest disaster in history. You all are some special type of people in my view but no matter what the past rep did u all continue to vote him but I guess the world. Is level after all give the man a 40 plus year break cause it’s only fair one man had it already why not him to
You obviously knows NOTHING about that 40 plus years of the previous rep. Majority of the people of the 9th district LOVED Ralph ONeal! He was one of the GREATEST LEADERS/REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL TIMES.
its was only his last few years things began to get sour for him and his performance. MISTEPRESENTATION?? DISASTER?? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT HUBERT ONEAL?? I THINK SO
you Knows NOTHINGGGGG! NEVER COMPARE RALPH TO HUBERT!!! #TalkingNONSENSE
Do you believe in facts?
BFEC. IRIS ONEAL CLINIC, PORTS BUILDING, ADMIN BUILDING, PURCHASE OF TRAIL TO BATHS, SPRING BAY, PAVED ROADS, PUBLIC WATER, ELECTRICITY, and the list goes on. TELL US WHAT HUBERT HAS DONE
THANK YOU!
Hubert has done NOTHINGG! but made hotels, banking, and Sewage problems hit ROCK BOTTOM in VG.
What a silly comment can Bertie or any Government official tell owners of hotels and banks when to close?
Less for ten terms Bertie one term you all expect Bertie to do. everything in four years that the former Representative did not do for forty.
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
You’ve fooled us. You let us down. You didn’t have a plan to deal with the storms.
Without him Anegeda may never get that Container Port!
Trust me Anegada DON’T want it !!!
You missed the bus
He seems to forget that he served over two years after the election in June of 2015 before the hurricanes struck in September of 2017.
Everything closed under this man, from the hotels down to the banks.
Hotels and banks are not owned by the government. Last time I checked they were privately owned… I saw the JA on FB talking about the government. The same government he was rallying behind of convincing people to vote for them all the way. The same government he use to transport to and from the dock It sad to see how easy it is to tarnish peoples name when we don’t get our way with them. I wish everyone all the best in the upcoming general election for it’s not an easy road. People in this country will never be content.
The government makes the rules under which business operates. The government of the Backward Virgin Islands sets rules that make it next to impossible for business to operate.
excuses and more excuses…for christ sake aryo try don’t vote back in this man
Too late I’m afraid – enough excuses
Please Mr. Representative stop lying you have been the 9th District Rep for over two years before the hurricane so don’t put the blame on the hurricane for your failure. We need someone else in the 9th district one who will make Virgin Gorda their top priority because you don’t.
‘A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.’-John Burroughs
Time to stop the blame game Hubert and take responsibility on the shoulder like a man. The political arena is not the place for you, stop trying to finish where your dad left off and carve out your own place in society. VG and Anegada need and require strong leadership not here today gone tomorrow!
absolutely agree
He’s a joke. Way out of his league. It took him 3 weeks to get to VG after Irma. And then wanted to complain that his boat sunk too. He has never represented VG! VG people deserve better!
And he wanted to close down VGROC to open his own recovery center. This NEVER happened
Hon. O’Neal we of VG thank you for all that you have done for us. We know that you mean well but circumstances are and will always be against you. We would like you to stand down and NOT run for office again. This is the only honorable thing you can do at this time for the 9th.
Did Hurricanes Irma and Maria prevent the Hon Oneal from being embedded with constituents on VG and Anegada after the storms? As the D-9 rep, the Hon Oneal should have been among his constituents from east to west to north to south. True, he may not have been able to bring aid right away but his presence could have shown support and brought comfort in the midst of pain and suffering. Staff let him down; he let himself down. Stop the excuses; they make you look weak.
The Hon Oneal fail to deliver; he needs a crash course in effective retail politics. Constituents are saying he is a dead man walking; sad. After a long struggle to get elected, wasted the opportunity. It might be time to call it a day. One more term for retirement may be a gravitational pull but at the 30’ level things are not looking promising for re-election. It is going to be a tough row (roe) to hoe.
Sad and unfortunate to see you all bashing Bertie this early morning i wonder if you all thank God that you alive to see another day.Bertie will get votes win or loose if he decide to run for office again .I am sure if he knew all the naysayers and you all go to him he will help you because he is kind and loving like his Dad.Bertie has only been in office for over two years.When God is for you who can be against you.
Hubert is NO Robinson O’neal!!!!!
EXACTLY!! the Late Hon. Robinson ONeal would of been SOMEWHAT DISSAPOINTED by Bertie’s lack of performance and determination for the people of district 9.
may his sole RIP
his father probably would of told him to stand down for next election!
You need to take off those rose coloured glasses that are impairing your vision or wake up from your dream. PLEASE…..
The man say we harrassing he ….to many phone call and he stop answering his phone …and he dont call back…
Hubert you can take real blows is all I can say. I was expecting you to simply exit. I hope and pray that the next rep does not turn out to be another Pickering as the piper has to be paid.
He looking that 2 term money lol. Over and out.
Oh please. Enough with the excuses. Just do your job in the right way.
This dude needs to keep his mouth shut. Everytime he opens it he say some dumb mess. Stop blaming the hurricanes man, you was non-existent before and you still that way now..
This guy loves to hear himself talk. At every meeting he just flaps his lips and spews jiberish. …but what does that say of the people that elected him? Get involved and get some real Virgin Gorda people in office.
While we are here bringing down Bertie and saying all kind of negative things we all should get on our knees and thank God he spared our lives through the hurricanes last year. Bertie don’t pay any attention to some of these people not everyone in the 9th District is against you.Remember God is watching us he sees and knows everything we say and do.
And he say we harrassing he ..Smh
He is a damn lier…he was just focusing on his own interests. Vote to f—–d out you not for the people of the 9th district.
Boy Move — VINCENT WHEATLEY 2019 … forward everrrrr
I would have to agree that we haven’t had the best leadership with the present elected official, but nor am I convinced that we will get better leadership with the only other possible opponent. Is there a third viable option for the people of the ninth district to consider?
STRUPES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Strupeezz try leave the man aline go vote for the flax lady look jokes.
What a silly comment can Bertie or any Government official tell owners of hotels and banks when to close?
Imagine VG had a Chief Minister and Premier we were suppose to be on top with everything you all talking about pave roads i don’t think some of you bloggers live in the 9th District.
Vladimir look at Trump as a useful idiot; Berthie, is an honest amateur. In all these years, Berthie should have been studying politics and emulating the best and skilled politician. He was not very convincing begging for a second term so he could qualify for his pension. It was painful watching. Taxpayer exploitation. Now he will join Real George, Roby O’Neal and Ralph O’Neal as former VG reps. Enjoy the retirement.
He wanted another term so he can get his pension just like archie.
THIS TWO TERM PENSION NEED TO STOP IT IS A WASTE OF TAX PAYERS MONEY
Businesses closed before the storms. The reason they did so is the BVI government’s anti business attitude, ludicrous Labour laws, Nazi Immigration policies, lousy communications and mindless bureaucracy. Many businesses will never re-open for the same reasons.
And anyone in government is part of the problem.
He gone long time the white ppl help we out real gud after the storm i thank them.