I should have left NDP sooner, affiliation cost PVIM the election
By Esther Durand, BVI News Staff
Chairman of the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) Ronnie Skelton believes a key contributor to the party largely not being elected is his previous affiliation with the bedevilled NDP former government.
Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull of the Second Electoral District was the only PVIM candidate to win a seat in the recently-concluded 2019 General Election.
“Mitch and I came out of NDP [and] I am sure that affected us. How much [did it affect us]? Maybe the results could tell you,” Skelton said.
When asked if he would have done anything differently in the leadup to elections, Skelton said: “I probably would have left the NDP sooner. Let us not be naive. The general public classified us ‘NDP1’ and ‘NDP2’ and my Communications Director took a while before he disconnected us [from the NDP]. So I am sure it had some effect.”
Skelton, at the time, was addressing members of the media at the PVIM headquarters in Fish Bay on Tuesday.
PVIM need more time to prepare
Skelton also said emerging six months before the election did not work to the party’s advantage either.
“I think a message resonated, but it did not resonate enough to make us as successful as we would like to be. I think if we had more candidates in the district we could probably have gotten more votes because we would have had a candidate on the ground doing what was needed to be done in order to assist the At-Large candidates in moving forward,” he said.
Going forward, the PVIM leader said he plans to continue to build the party and get more candidates ready to contest the next general election which is constitutionally due in 2023.
We will work with Mitch
In the meantime, Skelton said his party will work closely with their sole elected representative, Turnbull, to push the PVIM agenda.
“I know he has a strong voice and has some colleagues that are already willing to work with him in the House of Assembly and to make sure that our views and what we believe in are articulated properly in the House,” Skelton said.
Turnbull along with the other candidates thanked the public for their support at the polls and extended congratulations to the Andrew Fahie-led Virgin Islands Party team on their victory.
Fahie was sworn in as Premier of the Virgin Islands Tuesday afternoon, fewer than 24 hours after the General Election.
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What is this man smoking? I think the more he talks, is the more nonsense that comes out his mouth. Shut up Ronnie you’re embarassing yourself.
The people have no confidence or belief in this man who for years was part of the NDP govt but when he saw the writing on the wall come election time suddenly discovered he did not agree with them.
How dumb did he suppose the people are?
That’s a load of crap, Fahie sat in the VIP for years and tried to get them to stay on track. Had Ronnie leave the NDP with the amount of nonsense they were about to do it might have been worst. Myron and others including MR.LS were calling the shots and would not listen. Miss P was right, Ronnie you should have buss off long time.
Ronnie no one like u .u will never b in if it was not for Dr Smith u are really BOB the billionaire billed go site down
myrun is that you
so that’s the problem here . He’s rich and you’re not
No, you shut up. Running your mouth with nothing constructive to add. Me. Skelton is basically explaining he should have distanced himself earlier when he discovered what was going on. Some of are you are so biased that it blinds your vision to understand his meaning. You can applaud Mitch for leaving but blackball Ronnie, for what purpose. Hush your mouth
Nobody has applauded Mitch the switch for leaving NDP when he didn’t get the rapid promotion he lusted for! It’s a miracle he clung onto his D2 seat in most peoples opinion and his popularity profile has taken a battering – he’d better keep his head down and work his socks off to start repairing the damage and regain some confidence – but it has to be earned not bragged about…
Please! You did not deserve to be reelected for any reason whatsoever. I am so glad that PVIPM or whatever has failed, and flopped…
Ronnie no one like u .u will never b in if it was not for Dr Smith u are really BOB the billionaire billed go site down
No, the blue wave of confusion surface, spin and sank like the Titanic.
Work with Mitch …well that depends on whether he want to work with you doesn’t it. He’s pretty isolated now but only has himself to blame with his previous disloyalty and treatment of Mr Fahie previously – basically calling him a liar…he only just managed to get re-elected and no doubt will be eyeing up any position of power – minister of tourism etc….but would you trust him? I think he’ll switch again soon as and when something better comes up!
MITCH got elected on the sympity vote. I believe he is going to jump ship again. He called Andrew a liar, now the liar is his boss.Mr.Premier, I would watch MITCH like a HAWK. Yes,a lot of people believe he is going to jump ship again if he dose not get his way or what he want.
I am in the Second District and we don’t know how
Mitch won. I believe he went bawling to people. Like he would die if he didn’t win. He need to go sit down.
@ I agree How Mitch won has baffled the people of the second district who wanted like the seventh to make a change.
After seeing the stance the rest of the country made and that the second was following, it is a real shock to the voters that he won by so much and at all.
The machines for Meyers at one time was down for a while but who knows the almighty knows best.
I am feeling the same way. Who is to say Mitch is not going to do the same thing he did to NDP. Don’t sit with me and act like everything is all good while plotting on me.You don’t jump ship to better yourself, you go down with the ship.
Switch to where again? Not on my VIP team. He can only switch to the outside of the HOA. He is too pompous and disrespectful to our Premier
A very weak excuse….if that’s the case how come Mitch managed to get re-elected then? (well only just) as he was part of the same No Direction Party as you for most of his term until he decided to switch when he didn’t get the post he wanted….surprised people did stick with him in the end…
Brother Skelton, you are the greatest financial administrator our government has ever had. The results of your work verify and have proven that.
Many know that and are willing to speak truth to truth would agree to that fact.
Many are proud of you as of our native son, friend, former servant and saviour who have helped many, have saved many lives, literally, and who have placed the financial footing of this country on standards never before achieved.
So, let us history be kind to you and judge you accordingly.
May it do the same for the NDP.
Lastly, now, let go, go and live your life and leave that alone now. Let it rest in peace. It is gone.
Many wish you were reelected, but maybe next time brother. God bless you son of the of the soil.
Ronnie, Dancia, Kedric, Fraser, Wade and Mitch had a chance to form a super party and they all f#{%&d up
you are so right … add Shaina, Sylvia, Marlon and Roxi, Alvera, a ninth district rep and two 2 more at large would be super super…but why can’t we all just get along?
Too many egos in one room. A party like that would never get off the ground.
They are all power hungry
No Skelton dont get it twisted, you meant that you should have been fired much earlier. When strangers live among you the bible says be careful you dont mistreat them. Or have devious plans to. God knew your thoughts. Prayers went up. Do remember I said after the 25th you would be dis honorable Skelton. I said you would never walk the honorable HoA again as an honorable member. It was God that rejected you. Get it straight.
Please don’t shame God in this way. He DOES NOT REJECT ANNYYYYYYOOONNNNE.
Obviously you don’t know your bible. You want me to tell you it I wouldnt. Go read your bible.
He does. The Creator rejects the WICKED. You go read the Bible. Pharoah, Jezebel, Annanias & Saphira, Esau, Cain …
The only “god” that does not reject is the Devil ????. He wants you and I to worship him instead of the True God, the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
So stop coming on here with your lies …
Tell her my sis. I assume that both the former and later are females by the softness of your tones.
I won’t be surprised if I hear Mitch switch again. This young dude is after power. Ronnie, you have nothing to offer him now. So good luck trying to work with him. He’s probably on the phone to Andrew right now.
@Barcode, for real, blowing up Andrew phone as we blog. Cry me a River MITCH.I agree, he got elected on the SYMPATHY vote.
“you are the greatest financial administrator our government has ever had. The results of your work verify and have proven that”…..say what?!!! Is that why the NDP nearly bankrupted us and we can’t afford to fix all the list of infrastructure we need to?
Ronnie you can’t stand to be a looser. You hungry for power…go run your family business and move on. You need to finish with politics all together.
No Skelton dont get it twisted, you meant that you should have been fired much earlier. When strangers live among you the bible says be careful you dont mistreat them. Or have devious plans to. God knew your thoughts. Prayers went up. Do remember I said after the 25th you would be dis honorable Skelton. I said you would never walk the honorable HoA again as an honorable member. It was God that rejected you. Get it straight.
According to Ronnie….”The general public classified us ‘NDP1’ and ‘NDP2’ and my Communications Director took a while before he disconnected us [from the NDP]. So I am sure it had some effect.”
Ronnie please….. shut the F$%k up. Why are you throwing your Communications Director under the bus. That’s the problem with some people….always looking someone to blame…. What this whole thing seems like to me is that you (Ronnie ) did not really want to get elected. It seems like the party was just formed to mess up the NDP …split votes and Myron would loose…. I may be wrong but that’s how it seems.
You are correct,that is exactly how it was planned. Mitch the ship jumper and the other jumpers and Ronnie opened that can of worms. They were plotting that for the longest. Mitch votes were sympathy votes.
Residents of the Virgin Islands and others in the diaspora, We must all be very careful and mindful of our comments. One of the things that comes not back as we often say and hear is spoken words. The good book clearly states that we must rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. We must remember that we are all brothers and sisters no matter who have won or who have lost. As a matter of fact, I see no losers because the Virgin Islands do not belong to VIP nor NDP nor any other P. remember, the Earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof. As we are in the final days, Time is quickly passing by. We might be amazed at how soon four years will be gone. As residents of these Virgin Islands it is time to put a full stop to all negative comments and blogs and look towards working together for the betterment of future generations as God permits. We all know that we are living in serious times and whatever is there to come upon us must be a united approach not one of division. When God send his rain, it does not fall on one house top, therefore, whatever comes, everyone will be affected. Just like Irma came unexpectedly, so there is more to come in different forms. These Virgin Islands need ethnic cleansing so don’t be in shock if it rains for three or four weeks, God is looking down on us whether our hearts are pure or wicked there are consequences. It is very sad to see the state that our Virgin Islands have become because of US, the people. People CHANGE PLEASE so we can enjoy what is left of our lives. CHRISTIANS CHANGE so that WE can CHANGE the world. The mindset of people are wicked and its destroying our little territory. Pastors and Bishops, come out of hiding and get it right. God is watching you. Be different and lead the charge. BVI be careful. God is watching US. Let us all look at the bigger picture. Look deep and think deep. There are more wicked hearts than pure hearts in this territory and God looks at the heart. Too many people have too many motives and they are not good. Let not the innocent suffer because of the guilty. We have more small minded than good. Beware BVI, Beware. God Bless.
When you write, “These Virgin Islands need ethnic cleansing” is that what you really mean? I hope not!
According to http://www.history.com, “Ethnic cleansing” has been defined as the attempt to get rid of (through deportation, displacement or even mass killing) members of an unwanted ethnic group in order to establish an ethnically homogenous geographic area.” Examples include the treatment of the Jews by the Nazis and the massacre of the Armenians by the Turks during World War 1.
I sincerely hope that you used the term in ignorance of its true meaning.
You need help.
And not from the imaginary sky pixie.
Boy Ronnie, wait for it, you will see how fast before Mitch jumps your ship when he realize someone has a better offer. That man isn’t loyal to no one but himself – I was shocked to see him being re-elected.
If you look deeper, you wouldn’t be shocked as to why he got reelected and the other one VIP contender did not get elected. When we know better we do better as our actions have consequences.
All Rennie want to be in to bill his mall Mitch must switch because on one don’t want you .even your brother i c with us VIP VIP all the way and dis time VIP never coming back out we going to bill back
Wait a Minute! So the Maestro didn’t deliver a commanding performance.
I agree with every single word you have articulated in this comment. Ronnie W. Skelton, we thank you for your service. Let us as a people not be an ungrateful bunch. We must be grateful when one has the courage to offer to serve our country. He served us well. No one is perfect so mistakes will be made. We will never have the perfect representative who would do everything perfectly. Can we give him praise for the positive things that he has done? why only pick on where he fell short?
Thank you Honorable Skelton. I admire and appreciate the work you did, and for your commitment to your country.
I think that if the NDP or PVIM expect to get anywhere in 2023, both parties would need to set aside differences and re-united as ONE party… the breakup was the downfall of both, regardless of the reason…
If you look deeper, you wouldn’t be shocked as to why he got reelected and the other one VIP contender did not get elected. When we know better we do better as our actions have consequences.
It wasn’t so much his association with NDP that got him rejected, but his quickness to disclaim any responsibility for what happened IN CABINET when he was a senior member of said cabinet. Dr. Smith threw his financial advisors under the bus when he said that they gave him poor advice about the airline. For a person who doesn’t take advice that is some doodoo to say. Then Mr. Skelton answered a question from one of his audience members when asked about that same airline and his connection to the decision to give them all the money and he said he was okay with taking responsibility for anything he did as Minister of Health but he was not Minister of Finance. That is not cricket as they say, denying any responsibility for what happened in Cabinet. It’s always easier to blame the other guy rather than say I was there, I knew, I did and said nothing. I think folks would have been more forgiving of all those who left the party if they left when that bad decision was made and executed. But I guess everyone wanted to hold on to their position and power. That’s what happens when it’s just a job, and not the “calling” to serve “their” people. One one was served by many of their decisions but the airline was so glaring that anyone dead from the neck up could have seen it.
Shocked alvera got in .
@ALVER
And im sure they are sorry now cause them saying Them waste them wotes. Lol
She has been re-elected, she is going to be paid, she is entitled to a pension. But you, aint got ship. Looky here…you hater.
I am shocked you know how to use a computer. She is not a part of this story and whether you are shocked or not she has been re-elected. You who believe they wasted their votes was not in a position to vote for her so she did not win by your vote so go SIDDUNG. Oh, and SHUT UP.
Whether you have left sooner rather than later, the end results would have still been the same!
I guess Mitch will be getting a lot of side looks up in HOA. Not now but dude is going to jump ship again.Honestly,even though Mitch got ré-elected, his Political Career is basically over. That sympathy vote will F**k you up. Yeah,I believe he won because of the Sympathy votes.
What ever happened to men like Russell Harrigan? Never heard from him,big NDP spokesman and adviser. Are we even gonna see our $7.2m among other things?
Russell jumped ship long time
You were not re-elected because you are shady and you lack compassion. It did not help that you lacked loyalty and integrity either.