I’ll graciously step aside: PVIM asking governor to remove me as Opposition Leader
Opposition Leader Andrew Fahie. (BVI News photo)
Opposition Leader Andrew Fahie has wished his successor Ronnie Skelton well as the incoming holder of the post.
Fahie is expected to be booted from the post shortly, considering that the Skelton-led Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) now has the majority of the five members that make up the parliamentary opposition in the House of Assembly.
Fahie said Skelton informed him of the PVIM’s intent to write to Governor Augustus Jaspert to revoke his position as Leader of the Opposition and have Skelton appointed to the post.
“It is safe to say that their actions are legal, being that they are within the confines of the law,” Fahie said in a press conference in Road Town on Friday.
Fahie said, when that time comes, he will ‘graciously step aside’.
The position does not drive me
He then made it clear that the post of opposition leader does not ‘drive’ him.
“The people of the Virgin Islands getting true representation is what drives me. Fulfilling purpose and helping others fulfil their purpose is what drives me. Pleasing God is what drives me,” Fahie said, adding that he is also driven by his mission to ensure accountability, transparency and good governance.
“Rest assured, I am still a member of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, the First District Representative, the Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party … and I will still be asking questions in the House of Assembly. As a matter of fact, expect more questions from me,” he said.
Will this new PVIM opposition leader be objective?
While ready and willing to step aside, Fahie suggested that he is wary of the incoming opposition leader’s ‘impartiality’ to the governing NDP. Fahie said his wariness lies in the fact that Skelton and the two other PVIM opposition members (Melvin Turnbull and Archibald Christian) were all, just recently, members of the said NDP government.
“While procedurally correct, the question must be asked how credible would a by-product of the very sitting NDP Government — which has caused the pain and suffering of this territory — be in defending the people and opposing the government as Leader of the Opposition?” Fahie asked.
He continued: “The questions remain, where will this leadership be headed? Is it to defend the people’s interest or attempt to hide their very own misgivings?”
He said due to a ‘lack’ of transparency, accountability and good governance, the NDP has now divided themselves into two political parties – the NDP and PVIM. This, he said, has created an even greater difficulty for residents to receive representation they deserve.
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You are a Judas. Always playing the victim card. Your time will come. And Frazier is forming his. Is this not a by-product of the VIP?
Don’t worry about who like or dislike your post, we all know Frazer will has his say shortly.Fahie feel he can lie and use God when it’s convenient? Time expose deceptive people.
Fahie is hungry for power and WE ALL KNOW ITS THE TRUTH
Oh please have several seats!!!! With your nonsense!!!!
He has a right to inform the people just as well as the others!
Sickening!
Bunch of power crazy people. So we can’t even take time to fill an empty seat in the House before the general election, but they can take time to argue who should be the official leader of the opposition for a couple of months? Just no sense of priority or of working together for the collective good of the VI.
Sigh….so unfortunate to witness such devide within the party. These comments are so petty.Praying for B.V.I.
Maybe Skelton and others still NDP.
An NDP lead opposition to the NDP is going to be no opposition at all.
Politics.
BVI’s ruin.
I am disappointed in Mr Skelton’s action. Election is a few months away, why the rush? this has me thinking twice and three times about the motivation of the PVIM.
Hope this don’t backfire on Ronnie.He might need coalition partners soon.It could also be suicidal.
The only person in the HOA that was doing their job well was Fahie as leader of the opposition. The Premier failed us, the ministers failed us, the speaker always bias, back benchers are yes men. Ronnie’s only problem is with Myron he will not hold the others accountable.
Was Skelton elected by the people as opposition or a part of the governing party? Since you were not elected as the opposition but you selected to become opposite then you are not supposed to be chosen as opposition leader. Hope the Governor put you in your place. Taking the people for granted as fools is what you are doing. Prepare for a serious whiplash at the poles.
PVIM has NEVER contested an Election. How can they as a newly formed entity lead the opposition? Someone obviously doesn’t understand process & procedures & is power blinded!
And the people has not even seen there so called business plan. What mess is this placed as leader of the Opposition when we the people knows nothing about their plan for the country.
Really? So how did the memember get to sit in the oppersition if they never contested an election? So i guess you think the same for PU also? Stop trying to spin the facts buddy.
Let’s give the new opposition a chance to see what they do they all have a point to prove get your popcorn this should be interesting
See! what goes around comes around
Jesus is coming set thy house in order people, the only position that is true right honest shore is in Jesus ,
I guess VIP 1 and VIP 2 came about when Hon. Fahie and Hon. Fraser could not get along. The position drove you enough to go into a leadership fight to unseat Hon. Fraser.
You are trying now to pull Hon Skelton into the mud. You know well that when all is said and done Hon. Skelton has what it takes to lead this ‘Territory.
Looks like a scam to me. So the NDP can’t win. What do they do? Create an opposition party with just enough members to claim as the majority so that either way, they will be running the show. All now I haven’t heard what the pvim ringleader have to say about why he left the NDP, the cause for the country’s financial state, the overspending, bribery, political bullying. He wants to create jobs for bvislanders he say yet under his watch the locals found it hard to find meaningful positions in the hospitals. Sad.
Sad to say that my country is in a mess thanks to greed and mismanagement..we need 13 new legislators. None of them who are there now deserves to be well on second thought with the exception of the 6th district rep. All of the others are power hungry. It’s all about them. Sad sad sad