Lorna Smith sworn in as Deputy Premier
Territorial At-Large candidate Lorna Smith was moments ago sworn in as Deputy Premier of the British Virgin Islands and a minister in the government.
She was sworn in immediately after Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Chairman, Dr Natalio Wheatley, who has once again been appointed Premier of the territory.
Smith, who was elected yesterday under the National Democratic Party (NDP) ticket, earned the second-highest elected office in the territory after negotiating an alliance with the VIP. Her appointment as Deputy Premier signals the demotion of Fifth District Representative, Kye Rymer who previously held that post.
During the swearing ceremony at Government House in Road Town today, Rymer as well as Territorial At-Large Representative Sharie de Castro, and Ninth District Representative Vincent Wheatley were also sworn in as government ministers.
The ministerial portfolios within which they will serve has not yet been announced.
Meanwhile, first-time legislators Luce Hodge Smith of the Fourth District and Dr Karl Dawson of the First were appointed as junior ministers.
BVI News will bring more updates on these appointments at a later time.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Congratulations
why this news site call it a demotion, they came to an agreement.
if the other 2 parties had did that, they would be forming the government. but instaed they fightig for position.
Congratulations to everyone. ? Big congratulations on. kye, you all needed her so loosing that position is way better that being in the back seat.
Husband was premier and wife deputy wow. Who is against that???
Wheatley has proven himself as the best leader. Marlon, Fraser & Ronnie had 4 years to build a team, resolve & reconcile their issues and to unify. They failed miserably at every step and would not have been able to work together to do good for this country. Wheatley led his team thru it all and to this victory. His team understands that sacrifices had to be made and they made them now they are stronger together for it. We were warned of the confusion in trying to force an unwanted coalition of people who didn’t want to work together. Now they have another 4 years of reflection and planning. We have an experienced opposition and functional government team.
Kye had the humility to know when to put his ego aside for the best of the party. PVIM, NDP, And PU held their egos and now are punished for it. They lead their own downfall
Poor Ayo! Don’t know what $hit$torm is coming ayo way. Wait for it in due time! If anything happens to Natalio, who is next in line to lead? Wake up, people! Stop playing checkers and learn to play CHESS!
Don’t know how this woman can sleep at night. The people wont forget this betrayal.
All these bloggers on here trying hard to make Lorna look good. The reality is that she has shown herself as someone who cannot be trusted.
Someone who will use you then stab you in the back if she can gain. Look out for lies and more lies.
Oh so when Kye does it he is regarded as selfless and working for the greater good of the territory but when Hon V Wheatley and Hon C Malone do it it is viewed with suspicion. Got it, 2 different standards for whoever is liked/not liked rather than an objective analysis of the situation.
Hypocrites
VIP are trying to persuade others, especially Mather, to come across – they want to dump Lorna as deputy premier as soon as possible.
NDP was desperate and picked up a tired 70 yr old with no ideas; who would have probably stalled on the campaign trail. Should have left her where they found her.
traitor
Lorna used NDP for her selfish purposes. She never wore an NDP shirt . She is selfish and looks out only for Lorns and her agenda .
She saw an opportunity and used it to her advantage .
Country over self that is just talk Grasshopper’s DNA runs through them
Respect to kye. One of the only honorable and honest members.
That don’t get you nowhere tho. Not with snakes that run for one and jump to the other just to get on top. Disgusting. Sorry for all that voted for her.
Well done Lorna.
Shes in our corner watching them.
Can’t believe y’all voted for “Wincent” again LOL Happy hour here we comeeeee!!!!!
The Accidental Premier een accidental no more! He is now the *elected Premier.
*he only geh 6 and Mrs Smith cross the rubicon to geh he cross the line.
VERY reserved congratulations to them as this was not the return I expected on my investment but it’s not about me so I offer sincere best wishes for what we hope and pray by God’s grace will ultimately be in the country’s best interests. We will surely be watching and making notes to keep them accountable.
A shameful day for the BVI. This individual has deceived the voting public in pursuit of a Wikipedia entry to be a BVI legislator, not being content for her husband alone to be one.
Everyone who hoped for a new day for the BVI has been let down. Do not trust this person ever again. It is totally wrong that they are in a position to influence the BVI and they need to removed from such a position ASAP.
Many questions seriously need to be asked about her honesty and her involvement in various happenings in 2019, including the grant of belongership to friends in the Financial Services Industry that did not qualify for status.
This ugly episode in our history has shown what a shameless self-interested individual she is and she should be nowhere near decision making or the public purse.
What a crying shame that the Governor has allowed this situation to persist – pathetically weak leadership.
Just so everyone realizes:
In this country you can become premier with 400 votes.
BVI is not a real place.
NDP, PVIM and PU had enough time to put aside all selfish ambitions and put country first to get us out of limbo but no. Lorna as much as I hate to admit it, did the right thing. They have No one to blame but themselves.
Let Frazer demand Premier
Let Mitch demand Deputy Premier
Only Marlon was willing to step aside and allow Skelton be Premier while he will be deputy. But the tow bad minded rude and power hungry Mitch and Frazer said meet their demand or nothing…
Mrs. Smith is an intelligent woman what did they expect… Let mitch disrespect her as he did DR, Smith..
Leave the woman alone, she did the right thing to leave the idiots to argue amongst themselves.
So just to clarify ,when Kye does it its is noble and for country when Hon. C. Malone and Hon V. Wheatley does it is cause for suspicion.
of course some anti Wheatley/Malone publications wont show this comment , that’s expected.
A Govt working for us…Sowande, Premier, Tourism, Trade, Immigration Finance. ( With Junior Ministdr Carl Dawson in his offi e to assist) ….Lorna – Deputy, heLth and Labour….Kye Works and communication…..Decasteo, Education, youth affairs and sports….Vincent, Agriculture,Fisheries, Culture natural resources & enviroment ( (WIth Junior Minister Lou in is office to assist).. Work together for a better and brighter tomorrow
Selfish intentions.
Not only has Lorna jumped from the NDP to the VIP, suddenly she is best friends with Sindee – who supposedly hates the VIP.
Sindee must know that most people think she is mad, and would tend to assume that she is wrong on everything – maybe the anti VIP line from Sindee was a clever stunt to persuade people to vote for the VIP!
She sleeps the same you sleep. Lay down close her eyes until she is asleep. Smh
A Big Congratulations to VIP being led by our Premier, N Wheatley at the helm and the First Lady, Deputy Premier, Lorna Smith.
Wow!!! and hats off to VIP and the woman of substance.
Now folks say what you will, but give Jack his jacket and give Jacqueline, her lip stick. This was well thought out and well done by Lorna crossing to join VIP to get the BVI going forward. This is a new day for all of us. Our prayers are with them and they will do us good.
But imagine for a moment, you have a country with around 30,000 population, about 16,000 registered voters and 4 people want to be Premier and 2 Deputy premier? Folks do the math’s. I believe they were planning to have 1 Premier in Tortola, 1 in VG, 1 in Anegada and one in Jost Van Dyke? The nerve of these so called “Putting country first”. I believe they still fighting today to know who would be deputy to who? Yes, You would have Ronnie-Tortola, Frazar – VG, Myron-Anegada and Malone – Jost. Deputy to Ronnie and Frazar would be Mitch and Deputy to Myron and Malone would be Lorna. But no where in hell would this work, cos our BVI cannot support 4 premiers. Ha, ha, haaaa. SO Lorna did the right thing. Remember who her brother is? Did you see him in the corner while she was signing those documents at Gov house?? What a thing to tell the King!!! Now VIP all the way!!!! Bam, Bam, Bam. We did it folks, that’s it. Another four years of VIP.
Now those wanna be premiers have another 4 years to decide. While they were deciding 4 years ago to “Put out and Kick out the Green”, they forgot to decide who would be premier if the Green was put out. Haaa, Haa, Haaaa!!!
Ms.Smith, I understand why you did it to help our country but remember we the populist put you in. You came with a group of individuals and what we were told we’re excellent ideas but you went behind our backs before consulting with us who gave you a resounding victory. What you did is cross the floor. Speaks volume.
We are in a further mental state after all we went through and look
What you did. Have mercy on us lord.
Who can we trust, yes I know “Jehovah” is his name and we the youths will put our trust in him.
To all who may be baffled, broken hearted and discouraged look to Jah he never fails.
Peace and Blessings
Understand this: the most senior person amongst the group – a WOMAN, outsmarted a bunch of younger MEN, with their enormous egos, and snagged her a very lucrative and prominent role with the opposing party. A role that some will probably never achieve in their lifetime; she did it on her first, if this not her only run for politics! She will be a solemn reminder of their own stupid and selfish choices.
Licher and Sticher Good
April 25, 2023 at 9:47 PM
NDP was desperate and picked up a tired 70 yr
But you all voted for her and she turned into Mark the grasshopper.
Lorna used NDP never wore an NDP shirt she should have kept her own meetings and not NDP as her platform.I wonder if VIP supporters realize how many thousands votes she got from NDP supporters?.Traitor Traitor
All of you bashing Lorna need to stop and think. I mean really think?
The woman used the power of those votes to represent you, all of you who voted for her. After all thais is why you voted for her to be in a plac where she can make a difference, a differnce for you. Would you have preferred if she had sat down like the king of D 3 and do nothing with those votes, go home lap her foot and say, she wish she had done something different?
If there is anybody to be ashamed and a deceiver, is the king of D3. People voted for him and what did do? sat on the votes making demands bigger than himself.
That is why I do not fly first class in any plane, weither I am in first class, paying sometimes 4 times the fare of cabin, I am still in the plane, going to the same distination, for less.
Lady, Duputy Premier, don’t mind the noise, you did the right thing. There are more of us for you than those that are against you. Use those votes and go to work for the voters.
Where are the King of D3 and D2 and D6 and D8?? They are all having second thought because they messed up not taking the opportunity meted out to them.
Correction: We the people did not vote for him to be Premier. Just get that straight please. His constituents voted for him to represent his district. He would not have been elected Premier if we held a national vote for that position.
This is one for the political history annals..Let the record show that while some seasoned political stallions ( Ronnie, Marlon, Myron, Mitch, Julian) were planning their governing moves and ignoring the mare in the corner (Lorna). However, they ignored the mare at their own peril, for the mare was planning her own strategy. She struck like a rattler, racing past the pole leaving the stallions stunned in plume of dust. Don’t mess with a rattler, for an engaged rattler will fight and fight until the job is done. Julian, Ronnie, Myron, Marlon, Mitch, etc were engaged in a chess match, planning their various moves. However, in chess one has to be concerned not only with one’s own moves but also the moves of one’s opponents. Lorna, the rattler, mare, checkmated the the thoroughbred stallions. The stallions may have gotten too far out on their skiis too quickly. History will show that the NDP, PVIM and PU looked a golden gift horse in the mouth. Some may have wanted all the marbles but got nun tarl. As the Anguillians say ah yu lawd! Moreover, was Lorna’s plan a spontaneous action or it was the plan all along which she would have used with both groups to suit her needs. Hell, the negotiations were only in progress for a few hours when the rattler struck. Here is a news flash. In combat, a unit has to protect its front, rear, right flank and left flank. It seemed as though the boys left their rear exposed and the gyal, rattler/filly struck a damaging, debilitating blow. In combat also one has to also be concerned with the element of surprise. Never count your chickens before they are hatched . Lorna is claiming she is not a politician. Is anyone buying that line now with her devastating political move/blow. It was a politically impacting,,shattering blow. She overturned the apple cart.
Suck yo mdc through a straw! We going forward!!
You talking out your caca! You don’t know anything about anything
You think he had a choice? LOL
Some people like they dont realize 6 cant form a government. So een If Lorna had stayed, it would be 6.
People are not putting the focus and blame where it belongs and it is on the other three parites that were fighting for position and could not form the governemnt