Mather clears the air on switch to government
Territorial At-Large Representative, Stacy Mather (left) and Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley.
Territorial At-Large legislator Stacy Mather has moved to clear doubts about his decision to cross from the opposition benches to the government, insisting that the step was driven by a desire to get work done for residents rather than political gain.
Speaking during an interview on JTV, Mather addressed speculation that his move was motivated by ambition, money or party allegiance. He said his decision followed nearly three years in the House of Assembly, where he felt his ability to assist residents was limited while sitting in opposition.
“I’ve sat in the House of Assembly now coming on three years, and I think that I’ve played my role,” Mather said, adding that he had consistently offered criticism, suggestions and praise across party lines.
He explained that the opportunity arose after discussions with Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley, who invited him to help advance specific programmes. “The premier said, ‘Stacy, you’ve talked about RATED, you’ve talked about other things in the community. I would like you to help,’” Mather stated.
According to Mather, remaining on the opposition side made it difficult to move ideas from debate into action. “Many persons feel that when it comes to helping in the House of Assembly, you can help by sitting on the opposite side of the aisle. It doesn’t work like that,” he said.
He rejected claims that the move came with personal benefits, stressing that his pay and status remained unchanged. “My cheque is no bigger. There is no extra zero. The decimal point has not moved,” Mather said, adding that he had taken on “extra work, extra responsibilities” instead.
Mather also dismissed suggestions that his decision was intended to weaken the opposition or target any individual member. “There was no malice in my move, none towards the opposition or any member on the opposition,” he stated.
He said his focus would be on youth development, workforce training and community support, areas he had previously criticised from the opposition benches. Referencing the RATED programme, Mather said he believed his background in youth empowerment could help strengthen its delivery.
Mather said he accepted the political risks involved but felt compelled to try. “If I don’t try, how do I come back to my people next election and say to them that I got into the House and I tried my best?” he asked.
He argued that he remained the same person in government as he was in opposition and would continue to speak out where he disagreed, while working to deliver tangible help to residents across the BVI.
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He already secure plenty money as part of the DIRTY GREEDY HOA13.
Bragga dam in Myron’s back
But Mather you said it that you can only sit with the VIP to get things done, so they are done under the auspicies of VIP there by strengthening natalio hold on power to continue fetes and parties.
The best thing for Mather to do is shut his mouth. That interview made no sense. I saw no sensible reason for what he did. He is just a weak man. Period
I fully agree with you. In everything, he said, he said nothing. His explanation made no sense. My opinion, that was just a self serving move. That move benefits him more than anybody else. I feel it was just what was in for him. Politics is really a dirty game. I cuss you out today and climb in bed with you later. It’s the epitome of a dysfunctional affair and family. I hope voters realise that these politicians just care about themselves. They use our votes to put them in so they, their families and close friends can get wealthy while the residents stay poor.
I wonder if he was promised a position if they win( Minister of Education) This place is a mess
Grasshoppers hopponing from one green pasture to anothe greener one.
We frig!
What a crock of horsespit! Your move empowered the very same government that you demonized. The best thing you could do for the VI is to stay on the Opposition and hold them accountable. Instead you chose to join in with the criminals so that they could steal, rob and kill even more indiscriminately. You had one job to do and you could not do it. I absolutely regret ever giving you my vote. It will not happen again!
Cut your hair
Clean yourself up
Set example for the young boys
Teach them to care for themselves respectfully.
Mather is really politically immature. He has blown his chances for re-election in my opinion. Can’t even say that I’m disappointed because he had crooked ways inside him from long. I just didn’t realize he was this naive. Smh
Great person…great teacher but has had those sn**e like characteristics and tendencies for many..many years now…..
First of all, Mathers, your platform was built on advocating for young people, yet you never truly stood up for them. Now you claim you must cross over to the other side to help them—this is difficult to believe.
As a member of the opposition, you had a moral duty to inform the public about what was happening within the government. You failed to participate in any vote of no confidence, and you did not actively speak out against the many initiatives implemented by Sawonde that negatively affected hardworking people across this territory. You remained silent on the rising unemployment among both youth and other qualified individuals.
You have also proven to be inaccessible. I personally attempted to contact you, with no response. That alone speaks volumes.
You accepted the pay raise and then acted as though you did not receive it—an absolute slap in the face to the people. Like other members of the House, you failed to ring the alarm bells while sitting comfortably at the table, benefiting from double and triple pay, while the people struggled with unemployment, low wages, soaring utility costs, and rising food prices. The list goes on.
How can we trust you again? We expected better from the individual who received the highest number of votes in the last election. Claiming that crossing the floor is about helping the youth is a weak argument, and no amount of spin will convince us otherwise. Your actions clearly show a betrayal of the people.
Lorna once made the same claim—that she wanted to help the youth and that children needed to be removed from VIP’s grip on government—yet she joined Frazier, and now you have followed the same path.
Time will tell, but this decision may very well amount to political suicide.
This is clearly a strategy by Sawonde to bring him over in an effort to attract young voters ahead of the next election and to position Pickering as a so-called Climate Change Czar, all to send him around Long Look campaigning for Sawonde to get the old people vote. Your accidental premier knows full well that he cannot regain the premiership on his own—he needs others to do the heavy lifting for him.
We have seen this playbook before. During the last election, he allegedly cried like a baby to Governor Rankin to interfere by allowing 600 individuals, who had only just received their belonger status days before the election, to vote—an action that ultimately gave the Virgin Islands Party a fighting chance to win. This pattern of political maneuvering and dependence on outside intervention raises serious concerns about integrity and leadership. This should form the basis for the next COI by the UK. This constitutes election interference and should be investigated.
People who don’t reside in the BVI should not be allowed to vote. I don’t care if their lineage goes back 1000 years.
They shouldn’t benefit from NHI or any senior citizen benefits if they do not reside in the BVI either.
All these types of foolishness got to stop.
you have confirmed what we have been saying all along, representatives who are not sitting or part of the ruling party are penalised while sitting on the opposition along with the people of those constituencies. We got it.
why couldn’t you stay where you were and work? Answer that?
maybe your boss, the Premier, should come to the public and talk to us because you are not making any sense
I await to hear persons like him, Lorna and Fraser give words of advice to young men and women about sticking together through hard times lol.
A BUNCH OF FAKES