Opposition leader ‘appoints’ former cop Romney

Wellington ‘Butch’ Romney has been appointed the parliamentary opposition’s representative on the board of the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA), which manages all public health facilities locally.

Leader of the Opposition Andrew Fahie made the announcement recently. Romney is his second nominee appointed to a public body since he became Opposition leader in February.

Fahie said he has confidence in the West End resident, Romney, who served for 26 years in the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force until his retirement in 2002. Romney subsequently served as sergeant of arms in the House of Assembly. He also did a brief stint in the United States Navy.

The Opposition leader noted that, before he recommended Romney, Minister of Health Ronnie Skelton gave him a hint as to the calibre of person who was being sought on the BVIHSA board.

“He said ‘give me somebody that is going to add quality, add strength to what we are trying to do with healthcare’. I tell him ‘minister I can assure you I am not going to play any politics with this; I am going to give you a name; and if you don’t feel right we will sit down and discuss it,” Fahie said.

He noted that the health minister accepted Romney.

The Opposition leader further said he has instructed Romney to work with the recently appointed chairperson of the BVIHSA Ayana Glasgow-Liburd in the best interest of the Territory.

“I encourage him to work along with Mrs Liburd. I already told him, being that she will be the chairperson for the board, to work along with her. And the beauty is that these two persons I know well; I know both of them in their own unique way go into anything they are doing with the intent of getting 100 percent out of it and getting the best out for the people,” added the Opposition leader.

He also thanked the Opposition’s former representative on the board, Lindel Smith.

“I want to thank him for serving also. He served for many years as the Leader of the Opposition’s nominee. On the board [of the BVIHSA], you only can serve a certain amount of terms and then you can’t go back on. That’s why we have to get someone new.”

“I think that’s a good thing, because too many times people get on boards and they are on forever. After a while, you get diminishing returns from persons who think that they are automatically on. An elected official is different,” Fahie further said.