Penn: NDP leadership will emerge through ‘transparent process’
National Democratic Party (NDP) leader Marlon Penn has confirmed that the NDP’s leadership will be determined through a “transparent process” as the party moves forward with its reunification with the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM).
During a recent interview with JTV, Penn addressed the speculation surrounding leadership within the merged entity. He emphasized that leadership would emerge collectively from within the party, with a clear and open process guiding the selection.
This development follows recent internal shifts within the opposition, particularly the removal of Ronnie Skelton as Leader of the Opposition. This change came ahead of the announcement of the NDP-PVIM merger, prompting questions about the political timing and motivations behind the moves.
Skelton, during the interview, revealed that he had never received an official letter revoking his leadership, stating, “I was revoked in private but appointed in public,” suggesting concerns about whether proper legal procedures were followed.
Penn responded by focusing on the need to move forward as a unified political force.
“The family is back,” he declared, signaling a renewed commitment to engaging the party’s support base. He also emphasized that the party’s mission is about serving the people of the Virgin Islands rather than pursuing personal power. “It’s not about fighting for a position for anyone. It’s about the institution,” he said.
The discussions of the merger began after the two parties split in 2019, which led to lost electoral ground. In the 2023 election, the NDP and PVIM collectively received more votes than the ruling Virgin Islands Party (VIP). Penn pointed to this result, noting,
“We had 27,000 votes between the two organizations, while the VIP had about 21,000 votes.”
Both parties have now established a transition committee to finalize the unification process, with executive members fully involved.
Penn concluded, “We’ve done what we had to do. We’ve decided to sit down in mutual respect and share a vision for the Virgin Islands moving forward.”
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Hon. Penn I see you as someone who would do anything to hold on to the leadership of the NDP. You hijacked that party since the elections of 2019 and installed yourself as leader. You were never elected Chairman of the NDP. We were elected as the deputy chairman. You demanded the chairman of the party because Myron lost the 2019 election and when you got it you did nothing with it. Look at the state of the NDP.
It is going on 7 years since the last election and never once held an election. NONE. The VIP on the other hand had two internal elections during that time. You surrounded yourself with only people from East End as your decision making group. All of whom are from your campaign committee.
You did not want to join the alliance because you want to have an advantage in the NDP to emerge as leader after a process that you and your buddies would have manipulated. Even those same buddies know that you are not Premier material.
Your insecurity is glaring. You should be ashamed that after 7 years you didn’t call a party election. I don’t know who would trust the process under you.
“You can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all the time”
These 2 believe they can. All this time since election they had opportunity to form govrnment and greed and shelishness prevented them from doing so and NOW we are expected to believe that they are coming together because of love of Country.
The same can be said of those who joined formed the alliance. It is not compulsory that any of them joined an alliance. He is a member of a party already. I just cannot understand why people are trying to pressure Skelton and Penn into joining any newly formed alliance with the same people who are talking about having trust issues. Trust goes both ways, and it is obvious who cannot trust who. What is the purpose or the motives of the alliance? I am trying to understand the madness some people claim to understand but cannot explain.
The folly is upsetting…Ronnie was removed as Leader of opposition…wahhh wahhh cry about it. What exactly was he doing as leader of the opposition? Now he has merged with you, guess who is the leader since you claiming an NDP umbrella and not PVIM. You are the leader. If you care so much, make Ronnie the leader of that new NDP. No? Well stop the noise!
Everything is about Leader, Leader and Leader. You people need to shut it down. The bloggers are too grudgeful.
kind of low level thinking is the fruit, minus one or two, of the minds the VI’s people continue to elect and re-elect.
Daya after day and week after week nothing of any substantive matter emmits from the minds of those elected officials and cross these news pages.
In Penn eyes you can see power as a carrot dangling before his eyes, he and Skelton and Fraser couldn’t accomplish this unification on election night 2023. but now the “I-3’s” shows leadership you all merge.marlon lack that leadership capabilities, he sit with a … belly portraying entitlement to power, how he felt in Australia watching the kangaroos when he secretly plot with sowandie as loyalty undermining the no confidence motion? He wasn’t there to support Ronnie until now. Everybody must be laughing at the BVI politicians and saying they will spread their legs anytime for political power meh son.
The media lady that is on every story blogging on behalf of the Alliance need to understand that people are not stupid and only the supporters of the Alliance will believe the foolishness posted on here. The fact remains that majority of voters that are not happy with VIP were asking for the NDP to come back together, not for a new party to be started. Let us call a spade a spade, PVIM was a mistake and at least Skelton has called it what it is. It is very clear why Turnbull and Walwyn want something new instead of reuniting with the NDP. They will both be making a big mistake politically, underestimating the strength of that brand. That Alliance foolishness is going nowhere because it’s a lie. Start with asking yourself what ‘Alliance’ even means.
The Alliance did in 24 hours what Penn and Skelton had 6 years do to and could not accomplish. So that alone makes the alliance 1 step ahead of the feckless NDP.
because the real confusion makers have left
I bet you cannot explain what they did????
A transparent process that Penn himself is involved in and he wants to run for leadership after not having a convention for 6 years. Hmmmm. That process will never be transparent and open. Penn never built back up the NDP from 2018 partly because he doesn’t have the skills and he is l**y and partly because he wanted to keep control of the organization. Penn was not elected leader of NDP. He was elected deputy. He called himself leader after Walwyn resigned. No elections. Penn is the chairman, deputy chairman, secretary, deputy secretary, treasurer, deputy treasurer every thing.
Transparent and open process? Give me a break. Penn is the power hungry one. It will be two power hungry men fighting. Penn and Ronnie. It will fun to watch when they start fighting each other.