BVI News

Premier ambushes Turnbull over ‘Belongership to rapist’ comments

Second District Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull (left) and Premier Andrew Fahie.

Premier Andrew Fahie seized upon a statement made by Opposition legislator Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull in the House of Assembly (HOA) last evening, interrupting Turnbull’s contribution numerous times to dispute his claims.

Turnbull was at the time referring to some of the perceived excesses of the governing Virgin Islands Party (VIP) administration. He proceeded to rehash reports coming out of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) that the VIP government considered awarding Belongership to a convicted rapist

The Premier, rising on a point of information as Turnbull spoke, accused the legislator of getting his facts wrong and trying to score ‘cheap political points’.

“I’m not taking that anymore,” the Premier began. “That charade run long enough. When that [issue] came to the COI, you keep looking at things on our side. You have no intention of seeing anything other than political. When that matter came to the COI, it was not part of the criticisms given to the minister, and you need to get your facts and watch the whole of the COI, because nobody give no rapist any status.”

“When the thing came to the COI, the records from the police came forward saying that the man had a clean bill of health,” Premier Fahie further explained. “There was nothing wrong with his record. I’ve heard this being bat around in the public so many times and people actually believe it, and I told you already that’s not so and you still come and saying it.”

Premier’s interruptions force recess

Opposition legislator Turnbull, who refused to yield as the Premier rose repeatedly afterwards to interrupt, insisted that he only mentioned that Belongership was considered by Cabinet, against the advice of the then Attorney General, Baba Aziz, as well as the Deputy Governor, both of whom were seated in Cabinet at the time.

But even as Turnbull remained steadfast in his statements, the Premier continued to shout interruptions from across the room of the HOA and rose again, forcing Deputy Speaker, Neville ‘Sheep’ Smith to call a recess over the repeated disturbances.

The heated exchanged happened during the debate on Premier Andrew Fahie’s motion to establish a special committee to ultimately make recommendations to the HOA on whether taxpayers should be made to foot the bill for Speaker Julian Willock’s hefty legal fees from a failed court injunction against attorneys attached to the COI.

That debate is still ongoing.

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19 Comments

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  1. Sally says:

    We the People, “will not yield”

    Like 40
    Dislike 1
  2. heckler says:

    Andrew should be ashamed of himself

    Like 53
    Dislike 1
  3. HELP says:

    For Andrew to carry on like that in the house shows that he doesn’t have any respect for the house or members of the house. People we put him in its time we take him out of office. Andrew shows us every day by actions and words he is not a leader.UK please hear us you need to do something to help the BVI we can’t take much more of this government please hear our cries.

    Like 44
    Dislike 1
    • @HELP says:

      You are asking a hippotamus to come save us from a crocodile.

      What logic! Must have come from a colonialist mind.

      Do note: When the voting populace become politically grown up and matured, and those very capable spectator couch bunnies become tired of seeing thier country go to ruins, it is hoped that they will come forward to save their/our country from the backward spiral it is now experiencing and certain destruction.

      We are quite capable of managing our political and economic realities on our own.

      Further, historically, the European, and definitely the UK model of political, economic and moral management is not one to be enarmored by.

      The BVI can handle its own affairs and take care of itself, if the right moral and mind sets were to take control of the destinial rudder of our ship.

      Those are facts, but go long and click the thumbs down, as so many feel threatned by and hate the views of the progressive Black mind, as demonstrated daily on this news site….

      Like 6
      Dislike 35
      • Strupes says:

        Hush yo a%$$$$$$’we had enough of this victimization. He don’t want us to blog, he don’t want us to have an opinion and now he is bullying in the house?

        Like 12
      • illiterate diatribe says:

        obviously typed by a distressed wigman who has lost control of his “destinial rudder”

  4. aryo says:

    Its time to call a vote of no confidence against kim jung foy’s regime

    Like 36
    • Bumpy says:

      @Argo
      I totally agree. The power is in the hands of the people, not the politicians. We have to use our power to call a vote of No Confidence against this government and have them removed. Andrew Fahie is a national embarrassment. How much longer are we going to sit silently and let these stooges take this territory to the point of no return? Come on my fellow Virgin Islanders, they can’t victimize us all. Remember when Noel Lloyd picketed and spoke out, he was labeled crazy and he was pumped up with psychotic medication. Please let us get together as a people, as a community and get rid of the VIP government.

      Like 20
  5. lol says:

    When the licks hiting too hard you gah rant and carry on and make it seem like the man saying things that not true… Its a FACT that a rapist was on the table for consideration against the advise of people with reason… so the premier can rant all he want… good job Mitch!

    Like 41
    Dislike 2
    • Facts says:

      and while he was not granted Belongers status. He was given Residency! which means that a rapist gets to live amongst us! These people HAVE to GO!

      Like 32
      Dislike 1
  6. Wendy says:

    The Current Honourable Premier is a stdy in arrested ….
    Primsrily,Primarily, reliable habit of distorting the truth with no hesitation and conscience always,at any time and place to any and everyone. .. disorder.
    In my opinion,he is a grave danger to the VI and its people.
    Please, however it is done, this leader whose leadership is a sure and certain threat to our survival must be removed.
    I am hoping and praying that his ongoing antics will influence the COI to a final determination that would relieve him of his elected post.
    The COI is a Blessing which we all will come to realize in due time. We are a Blessed country.

  7. god forbid says:

    he *** a politician daughter upon return

  8. HELP says:

    @HELP As you said The BVI can handle its own affairs and take care of itself if the right morals and mindsets were to take control of the destinial rudder of our ship. If is a big word and we haven’t seen this in the BVI for the last 30 years, so it’s time to give something else a try.

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  9. Kim Jun Fahie says:

    Needs to borrow a page from his alter ego Kim Jun Yun in the waistline category rather than throwing his weight around in the House of Assembly. Friendly advise. Its totally free.

    Like 10
  10. Island man says:

    The truth hurts.

  11. Jones says:

    Foy to outta order with he interuptions

  12. Highly Annoyed says:

    All this waste of money in tough economic times, extremely high cost of living, Civil Servants cannot get their basic increments but the VIP could continue to allow this selfish arrogant jack…. with his inflated sense of self importance to continue to lavishly waste the Treasury’s purse on these nonsensical issue. The Court ruled that Mr. Willock pays cost and that is self explanatory, this does not call for a debate, a vote not the formation of any committee. Don’t forget that this is not the first time that he is lavishly wasting the Government . He has done it before with Mark and he will continue to have his way if he is not stopped. Therefore, he must pay this cost from his pocket or we suspend the constitution now.

  13. Highly Annoyed says:

    All this waste of money in tough economic times, extremely high cost of living, Civil Servants cannot get their basic increments but the VIP could continue to allow this selfish arrogant jack…. with his inflated sense of self importance to continue to lavishly waste the Treasury’s purse on these nonsensical issues.The Court ruled that Mr. Willock pays cost and that is self explanatory, this does not call for a debate, a vote nor the formation of any committee. Don’t forget that this is not the first time that he is lavishly wasting the Government funds. He has done it before with Mark and he will continue to have his way if he is not stopped. Therefore, he must pay this cost from his pocket or we suspend the constitution now.

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