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Premier Wheatley and Lorna Smith will make a great team

Deputy Premier Lorna Smith with VIP minister Kye Rymer and Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley.

Although she has left many disappointed, Deputy Premier Lorna Smith has been hailed by some talk show hosts and commentators for her controversial alliance with the VIP in the aftermath of the 2023 general elections.

Hosts of the Talking Points radio show have expressed that Smith’s decision to partner with the VIP was the right one, as her years of expertise would have gone to waste if she were to settle for a lesser position in the government.

Business owner Maris Hodge-Wright — who joined the May 9 airing of Talking Points radio show as a co-host — said Smith and Premier Natalio Wheatley are the combination of experience and a new generation and should serve the territory well as a duo.

“I heard a lot of people complaining about Lorna crossing over and that she is a traitor. But I am personally happy because I think we have youth and youthful energy and new blood in the government. But I’m also happy that we have someone who is older and experienced and if they both work together, it’s a positive for us as a country,” Hodge-Wright posited.

“I don’t see her as a traitor. I am glad for her expertise. I think he (Premier Wheatley) brings another generation to the table that we haven’t had in years. I’m not happy with all the ministers and ministries but I am happy with the Premier and Deputy Premier,” Hodge-Wright explained.

Her fellow co-hosts Voilet Gaul, Damion Grange, and Elvin Grant echoed her sentiments, agreeing that Smith is better off as a leader on the government side.

In the meantime, Damion Grange stated that he was saddened by the members of the Opposition who hosted a press conference and criticized Lorna Smith for her partnership with the VIP. He described their behaviour as pathetic.

“It was sad for me to see a group of men in a press conference lambasting the one woman on their ticket. I thought that was petty and sad and somewhat pathetic on their part,” Grange posited.

Smith’s decision to align with the VIP has been met with disappointment and criticism from several sections of the electorate. Yet, Smith stands resolute in her decision and continues to assure that her decision was made in the best interest of the people.

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53 Comments

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  1. Agreed says:

    Let’s move forward together.

    Like 14
    Dislike 6
  2. Sickening says:

    Watch that grasshopper in the corner. I don’t understand how you could be on a stage bawling out yuh throat to vote for one party one day and by the morning you encourage your sister to join the same party you were cussing. Something wrong!

    Like 33
    Dislike 4
  3. CNN says:

    We don’t want fu**y man in no government ministry he is a criminal waiting trial for corruption

    Like 6
    Dislike 23
  4. Business says:

    The VIP laughed when Lorna was put forward as a candidate for NDP. She was pronounced dead on arrival. Even I saw her an extremely weak candidate. The NDP brand and supporters help this woman and now look what she do. It is an issue of trustworthiness to me. I had to be encouraged by an NDP supporter to vote for her. I didn’t want to do it because I didn’t trust her. Now I know why I didn’t trust her. She cannot be trusted.

    Like 26
    Dislike 8
  5. It’s a shame says:

    Look at Mark in the corner. Father send help for these people. How could you trust the words of anybody these days. These people just care about themselves.

    Like 18
    Dislike 2
  6. Youth man says:

    NDP needs to stop blaming Lorna as the failure with the NDP is the leadership. He has no respect for women in power. This continues to be the history of the party. Alvera left them and joined VIP. Lorna left them & joined VIP. They never treated the late Delores with respect. The leadership must go. They must learn to respect women in power.

    Like 9
    Dislike 17
  7. Boring says:

    This got to be the most boring place on earth.

    Like 15
    Dislike 2
  8. Of course she is a traitor says:

    Who these 3 blind mice on this show think they are? and who cares about this undertaker’s opinion?

    Like 16
    Dislike 2
  9. Hmm says:

    Lorna had no choice but to go it was destined to be.

    Like 7
    Dislike 14
  10. Kye doesn't look happy says:

    Ayo will soon find out who Delilah is and her brothers motive….How long? Not long! Only a matter of time!

    Like 27
    Dislike 3
  11. Smh says:

    It’s Pinky and the Brain… We taking over the world tonight ?

  12. Wicked intensions says:

    It was not a mistake when the grasshopper said VOTE VIP ALL THE WAY because his family is all about greed, money and power…These ungrateful island people should’ve have never been allowed to run for political office in this country bottom line. Those Anguillans are something else

    Like 16
    Dislike 4
  13. Slim Jim says:

    You don’t understand?

    Well, the writing was on the wall along… but we didn’t see it. He was even telling us to vote VIP all the way

    When people tell you or show you who they really are… believe them.

  14. Like it is says:

    She cheated and lied to the people who voted for her and the party she was representing at the time. This has nothing to do with trying to ‘save the country.’ It has everything to do with a thirst for power and control.

    Like 19
    Dislike 2
  15. Who the cap fit let them wear it says:

    Two d***kards in charge of 2 ministries

    Like 11
    Dislike 6
  16. @Business says:

    NDP couldn’t help Renard and Allen but they helped Lorna? For God’s sake! Lorna ran a stellar campaign, a winning campaign. She was ready for action unlike many others. Of course she got some votes from NDP but she would have gotten those anyway with her and her husband being founders and staunch supporters of that very party. The NDP is dead and needs a revival, face the truth and move on. Lorna is in London on government business and you are still here sucking on sour grapes.

    Like 18
    Dislike 20
  17. Smh says:

    I DON’T and will NEVER trust any of them!!

    Like 16
    Dislike 3
  18. NDP family says:

    Leh we boycott all the family businesses just like how we were boycotted–SIMPLE.

    Like 15
    Dislike 4
  19. My take says:

    Lorna for premier and kye deputy. You don’t have to be an eloquent speaker to lead. Lorna would show kye the ropes and he will learn. Kye gets along with any body so he will fit any where and we know he works. Time longer than twine

    Like 3
    Dislike 16
  20. NOT A DIME OF MINE says:

    I WILL NEVER SHOP IN THAT SUPERMARKET NOR GO TO THAT MEDICAL FACILITY EVER AGAIN, NOT ME!

    Like 13
    Dislike 8
  21. Failures says:

    What Lorna is to the VIP is like what Kevin Durant is to the Phoenix Suns basketball team.

    Like 2
    Dislike 2
  22. Who know know says:

    She was always how she is.

  23. @not a dime of mine says:

    do you think they care? Just grow up and stop acting like a child. Get over it nuh !

    Like 3
    Dislike 3
  24. 284 says:

    mark done say vote VIP all the way, but everyone still think it was a mistake

  25. Licher and Sticher Good says:

    This is a joke right. They’d better pump her full of the same horse pills they were giving that judge on the US Supreme Court some years ago to keep her a** going. I don’t need photo ops I need results Chop chop

    Like 8
    Dislike 1
  26. Jumbo clips says:

    Ungratefulness is worse than obeah. To say Lorna did not get a major push form being affiliated with the NDP is pure Ungratefulness. Lorna would not have won without that affiliation. On her own she is not a strong candidate.

    Like 15
    Dislike 1
  27. Just a matter of time says:

    After joy comes sorrow

  28. @ failures says:

    No she is more like Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks

  29. Abracadabra says:

    WHERE IS CLAUDE CLINE SKELETON???? DID HE FELL OFF THE BRITISH VI MAP⁉️???

    Like 4
    Dislike 1
  30. @CNN says:

    Pure jealousy again. I believe instead of CNN you should write VINO. Smh

  31. Hmm says:

    Trust God

  32. YES TO UK says:

    Just look at that picture and tell me if Kye Rymer don’t look unhappy.

    Like 10
    Dislike 0
  33. @sickening says:

    In east the man did say vote VIP and another one too said same:)

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  34. Really says:

    Grange, did you watch the same press conference we did? don’t let blind loyalty blind you and stop making this a gender issue

  35. Tongue Fu says:

    @ Business @business

    I believe politics is dirty and cutthroat. Not for the faint of heart. So let us not pretty it up.

    Lorna as an Independent- at – large candidate would not have been in the top 4. Since the emergence of the 2 party culture no independent- at- large candidate has ever won and Lorna would not have been the first as she is a polarizing figure who is considered by many as an elitist.

    To Lorna’s credit she made a calculated decision to come back into the NDP fold as her campaign was not gaining traction with the masses. She used the NDP umbrella for her objective to be Deputy Premier in whichever coalition would afford her that opportunity.

    You mention Allen Oneal and Estridge but that reinforces my point. Both were not household names. You see it is not just about running under a party Umbrella but the individual needs to be a household name especially considering a short 3-4 week campaign when there is little time to get the public to know you. The 1400 plus votes that each got would have been attributed to the NDP brand not their individual name so it is safe to say that those were NDP voters who voted all the way. Now take 1k of that number from Lorna and you would see her real number.

    I am pretty sure she would not have won a s an independent. Let us move on from this.

    Like 14
  36. @Tongue Fu says:

    Very good analysis. You are right, at least 1,400 of Lorna’s votes can be attributed to the NDP. If she was independent, she would have topped at about 1,800 votes like Dancia some years ago or Davies at 1,400 this year.

  37. The pure facts says:

    Why can’t people in this BVI call a spade a spade. Lorna Smith on her own is not a strong candidate period. That situation is more complicated with three political parties. There is virtually no individual in this current climate that could run as an independent at large candidate and win. There is no way in hell that Lorna Smith who many persons do not care for would have ever won. Stop the nonsense.
    She won because of her affiliation with a party and in this case it was the NDP. To say anything different is disingenuous and deceitful. Not even her husband who is twice as popular as she is could have run independent and win.

  38. People voice says:

    Yall suck. .

  39. Check This says:

    By their haircuts you will know them that is why they hate Fraser.

  40. Hmm says:

    A lot of ayo here saying that she get those votes because of NDP, if she had stayed independent and didn’t get so much votes like what you all are trying to say, tell me who would have gotten the seat instead of her? If you look at the results Mr. Neville Smith had the 5th highest votes so if she didn’t win a seat Mr. Smith would have win it and this would have make the VIP win 7 seats.

    Like 4
    Dislike 1
  41. @THE PURE FACTS says:

    The NDP too-often commented on the failures of the VIP Administration so much instead of addressing the ills and coming with solution for the territory.

    Lorna was gathering more and more STRENGTH of her own along the campaign trail..
    In my opinión if the campaign trail did had additional weeks attached, she perhaps would not have needed them (NDP) after all!

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  42. @ @ CNN says:

    you have see through that midnight boi with the blonde WIG from the yellow site , that’s all he does is spew out hatred and envy using different names but the message is still the same evil & vindictive ) and broken record criticism , like he so holy ,what a barefaced hypocrite

  43. Mental says:

    All of a sudden the yellow site is using the most beautiful adjectives to describe Lorna Smith in their news articles. The BVI needs a crazy house and it needs it fast. This behavior is not normal.

  44. Kye-sight says:

    The way I see it, Kye can either stay where he is so sowande continues as premier and Lorna as deputy or he can go to the people’s preferred side with sowande no longer as premier and Lorna no longer as deputy, provided Fraser agrees to sit his tail down and focus on handing over the district to the younger generation from dreaming about being any premier or deputy. Lets see how long Lorna’s loyalty will last then. I know the other side would NOT take her back. Shortest term as deputy premier in the history of the BVI. Another world record. Kye, do the right thing!

  45. Kye has the power says:

    Fraser thought he had power and overplayed his hand but right now, with only one move, Kye can knock out two birds with one stone. He is the man with the real power!! Look, he can do unto Lorna and Sowande what they did unto him. Lorna stole his role because she could not humbly join the party as a regular member. Sowande betrayed his loyalty. They don’t run things, Kye does. Time to take it back from them. People who abuse power for selfish gains, at all cost, do not need to be trusted with it.

    Like 4
    Dislike 0
  46. Two Controllers says:

    When you have two controllers, they will butt heads and want their own way.

    Why did she have to go to the UK with him? When have you seen the Premier and Deputy attend overseas events together?

    She doesn’t want to be second place.

    Like 7
    Dislike 0
  47. @Pure Facts says:

    You don’t live in Tortola? Not a soul was studying Lorna Smith on her own. In fact the VIP had it for a joke when they heard a name. Her own family and close friends had it for a big joke … Stop telling lies.
    She wouldn’t have gotten nearly elected without the NDP. You must be a family member or crony so you have to defend but you all sound really ungrateful. Stop writing pi** and trying to fool people. Nobody is buying you all story.

  48. Haha says:

    Not the whole grasshopper?

  49. @ NOT A DiME says:

    who cares ? all that you were allowed to get away with in the HOA them days done , SQUANDERING taxpayers money , like it was yours/ get a teddybear

  50. FACIAL EXPRESSION says:

    is saying )> what the heck these two yñehwho tarking bout ?

  51. Deh Watcha says:

    She has proven without a doubt that your vote does not count.

  52. @@The pure facts says:

    Whatever you are smoking you better put it down. Lorna couldn’t even win a dog race as an independent. Stop talking pi**.

  53. Island Man says:

    I’ll never understand why people expect anything different from a politician. Anyway, let the brother support his sister. After all, you know what they say about blood and water. I do believe this is a first for a female in the BVI.

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