Turnbull cautions public over Lorna Smith’s sudden switch
Second District Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull has warned residents to carefully consider the actions of Lorna Smith who recently became Deputy Premier after breaking ranks with the National Democratic Party (NDP) and forming an alliance with the Virgin Islands Party (VIP).
“The people of the Virgin Islands should also know that you cannot tell me one thing for eight weeks and then in the morning you’re having negotiations to form a government and not even have the decency or respect to have a conversation with the chairman. That is something I would put in the minds of the Virgin Islands people for us to consider because we cannot continue to do the same things and expect different results,” Mitch argued.
Mitch said that while the NDP, PVIM and PU were trying to stand by the integrity and the anti-corruption they campaigned on, Smith acted with self-interest to gain more political power.
“Even at this very moment, we could have still been in a position to form the government. But one of the things that the PVIM campaigned on is integrity, one of the things I heard the NDP campaign on is integrity and anti-corruption. One of the things the PU campaigned on is integrity. What the people of the Virgin Islands must understand is that, yet again, we had decisions made for self interest and self preservation. The people did actually give us a chance to form a government but decisions were made with self interest and self preservation to put themselves in a position of power,” Mitch said.
Smith’s alliance with the VIP has been the biggest political fallout since the April 24 election, as the move pulled the proverbial rug from under the feet of the now-Opposition members who were working together to deny the VIP the opportunity to form the government. Recently, NDP Chairman Marlon Penn announced that fervent moves are being made to remove Smith from his party, as he too was shocked and betrayed by her decision to partner with the VIP.
Despite the expressions of disappointment, Smith stands by her decision and continues to urge the community to put the elections aside as she is now focused on working to advance the BVI.
With a wealth of expertise and knowledge in the area of international business and the financial services sector, Smith is set to serve as Minister of Financial Services, Labour and Trade, which is a newly created portfolio.
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Has she stopped the bikes outside her house yet?
Has she booked her first trip away (1st class flight and 5 star hotel) yet?
I really wonder how you can live with yourself. So you are doing what you know to do best sowing confusion on the lady is this what you are going to do for the next four years?
You are representing a district that dont want your representation. So you allegedly brought in a lot of people family and friends from overseas to dissolve the low voter turnout who came to vote against you. You are horrible man.
They need to investigate if your district money went towards your brother’s business development instead to help the people of your district. You are pretentious and the worst representative the 2nd district ever had.
Well said Hon Turnbull. The fact is that all of you were tested and when the devil said ‘jump’, most said NO, maybe one or two said we will see how it go but ONLY ONE SAID, HOW HIGH?…only one! It is a blessing in disguise. Water under the bridge like Hon Walwyn said. We have now moved on but just to point out the hypocrisy and weakness in the leader of this country, the last person who did EXACTLY what their boss told them to do, was labeled by this same premier as ‘rogue’ and breach of trust criminal proceedings were initiated against her. Here now we have someone who actually went AGAINST their boss. THIS is the definition of ‘rogue’. The headlines should have read LORNA GOES ROGUE. THIS establishes breach of trust. What a decent premier would have said is, for the sake of the country, let your boss know what you up to and then come back and talk to me. Too many desperate and weak people in this place. Had she truthfully spoken after the fact, even that I could say mercy. But no, I could not use her as a good example to encourage the younger generation, Sorry.
Why are we still on this Topic! Get over it fellas!
Mitch please get help because you continue to have challenges with the truth and you are always involved in confusion and chaos. You had family members trying to negotiate on your behalf with VIP before and after elections while you stayed in the back to make it seem as if your hands were clean. We know this and more about you so please stop taking the public for fools. You are good with words and say things to play with people’s emotions to gain support and sympathy. Those days are done so leave Lorna alone and look in the mirror for the real person to blame.
They already moved on but with journalism, sometimes you want to break down a story into several segments if it would be too lengthy to cover it all in one go. Especially when you come in to work and it does not seem to be much to report from the night before. Mitch’s statement was made in last week’s conference. It is not a recent thing. Everyone has moved on but it is good to forgive but always remember. I hope they remind me over the next 4 years so I do not turn moomoo when the next election come.
was he the only one who brought in boat loads and plane loads? No, because the boat loads and plan loads voted in every district….
Is Lorna the first person who ever switch party? So what if she did and she has.
Do we forget so Quickly? Mark Vanterpool switched and switched again, One lady switched sometime ago, (Don’t remember her name now) Look in the last election in 2019, Alvera Caines switched after sitting with her party at least for one HOA meeting.
But listen to this Bumb shell. The very Mitch Turnbull who is now acting like holier than thou, didn’t he switch? Yes Mitch, who need a stitch, didn’t you switch? You now calling yourself member of PVIM, is that where you started as member of PVIM? ARe you forgetting and cannot see the mountain in you eyes while trying to move the mote from Lorna”s eyes? Were you not an NDP? how is it that you are PVIM? Its because you switch. Did you tell your boss, Dr Smith that you were switching before you did? Hell NO! you did not, but instead insulted him and then move hoping PVIM would win election and you become Deputy Premier. So kettle, stop calling pot bottom black when kettle bottom is just as black if not more black.
My advise to you big boys in big men suite, just accept your lose, wrap your tails where they need to be wrapped and move on with the people’s business. You people already said you are going to make it hard for VIP, be careful of the stones you throw and the holes you dig. Have you boys not learned from the election? The VIP you all wanted to hang is still back in your faces, and guess what in spite of what you all think or say, the time comes when you MUST say Hon Premier and Hon Deputy Premier. So let it go and move on. Stop your cry, cry baby attitude about warning public about Lorna. Move on!! If not we might have to get you some pampers and face towels because you will be crying up and down. Move on, election is over, the work has started.
Btw, Premier travelling to coronation in UK, who is going to be acting Premier? eat your heart out, kick yourself in the behind, but move on brother, it is done! VIP all the dame Way, BAM, BAM, BAM!!
I want Mitch to note this, if Lorna ran against him in the 2027 elections, she’ll win.LEAVE the woman ALONEEEEE!!!
All of you guys are A FRIG!!!!!!
na na you get it wrong its who jump first in my opinion
I was about to go say same thing. question is? Why are they all jumping away from NDP??? especially since they claiming that they are not power hungry.
Mitch, stop talking $#!+ the woman is eager to serve, she saw an opportunity and made good use of it while y”all fumbling. We will judge Lorna based on her performance….
All of a sudden Turnbull likes NDP.
There is an elderly lady living in that neighborhood who called the police at 2AM because she was wakened from a badly needed deep sleep by the motorcycle gang. She called the police and asked them about the Noise Abatement Act. That’s how jolted by the motorcycles she is. This is almost a daily occurrence in the lives of people in MacNamara and other places. Places like that hill above Huntums Ghut where it sounds like the cycles are in people’s yards. If Lorna gets that under control, God Bless Her I say.
BTW who paid for the Hon. Premier’s ticket when he went to the conference in Miami to see his money? Please try to be intelligent and mature. There are enough brainless people walking about among us there days. Don’t contribute to the nonsence.
It took until they were all dropping on their feet at 4AM for them to air out what they wanted, who wanted to be Premier, Deputy Premier, Minister of this that or another. Mitch wanted his daddy to be Speaker of the House. Something wrong with the one they have now? So everybody is all up in their feelings about what they didn’t get and probably mad at their own selves that they wasted so much time going for what they wanted for themselves and they let the little skinny woman get in front of them. When you talk about self interest, selfishness, betrayal it would be good to hear from the good, Godly gentleman where he thinks signing off on Andrew Fahie’s extra insurance bill, the retirement package bill, etc., falls, into what category? The self interest category? How about loyalty to the people of this country? Does it matter to him that the retirement payout would break the bank so that we’d never build another school or road,we’d just pay these self righteous punks. Maybe he could expound on that and enlighten us.
Her idea of advancing the BVI is to give trade license and work permits to her white foreign ‘friends’.
Where’s the proof of your allegations? In your back pocket I presume. The same voters you allege he paid voted for others as well and who knows where they placed their x’s.
On another note, check the preceding article where what he’s stated here in reference to the substance of the article, Rankin set the record straight and if possible see the light and take that toothpick out of your eyes.
Lol….funny you should ask who’s going to be acting Premier. Maybe plans already afoot just like what was cooked up when RS was hoodwinked into going to Asia whilst the NDP internal party elections was held in his absence.
Schemes are still being implemented and cooked up…..watch and see how shaky a foundation that HOA is built upon. The cracks will be revealed when the paint/gloss fades away in sunlight (debates).
This Kid is so disrespectful, since after Orlando Smith incident I never really respect this young dud name Turnbull. Church Boy behaving like the steal church money. He is too arrogant. I only pity him; Hope they get a new district rep for next election.
All that salt gonna give ayo kidney stones man lets move on now.
Please explain that Egypt phone bill. We need to know.
Let’s talk about the phone bill from Egypt
Lorna look like she could barely stand up, let alone contest her seat in the 2027 general elections.
At the end of the day, bad talking Lorna will gain them nothing. Nobody from the VIP will collapse their government and defect to a proven group of confusion makers.
They need to form one party with one agreed leader NOW. Then maybe they stand a chance in 2027
Shut up ALREADY!