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by pltm
(PLTM) - A day before delegates of the opposition Virgin Islands Party (VIP) decide on a new leader and executive, the party is facing allegations of rigging from within the group. However, outgoing President, Mr. Carvin Malone has shut down such claims.
"It is an extreme far stretch to infer that each and/or every one of the 9 district committees could be manipulated one way or the other in unison. There are no known or proven basis for allegations of the process being rigged. It is for this very reason of transparency that the internal process was decided to be made public," Malone said in a statement last evening, November 28, 2016.
Former VIP Second District candidate, Rajah Smith, who received 25 votes at the polls in the June 2015 elections, has publicly claimed that tomorrow's VIP internal elections process is being rigged. He has also called on the current Chairman and Opposition Leader, Hon. Julian Fraser to withdraw from the race.
The front runners are Hon. Fraser and Hon. Andrew Fahie, First District Representative.
Malone in his statement said in the interest of transparency and for the avoidance of doubt by the general public, the VIP hereby confirms that, in compliance with the Virgin Islands Party Constitution, Article Twelve, Section 1(b), each of the 9 VIP district committees duly convened a meeting and thereafter selected and submitted for ratification by the Executive Committee, the names of 72 members (8 from each district) to be nominated and approved to serve as delegates for the VIP National Congress in accordance with Article Six of the Constitution.
He explained that Article Eleven, Section 3 states, “Any member or delegate may challenge the credentials of any delegate by lodging with the secretary the grounds of objections in writing, within seven days of the election.”
"The VIP Secretary has confirmed that no objections were received in challenge to any delegates submitted by any of the 9 district committees."
In conclusion, Malone stated that the internal elections of the VIP are constitutionally due 90 days after the June 2015 General Elections. He said the VIP Congress in their own judgement deferred the process and thereafter decided on the date of November 30th 2016 to allow the expansion of district committees and to seek additional candidates for each of the Executive Committee positions.
"As outlined above, the Constitution of the Virgin Islands Party empowers each district committee to convene meetings and select the delegates and alternate delegates of their pleasing," he said.
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