Resigning After 2019 Win My Greatest Regret

Leader of the People’s Leadership Movement (PLM), Mark Vanterpool, has described his decision to resign shortly after winning the Fourth District seat in 2019 as the greatest regret of his political career, admitting that the move disrespected the will of the people.

Speaking on the Talking Points radio programme on September 28, Vanterpool acknowledged that mistakes are made in political life and pledged never to repeat that decision.

“The greatest regret of my political life is in 2019, when I resigned after being elected, disrespecting the people’s decision,” Vanterpool said.

“That’s a regret that I will always have, and I would pledge definitely that it would never happen again to my people who have always supported me.”

The controversy followed the February 25, 2019 General Election, when the National Democratic Party (NDP) was voted out of office after two consecutive terms and the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) secured eight of the 13 seats.

Vanterpool, who had served as a government minister under the NDP, retained the Fourth District seat with 442 votes, defeating VIP candidate Luce Hodge-Smith, who received 385 votes. He would therefore have served in the Opposition.

However, just eight days after his victory, Vanterpool submitted a letter to the Clerk of the House of Assembly stating that he did not wish to be sworn in and wanted to resign.

He later reversed his decision, triggering a legal dispute over whether the seat had become vacant. The High Court eventually ruled that the resignation was invalid because it was not submitted in the manner required by the Constitution and ordered that Vanterpool be sworn in as the Fourth District representative.

Leaving A Legacy

Responding to a question about whether he would remain in the House if elected again but the PLM failed to form the government, Vanterpool said he was now focused on leaving a legacy and would serve wherever voters placed him.

“If I get elected this time, wherever I am, Opposition, government, backbench, wherever it would be, I would like this time to spend my next four years in the House of Assembly really trying to steer the country in the right direction,” he stated.

Vanterpool said the Virgin Islands had been extremely good to him and his family, recalling his poor upbringing and his mother’s emphasis on education.

He said his family came to the Territory from Anguilla as immigrants and was embraced by the people of the Virgin Islands.

Having benefited from educational and business opportunities and built a successful life and family in the Territory, Vanterpool said it was now time for him to give back through public service.

The PLM leader also said the party is seeking candidates capable of helping to move the Territory forward, arguing that the country is currently moving neither forward nor backwards.

Despite leaving the NDP and forming the PLM, Vanterpool said he continues to respect the party’s leaders and regards them as friends.

He added that there are no major philosophical differences separating the Territory’s political figures, as they are all Virgin Islanders who should want to see the country progress.