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by pltm
(PLTM) - Premier and Minister for Finance, Hon. Andrew Fahie used a boxing reference to highlight his view of the series of public meetings that were staged by members of the Opposition last week.
The meetings, which commenced from September 10, included Leader of the Opposition Hon. Marlon Penn, Second District Representative Hon. Melvin 'Mitch' Turnbull, Third District Representative Hon. Julian Fraser, Fourth District Representative Hon. Mark Vanterpool, and Sixth District Representative Hon. Alvera Maduro-Caines.
The aim of the public consultation was to discuss “BVI and UK relationship, the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) and other pertinent issues facing the Territory.”
However, Hon. Fahie expressed skepticism during his press conference on September 17, stating that the Opposition did not voice concerns during the period the Government was holding its public consultations.
“We had meetings on it (Loan Guarantee), the Opposition never raised their voice, they never said well alright let us discuss…”
In using the boxing reference, Hon. Fahie noted that the Opposition held the consultation with the public during the time that he was in London.
“As soon as we get up in the plane they started – which is their democratic right might I add. Holding public meetings and they throwing punch while we were out of the ring. Well I am back in the ring. I’m back here so they can throw the punch now that I am back in the ring, because we know we’re going to answer based on facts,” the Premier declared.
Hon. Fahie further accused the Opposition of telling half of the story.
“I have sat and I have watched them read some documents that they know that they’re not reading all of the document, and it sounds good, but the point of the matter is that no one is arguing about the loans; no one is concerned about the RDA; no one is concerned about getting the money to spend it. We’re concerned about ensuring conditions that we will have to sign off are favorable for the people of the Virgin Islands.
“They had an opportunity to renegotiate and to get going. We are only there six months and what they haven’t done in eight years yhey are now holding public meetings and trying to put in people’s mind that we should get it done in eight months. The difficult I would do right away, the impossible will take a while,” Hon. Fahie added.
Hon. Fahie also accused the Opposition of destabilizing attempts.
“We understand what the Opposition is trying to do. They are trying to create an environment that they are trying to make people think that the country is destabilized for their own selfish gains. While they are doing that, they are trying to make sure that they speak to any entity that they feel they can team up with to try to dethrone they Government. For their own selfish reasons. I understand clearly what’s happening; I am in politics for quite a while,” the Premier said.
Hon. Fahie went on to say that the Opposition was hoping his trip to the UK was unsuccessful.
“When they are talking this they are hoping that when we go to the UK, from listening to them, that we wasting time and money…they were hoping that we get nothing done. Mind you, this is the same country they love, but they were hoping that we got nothing done; and we’re going to come back and talk, talk, talk and nothing happen.”
Hon. Malone Says Opposition Views Keep Changing
Meanwhile, Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon. Carvin Malone also commented on the Opposition's consultations and opined that there were contradictions.
“One would have heard me say already that I would have to invest in a DNA lab because we don’t know who we’re talking to. They say one thing yesterday and when they speak today you would not know that these are the same people who spoke yesterday; so only through a process of DNA we can really get this handled,” Hon. Malone declared.
Further, Minister Malone stated that the NDP, which is the main Opposition party, was affected by the same document being negotiated by the Government.
“This document called the High Level Framework for UK Support to BVI Hurricane Recovery – I would go on record as saying has caused the mutation of the National Democratic Party to maybe three pieces. Some have retired, some who went and formed another party, and some who stayed. To see them speaking in one voice today is quite amazing. Is it the amoeba that gets together even when mutated. It is one in which is quite amazing, we will have to explore. The Premier says he is back in the ring.”
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