There has been a mixed reaction from the public as it relates to the decision of Hon. Lorna Smith OBE to align herself with the Virgin Islands Party.
After results from the polls ended in no political party succeeding to achieve the 7 seat majority needed to assume government, Smith, who ran on the ticket of the National Democratic Party as an At Large Candidate, announced that she would be joining the 6 elected VIP candidates to move forward with a new administration.
She was later sworn in as Deputy Premier and Minister Elect.
This move came as a surprise to many and various members of the public took to social media and other platforms to express their views on the matter.
One concerned Virgin Islander told 284 Media “I am not in disagreement with the formation of the gov’t because it is now a VIP gov’t. If the people wanted that and voted for that, I would’ve been like “Ok, cool. I didn’t want this, but this is what the people wanted. Let’s do it and just do a better job at holding them accountable.” or something along those lines.”
He went on to explain the root of his concerns on the matter.
“For someone to campaign against a party and their ideologies /tactics /decisions over the past 4 years, etc. and then switch to them just about 12 hours after the elections, that is downright foul. A lot of people I know who voted for her voted because she was non-VIP affiliate. She deceived the voting population and that’s not ok”, he said.
“A VIP gov’t with Sowande as Premier would not have been ideal, but a VIP Gov’t with Sowande as Premier, Lorna as Deputy Premier, will have Lorna running circles around them. The elites are now in power and I have a strong feeling we’re about to be sold piece by piece to the highest bidder… If she got Deputy under a coalition gov’t with the other members, they would have kept her in check. In my opinion, there is no one on the VIP side that is strong enough on their principles, morals, and other related stuff who could stop Lorna from doing whatever she decides over the next 4 years”, he added.
Social media has been flooded with public commentary on this matter, as members of the public share posts, memes and video clips capturing their various perspectives.
One clip, featuring the reaction of talk show host Claude Skelton Cline, has been particularly popular.
Another member of the society took to a public forum to issue this message to Smith following her decision to align with the VIP.
“With all due respect Mrs. Smith, you have flip flopped your way through this election. Independent, NDP now VIP. The country needs stability. Please let this be your last placement for these 4 years. Kindly stick to this side and commit to it. It would indeed have been best if you had remained independent then your switch would have been viewed in a better light and not tinged with the stench of betrayal to the party you campaigned with. Now moving forward I hope you put the people first and not Lorna first. You promised a lot so we expect alot from you. With that being said, congratulations! Let’s move forward.”
Members of the public have also spoken in support of the move, sharing that it is their understanding that Smith was in a unique position and had to act in the best interests of the people of the Virgin Islands, by being “in their corner regardless of party.”
One Facebook user addressed the outcry stating “Many of these responses are hilarious in my opinion because many of you were all for country during the elections and claimed NOT to be about “self ” or”party “, but now your responses show a different story.”
She continued to say “This election has been one of the greatest… The people that were elected last night are highly qualified individuals who have proven themselves within our community, whether professionally and some personally. Many are individuals who care about these Virgin Islands wholeheartedly and in my heart I know they will fight with everything within them to get the job done”.
Smith has also spoken amid the criticism and justified the move in a recent statement.
She said, “I started my campaign as an independent candidate before joining the NDP and throughout my campaign my promises to you and my plans for the future have never once wavered. That is because I place the needs of our country above the needs of a political party and I will never lose sight of that fact.”
“I have decided that in order to ensure a cohesive, clear and dynamic government can be sworn in, that I will form a coalition with the VIP. This is no lightweight decision, nor is it born from a need for power or control. It is a decision based upon my desire to serve you, the people, to the best of my abilities and with the determination for change to start immediately in this country”, she added.
Smith acknowledged that this decision may cause shock in the public space or cause members of the public to “doubt the political machinations of our country”.
Nonetheless she urged Virgin Islanders to remain steadfast and to remain focused on country over party.
“It is only by focusing upon that, that we grow as a nation with every voice heard”, she added.