Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jun 05, 2025

More PVIM Confusion; Paul A Hewlett Out! Ian S Smith In! for D4

More PVIM Confusion; Paul A Hewlett Out! Ian S Smith In! for D4

The instability and confusion surrounding the breakaway group from the main Opposition National Democratic Party (NDP) called the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) continue.

It was a few weeks ago, before they launched, that the party kicked out Lesmore Smith from the ticket who had already announced three months before that he was on PVIM slate as an At Large candidate only to be snubbed. Mr Smith is now running as an independent candidate and is the President of the BVI Horse Owners Association. He has picked up the endorsement of a PVIM founding member and former Legislator Mrs Eileene L. Parsons OBE.

Who will be next?

Now less than a month before elections after they announced on Monday, March 6, 2023 that Mr Paul A. Hewlett as their district four candidate, he has been ousted. The party insiders claimed that he was not selling and now have picked businessman and former banker, Ian S. Smith. The former Chairman of the BVI Social Security Board, Mr Smith will be the PVIM candidate in District 4.

Mr Hewlett has since issued a statement confirming his exit from the political race.

As Chairman of the Social Security Board, Mr Smith was one of the architects of the controversial Joe's Hill Manor Estate Project.

He will come up in D4 against two female candidates, Luce D. Hodge-Smith of the Virgin Islands Party and Sandy M. Harrigan-Underhill of the NDP.

It is unclear if anyone else from the PVIM will be booted from the ticket of eight candidates. Already, there are questions sounding one of their At-Large candidate Stacey Mather about his eligibility to run under the constitution.
There continues to be confusion in the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement.



NDP slammed PVIM

Mr Mather was not born in the Virgin Islands or any of his parents. However, he told a local radio station that he is eligible to run.

The PVIM is headed by former legislator and businessman Ronnie W. Skelton and its Deputy Chairman is incumbent Second District Representative Hon Melvin M. Turnbull. It was last night, March 18, 2023 at the launching of NDP, that At Large candidate Allen O’Neal slammed the PVIM saying, “we really aint studying them, they are a want to be party, a want to be NDP.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
Hungary Partners with China to Boost Electric Vehicle Production
‘Vibe Coding’ Emerges as the New DIY Trend
AI Pioneer Yoshua Bengio Warns Models Can Deceive Users
Big Four Firms Rush to Create AI Auditing Systems
Musk’s xAI Pursues $113 Billion Valuation in New Share Sale
Walmart Increases Revenue Despite Shrinking Workforce
Hims & Hers Plans UK and EU Launch of Replica Obesity Drugs
Toyota to Acquire Supplier in $33 Billion Buyout
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
×