My husband didn’t help me make switch to VIP
Newly-appointed Deputy Premier Lorna Smith recently revealed that her husband and former Premier Dr D Orlando Smith did not help her to make the decision to form an alliance with the Virgin Islands Party (VIP).
In a recent Cut Deep interview, the newly-elected legislator inidicated that her husband wanted no part in the deliberations.
“To be honest, he excluded himself from the discussions and that is the unvarnished truth. He was not part of my decision. He supports me in what I do, but he was not part of this,” Smith told host Cindy Rosan. “He’s always allowed me to make the decisions that I want to make and that’s why I love and respect him. He allows me to be me and to make the right decisions.”
While the Deputy Premier didn’t reveal her husband’s true thoughts on her big move which has rocked the territory, she said: “What he is feeling is still fresh, I don’t know what he is thinking but he supports me.”
Her husband is the founder of the NDP — the party from which she defected. Just weeks earlier, Dr Smith had opened up about his party splintering back in 2019.
In the meantime, his wife had also revealed that NDP leader Marlon Penn did not agree with her move but she confirmed that her brother and former fourth District Representative Mark Vanterpool supported her decision and was aware of the many negotiations that took place before her alliance.
“He thought that my decision was the right one in the circumstances and I am grateful to him,” Smith confirmed.
As the Cut Deep interview streamed live on Facebook, many members of the community left comments expressing their disappointment with Smith’s seemingly sudden decision to abandon the NDP and form an alliance with the VIP.
Residents have also been using other social media platforms to express their discontent with Smith’s move. They’ve argued that the decision has caused further disenfranchisement within the wider community, which has been burned by politics in recent years.
At a recent press conference, Sixth District, Myron Walwyn agreed that Smith’s move has further disenfranchised residents, many of whom stayed away from the polls because of political bruises.
“The psyche of the public has been damaged by politicians and when things like this happen, it further damages the psyche,” Walwyn expressed.
“To be honest, he excluded himself from the discussions and that is the unvarnished truth. He was not part of my decision. He supports me in what I do, but he was not part of this,” Smith told host Cindy Rosan. “He’s always allowed me to make the decisions that I want to make and that’s why I love and respect him. He allows me to be me and to make the right decisions.”
While the Deputy Premier didn’t reveal her husband’s true thoughts on her big move which has rocked the territory, she said: “What he is feeling is still fresh, I don’t know what he is thinking but he supports me.”
Her husband is the founder of the NDP — the party from which she defected. Just weeks earlier, Dr Smith had opened up about his party splintering back in 2019.
In the meantime, his wife had also revealed that NDP leader Marlon Penn did not agree with her move but she confirmed that her brother and former fourth District Representative Mark Vanterpool supported her decision and was aware of the many negotiations that took place before her alliance.
“He thought that my decision was the right one in the circumstances and I am grateful to him,” Smith confirmed.
As the Cut Deep interview streamed live on Facebook, many members of the community left comments expressing their disappointment with Smith’s seemingly sudden decision to abandon the NDP and form an alliance with the VIP.
Residents have also been using other social media platforms to express their discontent with Smith’s move. They’ve argued that the decision has caused further disenfranchisement within the wider community, which has been burned by politics in recent years.
At a recent press conference, Sixth District, Myron Walwyn agreed that Smith’s move has further disenfranchised residents, many of whom stayed away from the polls because of political bruises.
“The psyche of the public has been damaged by politicians and when things like this happen, it further damages the psyche,” Walwyn expressed.
