NDP & PVIM expected to endorse Perline R. Scatliffe-Leonard for D7
In a bold move, Opposition parties National Democratic Party (NDP) and its breakaway group the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) will endorse Independent Candidate Perline R. Scatliffe-Leonard for the Seventh District.
Senior sources in both parties have told our news center this on condition of anonymity, and it is expected to happen this week. It is unclear if the one-man Progressives United (PU) headed by Hon Julian Fraser from District 3 will do the same.
Mrs Scatliffe-Leonard, according to a recent poll obtained by our news centre, is about 10 to 15 % points behind the incumbent Seventh District Representative and Premier Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley. Some residents and outside observers still claim there will be an upset in D7, with a possible Scatliffe-Leonard win.
A former candidate who was expected to
run with the NDP but dropped out of the race, Kevon S. Lettsome, right,
last month endorsed Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley, left, saying he is
the best person to represent the district and run the country.
‘I am staying independent’- Scatliffe-Leonard
Mrs Scatlifee-Leonard, the former Director of Water and Sewerage Department (W&SD), has consistently refused to join any of the two Opposition political parties who have asked and met with her over joining. She continues to maintain that her committee wants her to run as an Independent Candidate.
NDP At Large Candidate and former Seventh District Representative Dr Kedrick D. Pickering personally endorsed Mrs Scatliffe-Leonard during a joint campaign meeting at The Stickit on March 15, 2023.
It is unclear if the endorsement of the two Opposition parties, also referred to as NDP 1 & 2, will move the needle for Mrs Scatliffe-Leonard’s candidacy.
Political commentator Claude O.
Skelton-Cline, who has been affiliated with NDP and VIP and is now
pushing PVIM, has said he sees Mrs Perline R. Scatliffe-Leonard winning
the Seventh District seat but both the NDP and PVIM need to ‘push
Perline’.
'Both PVIM & NDP need to push Perline'- Skelton-Cline
Political commentator Claude O. Skelton-Cline, who has been affiliated with NDP and VIP and is now pushing PVIM, has said he sees Mrs Scatliffe-Leonard winning the Seventh District seat but both the NDP and PVIM need to “push Perline”.
“That’s the way she is going to win,” Mr Skelton-Cline stated on his Honestly Speaking show on ZBVI 780 AM on March 11, 2023.
Dr Wheatley is the chairman of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) and one of the campaign issues by supporters of the incumbent is if D7 will exchange a Premier for someone who could end up on the back bench, on the Opposition, or just a Junior Minister.
A former candidate who was expected to run with the NDP but dropped out of the race, Kevon S. Lettsome, last month endorsed Dr Wheatley, saying he is the best person to represent the district and run the country.
The 2023 General Election is scheduled for April 24, 2023, with Advanced Voting on April 21.
We will bring more information as this story develops.
