Residents of the Ninth District are in the process of forming a new action group that will track development in their district and put pressure on the government to ensure centre infrastructure is established in the constituency.
Former At-Large Representative Shereen Flax-Charles will be part of the group and says the aim is to ensure residents have a say in how development occurs in their communities. She also noted that the action group will comprise smaller ones on Virgin Gorda and Anegada.
“I’m going to encourage other districts to do the same. Leaders and advocates in all of the other districts, feel free to reach out. We’re just putting it in place, we’re just starting to form what we feel is necessary to keep the pressure on whoever is in the hot seat,” Flax-Charles told the Morning Show on ZBVI recently.
“It’s a tough job. However, there’s a role we need to play in communities. We need to be the ones to prioritize what needs to be done in a particular district,” Flax-Charles explained.
Though the action group is meant to put pressure on “those in the hot seat”, Flax-Charles said people should note that the group is not “anti-government.”
“We must have advocacy groups throughout the territory. We as a people, we must be vocal, we must be out there and we must be able to speak without fear. But we must be organised. If there’s an issue with the water, let’s not talk about it in a chat or on the radio. Let’s put pen to paper and be organised,” Flax-Charles stated emphatically.
Although the outspoken leader lost her bid in the April 24 general election, Flax-Charles said she will continue to serve her community and the territory as an advocate for the people. She is also a member of the Ronnie-Skelton-led Progressive Virgin Islands Party (PVIM), having ditched
the Virgin Islands Party in the lead-up to the election.