Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has said Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, led by Opposition Leader Honourable Marlon A. Penn (R8) wants to micromanage the Government of the Virgin Islands; however, it will not happen under his watch.

The Premier made those remarks during the Eleventh Sitting of the Second Session of the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA) at Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff's Bottom, Tortola, on Friday, June 26, 2020.

“I understand the Opposition may want the government to run the government through a proxy, and they want to see if they could micromanage the government so that we bring everything through them before we move…every decision the government has to make the government has to bring to them. I agree that we have to keep discussing, but the government does not work so nowhere in the world,” he said.

Premier Fahie said while he loves the Opposition, and most things are brought to them, “but we don’t have to bring everything and ask permission before we move forward. So I want to make that clear!”

We have been kind

The Leader of Government Business said his Government has been very accomodating to the Opposition, unlike how he was treated while in the Opposition; however, it is not prudent and practical for every policy and decision to be brought to the Opposition, as they seem to want his Government to do.

“We have been more than kind, and we will continue to be so because we see that we are one but don’t fool yourself, I am not going to allow it to continue to penetrate through their thoughts where we have to bring everything through the Opposition before we move,” he remarked.

He added: “I want the Opposition to know that we have treated them better than I have been treated in my years in the Opposition, but the truth be told there is still a government. The Opposition will know this when they had their chance, and I will know this too, it did not run so but I don’t intend to keep it so, because it wouldn’t be wise and it wouldn’t be good leadership.”