Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Sep 05, 2025

Political leaders debate: A new age of BVI politics

Political leaders debate: A new age of BVI politics

In what might very well be a first in Virgin Islands history, leaders of the main political parties in the territory participated in a political debate ahead of the upcoming general election.
The Virgin Islands Party’s (VIP) Dr Natalio Wheatley, the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement’s (PVIM) Ronnie Skelton, the National Democratic Party’s (NDP) Marlon Penn, and Julian Fraser of Progressives United — all chairmen of their parties — gathered inside the auditorium at H Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) last evening and shared their political ideologies for the territory.

Organised by HLSCC’s Virgin Islands Studies Institute, the debate gave voters a chance to watch in real-time as leaders faced off on multiple issues such as fiscal policy, social welfare, and healthcare. They were even made to answer to decisions they’ve made during their time as a political representative.

Perhaps most importantly, though, yesterday’s successfully staged debate signalled a development of Virgin Islands politics. The value of political debates cannot be understated as they are important for voters to see their political leaders on the same stage responding to the same questions or addressing the same topics.

They not only allow voters an opportunity to learn more about a leader’s brand of politics before going to the polls, but debates also allow voters to see how well these leaders are able to think on their feet beyond scripted campaign messages. During yesterday’s debate, the four political chairmen had an opportunity to deliver a short opening and closing address, and respond to questions in front of a live audience of supporters and HLSCC students, among others.

The 2023 general election is scheduled to happen on April 24 and has been described in several spaces as the most important election so far in the territory’s history. If this is true, the political leaders’ collective willingness to participate in these debates this time ’round — after neglecting to do so in previous years — may not have come at a better time.

BVI News will report on the issues arising from yesterday’s chairman debates in subsequent publications.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
×