Beautiful Virgin Islands

Sunday, Jul 27, 2025

The VIP’s secret weapon in the last election

The VIP’s secret weapon in the last election

Despite accusations of corruption and mismanagement of the territory’s affairs, the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) still managed to snatch five districts and one At-Large seat in the April 24 election.
And while some maintain that the party didn’t get the popular vote, they still walked away from the election with the most spoils and outwitted their opponents when it was time to form the government.

What accounted for this success? BVI News asked this question of public commentators Dickson Igwe and Benito Wheatley. Both said the VIP’s success in this year’s election was rooted in the party’s ability to connect with the “grassroots”, something they did much better than their opponents.

“The success of the VIP at the polls is a testament to the grassroots appeal of the party as a political organisation. The VIP has the single largest electoral base that is maintained through their highly democratic district committees and congress,” Benito Wheatley explained. Despite the party’s mishaps and very public failures, Wheatley believes the VIP was still able to present themselves as the best option for the BVI at this time.

“The VIP leadership was able to successfully persuade its base that the party remains the best option to govern the territory, which delivered five district seats and one At-Large seat,” said Wheatley.

Commentator Dickson Igwe shared Wheatley’s sentiments. He said the VIP appeared to be more united and connected to the “grassroots” than the other parties that contested the elections.

“The VIP is a unified, organized, and grassroot party with strength on the ground. However, the country now has a strong opposition: it will be interesting to watch the coming months,” Igwe stated.

Although the VIP got the most elected candidates and ultimately formed the government, the party didn’t get the popular vote — meaning that overall, fewer individuals voted for the VIP when compared to the combined number of votes that all the opposing elected representatives received.

Many residents believe this was a clear indication that the Virgin Islands voted against the VIP. Newly elected Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn shares this view and argues that the absence of an outright majority was a clear indication that the people wanted to get rid of the VIP.

But he has urged the public to move on from the election bruises as he believes there is now a formidable Opposition in the House of Assembly (HOA) that can hold the government accountable and ensure they deliver favourable results for the community.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×