The VIP, helmed by Premier Andrew Fahie, has received flak on several fronts in recent weeks. But most particularly, it has come under fire for its perceived insistence on paying the $98,000 in legal fees incurred by House of Assembly (HOA) Speaker, Julian Willock following an aborted court injunction.

As protesters marched to the HOA building in Road Town yesterday, continuing their agitation against the government’s intention to pay Willock’s legal fees, Turnbull lent his support for the measure.

“We need justice, we need a referendum, we need this government to be gone and we need leadership that holds account to the people of the Virgin Islands and never loses focus of the sight of what the people want,” Turnbull said.

“We are calling for leadership,” Turnbull urged, “leadership that matters [and] leadership with integrity; not one that changes what they say depending on who is in front of them, not one that changes what they say depending on what reaction they want.”

Turnbull said the territory needs leadership to take it to the next generation.

“You can’t be talking about self-determination, you can’t be talking about independence and all the things that we’ve been talking about and our actions depict something completely different,” he added.

He also argued that the Premier is accountable to the people, but has ignored their voices in their wish for Willock to pay his own legal fees.

This is despite an online petition that garnered more than 1,200 signatures and a previous march against the government’s move.

The Second District Representative contended that the government has failed and said there are people in the territory who have had enough.

“You are going to be held accountable for your words, you’re going to be held accountable for your actions. The people of the Virgin Islands have had enough and I stand with the people,” Turnbull stated.