Opposition Member Hon Lorna G. Smith, OBE (AL) has shared via her Facebook page today, Wednesday, November 13, 2024, her official response to her termination notice as Deputy Premier and Minister for Financial Services, Labour and Trade in late October 2024. Photo: Facebook/Lorna Creque Smith
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) in announcing the changes to the government and Cabinet said Hon Smith did not give him the “confidence” that she would remain with his administration for the duration of this term, leaving “room for uncertainty, and political instability, which we cannot afford at this time.” Photo: Office of the Premier
Third District Representative and Chairman of the Progressive United Party (PU) Hon Julian Fraser RA was sworn in as Deputy Premier by Governor Daniel Pruce on October 23, 2024. Photo: GIS
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Opposition Member Hon Lorna G. Smith, OBE (AL) has shared via her Facebook page today, Wednesday, November 13, 2024, her official response to her termination notice as Deputy Premier and Minister for Financial Services, Labour and Trade in late October 2024.
Hon Smith said in the post, “In light of recent public statements made by the Premier of the Virgin Islands concerning my termination, I believe it is essential to provide a full and accurate account of the circumstances surrounding this matter. The Premier’s remarks, while addressing his perspective, do not fully capture the facts or context of the situation.”
Refuting Premier’s reasons for her firing
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) in announcing the changes to the government and Cabinet said Hon Smith did not give him the “confidence” that she would remain with his administration for the duration of this term, leaving “room for uncertainty, and political instability, which we cannot afford at this time.”
Hon Smith has publicly dismissed the Premier’s reasoning for her firing during a press conference called shortly after her dismissal saying they have “no merit”.
According to the letter dated October 28, 2024, addressed to Premier Wheatley and copied to Governor Daniel Pruce, Hon Smith said, “The House represents democracy at work. It should never be used as a mechanism by which a Premier found wanting can choose to ignore the voice of the people, as expressed through a no confidence vote of the members of the House and remain in power.”
She added that though she was uncertain on October 14, 2024, as to how she would vote she did indicate on the morning of October 16, 2024, that “I would stand with you in the interest of stability for the country”.
Offered ministries as Junior Minister
According to Hon Smith’s letter following her public dismissal Premier Wheatley phoned her offering her the portfolios of Financial Services, Labour and Trade as a Junior Minister which she declined.
“[It is] clear that you still believe me to be the best, most appropriate, and most experienced person for those positions, and that continuity in those roles is important for the success of the initiatives underway in those ministries,” she wrote in her response.
The former government minister also said this offer also makes it clear her dismissal had nothing to do with her performance but “everything to do with your increasingly tenuous grip on power and support within Cabinet”.
She also shared that in her view, the Ministries of Financial Services, Labour and Trade are of the highest importance and therefore “cannot belong with a junior ministerial position” as they are vital to the VI’s economy representing sixty percent of the Territory’s income.
Her third reason for declining the Premier’s offer to remain in his Cabinet as a Junior Minister she revealed was because she could no longer support Dr. Wheatley as Premier due to his recent actions.
When contacted by Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) Premier Wheatley said he had no comment on the matter.
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