Politics
UPDATED: Guavaberry Media’s Cindy Rosan asked to leave press conference
By MERRICK ANDREWS, Online News Editor
(JTV News) – Cindy Rosan, the owner and journalist for Guavaberry Media Inc., was asked by police and a senior government information officer to leave a press briefing called by Premier and Minister of Finance Natalio Wheatley on Monday afternoon, Feb. 20.
The Premier was scheduled to report on his recent attendance at the CARICOM meeting in The Bahamas.
However, the Premier left the room moments after arriving and greeting members.
Not long after that, JTV News observed Chief Information Officer Desiree Smith conversing with Rosan.
POLICE INTERVENTION
While seated in the conference room with other members of the media, JTV News’s Cathy Richards quizzed Rosan about the development.
She responded: “He doesn’t want me to sit in press conferences, he doesn’t want me to ask any questions on any platform as it relates to him. I have no legal, anything going on with the Premier. So for them to remove me from this press conference let them call the police and let them show me the GIS policy as it relates to journalists sitting in on press conferences.”
Rosan’s word came to pass, as shortly after, an officer from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force came and spoke with her. Two other officers stood at the entrance of the conference room.
Rosan did not budge.
“You have to give me just a reason why I can’t sit here, and the reasons are the policy of the GIS, a statement from the court or a judgement from the court. Those are the only reasons you gonna [have to use to] remove me from government offices today,” she said.
Asked again by Richards why isn’t she allowed to stay at the press conference, Rosan said: “Cathy, this thing has been unfolding for a little while, right, where I asked the Premier a few questions in his first press conference for the year. Couple days before I was supposed to join the Tola Radio Media pack, I was advised that the Premier doesn’t want to have any questions for me. I received a message in urgency from his lawyer and I personally knew that it was to stop me from being on any platform that he’s in. But he cannot make that decision. If you want to issue legal proceedings against me or Guavaberry Media you go and you file something in the court. It goes through a process. A case is put forward to the judge, it’s heard and the judge makes a decision. So unless you can give me a court-issued judgement. GIS can issue their policy, unedited — unedited as of the last press conference because I was in the last press conference with the governor — then I am going to sit here. And if they want to remove me then they will have to bring the police and have me arrested so the territory can see how much of a threat Natalio Wheatley is to democracy and free press in the Virgin Islands.”
Rosan said if the cops arrest her, she will not resist.
COMMUNICATION WITH GIS
When asked about her conversation with the GIS head, Rosan said Smith told her to come with her and bring her bag. Rosan said she indicated she preferred to leave her bag.
“She was trying to tell me that the Premier doesn’t want me here,” Rosan said.
The Guavaberry owner said she asked Smith to present a GIS policy, but Rosan told her that the policy hasn’t been updated in a while.
“I said I need to see it as of right now cause if you asking me to leave, I wanna see terms on why you want me to leave,” Rosan said. “I have no issue with the Premier at all.”
Rosan said she has always spoken on democracy, good governance, transparency, and abuse of office.
“Nothing new here,” she noted, “nobody is special when it comes to that.”
She said she has been asking questions on those topics for the last 10 years, ever since she returned to the territory.
About 45 minutes after the 2 p.m. press briefing was to start, all the journalists, including Rosan, walked out.
Rosan expressed gratitutde to the media for their support, saying the Premier should resign.
Responding to the fiasco on Guavaberry’s Facebook page, Rosan wrote: “The Premier of the Virgin Islands is attempting to have Guavaberry Media thrown out of his Press Conference. Guavaberry Media has no legal matters in the Court with the Premier of the Virgin Islands and Cindy Rosan, journalist and owner of Guavaberry Media, has asked GIS to present their policy as it relates to Sanctioning the media, or call the police to have her removed or cancel the press conference.”
A statement from the Premier’s Office by Desiree Smith was also released to the media. It read: “Persons are aware of the press briefing scheduled at 2:00 p.m. today Monday, February 20, 2023.
“Regrettably, we could not bring the press briefing as expected, and we do apologise for this inconvenience.
“In place of the press briefing, Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley was able to report to the public via a press statement to provide the public with an update on his CARICOM meeting attendance.
“The press statement can be viewed on-demand on Facebook @BVIGovernment.”
The Premier eventually updated the nation on his CARICOM trip via broadcast and text.
Local News
Julian Willock Refutes Defamatory Allegations in Guavaberry Media Report
Mr. Julian Willock has issued a formal response to a recent article published by Ms. Cindy Rosan in Guavaberry Media on October 23, 2024. The article, titled “Lorna Smith Sacrificed for Julian Willock Run in 2027,” contains allegations suggesting that Premier Hon. Natalio D. Wheatley’s dismissal of Hon. Lorna G. Smith OBE was part of a strategy to advance Mr. Willock’s political ambitions. Mr. Willock strongly refutes these claims, describing them as false and without basis.
In his statement, Mr. Willock clarified that he had no involvement in, nor prior knowledge of, the Premier’s decision to dismiss Hon. Lorna G. Smith OBE. He emphasised his friendship with Mrs. Smith and pointed out that, as a member of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) and its Third District Committee, he was not consulted or informed about the Premier’s actions.
“To suggest that this was done as a political favor or in support of my alleged candidacy is completely baseless,” Mr. Willock stated. “I have had no discussions with Premier Wheatley, Hon. Julian Fraser, or any of their associates regarding any such matter.”
Mr. Willock urged Ms. Rosan to adhere to responsible journalism by ensuring her publications are grounded in fact rather than speculation. He condemned the report as both defamatory and misleading, asserting that he has made efforts to avoid becoming entangled in what he described as Ms. Rosan’s “vicious attacks” against other Virgin Islanders.
In a final note, Mr. Willock issued a measured warning: “Karma is real. When digging a hole for others, be sure to dig two.”
He also reminded the public of District Three’s upcoming annual Job Fair, scheduled for Sunday, October 27, 2024, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Therapy Works in Hannah’s Bay, Tortola.
Local News
Premier Wheatley’s Allegations of Insufficient COI Support Lack Merit: Says Smith
Lorna Smith OBE, dismissed as Deputy Premier by Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley on Wednesday morning, has strongly refuted his allegations of her insufficient support for the administration’s Commission of Inquiry (CoI) obligations, stating they lack merit.
“The Premier in his letter to me cited a lack of support in relation to COI obligations as one of the reasons for my removal. However, if you have followed my work since being sworn in as Minister, it is evident that the accusations hold no merit,” Smith said at her October 23 press conference, held just hours after Wheatley announced via social media that former Virgin Islands Party (VIP) member Julian Fraser had been sworn in as Deputy Premier.
The former Minister for Financial Services, Labour and Trade revealed that she was notified of her dismissal via a letter received around 8 a.m. while she was at work in her office.
Smith, who won the Territorial-At-Large seat with the National Democratic Party (NDP) in the April 2023 elections, previously switched allegiance to give the Virgin Islands Party a majority to form a government.
A composed former First Lady emphasised that her “record speaks for itself,” noting, “under my leadership, my ministry, along with its hard working team, has met all COI deadlines, fulfilling every obligation within the required timeframe.”
“The Premier’s reasoning is simply untrue, and I believe that it is imperative that he be honest with the people about his true motives rather than fabricating baseless claims.”
Wheatley in his public statement thanked Smith for her service, adding that “I do so with a heavy heart. She did not give me the confidence that she would remain with my administration for the duration of this term.”
The head of the territory added: “This is a necessary change to the composition of the government that provides my administration with political stability and a wealth of knowledge and experience which will serve us well over the course of the remainder of this House of Assembly, political stability is critical at this time to ensure we finalise completion of governance reforms, effectively address the recommendations of the mutual evaluation report.”
At the end of August, Governor David Pruce announced that the government had missed the deadline for implementing key reforms outlined in the 2021 Commission of Inquiry Report, which exposed widespread corruption within the administration.
The CoI was initiated by former Governor Augustus Jaspert in January 2021, and a year later, Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom presented a comprehensive 900-page report detailing significant corruption and recommending a partial constitutional suspension to facilitate essential governance reforms.
But Premier Wheatley in August assured the territory that 45 of the 48 proposed reforms had been completed, promising that the remaining changes would be finalised within a week.
Tensions continue regarding the territory’s political future, as the United Kingdom has warned that failure to implement the reforms could lead to the retention of the Order in Council, potentially resulting in a two-year constitutional suspension.
The former Deputy Premier shared that “despite the difficult economic challenges we face, my focus has always been on strengthening our economy while supporting the government in meeting its obligations.”
She made it clear to Premier Wheatley upon switching sides that “I was here to serve the people of the Virgin Islands, not to serve political interests.
“The truth is I have never wavered in my commitment to the Virgin Islands and its people. When I made the decision to join the government, my singular focus was the continued development of our territory. I was transparent about my intentions then, and I remain steadfast in that mission now.”
“It is exactly what I have done up until this point,” Smith said, highlighting several key achievements during her tenure as Minister, including a successful response to the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) mutual evaluation report, the launch of the Financial Services Solution Programme, and the establishment of the First Tomorrow’s Leaders Internship Programme.
She also led a trade mission to Guyana and Asia and co-chaired the UK Overseas Territories Economic Dialogue, the first of its kind.
“My recent efforts, particularly our successful response to the CFATF mutual evaluation report, have been recognised both locally and internationally, and I am proud of what we have achieved together,” Smith said.
Local News
Premier Slams Opposition Over “Misinformation” in No-Confidence Motion Debacle
Premier of the Virgin Islands, the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley, has condemned the Opposition’s handling of a No Confidence Motion, accusing them of “bungling” the process by failing to comply with the Standing Orders of the House of Assembly.
In his remarks to the public, Premier Wheatley took aim at the Opposition for spreading what he called “misinformation” and for directing “vicious comments” towards the Honourable Speaker of the House of Assembly, whom he insists was not at fault in this matter. “It is unfortunate that some persons have chosen to be selective with the facts,” Wheatley stated, “taking Virgin Islands politics to a dark place.”
The Premier reiterated that while every member of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition has the constitutional right to challenge the Government, “persons cannot on one hand profess to be the vanguards of law and order, and truth and righteousness, and then flout the rules and regulations just because it is convenient to their agenda.”
He further called on the Opposition to apologise to the Speaker for “pre-empting her ruling, walking out of the House while she was delivering her ruling, and casting aspersions against her integrity.” According to Wheatley, “a higher standard of conduct is expected from those who aspire to lead the country.”
The controversy arose from the Opposition’s failure to adhere to the procedures for filing their Motion of No Confidence. The Premier emphasised that the Standing Orders, amended in 2016, clearly distinguish between Government Business and Private Members’ Business. He argued that the Opposition’s motion was categorised under Private Members’ Business, and that the Speaker’s ruling was correct. “A simple reading of the Standing Orders will show that the Opposition’s Motion was clearly Private Members’ Business, and the Honourable Speaker was correct in her ruling,” Wheatley asserted.
Premier Wheatley went on to accuse the Opposition of prioritising political gamesmanship over the completion of critical reforms, claiming that the timing of their Motion was intended to undermine the Government’s efforts to petition the UK for the lifting of the Order in Council. “The Opposition prioritises ‘brownie points’ over the completion of the recommendations and the removal of the threat to suspend our Constitution,” he charged.
As he concluded his statement, the Premier reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to serving the public, highlighting ongoing efforts to repair roads, address infrastructure challenges, and finalise the steps necessary to meet the Commission of Inquiry’s recommendations. “My Administration remains united and firmly committed to our responsibility,” Wheatley stated. “There is a lot that needs to be done instead of staging walkouts and press conferences.”
He closed by expressing his readiness to engage in debate when the Motion is properly brought forward, adding, “I look forward to responding to the Motion when it does come up for debate, assuming the Opposition complies with the Standing Orders of the House.”
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