Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull

By MERRICK ANDREWS, Online News Editor

(JTV NEWS) — Deputy Chairman of the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull told a press conference on Friday that the PVIM will do things differently while emphasizing unity as one of the ingredients to overcome the territory’s troubles.

Turnbull, who is the Second District representative and Minister of Natural Resources and Labour, said that it is better to learn from the mistakes of others instead of celebrating their failures.

He cautioned that repeating the mistakes of our past is “insanity”.

“We cannot do the same things and continue to expect different results,” he said.

And a PVIM government will not operate like previous administrations, Turnbull noted.

“We must do things differently, and a Progressive Virgin Islands Movement government will do things differently; [the] discipline to know that we should utilize our strengths. Where I may be weak, I will lean on my leader and I will lean on the other members of my team so that their expertise, their experience, and their training will help build a better BVI,” he explained.

Turnbull said the PVIM will “not turn away any voice or any suggestion” but will “continue to talk to the people in this territory because we are all in this together”.

“We are stronger together in our communities when we come together. Our families, we are stronger together. Our businesses, we are stronger together. As a people, we are stronger together, and as a British Virgin Islands territory, when we are together, we are stronger,” he emphasised.

A PLAN

Earlier in the press conference, founder and chairman of the PVIM, Ronnie W. Skelton, in his opening remarks, said a development plan is what’s needed to help solve the territory’s probems.

“From this national development plan, we need to develop strategies for the development of our education system, the development of our healthcare system, the infrastructure, roads, bridges, and ports and we need a plan to fix the social needs of our country,” Skelton, a former minister under the National Democratic Party, said.

Turnbull echoed similar sentiments in his statement.

“I believe that our chairman laid out the platform because PVIM stands on six principles which are integrity, accountability transparency, hope, inspiration, and empowerment,” he said.

He added: “And one of the things that is important is that we have to cast a vision. And you heard Hon. Skelton speak about a vision and some of the things that we want and need to do in this territory to rebuild our reputation. What is important in the vision simply means that we have to have a plan, but not only have to have a plan, but we must stick to the plan that we have and not lose focus on the main things, which are the people, and building the country through its natural resources, as well as the most under-utilized resources which is the human resources.”

WILL NOT YIELD

Turnbull said the territory must continue to fight for its “democratic freedoms” and maintain the pace of its constitutional advancement. He suggested that the PVIM will not steer away from this course.

“As [a] leader in this territory, I am faced with having the ability to make decisions, and making decisions means that collectively as a Progressive Virgin Islands Movement, as a team, under the leadership of Ronnie W. Skelton, we will stay the course to do what is best to represent the interest of the people,” he said.

Turnbull said he remains committed to his district no matter what, and he will not lower his standards.

He explained: “For my people in the Second District, for which I was elected in 2015 and then again in 2019, I continue to be that voice and make that decision to be that committed individual that will fight under conviction and standing on my principle to be that voice, whether I stand alone…. I know that I am not alone. I have a group of seven individuals, and a week from now you will hear a little bit more about who the additional candidates will be. But it is one of the reasons why I said in 2021 I will not yield. I will not yield to the interest of those who are pushing themselves above country and their own self-interest. I will not yield to discouraging young people from having an opportunity and our passion, the love for the country and its people.”

SUPPORT FOR THE YOUTH 

Turnbull expressed his support for seniors, saying their knowledge, which must be gleaned, is important to the developement of the territory. Additionally, providing opportunities to young people in the territory is also high on his and the PVIM’s agenda.

“… How I see it, is that our young people … they are not just the future, but what we do now determines what will happen to them and us in the future,” he pointed out.

Despite having to make some tough decisions over the past several years, Turnbull said putting country above self is what matters most, especially in these difficult times.

“[I had] the ability … over the last three and a half years to sacrifice and to even make decisions that may not have been popular,” he said, “but when you look at all that has happened on April 28 and April 29th, it is impossible to not put the country above ourselves and it takes me to passion. If your passion and your purpose is not bigger than yourself then you’re doing the wrong thing. And for us in the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement, we understand, we agree, and we believe collectively that the purpose and the issues of this country are much bigger than any one of us.

“That’s why we welcome persons like Hon. Shereen Flax-Charles who have made this decision and the other members of our team who have made this decision….to put back the reputation of this Virgin Islands on its right track to a place where we can be respected so that we can once again [we can] be proud of ourselves locally, regionally and internationally.”

Turnbull, who is the son of a minister of religion, did not forget some core Christian values: humility and faith.

“And finally, I will speak about discipline: to remain humble and remember to acknowledge God in all that I do and all that we do, because we know that if we acknowledge God, he will direct our path,” he said.

Turnbull said despite the “flaws, failures and setbacks” suffered by the territory, he believes “there is more ahead for the BVI than what is in the past”.