Independent Seventh District candidate Perline Scatliffe-Leonard

By MERRICK ANDREWS, Online News Editor

(JTV News) — Veteran public servant, Perline Scatliffe-Leonard, said she chose to be an independent candidate — for the Seventh District — because some political parties tend to stifle the voices of their candidate and stay mum on certain burning issues.

Scatliffe-Leonard, the former director of the Water and Sewage Department, officially announced her candidacy for the 2023 General Elections at a press conference on Feb. 8 and launched her official political campaign on Saturday, Feb. 25 at The Sticket in Long Lonk.

At the press conference, Scatliffe-Leonard was asked why decide on being independent instead of joining a political party, which may boost her chances of being elected.

Before responding directly to the question, she gave some history of her experience with political parties in the territory.

She said after having served in the public service for 33 years — since 1990 — she worked under the administration of the two main parties: the National Democratic Party and the Virgin Islands Party (VIP).

“My experience with both parties is that we have good men and women in both of them,” she noted.

THE LATE TB LETTSOME

She said the late Terrance B. Lettsome, who was her mentor and got her involved in the youth arm of the VIP as a teen, was very outspoken though he was a member of a party. However, she said things have changed.

“Over the years though, I have seen where the parties have transformed and as an independent…. my integrity, my need to speak up when something is not in order, I find that with the party system now, persons are holding back to speak on behalf of the people and I will go back to honourable TB Lettsome.

“I remember while he was in the House of Assembly – and he was on the government side — and anything that was being done within that party that he didn’t like or he didn’t agree with, he would stand up. He would stand up and speak on behalf of the people, of his district, and of the territory, and that’s the kind of representation we need in the BVI,” she explained.

She said certain people speak about “self-determination and independence” but she believes the territory needs to reach a level of maturity because those issues can be taken tackled.

MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD

Scatliffe-Leonard said it is important to allow people to speak up without being victimised.

“We need to ensure that individuals… whether you agree with me or not on a matter, that I would not put you on the side, or I would not ignore you. As a matter of fact, we want to make sure that your voice matters, and we want to make sure that we are not putting a clam on you in the event that we do not agree with you,” she said.

She added: “I love persons who do not agree with me, actually, because with doing so you capture a lot of the energies that you would miss along the way because everybody else is in agreement with you. When you have a difference of opinion you actually go further with what you’re doing. So that is my reasoning.”

Being an independent candidate — if elected — won’t stop her from working with other political parties or individuals.

“.. My goal is to make sure, and if it needs to be, that I am the bridge… to show them that we can actually work together even though we are on different parties or we are independent. In fact, when the election day is done it’s done; 13 of us representing the BVI and that’s it, party politics is done. That’s how I see it overall,” she said.

THE REASONS

In her introductory speech at the press conference, Scatliffe-Leonard explained how, when, and why she decided to enter politics.

“It has been a long road,” she said. “We have been, for a number of years now, trying to get Perline on the scene am about to place myself on. I am very passionate about the BVI. I am very passionate about nation-building. My passion is big. So there is no doubt that what I intend to do is something that I know God is leading me to. I am very spiritual. Excuse me. I am very spiritual. Whatever I do, I take it to my knees to make sure that my spirit is alive. My spirit feels calm with what I am about to do. I am pleased, and I am calm, I am comfortable, and I am assured that this is what I need to do at this time in this moment, in this era.”

In 2012, Scatliffe-Leonard was confirmed as the director of the Water and Sewerage Department and was then transferred to the Ministry of Communications and Works in 2016.

She returned to the Water and Sewerage Department as director in February 2017 until her retirement on January 2023.

“I’ve been working with the civil service for 33 years so last month, January 19, 2023, would have been my 33rd year. I have given much of my time, and much of my years to the public service and I have no regrets. I have seen everything. I have been through the thick and the thin, I have seen the pretty and the ugly. So I know I am well prepared for what I am about to do,” she said.

Scatliffe-Leonard said her vast integrity and experience in the public service make her ideal to represent the people as a legislator.

“When I went into the public service in 1990, I met with managers and permanent secretaries who I came up under. Permanent secretaries who worked with integrity, they work with policies to ensure whatever was done, was done within policies and regulations. So you could understand how some people would call it a stiff jacket I am for policies and procedures. But there are things that would guide us and keep us together, keep us in line with what ought to be for the betterment of this territory. And so ladies and gentlemen, given my experience, given my knowledge, given my know-how, and given my passion to serve the people of my district, the community that raised me, district seven, and by extension district eight, because we are like sisters here, district seven and eight, but more so district seven, I have made a decision – having spoken with family, friends, and colleagues – that it is time for me to offer myself as a candidate for the seventh electoral district,” she said.

INTEGRITY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE

Scatliffe-Leonard describes herself as an honest and straightforward person.

“I sincerely hope that the people of district seven, over the course of the coming weeks, would accept me into their homes — I’m coming. So, I am going to do my very best to answer all the questions that are out there. I know there are many questions and I am prepared to answer them — honestly, answer them because that’s who I am. Anybody who knows Perline knows that I am straightforward and sometimes the straightforward some persons don’t like. But I always say that once you’re straightforward and you’re honest with that straightforward thinking, mannerism, things will work out. Things may not work out in the beginning but certainly somewhere along the line or certainly, at the very end of the line, everything will be good. So that is my mantra: work with integrity, work with honesty, work with transparency.”

The newcomer to the political arena said she has acquired certification in governance and accountability, which will enhance her qualification to represent the people if elected, especially since there is a deficit for good governance in the territory.

“… Sometimes persons don’t understand what’s expected of you when you say governance, and so I would make sure that all this knowledge and all this experience that I have is filtered through –[to the] next House of Assembly — filtered through our territory so it we can get it to the place where it needs to be,” she said.