BVI Will Have A Coalition Government Predicts District 3 Representative Julian Fraser

British Virgin Islands Third Electoral District incumbent Julian Fraser believes there is no clear winner in this election race and that the territory will have a coalition government over the next four years.

Fraser shared his prediction during his April 1st campaign launch in Sea Cows, Tortola.

In a surprise move, the six-term district representative endorsed the  Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM).

“I am confident that we are going to have in our next house of assembly a colation government,”  the chairman of the Progressive United (PU) told the crowd.

He added that he reached out to the leaders of the main opposition parties – Ronnie Skelton of PVIM and Marlon Penn of the National Democratic Party (NDP) – “to let them know in no uncertain terms, there is one enemy out there, that’s the Virgin Islands Party.”

“We got to cut the head off that snake, and I am prepared. I told my people that think that I am a lone ranger and I don’t associate with people, I tell them that’s not the case. The only reason the other group is not here is because they have a man out there manoeuvring in my district, but I will take care of him.”

According to Fraser the next house of assembly needs warriors.

“Ronnie Skelton is coming back as a warrior, of course I will be there.”

PVIM is not contesting in Fraser’s district, while NDP’s candidate is Aaron Parillon.

This is the first time Fraser has publicly endorsed a political party.

PVIM chairman Skelton publicly accepted Fraser’s support on behalf of his party.

“I am here on behalf of my team to accept this humble endorsement by your representative Honourable Julian Fraser. I am here also to throw our full support behind the liberator Julian Fraser on his quest to the fifth House of Assembly. We are at a dark moment on our territory’s timeliness, but I believe that brighter days are ahead of us,” Skelton told the crowd.

Fraser has been the Third Electoral District representative since 1999. He won the seat as a member of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP), and has held the positions of Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Communications and Works.

The seasoned politician unsuccessfully led the VIP in the 2015 general election. In 2019, he formed his own political party – Progressive United.

PVIM’s chairman Skelton returns as a territorial at-large candidate this election. He failed in his bid to secure a seat in the house of assembly in 2019.

PVIM was launched in 2018 after Skelton left the NDP following a tumultuous leadership battle. He lost the chairmanship to Myron Walwyn following the then Premier Orlando Smith’s retirement from politics.

The new party only won a single seat in the 2019 general election -Mitch Turnbull in the Second Electoral District. The VIP won seven of the 13 house of assembly seats.

This election, PVIM has a slate of nine candidates. Joining Skelton in the territorial at large race are Stacy “Buddha” Mather, Ingrid Moses-Scatliffe and Shaina Smith-Archer.

The party’s district candidates are: Silvia Romney (First District), Melvin “Mitch” Turnbull (Second District), Ian Smith (Fourth District), Marvin Blyden (Fifth District) and Shereen D. Flax-Charles (Ninth District).

Voters will not be able to vote for a PVIM candidate in three other districts – six, seven and eight.

Advance polling day is April 20, and general election day is April 24.