Annual Ralph T O’Neal Holiday?

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Melissa Edwards/BVI Platinum News

(PLTM) - December 11, has been set aside as a special Territorial holiday in tribute to former Premier and Member Emeritus of the House of Assembly, Hon. Ralph T. O’Neal.

However, based on the lobbying efforts of some legislators the tribute to the former BVI Leader could become an annual holiday.

Deputy Premier, Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration and Ninth District Representative Hon. Vincent Wheatley announced during a special sitting that was held to pay homage to Hon. O’Neal on Tuesday December 3 that he intends to lobby to have a Ralph T. O’Neal holiday every year in the BVI.

“I served for many years on the H. L. Stoutt Commemorative Birthday Committee and I always advocated for a general leader’s day, as opposed to one single day. I’ve always been turned down. They said no, no, no we’re not going to expand Lavity birthday to anything else more than Lavity Stoutt birthday; so Mr. Speaker I will be advocating for a Ralph O’Neal holiday,” Hon. Wheatley declared.

The Deputy Premier, who is also Hon. O’Neal’s son-in-law, currently representing the District Hon. O’Neal represented for 40 years. He said, “I for sure would be one advocating for a day to his memory. His memory, his life, his legacy should never ever be forgotten.”

Additionally, Hon. Wheatley said that next year he hopes to have the “Ralph O’Neal Memorial Park” in Virgin Gorda, or in the Ninth District.

In also making the call for the public holiday Second District Representative Hon. Mitch Turnbull said, “Mr. Speaker I am going to state, and this is my position that on December 15, 2020 that we make a public holiday in honor of this man, which would be his birthday.”

Hon. Turnbull said that he anticipates that all might not be in favor of the holiday, but he stated that it would be a good thing to do.

“It has nothing to do with what people might think. There will be all the arguments about the businesses and what it cost, but when you look at the sacrifice that this giant of a man made none should argue...The arguments of what it might cost their business could never amount to the sacrificial gift that this man gave to this country,” Hon. Turnbull added.

Prior to the ending of the sitting, Premier and Minister for Finance Hon. Andrew Fahie said that he supported the call for a Territorial holiday, but said that it should be a holiday celebrating all past leaders.

Hon. Fahie told the House, “I agree with those when they said that we needed a holiday, I call it the ancestors/leaders day, because we need a day when we could remember our ancestors and our leaders and we will discuss that more.”

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