Ronnie Alone As Opposition Skips Sitting
Territorial At-Large Representative Ronnie Skelton was the only Opposition member present in the House of Assembly on Thursday as debate on the 2026 budget continued, prompting criticism from Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer. Rymer accused absent Opposition members of failing to engage with the budget and said recent Opposition speeches focused on local complaints rather than national fiscal matters.
Only Territorial At-Large Representative Ronnie Skelton remained on the Opposition benches in the House of Assembly on Thursday as government members continued debate on the 2026 budget, prompting sharp remarks from Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer. Rymer told the House and the public that aside from Skelton he had not seen other members of The Alliance — Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn, At-Large Stacy Mather and Second District Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull — after they delivered their contributions.
Rymer commended Skelton for staying to hear the debate, saying: “I must applaud Honourable Skelton. He sat here, endured and listened, and he’s here.” He added that he had not seen the rest and noted Mather had said she was unwell. Beyond questioning absences, Rymer criticised the Opposition’s recent contributions as lacking direct engagement with the national budget. “At no point did we see them refer to the budget,” he said, describing the remarks as a “pothole debate” that focused on familiar community complaints such as road and water issues rather than fiscal priorities or policy alternatives.
Rymer also pointed out members had previously asked for extra preparation time after a delayed start to the debates. The exchange comes after a tense start to the week in the House, when Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn faced persistent heckling from government members during his speech.
The heckling forced the Speaker to suspend proceedings several times; Walwyn has described the conduct as bullying. That incident has highlighted ongoing friction between government and Opposition as scrutiny of the 2026 budget continues. For BVI residents, the dispute underscores two competing public concerns: the need for detailed, parliamentary scrutiny of the government’s budget proposals and the immediate, everyday service issues constituents raise — potholes, water supply and other infrastructure problems.
While local complaints often inform budget priorities, ministers argued Thursday that debate should remain focused on national fiscal plans and the allocation of resources. The House of Assembly will resume budget debate in the coming days. Observers and residents are likely to watch closely for whether the Opposition returns in strength, whether crossbench engagement increases, and how lawmakers address both national budgetary matters and pressing community needs.
According to reporting by BVI News on December 18, 2025, the budget debate is expected to continue amid sustained political tension.
Primary source: BVI News