Hon. Alvin Christopher is the New Deputy C.M.
Minister of Communications and Works and Representative for the 2nd Electoral District the Honourable J. Alvin Christopher has been appointed the new Deputy Chief Minister of the Virgin Islands, effective Friday August 25th, 2000. Hon. Christopher replaces Hon. Eileene Parsons, whose appointment as Minister of Health, Education and Welfare was revoked July 20th.
Chief Minister Hon. Ralph T. O'Neal made the announcement during a press conference. "This morning at 9:20, I advised the Acting Governor that under Section 15 (3) of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, the Honourable J. Alvin Christopher...should be appointed Deputy Chief Minister as from today. I repose a great deal of confidence and trust in the Honourable Minister; he's very dependable and very hard-working and I'm sure he will bring credit to this position as Deputy Chief Minister." Hon. O'Neal said he would like to point out that the position as Deputy Chief Minister is held along with the position as a Minister. He said according to the Constitution, if the appointment of Deputy Chief Minister is revoked, that does not mean that he or she is no longer a Minister of the Crown. For that to happen, both appointments would have to be revoked, as they are separate appointments. "But I'm sure that Honourable Alvin Christopher will do justice to the position and I'd like to be the first to publicly congratulate him on the appointment as Deputy Chief Minister of the Virgin Islands."
Honourable Christopher used the opportunity to thank the Chief Minister for the trust and confidence placed in him by appointing him to this position. "I can assure you that I will accept this appointment in the same like manner that I accepted the appointment of Minister for Communications and Works...Our Constitution is strictly structured that we serve in these positions at the Chief Minister's pleasure and I'm happy to do so." He pledged to do everything possible to make sure that this office and this appointment is upheld with the same dignity as the Ministry of Communications and Works. The Deputy Chief also committed himself to serve the people of this territory to the best of his ability. "And I'm sure at the end of your tenure, to make you happy in this appointment and no doubt at the end of our term, we can say that our working relationship has been one that we would cherish for a lifetime."
Asked about the method he used to make the selection, Chief Minister O'Neal said: "I'm a man who believes in prayer to the Almighty God and once I pray to him, I wait until the answer comes and then I'm guided by that." He said he prayed and meditated and the answer came. Hon. O'Neal discounted rumours that a battle raged within the ruling Virgin Islands Party as to who would be appointed Deputy Chief Minister. "Unlike what some people have said in some quarters, I don't know anything about any tug-of-war or any discussion or arguments that was going on about the position; I don't know about that." He said there is nothing in the Constitution that sets a time limit for the appointment, giving him time to pray and meditate over his decision. Hon. Christopher feels well placed to take up this position. He reiterated that he would bring the same dedication to the position of Deputy Chief Minister as he took to the Ministry of Communications and Works. "As a leader, I don't think that leaders are just born by an appointment...I think this is a process that one goes through and if you know my background, I've always been a leader."