Premier Ralph O’Neal reads a statement introducing the Virgin Islands Party’s 2011 manifesto at the launch of the document Tuesday evening at Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall. Photo: CHRYSTALL KANYUCK

The ruling Virgin Islands Party has a unified vision and wants voters to share it, candidates told residents at Tuesday evening’s launch of their 2011 manifesto.

“Please read this document,” said at-large representative Vernon Malone of the 59-page booklet. “You’ll see what we are proposing to do.”

Mr. Malone and the other VIP candidates read “highlights” from the document, which includes sections on governance, education, the economy, security, infrastructure and environmental management.

Increasing the public’s engagement in government is one of the party’s goals, said Deputy Premier Dania Penn, who spoke about the governance section of the manifesto. She said the party wants to hold regular open forum-type meetings with residents, and the manifesto states that the party will create “an entirely new consultative mechanism” for getting input from the public.

 

See the Oct. 27, 2011 edition for full coverage.