Well, well, well.
Politics really does have a funny way of bringing things full circle.
Back in December 2010, when Myron Walwyn was announced as an NDP At-Large candidate for the 2011 general election, more than 100 NDP supporters gathered at Treasure Isle Hotel.
And according to the BVI Beacon, many of them were wearing T-shirts carrying a very simple message:
“With Myron We Win.”
Fast-forward 16 years.
And now we have:
“With Willock We Win.”
Apparently, we win with everybody these days.
But the slogan is not what makes this interesting.
The history does.
For years, Julian Willock was one of Myron Walwyn’s most vocal political critics.
Through Virgin Islands News Online — a publication with which Willock was closely associated — Walwyn was repeatedly taken to task.
In 2015, VINO accused Walwyn of spending his time in the House attacking the news organisation instead of serving the public.
In March 2016, after Walwyn criticised Willock during a House of Assembly debate, VINO fired back with a headline that left absolutely nothing to the imagination:
“Willock hits back @ Hon Walwyn’s HoA attack.”
Another headline that same week?
“Shame on Myron V. Walwyn!”
The disagreement became so serious that Walwyn eventually sued Willock and VINO for alleged defamation. The dispute proceeded into the court system and was sent toward trial after mediation failed to resolve it.
So when we see “With Willock We Win” today, it is difficult not to remember that political history.
Because this isn’t simply about a catchy slogan.
It is about political evolution.
The man who spent years behind the media megaphone criticising politicians is now stepping into the arena himself.
The man who once stood outside the political establishment challenging elected officials is now a former Speaker, a political adviser to the Premier, and an aspiring candidate for elected office.
And suddenly, the language sounds familiar.
With Myron We Win.
With Willock We Win.
Maybe that’s just politics.
Maybe it’s coincidence.
Or maybe it tells us something about how quickly the critic can become the candidate.
And perhaps that’s the real question voters should be asking:
When you spend years telling us what’s wrong with the people in the political arena, what exactly are you going to do differently when you finally step into the arena yourself?
Because slogans are easy.
Winning is easy to put on a T-shirt.
Governing isn’t.
And if Julian Willock wants the people’s vote, that’s where the conversation should begin.
Not with “With Willock We Win.”
But with:
“With Willock — What Do We Actually Win?”
Now that is a campaign question worth answering.