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Douglas Wheatley calls for VI's Heroes Day

Late Chief Ministers H. Lavity Stoutt (left) and Cyril Romney. Photo: Island Sun
Hon. Ralph T. O'Neal is the first Premier of the Virgin Islands
Hon. Ralph T. O'Neal is the first Premier of the Virgin Islands
The late former Chief Minister Willard Wheatley.
The late former Chief Minister Willard Wheatley.
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Radio talk show host and former civil servant Douglas Wheatley says he would like to see the Virgin Islands (VI) dedicate a day to recognise local heroes, who would have been considered to have made significant contributions to the development of the Territory.

The VI, on Monday March 5, 2012, would be observing a public holiday to celebrate the birth anniversary (March 7, 1929) of the Territory’s first and longest serving Chief Minister Hamilton Lavity Stoutt, who passed away on May 14, 1995.

“What I would like to see myself, not taking anything away from Mr. Stoutt, is a Heroes Day,” said Wheatley on his programme Speak Out BVI on February 28, 2012.

According to the son of the late Chief Minister Willard Wheatley, he would like to see all the Virgin Islands’ heroes being honoured and research conducted on them. “Because there are many persons, political or otherwise, who have made tremendous contributions to the Territory and I would like to see a Heroes Day and a Heroes Avenue...perhaps we can work on that in the years to come.”

Among the names that Wheatley believes research should be conducted and honour bestowed on are late Chief Ministers such as Cyril Romney and Willard Wheatley and the Territory’s first Premier and now Leader of the Opposition Hon. Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE. “So I think we should look forward to that because we will never have enough days that we can give each person a holiday so I think we are just going to have to bunch them up together and just do the research on them and honour them.”

Meanwhile, the 11th Wreath Laying and Commemorative Ceremony in honour of H. Lavity Stoutt will be done on March 5, 2012 at Capoons Bay. There will also be a Family Fun Day following the Wreath Laying Ceremony.

Acting Deputy Director of Culture Brenda Lettsome Tye, speaking on Speak Out BVI, said the BVI Investment, which is celebrating its 20th Anniversary, is collaborating with the Commemorative Ceremony Committee to honour Stoutt, who was said to be instrumental in helping to make the BVI Investment Club a reality.

The Family Fun Day would also be a cultural affair and the foods, drinks, games and presentations would reflect that, she added.

15 Responses to “Douglas Wheatley calls for VI's Heroes Day ”

  • funny (29/02/2012, 09:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero Are we sure they should be called Heroes in the BVI? Perhaps historical figures would be slightly more appropriate.
    • Movements (29/02/2012, 11:55) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Why everybody using wiki as as source? Are they the end all be all? So what if they define a hero as such? That doesn't make it absolutely correct and everything else wrong. Schups! Everything on the internet is true....unless I disagree with it.. lol..ya'll people are so lost..
    • Mmm (29/02/2012, 13:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Noel LLoyd is
  • C-Span (29/02/2012, 12:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Please give uncle Ralph his flowers while he is living!!!
    • under the bus (29/02/2012, 13:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      for real as he has served the 9th distrcit and the people of the bvi well!
  • Not2Sure (29/02/2012, 12:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Cyril Romney? Wasn't he the same person who was briefly held by the DEA in Miami and was forced to step down as Chief Minister before the end of this term? A national hero? At least nobody can be accused of trying to set the bar too high... What about *real heroes* like Samuel Hodge, a BVIslander and only the second black man ever to win a Victoria Cross for heroism in action? Much more of a hero than trumped up politicians and self-important civil servants.
    • tell the truth (01/03/2012, 09:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Again stop trying to rewrite history. There is no evidence that Mr. Romney was every held by any one in the USA or was forced to step down. He dissolved the house and called for elections after there was inside fighting against him. People you all need to stop. I agree that some of the current politicians are a waste of time especially this NDP crew but for Jahavour sake stop tell lie and people stop tis cocka may may bull crap of trying to rewrite history. We do have some real political heroes, like lavity Stoutt, Eileen Parsons, Ethlyn Smith, Willard T. B Lettsome, Ralph O’Neal , Carlton Decastro, I G Fonseca, Faulker, Conrad Maduro and the likes.
      • Truth (01/03/2012, 13:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Sure it was kept on the hush but it is the truth that CB was held in the US. It was during a time all the dependent Territories were riddled with scandals. He came to power in 1983 and due to vote of no confidence was gone in 1985.
  • shelia (29/02/2012, 18:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    happy to see someone with a photo of Mr. Wheatley as he seems to always be the forgotten Chief Minister.
  • ausar (29/02/2012, 20:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    For one thing I would like to know WHO is the first Chief Minister of this Territory. I am hearing of the Wheatley fellow and I'm hearing about the Stoutt fellow. NDP government-Get the facts straightened out for history's sake and place the correct historyin the texbooks and print mediums for all of us to read! Like, ALREADY!
    • same old story (01/03/2012, 08:48) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      stop the lies "AUSAR" there have never been a dispute or issue..you damm people always trying to rewrite history or start confusion.
    • His...story (01/03/2012, 12:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Stoutt was the first Chief Minister.
  • ausar (01/03/2012, 12:21) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    "Same ole"- you still didn't answer the question. If you know, state the answer, if not, SHUSH ALREADY!
    • joe joe (01/03/2012, 14:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      cart your backside on dey next flight "ausar" go rewrite history in you own damm country...set of fools


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