Dr Melvin A. Turnbull steps down after 27 years @ helm of VI Heritage Month Cmte
The symbolic passing of the baton was done on Sunday, August 4, 2024, during the annual Emancipation Day Service at the Sunday Morning Well in Road Town.
Pastor Dr Turnbull, Senior Pastor of Cane Garden Bay Baptist Church and Pastor Cline, Senior Pastor of New Life Baptist Church co-chaired the committee this year.
Passing on the baton to younger generation
During the 2023 Emancipation Day Service Reverend Turnbull revealed he would soon be passing on the leadership of the committee.
Reverend Turnbull said he hoped he made a difference during his over twenty years as Chairman of the Virgin Islands Heritage Month Committee and that it was time to pass the baton to the younger generation.
In presenting the new leaders of the committee, he challenged them to be change-makers.
“Always remember no one can intimidate you, they will try. You can’t hide your true identity no matter how you try, don’t dumb down your gifts, know who you are. You can’t be silenced. No one can fire you because no one hired you but God, and no one can keep you down,” he encouraged the men.
In an emotional exchange with the men, Reverend Turnbull handed over the reins of the Virgin Islands Heritage Month Committee and charged the new leaders to go and let the world “see what difference makers look like” nationally, regionally and internationally.
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by Tafari Zharr
I’m Grabbing My Rusty Garb - A black tie with rusty scarlet trimmings because I Gotta Stay Humble!
Andrew Arturo Fahie will always be a hero of his people Regardless of Titles Of Valor stripped from his recent career and as we follow the tale it’s heartbreaking as we are witnessing our own A Political Giant as he’s Preparing to be booked having been Bought To His Knees in a foreign land in a money laundering, drug trafficking scheme amidst political conspiracies and UK threat of rule. Unbelievable!
As Mr Fahie Trades Suit For Fed-Fashion sadly he joins the 2024 list of foreign prisoners who fall because of allegedly wanting it all. “Daddy of the Mack daddy” sticks out from the dancehall platinum hit Nah Nah NaNa Nah!
Today our territory is in public mourning of a different kind of death. Yesterday, August 5, 2024 conversely, at our dinner tables - we paused with the pregnancy of silence at the news That our ousted premier had finally been sentenced eleven in the pen at the eleventh hour of our reform prime - ironically Fahie, now one primer removed would have known what to do!
I barely slept through the night and no dream came through the dusk to make sure my mind would rest- I remembered how he carried himself- walking with the surety, to his side, swinging his arms proudly as a Westside man carries his weight. I had a few seconds to feel sorrow and disturbance aside from the upbeat tone as I listened to “here comes the hotstepper” right before it hit me today was Sentencing Day.
As I whimpered into wee-morning sleep I turned towards what seemed like laughter - but no one was there- I wondered curiously about the lyrics. Meandering thoughts of how he would accept the terms, the confinement, the conclusion and criticisms, whether he agreed or even not so and I felt in my soul that painful regret mixed with total sadness and embarrassment that only could’ve been avoided by him suppressing the anguish, the unheard, unpleasant reaction to cry but forced to accept even a forced smile might just convey that Andrew Arturo Fahie embodied strength and courage for the dignity of his spouse, his children, his family, his childhood friends, his political peers and the entire community he loved and impacted before he stepped out on a limb and appeased the enemy. As I write this I hear the laughter of the resistance- and I do not care. Be careful of the stones you throw dear. There but for the Grace of God go I!
Andrew, the betrayal is real on both sides! You have to understand it is what it is in survival of the fittest! And even as fresh us the news , as much and as long as we have been waiting - we understand we can’t become stuck on this because of what is coming, and many are gone, but we have to ease into our wits about us and focus- “steadfast wisdom together”neither wishful thinking nor weak, not appeasing “the wrong” anymore.
We have just had our summer of freedom rings reflecting the perilous points of slavery but now as we push through the political rhetoric of reformation we only have a few more remaining traditions within the framework of preservation that I urge us to keep the spirit alive until peace understand destiny!
Some of the graceless might be perturbed that we got to this place - the truth is Andrew you did not get here alone. You hypocrites with your pious words and charitable deeds - you dress up and swear on books not stopping at ignorance but ignoring
what’s best for the territory.
No doubt by chance this famous 233 hymnal blows in the wind of change - we know this one “Where were you when they crucified my lord? Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? Were you there when they pierced him in the side? Were you there when the sun refused to shine? Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? Were you there when he rose up from the dead? Oh! Sometimes it caused me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
But today I feel like shouting 'Glory, glory, glory!'
Today we adorn the day hours after his sentencing- and I wonder if Andrew’s Plea Against Doing Life Should Reverberate At Our Cardinal Shores as a tale of shameless boldness with two Lessons: 1) against “ coddling the enemy “ and 2) against “ falling prey to a priceless evil neither of which will save him from doing anything but a little time.
We’ll Pardon Him, in time but for now We should not Re litigate Tórtola’s Promise Publicly but We too must Turn The Page For progress to occur- but we do not turn from those that fall - a stretch hand open reaching backwards.
So Andrew if you don’t like the song - just find a part you can vibe to. Here’s the lyrics in case you forgot. Or stick with Hymns 233!
“Extraordinary, juice like a strawberry, money to burn baby, all of the time, cut to fit is me,fit to cut is she, come juggle with me, I say every time , here comes the hot stepper, I’m the lyrical gangster, dial emergency number, still love you like that, Nah na na na Nah, na na na Nah, na na na Nah, na na na Nah, na na na Nah
“Here Comes the Hotstepper" is a song co-written and recorded by Ini Kamoze Jamaican artist.
Andrew- Still Love You Like That! Echoes into the day - many of us are left conflicted - as relates to questions like human error(s) what matters is that you know you are still blessed beyond bliss!
(c) 2024. Tafari Zharr. All rights reserved.
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