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No Governor @ upcoming Emancipation Festival for 2nd year in row

-Ex-Governor John J. Rankin missed 2023 celebrations; Governor Daniel Pruce to miss 2024 festival
For the second consecutive year, the Virgin Islands (VI) will be without a Governor on home soil, as the territory marks a significant 70th milestone for the celebration of Emancipation festival 2024. Photo: File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - For the second consecutive year, the Virgin Islands (VI) will be without a Governor on home soil, as the territory marks a significant 70th milestone of Emancipation in the Virgin Islands.

This comes as Deputy Governor, Mr. David Archer, Jr. is acting in the Office of Governor until August 10, 2024, in the absence of His Excellency, the Governor Mr. Daniel Pruce, who is out of the Territory.

"Mr. Archer’s appointment is in accordance with section 37 (1) (a) of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007 which states, “During any period when the office of Governor is vacant, or the Governor is absent from the Virgin Islands or is for any other reason unable to perform the functions of his or her office, the Deputy Governor shall, during Her Majesty’s pleasure, act in the office of Governor and shall perform the functions of that office accordingly,” a release on the appointment noted. 

Just last year, the then Governor Rankin’s absence from the VI, meant he missed the start of his final BVI Emancipation celebration as Governor, which is a celebration of African ancestors’ freedom from colonialism held annually at the end of July to around the 10th of August each year.

Now in its 70th year, the festival is set to feature music, parades and other folklore presentations in addition to various showcases such as food, arts and crafts, and other events as part of the grand celebrations.

This year's celebration will be done under the theme, "Celebrate our freedom and Live in Unity, As BVI Festival turns 70!” 

24 Responses to “No Governor @ upcoming Emancipation Festival for 2nd year in row”

  • WTF (20/07/2024, 11:04) Like (5) Dislike (13) Reply
    This is a missed step for the governor’s office. Especially while tensions are somewhat higher. Unfortunate.
  • Rick (20/07/2024, 11:23) Like (13) Dislike (4) Reply
    But yet you all always running to the queen or king birthday parade
  • Diplomacy (20/07/2024, 11:37) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
    Perhaps the Governor will be in Miami August 5TH to attend the freedom from vice festival !
  • bvi (20/07/2024, 11:37) Like (7) Dislike (7) Reply
    Who cares...we really don't need them here anyway..no time of the year.
  • good (20/07/2024, 11:48) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    Good he got work to do in bringing my corrupted government. Party after lol
  • Maria Louisa Varlack (20/07/2024, 11:53) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
    is it freedom from colonialism or is it freedom from slavery? remember there was slavery in africa before the europeans arrive into africa. don't africans enslave other africans and likewise all races enslaved their own races and other races. are we against human rights abuse and police brutality? it is not just colonialism that affects the human race
  • Real VI Icon (20/07/2024, 11:54) Like (10) Dislike (5) Reply
    The message is loud and clear. Most heads of state and politicians use moments like festival to pander and pretend because they know the significance. To be absent is the ultimate sign of disrespect. Like we know but don't care enough to pretend and fake smile.
  • Maria Louisa Varlack (20/07/2024, 11:54) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    there is human rights abuse and police brutality all over the world.
  • Maria Louisa Varlack (20/07/2024, 11:56) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    look up human rights abuse definition. it applies to every race color ethnicity age geneder citizenship and nationality. every human being deserves to have human rights
  • facts (20/07/2024, 12:03) Like (9) Dislike (4) Reply
    You would still complain if he attended! damned if i do damned if i don't!
  • Guest (20/07/2024, 12:10) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    Well, let us show them that we can celebrate our freedom on our own and live in unity amongst ourselves.
    • take note (20/07/2024, 14:20) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      Hahaha...
      Unity among ourselves?
      The UK in order to protect our lives and properties from each other,was necessary to fortify this ittybitty Islands with reinforcement from the UK and neighboring Islands. The
      neighboring islands,all Black like we are the
      offenders
      and majority overcrowded prison population withseveral murderers ofneighboringislandsroaming in plainsight in our streets and communities. WE lock and reenforce our home, automobile and
      posessions,our life and limbs from potential
      assaults by neighboring islands' human
      imports
      We living large in unity amongst ourselves the way we are and who we are..

  • So What? (20/07/2024, 12:36) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    WE DONT HAVE NO HORSE RACE, NO BOAT RACE, NO WATER SPORTS AND I COULD GO ON AND ON
  • one eye (20/07/2024, 13:06) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
    I wish he never comes back!!!!
  • BuzzBvi (20/07/2024, 13:24) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    Hopefully the Governor has gone to get the keys to the Admin building and emancioates us from the current set of jokers in the HOA. I suppose he realised no emanicipated leaders turned up to he last Govs farewell and thought he may not be made to feel welcome. Our current leaders have been very disrespectful to the UK and Governors recently. I am sure his representative will be there in his absence as is normal practice when leaders are out of the Territory. Fahie not there either. I cant imagine he will ever send apologies. Hope he is celibrating OUR freedom.
  • Coincidence (20/07/2024, 13:45) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    Does anyone think the third past governor Jaspert started the COI on Martin Luther King Jr day as a coincidence?

    The stars align by these coincidences and tell us what they cant say in 2024. "How dark is the baby?" We are ruled by sheltered people stuck in the past. The fight for your own rights has not ended whether white or black gay or straight. A racer that slows down near the end can lose no matter their start & promising projection.

    We are truly free as individuals as many break the law every day such as homosexuals but as a society we are not free or equal or democratic. Not with these false titles & false hierarchy such as governor and minister, made up nonsense men use to justify their will & subjugate other men & women.

    No offense to him personally but what has ANY governor really done to earn OUR trust and respect? At what point do these actions fall on him. Never, they never check themselves.

    What is the significance of the Scottish militia bill and our cannabis bill, loss of arbitrary control & loss of dependency, lost to self sufficiency.

    They are appointed by another culture which committed heinous crimes wholesale, under 200 years ago, & that is where their loyalty lies so to place them over us without any input, is simple dictatorship and disrespectful to OUR culture & international standards of democracy.

    To say we have generational wealth is nothing compared to their society which profited off ours. Had Germany conquered them in world war 2 they would know the actions of a superiority complex culture by experiencing their own fellows ways and likely would have been enslaved too.

    No one deserves the high ground during a celebration of freedom & recognition of shared humanity, by skipping or simply not making time for it, because it is by chance history the ex-slavemaster culture is not in the same or worse position.

    The germans were exterminators. In an alternate universe German efficiency has a whole new meaning.

    Yet theres too many rumors of helping cover up Neo nazis fighting for Ukraine against their historical ally Russia. Im convinced those people making decisions in the UK are truly confused from all the rewriting of history they do & drinking their own propaganda no matter how far removed it is from factual reality...

    Skipping Emancipation festival doesnt seem right for a governor & whoever does his schedule should be less inconsiderate.
  • No CanDo (20/07/2024, 14:31) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    Me and mine will be absent too. Absent the unrecognizable show of vulgarity and dishonorable and insultingbehaviou unbecoming to the memories of the ancestors and these BVI.



  • Is this true? (20/07/2024, 15:09) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I took a picture with Gov. Rankin on parade route last year.
  • good thing (20/07/2024, 15:36) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    I won't be celebrating it either. Nothing to see but the same nonsense year after year.
  • mad max (20/07/2024, 15:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t.
  • Stealth (20/07/2024, 16:05) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Jaspert, Rankin, Pruce, or whomever, represents the UK, not the people of the (British) Virgin Islands, so why would they give a rat’s ass about the VI people celebrating their emancipation from physical slavery. Hell, they wish the people weee still enslaved. The UK didn’t jump for joy when slavery was abolished on August 01, 1834. Slavery was abolished because it was no longer highly profit, not some new form compassion , humanity, etc. Let’s face it the slavery institution was exclusionary, exploitive, racist,,etc. Slavery was about social ordering with black being cast as a permanent underclass, ranking at the bottom on the social acceptability ladder.. If Pruce give a rat’s ass, he would have rearranged his schedule so that he was in country to celebrate with the people he was supposedly representing? But as noted, he represents the UK, not the VI people. Only the sambos, appeasers,,Benedict Arnold’s,,those afflicted with the Stockholm Syndrome,,etc,,worship the occupants of Mount Olympus. When are we going to get it that these people are not into us, stop fooling ourselves ,,kissing their asses. Shoukd not we treat people with respect who respect us? The answer should be YES,,today, tomorrow and the day after.
  • F (20/07/2024, 16:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Who cares? John Bull never give a rattszass a out the VI.
  • resident (20/07/2024, 16:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    NO BIG DEAL THEY GOING TO SEE WHO ELSE THEY COULD ADD TO THE TARGET WICKET LIST TO ARESST AND CHARGE

    SET OF BAD PEOPLE


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