‘The Chinese are taking over our lands’ - Terrence D. Griffith
This is according to Reverend Dr Terrence D Griffith, Pastor of the First African Baptist Church and President of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, who was the guest speaker at this year’s Emancipation Service held at the Sunday Morning Well on Sunday August 6, 2017.
Following his statement, persons in the crowd were seen whispering and staring at the government officials as they recalled the announcement of the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) being chosen as the preferred bidder to take on the Terrence B. Lettsome Airport runway expansion contract.
Protect their land from invaders
Reverend Griffith encouraged the Virgin Islands people to “protect their land from invaders, who are coming once again to enslave our people,” adding that other ethnic groups are targeting black nations in an attempt to put them back into mental chains in this twenty-first century.
During his speech, Pastor Griffith made reference to Noel Lloyd, a local activist and hero, who played an integral role in fighting for the rights of Virgin Islanders, noting that persons today should brave up and have the same mentality as Noel Lloyd in order to continue to protect the Virgin Islands from outside invaders. He added that if they do not step up, they will have nothing left to call their own.
“Our people are controlled by non-indigenous people. I believe that is the reason Noel Lloyd fought against the efforts to sell our birthright for [nothing]. This must be a constant reminder that freedom is not for sale to the highest bidder,” explained Pastor Griffiths as the crowd cheered in agreement.
He continued, “We need more people like Lloyd, to declare that our fore parents did not die so that we can be controlled by people whose only interest is to exploit us.”
.png)
Follow Us On
29 Responses to “‘The Chinese are taking over our lands’ - Terrence D. Griffith”
If the Chinese did take over from these ungrateful foreign deadbeats it would be an improvement for the BVI.
The Chinese are flushed with cash and is willing to lend it out at low or no interest or give it out as grants. However, the dispersing of the cash comes with strings attached. To get the Chinese money, borrowers or grantees must agree to 1) use Chinese material, 2)use Chinese equipment, and 3)use Chinese workers. Further, recipients are expected to vote with the Chinese at the UN and other world bodies on interest of interest to them. Additionally, countries are expected to relax immigration rules to allow Chinese citizens to come in to conduct business. These practices also apply to Caribbean countries.
If the answer is yes, then why can't we treat the Chinese investor like any other? Negotiate the terms of our agreements like we do with others? The North American and European investors and aid donors all have similar conditions requests as the Chinese is said to have. I was in the room as a BVI Beacon newspaper staff when the 40 million dollar airport terminal contract was signed. Mr. Allen Wheatley was the financial secretary and Hon. R. T. O'neal was the Chief Minister. The European Union was donating 5 million to the project and their representative Mr. Earhorn was attempting to tell the government who was contributing 35 million, how to spend the 40 million. I asked the question. Will some of that money be spent in our local businesses and with our local contractors so that our local economy could benefit? Mr. Earhorn turned to me with his finger pointing in my face and said, we are not hear to strengthen your economy, we are here to build the best airport terminal possible. Mr. Wheatley responded, we will ensure that some of that money is spent locally wherever and whenever possible. The EU which was donating 10% wanted to control the spending of the 100%. A European company got the contract. They wanted to bring their workers and materials from Europe with work permit exemptions among other government concessions. Some local contractors were hired at reduced prices and they had hell to get their money.
All of the North American and European countries have social, political and economic conditions attached to their donations and contracts. It's about progress for their people. We have to hold our leaders responsible for making the best deals for us.
The Chinese and the Americans are locked in a battle for global economic supremacy. And the American government has dispatched some African Americans, who are Americans first - some paid and some on remote control - to the Caribbean and Africa spreading propaganda and insulting our intelligence trying to turn us against the Chinese. Of course Africa is where all the resources are and Africa and the Caribbean are important markets and strategic locations.
Africans in the Caribbean and Africa have more positives in common culturally and historically with Asians than with North Americans and Europeans. They are all people of colour, their African values and traditions are similar. Asia never enslaved nor colonised Africans. They never came into Africa and murdered their leaders, took their land and colonised them. In fact, Africans and Asians have European colonisation in common and not slavery but indentured servitude.
So my brothers and sisters let us not be hoodwinked, bamboozled and insulted. Chinese exploitation is no worst that North American and European exploitation. Exploitation of any kind is unacceptable. However If we were to compare historically, Chinese exploitation could never be worse than North American and European exploitation.
As Virgin Islanders, we have to hold our leaders responsible for making the best deals for us and our country, regardless of where the investors are from or who they are.
Moreover, on the Caribbean side, US and other developed countries have deserted the region, creating a void and the opportunity for the Chinese to move in. External investment is the life blood of many regional economies, including the VI. Nonetheless, whether it is Chinese, US, UK.........etc investment, we must exercise due diligence; we must dot the Is and cross the Ts in each and every negotiation. We must negotiate win-win agreements. Win-lose(VI) agreements should be off the table.
A brain enlargement.
I have seen a number of projects that this company has been involved with. Safety is non-existent and the quality is also non-existent!
This is one of the worst decisions this government has made to date. They will bring in their own people, machinery, materials etc and not one local company will make a dime off this contract.
i was bang on about the airline, dont make me say i told you so about this one too!
Its time we put down our feet in this territory. When we can approve over 10,000 work permits and turn down only 300 plus I wonder where are all there jobs. I Wonder if they are all renewal or new permits.
What happen to our people is it that we don't have the skills, not even to pack a shelf or bags in supermarket, to drive, to turn a shovel, push a barrow, serve at a dining table, sit in an office, plant food, and the list goes on.
We need succession planning in this territory too much free for all. You look around so many people are out of a job and we still approving more and more taxing the territory. Slavery?
We crying out in every district and yet we are putting more and more pressure on our people and territory. Crime on the rise and social values going out the door and name it we are loosing our culture every day it is slipping away from us.
Don't get me wrong we need diversity but time to pull up our roap tighter. There should be a law put in place for proper wearing of clothes in this territory. This thing of wearing pants to your knee and your underwear showing need to stop. Don't come here with your nasty ways and think its OK.
Serving food and drinks you must be properly covered. No wonder why we have so much sicknesses. I go in a bar to have a drink the bartender arm out and more so to drop sweat in my drink. Is this the only way we can make money to sell our self short of our values and principles. We have dignity and pride that to is going out the door. Do like some countries if you urinate in public you get charge, if you wear your clothes in appropriately you get charge. When we allow them Chinese to take over our country turning a blind eye we will regret it. Our children and grand, great grand will inherit all this mess so the man I just speaking from his heart don't kill the messenger. More so God gave us a reminder that he is in control and a warning that slavery can come back again if we don't take heed. We turn down help now but it may be needed if we don't take heed.
Regards
Regards: Eve Hunt