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'We are not fully free people'- Premier Wheatley
The Premier in his remarks during the Emancipation Service on Sunday, August 4, 2024, at the Sunday Morning Well said, “Under the institution of slavery, we were taught not to say certain things for fear of what could happen to us but a part of the Emancipation process is having the courage to speak freely in your own self-interest and the reality is that our present status is not fully free, we are not fully free people and we must acknowledge that”.
He said it is imperative that the people are courageous and continue working and building upon the foundation and sacrifices made by those who came before.
Threat of suspension of democratic governance 'should be shocking to all'
Premier Wheatley also slammed a recommendation of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that called for a suspension of democratic governance and implementation of direct rule by the United Kingdom.
Just the thought of the possibility of people still facing the prospect of being ruled by those who are not democratically elected should be shocking to anyone, Premier Wheatley said.
“That they make your laws, that they direct your executive, that they have all power and all authority. It should be much more alarming to us than it is. And I say to you, that is not a state of affairs that we should be comfortable with and it is something that we must seek to remedy and we must chart a course that will lead us from this place,” he added.
No other option but full autonomy
Premier Wheatley referenced other islands in the Caribbean region, specifically Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis, which achieved full independence from the British and are thriving.
This level of maturity, being able to support themselves and stand on “their own two feet” is something the Virgin Islands should strive towards, he declared.
“I have adopted a posture in recent times where I’m going to do what I have to do and say what I have to say and in all honesty I let the chips fall where they may,” Premier Wheatley said while encouraging all to join him in doing what needs to be done for the benefit of future generations.
Premier Wheatley also encouraged Virgin Islanders to turn a deaf ear to naysayers who may want to discourage them from supporting “additional steps to further autonomy”.
The people of the [British] Virgin Islands, he said, are capable of handling complete control of their lands, however, what is missing is unity.
“It doesn’t mean that we have to agree on everything but can we focus on the things that we do agree on. That is the challenge before us and if we can get that right there is nothing in this world that can stop us,” Premier Wheatley said.
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15 Responses to “'We are not fully free people'- Premier Wheatley”
Your speech is sounding very much like that of a wannabe dictator.Persons better sit up and take note.
We are not Brazil, Trinidad or elsewhere.
Government this is NOT EMANCIPATION FROM SLAVERY!!!!
People simulating sex in public and on stage including in front of children, children that shouldn’t even be allowed in these events knowing who you choose to bring here to perform on stage. These people shouldn’t even be brought here that have nothing to do with the culture.
What call a child have back stage especially late into the night taking a shot with an artist with the parent showing that off and people finding that amusing!!! The devil got people head messed up….in church on a regular, getting baptized and feting all in one. Baptism is not for show!! It has significance!!
That artist should have known to turn down that request even though it was likely a non alcoholic drink!! It starts there then you wonder why this and that later!!
You take and put people to run a Festival committee who try to appease others who don’t know better and who want to bring their fav artist as well to make money at the expense of respecting the reason for emancipation!!!!
Slaves were SEXUALLY EXPLOITED raped, abused, sold, AND THIS BEHAVIOUR IS A DISGRACE!!!!
Moreover, the change of political status whether independence, ,free association, integration, etc., is up to a majority of the people. As such, they should be afforded the choice and opportunity through a referendum; a change should be made by a supermajority, not just a plurality of the vote,, IMO. The VI sister OT Bermuda held an independence referendum in August 1995; a majority of Bermudans chose to remain a colony. Scotland I think held a referendum on independence in 2014; a majority of Scots chose to remain part of the UK.
Moreover, before Virgin Islanders vote on a referendum, they should be briefed/educated on the pros and cons on independence, free association, integration,,etc.
It is not the UK that has free access to manage our finances fairly, you the political Leaders do. It is not the UK that responsible to fix our ragged traffic roads, you our political Leaders do. It is not the the UK is responsible to improve our run down infrastructure, you our current political Leaders do, especially the VIP Government in power. Moreover, it is not the UK that is randomly wasting our finances on Music Fest and unnecessary pleasure travel overseas, especially you, other political Leaders and government workers do.
You are continuing complaining like a child who wants a pacifier in you mouth to suck on. You are right., Premier. We do need freedom, true freedom from you and other local local politicians, only after then, should we ask freedom from the UK leadership.
And then (not forgetting Dominica as a prime example) the Virgin Islands could sell their birthright to devious characters and become beholden to China.
OR ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF CORRUPTION THAT IS GOING ON IN THE THE BVI / BUT WANT TO DICTATE .WHAT SHOULD AND WHAT SHOULDN'T BE DONE , LOOKS LIKE YOU BUILT NOAH'S ARK • YES WE ARE SHACKLED TO CORRUPTION ON OURSELVES BY OURSELVES AND ALL YOU WANNABE ARISTOCRATS IS DOING SINGING LIKE A SET OF CANARIES ON COLONIALISM , RACISM AS AN EXCUSE TO BLAME THE UK FOR WHAT IS PERPETRATED BY OUR OWN LEADERS / THE UK IS ONLY HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS TRANSPARENCY & INTEGRITY - SO THAT EVERYBODY IS TREATED FAIRLY / BUT ONLY THE PERPETRATORS AND THEIR FRIENDS GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT , SO YA'LL PLAYING THE BLAME GAME ( AKA ) RODEO GAMES , WITH OUR PEOPLE'S MIND
A BVIslander can amount to anything in the BVI if they are ambitious.