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AC Frett remains adamant St Ursula’s Day is irrelevant to VI

Mr Alred Frett during his "One Man March" against ignorance, injustice, greed & corruption on October 19, 2011. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Outspoken columnist Alred C. Frett remains adamant that St Ursula’s Day, which was celebrated on October 22, serves no useful purpose as a holiday in the Virgin Islands.

Mr Frett had first expressed this view to Virgin Islands News Online a year ago and when asked whether his view remained the same about the holiday, Mr Frett simply replied, “I’ve seen nothing to change it.”

The columnist related it was a matter of public record that he took a motion to the House of Assembly (HOA) to have National Heroes’ Labour Day. This was essentially shelved, he said, when it was indicated that something would be done about his proposal but this turned out to be H. Lavity Stoutt Day.

During Heroes’ day, he explained, volunteers could have turned out to do various bits of civic duty such as painting certain areas such as schools which would save money; work at hospitals or make other civic contributions to the Territory to help save money.

In this way, he believed we would be able to create a cadre of young people growing up who would see this happening and express more interest in their own community, country and Territory.

Mr Frett felt Heroes’ Day was meant for any and everybody, not just one special person, but “from the fisherman who helped to feed us, right up to the tip-top of the mountain”.

St. Ursula’s Day,usually celebrated on October 21, commemorates the Roman Catholic Saint after whom Columbus named the whole archipelago of islands. Columbus gave them the fanciful name Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes (Saint Ursula and her 11,000 Virgins), shortened to Las Vírgenes (The Virgins). The figure on the Territory’s crest is also supposed to represent St. Ursula and the lamps, the Virgins.

“It is pure, pure foolishness. Persons don’t even know what it is about and they pretend as though it is of some humongous value. The only value it is about is to cost money because when persons are off on this holiday Government must still pay their salaries…so at the end of the day what you find happening is that we end up already broke and becoming broker,” Mr Frett had told Virgin Islands News Online on October 21, last year.

On October 19, 2011 he had also embarked on a one-man march against issues such as injustice, greed and corruption in society. Mr Frett said persons were becoming more and more educated or informed through his weekly columns and as a result, this year did not “necessitate an immediate need to march again” towards the same objective.

The former legislator and talk show host added “as far as there being a Territory-wide adoption of reality… that hasn't happened as yet.” Mr Frett feels however, that there appears to have since been a “seismic shift” in persons’ level of awareness between the time of the march and now, but bemoaned what he saw as a fear of persons expressing themselves fully based on the responses he had received so far.

The issues he marched about would remain, he said, until more of us make the persons who exhibit them pay a price they can’t afford. “One march [would not change that],” he revealed “this has to trickle down from way up.”

He remained confident that the first step to changing "where we were", was creating awareness “[having] persons prepared to take a look at it” after which we could start talking about solutions and corrections to these issues.

Mr Frett further stated that there was a saying that “we get the leaders that we deserve” and if we were going to support persons that behave in a certain manner, it would have to be that we were complicit in their behaviour.

16 Responses to “AC Frett remains adamant St Ursula’s Day is irrelevant to VI ”

  • she the cat mother (23/10/2012, 07:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Tis dude aint wah me go to rock city to shop & get Kentucky? struppps
  • Release (23/10/2012, 07:22) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    we should have a plan to reduce the number of public holidays as it’s costly to businesses.
    • hmmm (23/10/2012, 09:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

      you sound like a a$$..all over the world have holidays way more than us. we got a lil few here and there and you b!tch!ng. you must be a cheap business owner!

      • to hmmm (23/10/2012, 15:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Now now now. I am convinced that you have respect for no one but yourself....hummm
  • business man (23/10/2012, 07:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Limit holidays to four per year maximum- xmas, new year’s day, and august Monday and Tuesday...something to think about…
  • ausar (23/10/2012, 07:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    If Y'all business people cannot pay for the Holidays, pack your georgie bundle and get the hell out of business and let those who have monies and can afford to pay employees STAY IN BUSINESS!
  • DOT (23/10/2012, 07:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    MOST OF YOU BUSINESS PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO PAY FOR HOLIDAY.
    THE HOLIDAYS MUST STAY,AND YOU OPEN LET YOUR WIFE,CHILDREN
    AND GRAND-CHILDREN WORK THOSE PEOPLE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY.
  • rat tail (23/10/2012, 08:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    wah ac frett aint go sit down and shut up...
    • @ rat tail (27/10/2012, 12:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Let me set some of the detractors straight, as I have reached a boiling point due to the ease with which many come to this site to anonymously slam and slur the efforts of those who are actually DOING something with their lives.

      A C Frett has beaten the odds. Do you understand that? If you don't, then you know nothing of this man, where he's come from and what he's been through. That means you have no right to comment on his success...or failure. Least of all, the right to criticize him with such venom and disgust.
  • problem (23/10/2012, 16:45) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I don't see the difference with the holidays to do with your paye. Your wage is set. The only time when is it's an excpetion, is when you use up all your sick days.
  • yes we can (23/10/2012, 19:33) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr. Frett you have the supported of the community
  • Health & Wellness (23/10/2012, 19:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    St. Ursula's Day is similar to Columbus Day in the USA.

    Companies recognise that a healthy, happy workforce is a productive one and this feeds directly into the bottom line. Flexible working and a good employee work/life balance helps improve employee engagement when the usual financial tools are unavailable.

    The UK has 28 days statutory leave compared with 25 in Greece, France, Austria, Sweden, Luxembourg, Finland and Denmark, 24 in Malta, 22 in Spain and Portugal, 21 in Norway and 20 in Italy, Belgium, Germany, Cyprus, Ireland, Switzerland and Holland. Canada and the United States are among the least generous countries for statutory holidays, with policies varying widely. Many firms in the US give three weeks holidays for staff who have given between five and 10 years service.

    Wolfgang Seidl, head of Mercer’s healthcare consulting business, said: 'Despite continued economic turmoil, interest in the issue of work/life balance continues to grow. From the employee’s and company’s perspective, health creates wealth.

    In Canada there was a long period of time between public or bank holidays following Christmas. They recently created Family Day in February to allow for people to have a health and wellness day in this period of time.

  • one eye (23/10/2012, 23:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Gosh it seems more, yea a lot more hot air from Alred Frett!


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