Caller: Independence makes no sense
The show was aired last evening September 11, 2012 on a local radio station and was hosted by Doug Wheatley.
“Right now we are in an economic situation with tourism and financial services,” the caller expressed.
The caller questioned the advantage of going independent at the moment versus how the territory is at the moment.
“How can you be independent if you don’t have a sustainable economic foundation?” asked the caller.
We have got to find solutions, educate people on how the country can make money in sustainable fashion, he continued.
“How are they going to cover the infrastructure, the projects?”
“If the government can’t make money, independence don’t make no sense!” he declared.
Minister for Communications and Works, Hon. Mark Vanterpool declared at the Emancipation service during his Sunday morning well address on August 6, 2012 that “the VI continues to be dictated to by the government of the United Kingdom.”
He added it was “Time for the management of our own affairs to be in our own hands, rather than depend on guidance and instructions from those who live away from us, who may wish us well, but not tell us what is well for us. Conversation needs to begin, for us to light our own destiny, identity, self -determination and pride as a people.”
Ever since the Minister’s address, there has been a flood of debate surrounding the issue of whether the VI is truly ready for Independence or not. Talk shows and news sites have fanned the issue with views coming both for and against the decision.
Many may have felt however, since the Premier, Hon. Dr. D. Orlando Smith, announced in the House at its most recent sitting on September 3, 2012 that the UK has not and is not being approached on the matter of independence, that the issue was essentially put to bed.
The debates somehow, continue to rage on, a sign that many feel passionately about the issue and are insistent on taking steps to having the issue of self-determination (as it is sometimes referred to) at the forefront of the agenda.
In the meanwhile, the discussions progress over a thorny and possibly divisive issue that is seemingly headed to nowhere.
16 Responses to “Caller: Independence makes no sense”
Are you seriously serious? Or you just making joke?
Our farming industry can't feed us, let alone anyone overseas. Not our farmers' fault. Our land area is just too small and steep and unproductive to feed the number of people on island these days.
'boosting tourism'? Now there's an original idea. You don't think this whole nation's mission since 1962 has been to boost tourism? That's all we got, my friend. All we got aside from som money laundering business and a side line in cocaine running.
'Natural resources that can be developed' - what you want to do, quarry the whole island away? Or maybe sell dead coral? Restart the copper mine?
'a possibel factory that can be development' - a factory factoring WHAT? The same air that Sowande and Cormwell talking about? Maybe is you going start that crazy business off.
What you independence dreamers don't seem to account for is that the BVI is the size of a very small little town in a big developed country. A very small town or village. So if we go around pretending we can be a nation we just fooling ourselves. Start your factory and gather all those natural resources you talking about and I guarantee a whole year's worth of whatever we produce wouldn't even fill one ship, let alone contribute to world economies on any scale at all.
We didn't get our independence in the 1950s/60s because we were considered too small to survive in the world economy. The UK didn't want us, but they had to keep hold of us or it would have been injustice to the population to set them adrift like that. The same still applies now. We still tiny - a nano economy.
If we're smart we use that, and our strategic alliance with the UK, to our best advantage and to help make us a strong sustainable future. But only if we smart.