‘Don’t overcrowd the Territory’ – Pastor George urges Premier
Pastor George briefly raised his opinion during a Thursday, May 23, 2019, Town Hall meeting in Valley, Virgin Gorda (VG), at the Catholic Community Centre when he noted that limited resources should also play a factor in the decision to legalise immigrants en masse.
Preserve Serenity – Pastor George
“What I don’t want us to lose, is the serenity of the BVI and I know everyone means well and we’re going to do well by the grace of God,” he said.
However, the Pastor pointed out, “We don’t want to overcrowd… we don’t want to send that message of overcrowding because we are now having a problem where we are starting to see little silos being overcrowded, so let’s keep the BVI mixed let keep it unique,” he told those gathered.
Mr George’s sentiments echoed several other residents regarding the need to protect land resources, and the rights of indigenous Virgin Islanders while he called for characters references to be considered as part of the regularisation initiative.
“We want to love each other but let’s be careful that we don’t overcrowd our resources while we do this here,” he implored and noted that structure is needed in the implementation of the 'Fast Track' initiative.
The Pastor also indicated that there is some amount of rift and fighting between the native African and expat African population, while the other groups stay silent and live in peace.
'This is Home’ – Guyanese Expat
Guyanese Shawn Gilford, in taking to the open microphone highlighted that the VI has been home to him for some 20 years having been married and living with children.
“Since 98, this has been my home, I want to say thank you to the British Virgin Islands and the people of Virgin Gorda. This has been my home I love it, love it,” he said repetitively.
“My premier, I want to say that this here is going to be a changer to people like myself who’ve spent all this time here, who want to actually be counted [in] this beautiful place that you call home, it is, this is my home,” he said empathetically.
“I go back to my country Guyana and within 10 days, my mom sees me getting fidget and she said what happened, you’re ready to go back? and I said yes.”
In address Premier Fahie directly, the Guyanese immigrant made one final appeal, “Sir you’re doing the right thing and I want to commend you for it!”
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11 Responses to “‘Don’t overcrowd the Territory’ – Pastor George urges Premier ”
Doing nothing, however, on identifiable factors such as in immigration and labour to curtail the “period of time” workers coming into the BVI to work and leave- must be stipulated and enforced, or the elephant of regularization will only grow larger.
How did we get here?
There are two scenarios on the dialogue against regularization:
There are one set of people who have benefited (still benefitting) from the importation of cheap labour and the gains of those benefiting have far exceeded the long-term negative effect, on the collective, for them (one perspective). Because of this, this group continues to preserve their control on cheap labour costs, etc., by having imported workers renew their work-permits over the many years. This group is against regularization for self-preservation of possible control, greed, and selfishness.
Then there is the other group of people, who view self-preservation from a genuine concern to save and sustain what is possibly left of our culture, customs, way of life, etc.
However, based on the louder voices on the issue, are we against regularization to preserve continued control, greed, and selfishness over a people in which the first group has created in the first place? The second group is obviously being drowned out?
We must view this issue from a wider perspective and not solely from a compulsive instinct of self-preservation and fear because, collectively, we are the ones creating the problem. If for any reasons, this present exercise is being done to preserve more control, greed, and selfishness, all we are doing is building more fear and walls of security which will eventually become cages of self-imposed imprisonment for who’s left. Thus, stifling the holistic growth of our country moving forward.
We should revise the requirements and regularize those who qualify. Then craft policies that may sustain what is left for self-preservation of the second group. LAND, for example, should the GOVERNMENT be first in line to purchase private lands being sold at market value, for the present and future generations to come, etc.?
We must teach, equip, and empower our younger generation to think more holistically on matters such as this topic currently being discussed today for a balanced advancement of our Virgin Islands.
A word to the wise- Certainty is only guaranteed in death, so doing nothing or going back to the status quo is not an option; and self-preservation for the excessively greedy and selfish can most likely be secured in their departure from earth, through the preservation of ceremonies and gravesites.
Premier, please continue to: Listen, Ask Critical Questions, Absorb, Learn, Adjust, Execute, Grow and Expand- from a healthy cross-section of all stakeholders affected. It must be balanced, but doing nothing must not be an option.
The bible is full of love thy neighbour teachings. Aside from that, territory needs to attract talent and ideas as well as grow its own. THe population is too small to support the infrastructure and services we all want. Nobody is saying let 100000 unchecked strangers in; the issue is that those who have given so much for so long should be afforded commensurate rights.
We can’t fool him with fake repentance because he knows who truthfully want to walk in righteousness and who esteems, respects and honors his high standards.
Finally, he always exposes the wicked in their treacherous ways; not has exposed or will expose! He ALWAYS, as in the present tense, EXPOSES the wicked!!!
And, we are ALL sinners so, he calls all of us to repentance, GENUINE repentance. No one can fake their repentance because he always on a daily continuous basis exposes the wickedness of wicked ones!