Hon. Delores Christopher cries out for action on culture!
She was at the time speaking at the Fifth Sitting of the Third Session of the Second House of Assembly on October 14, 2013.
The Fifth District Representative, an indigenous Virgin Islander who is also regarded as an authority on the Virgin Islands culture, lashed out at the current failure in the area of culture and things she said needed to be done.
Hon. Christopher, now in her second nonconsecutive stint [2003-2007] and [2011-current] in the House of Assembly (HOA), warned that the lack of serious attention to our culture is not a good sign as it’s comes down to a matter of “our identity”.
Our Culture needs help & attention
She told the public that “we have to look at our development on the social side… as we need a well rounded development”. She said “we need someplace where our history can be preserved on a permanent basis….” However, while acknowledging that there may be a few places where there are artifacts on display, she told the HOA “they cannot be classified as a real museum”.
Hon. Christopher who many argued, following the 2011 elections that saw the National Democratic Party (NDP) regime come to power, should have been given the post of Minister for Education and Culture, is also one of the founders of the popular Christmas on Main Street annual event.
The Fifth District Representative went on to say “we need our documentation to be all in one place and this is not only for us, Madam Speaker, but for our children….. The time is fast coming when it becomes an issue of identity…Who is a Virgin Islander? What does that mean?… And this is for the benefit of our children and grandchildren…This is an important question and we cannot run away from it.”
Our children, she said, “need to be clear about what the legacy is, so they can in fact cherish it”. While she said there are celebrations and different events where some of our history is read, however, “I will hasten to say, Madam Speaker, that the majority of people don’t hear or are not really paying attention to what is being said during these celebrations…we are not sure how many people are getting a clear understanding of our history…”
Hon. Christopher, who was the brainchild behind the successful Festival of Arts held earlier this year at the Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall, lashed out at the fact that after the very colorful display everything had to be taken down as there is no place to permanently put our cultural artifacts on display. “The problem is it had to be taken down...so often we put up and we take down…we need to list as a priority a permanent place for our history…details of our people must be made known…”
The legislator, who is very passionate about education and cultural issues, said even during the annual emancipation celebration “sometimes some very outstanding pieces are on parade, but we have no place to house these pieces, we ourselves can’t visit them, family from overseas can’t visit them at a later time, the tourist can’t see them, yet we are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for a one-day parade….we should have those pieces put someplace, it can be an added attraction to our tourist product…” Hon. Christopher told Parliament.
Mrs Christopher called for a national museum to be built in the Virgin Islands.
Is the Minister for Culture doing anything?
Many residents have interpreted Hon. Delores Christopher’s indictment in the House of Assembly on the state of culture as a swipe at the Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn, both from the same political party.
Mr Walwyn’s critics have claimed that because he is not an indigenous Virgin Islander (none of his parents are born in the Virgin Islands) he does not have a deep sense of appreciation, knowledge and passion for the Virgin Islands culture and heritage.
They have claimed that Hon. Walwyn has not done anything in the area of culture and continues to be a divisive force in Virgin Islands’ politics.
In August of this year, Walwyn came under fire for using the occasion of our Emancipation celebration at the Sunday Morning Well to further divide the country over the issue of persons being born in the Virgin Islands of expat parents claiming that they should be given automatic rights. This is an issue that is not controlled by local immigration authorities but governed by the British Nationality Act, a fact known to Hon. Walwyn.
One talk show host labelled his remarks at the time of our freedom from slavery celebrations as “insensitive, disrespectful to our ancestors and trying to score political points.”
38 Responses to “Hon. Delores Christopher cries out for action on culture!”
Even the dead who on M**** side has come to life & is on his case. What a thing. They falling apart slowly but surely. Alvera need to do the same with him because he killing her quietly behind her back.
Minister Walwyn has divided no one...Who are you trying to fool, the man articulated a philosophy where children born here are given the same right as children whose parents were also born here and you call that divisive? You people are divided at heart and mind, that why every thing said no matter the tone results in division. That religious mentality have ayo wrecked!!!
I admire your support for this drowning, d****f*l man but he is d*v*d*ng our country daily.
I hope these two NDP women & the 7th & 8th rep & the Opposition members for the 1st, 3rd & 9th know that M**** has his committee members calling every home in those districts to see what issues they have so that he, not his NDP government, can address them so he can try to make those individuals for those areas look bad & get them out because he doesn't like them but tell him go & come again. He even can't get his Ministry run but he want to run other people's affairs.
M*** doing more crap in education than ever before & time will clearly show it. His speeches sound good but on the ground in education hardly anyone understands what he is doing.
Can we just move on away from his rubbish input, please? I'm enjoying the fresh breeze outside of the trash can so much.
Amen! Evil will NOT win! So be sure to tell him enjoy his last days of his ongoing E*** reign.
I can't "B$%it" on this one. Of course it was a jab at Myron.
I am a fan but your clock is clicking. Do your job!!