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Hon Fraser laments VI’s absence @ CARICOM summit

-said VI missed a ‘momentous opportunity’; could have attended on ‘observer status’
Regional leaders met on April 8, 2015 in Caucus, before the meeting with President Obama, with leaders such as Trinidad and Tobago’s Kamala Persad Bissessar, Barbados’ Freundel Stuart, Dominica’s Roosevelt Skerritt, St Kitts and Nevis’ Dr Timothy S. Harris and the host country’s Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller among others. Photo: gazettenet.com
Noting that the April 9, 2015 CARICOM Summit in Jamaica with 44th President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, was a momentous occasion in the history of the Caribbean region, Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) believes the Virgin Islands should have made a special effort to be represented, even if it was on ‘observer status’. Photo: VINO/File
Noting that the April 9, 2015 CARICOM Summit in Jamaica with 44th President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, was a momentous occasion in the history of the Caribbean region, Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) believes the Virgin Islands should have made a special effort to be represented, even if it was on ‘observer status’. Photo: VINO/File
U.S. President Barack Obama smiles during remarks by Jamaica's Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller after their meeting at Jamaica House in Kingston. While in Jamaica, Obama met with leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations, before continuing on to Panama for the Summit of the Americas Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
U.S. President Barack Obama smiles during remarks by Jamaica's Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller after their meeting at Jamaica House in Kingston. While in Jamaica, Obama met with leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations, before continuing on to Panama for the Summit of the Americas Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Noting that the April 9, 2015 CARICOM Summit in Jamaica with 44th President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, was a momentous occasion in the history of the Caribbean region, Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) believes the Virgin Islands should have made a special effort to be represented, even if it was on ‘observer status’.

The CARICOM Headquarters in Guyana had informed Virgin Islands News Online that the Virgin Islands was not invited to the meeting since it was not an Independent Member state.

“No, because none of the Associate Members are Independent and do not participate in foreign relations activities in the Caribbean Community. So none of the Associate Members or Montserrat would have been present at the meeting today,” Mr Leonard Robertson, Adviser, Public Information Unit, of CARICOM said.

The VI is an Associate Member of CARICOM, along with Anguilla, Bermuda, Turks and Caicos Islands and Cayman Islands.

Observer status

Speaking on the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) radio show, ‘Let’s Talk’, on April 15, 2015 on ZBVI 780AM, Hon Fraser said even though the Virgin Islands was not an invited as an Independent Member state it should have pushed to be represented at the meeting on observer status.

“I am of the view that something went awry as far as that is concerned. If the Virgin Islands is indeed a part of CARICOM we should have been represented at that meeting. Now people might want to say and slap it off by saying that we are not a full member of CARICOM or that we are not Independent but there are ways in which participation can be met.

I fully believe there is such a thing as observer status and the leaders of the CARICOM nations must know that the Virgin Islands do exist. That we are not taken for granted,” Hon Fraser argued.

VI must pay attention to international affairs

According to the long serving legislator whom political pundits have been labelling as the Premier in waiting, the battle for a successful survival of the Virgin Islands is not going to be fought on the soils of the Virgin Islands but on the international scene, “whether we talking from a political standpoint, regional or economic standpoint, internationally or globally, but in order for us to be successful at these battles we have to tackle from every front.”

“A lot of things happen at these summits, a lot of things that you don’t see, a lot of things that you don’t hear about. In the run up these summits a lot of negotiations take place, meetings are established, and it doesn’t mean that you would have a meeting at the highest level. I don’t for one moment suggest that the Premier was going to meet with the President of the United States but there are so many other agencies in the United States and so many other offices that you never know. That is where agreements are met, negotiations take place and contacts are established.”

Hon Fraser said he honestly believes it would have been a significant achievement on the part of the Virgin Islands to have been represented at a forum like the recent CARICOM Summit in Jamaica.

He was also frank in saying he would have never expected in the history of these islands that such a momentous occasion would have occurred and the Virgin Islands was not represented.

“I would urge our Premier to not do it alone but to get together with the other OTs and make sure that they understand exactly what took place. It cannot continue this way. We are a significant player in this region. If you don’t believe me just look around [because] the demographics of the Virgin Islands speak for that. We have people from every island in the Caribbean living in the Virgin Islands here, happily, in peace and in harmony, with all of us and this is something that we cherish and we cannot afford to allow ourselves to be taken for granted.”

VI snubbing unacceptable

According to Hon Fraser, the Virgin Islands has to let the Caribbean region know that it being snubbed at the CARICOM Summit is not acceptable and “I would present that going forward any leader of this Virgin Islands would make sure that it stops, and it has to stop.”

The Virgin Islands is one of the first non-independent countries to join the Caribbean Community as an Associate Member. It did so on July 2, 1991 under a then Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Government.

Meanwhile, the regional leaders met on April 8, 2015 in Caucus, before the meeting with President Obama, with leaders such as Trinidad and Tobago’s Kamala Persad Bissessar, Barbados’ Freundel Stuart, Dominica’s Roosevelt Skerritt, St Kitts and Nevis’ Dr Timothy S. Harris and the host country’s Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller among others.

See link to related story: 

http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/was-vi-snubbed-from-meeting-with-president-obama-us-caricom-summit

27 Responses to “Hon Fraser laments VI’s absence @ CARICOM summit”

  • Guest (17/04/2015, 09:08) Like (9) Dislike (37) Reply
    With Fraser we will be at the table because the region respected Uncle Ralph and the VIP…with Orlando no respect for the BVI overseas now go talk that!
    • @guest (17/04/2015, 09:40) Like (15) Dislike (3) Reply
      Give me a break...respect who and what?
      • kelo (17/04/2015, 10:47) Like (3) Dislike (15) Reply
        in any case what the hick will Orlando tell Obama any way...you need to give me a dawn BREAK!!...would brarick even unerstand...ah?
  • So.. (17/04/2015, 09:35) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply

    When Obama was in Trinidad in 2009 did VIP go? We cannot just invite ourselves to meetings and BVI were not the only ones that were not there. We are not full members of CARICOM, just associate members. 

  • tretretrete (17/04/2015, 09:38) Like (33) Dislike (1) Reply
    why??? we either in or we out. If all he want to do is meet Obama then say so
    • @ Hmmmm (17/04/2015, 09:42) Like (4) Dislike (29) Reply
      the VIP has the right contacts to meet any world leader boss so got sit down and come again
      • Schups (17/04/2015, 10:32) Like (21) Dislike (3) Reply
        VIP have which contacts, you must mean contact lens. The only world leader they can meet is Mugabe in Zimbabwe, they have quite a lot in common.
        • @ schups (17/04/2015, 12:03) Like (11) Dislike (11) Reply
          Now Now Now MW & Sb I can’t believe you gone there! Let’s be fair here on something which government is more like Mugabe?

          1. Which government hates press freedom?
          Which government is full of corruption?-two reports

          Which government only cares for the rich and hates the middle class and the poor

          Which government continues to engage in conflict of interest?

          Which government is desperate to say in power like…Robert Mugabe?
          Which government has divided the country like Mugabe? And counties to chase away businesses they do not like?

          Which government engages in sexual harassment and killing our treasury with questionable spending….OK like me stop there
          • chad (17/04/2015, 13:03) Like (8) Dislike (2) Reply
            seem like you have a deep hate for the government since you make all these accusation but have no prove. The people of the BVI are not stupid. They know what is facts and what blank opinion.
            • @ wow (17/04/2015, 16:50) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
              Just do not confuse the truth and facts with "hate"...over and out!!!!
  • Hogwash (17/04/2015, 10:33) Like (19) Dislike (1) Reply
    And if the NDP sent a few ministers to be OBSERVERS as Fraser stated, what do you think VIP's response would be? "Here we have people without jobs, unemployment, increments not yet paid, small man hurting and NDP flies to Jamaica to meet Obama and they were not even invited, NDP must go!" I think we all know how this game is played by now.
    • 4 real (17/04/2015, 11:36) Like (20) Dislike (3) Reply
      Why didn't VIP visit Obama when he was in Trinidad to a similar meeting in 2009? They think we stupid or what?
      • @ 4 real (17/04/2015, 12:09) Like (4) Dislike (7) Reply

        Another example the NDP and their paid bloggers have not a clue of regional or international issues…Fool the meeting in TT was an OAS meeting not a Caribbean meeting. The BVi is not a associated member of the OAS but are of CARICOM…set of jack @$$3$ on here ….the faster we get rid of the ndp the sooner we could be respected abroad…

  • facts man (17/04/2015, 10:48) Like (5) Dislike (12) Reply
    if i am in a war i will rather have Fraser at my side than Dr. I don't have a clue
  • CARICOM (17/04/2015, 11:36) Like (6) Dislike (9) Reply
    Thank you for welcoming all of our citizens to your lovely Island Mr Frazer. We will certainly discuss the matter with you, when you are elected Premier of the British Virgin Islands. You will undoubtedly be invited to our next great event ...meeting with the first elected female President of the USA Hillary Clinton in 2017. Until then.. best wishes!!
  • Cho (17/04/2015, 11:39) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Waaagwaan BVI?8'
  • jj (17/04/2015, 11:53) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
    No world leader wants to see the ndp must let the local people
  • Matter (17/04/2015, 13:55) Like (3) Dislike (5) Reply
    The Overseas Territories are associate members not full members of Caricom. But when there is Disaster inform of a hurricane, etc there will come knocking on your door for help, not saying that we wouldn't help, just saying
    • 123 (18/04/2015, 08:53) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      We spend so much time figuring out why CARICOM cant work we don't even look for areas where it can. As a region we are losing the race into the information age and knowledge economy and we can't even look beyond our "sovereignty" to get back in contention.
  • Duncheads (17/04/2015, 14:35) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply

    Please give me a break....the only person who could have conceivable gone and represented the BVI is the queen's representative on island the Governor in any observer status.

    I cant understand why the hoppla since all of the other associated non-independent members were not invited and didn't not attend.......Your not Independent....your not invited.....can you say not wanted there.....NOT WANTED OR NEEDED THERE.....I don't hear any noise from the rest of the associated members, soooooo why the drama?

    • @ dunceheads (17/04/2015, 15:26) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
      We need the vip back in office so we can be respected at home and abroad..bottom line
    • Lilly (19/04/2015, 15:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Well we can only profile with the kings and queens but we cannot fix our own issues.
  • only the facts please (17/04/2015, 15:30) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ndp need to go sit down it was under the vip we signed our associate memebership in caricom and oecs and got the bvi london house it was under ndp we got blacklisted by france and called a money lundera by the usa....
  • ha (18/04/2015, 09:32) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Your locals don't like Caribbean people who live and work among them, yet you want the leaders of those persons to include you in high level meetings. With all its money, the BVI is just an associate member ad so got what the associate member gets. NO INVITATION! The world is really round. Go watch the news clips online.
    • civic (18/04/2015, 11:57) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Yep, and for starters CARICOM nations do not refer to each other as 'down island people' and be kinder and more hospitable in keeping with what CARICOM is all about.
  • Wendy (18/04/2015, 10:33) Like (0) Dislike (4) Reply
    I am honored and glad the dignity of the current VI Government was not sullied by being included in the gathering of the Caribbean heads of poverty and criminality.
    The VI stands out and is above all that in a class at the top.


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