Lorna M. George. Photo: Facebook

Segregation was wrong, dehumanising and humiliating to Black people; God in His own time brought it to an end. Here in the [British] Virgin Islands (VI) we have a crisis. Our people are divided over the issue of Regularisation: Residency and ‘Belonger’ Status – a process instated by the Premier, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) whereby our other brothers and sisters from other Caribbean islands who have been in the Territory for a number of years could receive status.

My VI family we must be honest and accept the truth that our other Caribbean brothers and sisters who have being living among us for many years have contributed greatly to the building up of the Virgin Islands and have helped make it the thriving economy it is today. Their toil and labour are indispensable. Their labour of love cannot be measured. Our other Caribbean brothers and sisters are the majority of teachers in the school system; the police force; the doctors and nurses in the hospital; hotels and restaurants; daycares and preschools; elderly home care; housekeepers in our homes; definitely the efficient and effective workers who run the businesses own by our local entrepreneurs. They also rent our houses!

Many VIslanders are married to and have children by our other Caribbean brothers and sisters. What would the VI be without our other Caribbean brothers and sisters? Sad to say my VI family is suffering from amnesia and are short-sighted and cannot see things on their own. Many of our VI brothers and sisters lack spiritual eyesight. What a pitiful and awful state of affair. Only God Almighty can help us.  Our other Caribbean brothers and sisters are woven into the fabric of our society. They are part and parcel of us and to deny them Status is nothing more than a travesty.

Spiritually blind

My fellow VIslanders who are adamantly against our other brothers and sisters receiving status are spiritually blind. Their argument is senseless, selfish and has no merit. If you ask me they are walking up a slippery slope and fighting against God. Who can beat the Sovereign God? Our God made this world and He is in control. God honours what is fair, right and just. As night follows day justice will prevail. 

Ignorance cannot beat education. My other Caribbean brothers and sisters I encourage you to pray and murmur not. It is only a matter of time and God will bring down the barriers. It grieves my spirit when I see some of my VI family members looking down their noses on my other Caribbean brothers and sisters. These narrow-minded VI family members lack knowledge. They do not know that we are all human beings created in the likeness and image of a great God. For many of my sad and sick VI family members, our other Caribbean brothers and sisters are good enough to clean our houses, work in our businesses, and attend to us when we are sick but they are not good enough to become part of our family? Our condition here in the VI is worse than segregation in America. It is high time that we collectively as a VI community ask God to open our spiritual eyes so we can break down the barriers that are keeping us apart. As VIslanders we must reach out to our other Caribbean brothers and sisters and embrace them in love. My fellow VIslanders love has a healing virtue! We must love each other and not hate. Hate festers contempt and causes us to destroy each other.

Our problem is that the Virgin Islands is a small society, the borders are yet to be opened.

Controlled by fear

Many of my VI family members are controlled by the giant monster called fear. Many of them are afraid of the very aggressive and deceptive way in which our other Caribbean brothers and sisters behave. However, I would like to say that all of us are playing our role. If Judas did not betray Jesus, He would not have gone to the cross to save humankind. The things we do not understand we must leave to God. The fear in the hearts of many of my VI family members makes it difficult for them to appreciate people from other cultures and other back grounds. I would have been the same way if I was not reared by Live-in housekeepers from other Caribbean islands when my mother died at the young age of forty-one. To me, we are one family and I don’t know any difference. I love God and I realise that He is the father of us all. The word in Mark 12: 30-31 said “Love the Lord your God with all your with all your soul and with all your heart. The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

Finally, I believe in integration. My vision of nation of Nature’s Little Secret is a country where all of us can live in love and harmony, regardless of the colour of our skin, nationality and ethnicity. My brothers and sisters let us love each other, embrace each other and walk humbly before our God. Why are we fighting each other? We must be reminded that this world is not our home. Paul the apostle said that we are pilgrims and strangers here. Heaven is our home, Heaven is our home. Jesus said in John 14:3 “And I go and shall prepare you a place, I am coming again and shall receive you to myself, that where I am ye also may be.”