‘No African person is indigenous to VI‘- Cromwell Smith
'Edju En Ka' made the comments on his ‘Umoja’ show on Thursday May 30, 2019, when he quoted Former Chief Minister, Hon Ralph T. O'Neal OBE in saying that local people should be able to have progressive discussions without the ‘rancour’, while noting that no African can say they are indigenous to the territory.
One Family
“I think that we should be able to have discussions without, as Hon RT O’Neal like to say, and I like to use his word, without the rancour… we are actually one family, all African people and I don’t know if now is the appropriate time to say time, but from what I have read regarding the definition of the word indigenous, I don’t think any of us, any African person is indigenous to this region,” he told his listening audience as part of an opening commentary.
“If we want to say our African brothers who are native, who are so-called native Americans… They would be the ones I think would have more of a claim to be indigenous, but we want to say generational Virgin Islander, I think that would be a more appropriate and accurate term.”
Further, Mr Smith underscored, “But I think [what is] most important, [is] for us to remember that we are all one African people,” he said although the VI is said to be represented by well over one hundred nationalities calling the territory home.
“All of us except those few African persons who were actually never slaves, who were brought here after the abolition… and brought into the territory, all of us have to trace our roots back through the Caribbean before we can get to Africa,” he further said.
Build together
“So we are one African people and I think that we ought to bind together to build our region and those of us who find ourselves in the same location we need to bind ourselves together to build that location,” he said.
Fueled by xenophobia and anti-immigrant conversations, the VI over the past month has descended into a state where Virgin Islanders have been speaking out against the 'Clear path to regularisation: Residency and Belonger Status Programme' initiated by Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) to regularise undocumented immigrants, who have been in the Territory for 15 years and more, in the quickest way possible.
With the pervading question ‘Why the rush?’ now a consensus amongst the local populace as well as the VI Opposition, Mr Smith said “I think the rancour that is being created, perhaps we need to take a look at that, I think we can be kinder to each other… we are all one people and our strength is in our unity.”
47 Responses to “‘No African person is indigenous to VI‘- Cromwell Smith ”
We all know where blacks came from, so why don't you in a hurry go backto the mother land so you can claim you are indigenous to that land? I wonder how well you will be welcomed home! Look reality is that everyone has to be from somewhere and we are all not alike. This fake we are all one kumbaya is sickening.
Half of you all don't even get along with your own siblings who share the same blood and you expect to have a royal love fest with persons of different back ground, different values, different believes, different cultures...and the list goes on.
We just have to respect our differences and move on. Pretending to be oh so in love with everyone is just FAKE and I am not subscribing to that. Shu I have family members I can't be kumbaya with. Still trying to figure that out. The rest of you all, I respect but I don't have to love you. And where you come from has nothing to do with it!
Now that is REAL TALK!
One minute he is a staunch NDP supporter and the next minute he is in the VIP's bosom. This man is nothing but a turncoat.
If you want to talk indigenous how far back do you want to go.
The AmerIndians migrated from ASIA. Since you are incapable of doing the research yourself I'll give you a link. Note the migration routes and the DNA evidence.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas#Migration_into_the_continents
Yep, I learned that all in PRIMARY SCHOOL. Apparently our education system is better than yours.
First they put down the place,
Then the call the locals names,
Then they claim that they should be given rights here.
Then they call on God to deliver another Hurricane Irma when they cant get their way.
And they wonder why these bad minded, ignorant, lazy, nasty, self-centered, bitter BVI people don't want them here.
(does the cap fit?)
This is our homeland.
God Give you yours.
What is the problem?
I don’t believe in wholesale granting of status but what is wrong if the old rules are followed but folks do not have to wait a lifetime. The people live there are law abiding and are employed and have children, GRANT THEM THE STAUS NO MAN. CHO. STOP THE HATING. WE ALL ONE PEOPLE. MAYBE SAME FOREFATHERS
He's on point, that's why his family lost their prime waterfront property in east end to an old w**** b** for a measly $25,000. Take that.
synonyms: native, aboriginal, local; original, earliest, first, initial; ancient, primeval, primordial; rareautochthonous, autochthonic. Brother Edju En aka is conflicted; we understand where his loyal lie. Anyway, Andrew is the one that stirred up the rancour with the rush. Why the rush? This should be a simple ? to answer but he cannot credibly answer it. Why?
What is important of this initiative? We need to educate ourselves on what is already written about who we are and where we came from; there is no passport granted by local laws but from the British Nationality Act; and there is no such citizenship as “BVIslanders”. Do the adequate research and you will then speak correctly and truthfully about the Territory of the Virgin Islands.