Pastor urges religious leaders to condemn ‘reparation’ comments by Gov Jaspert
The Governor made the statements during a Monday, September 7, 2020, Facebook interview with 284 Media, where he also called for relics of slavery in the VI to be preserved.
“In terms of reparations, that’s not a position the United Kingdom has taken, that’s not something that here [VI], that’s is in the position, but I think it is always worth ensuring that we learn lessons from the past and we reflect on what a horrific period in history that was,” Governor Jaspert had said when asked about the possibility of compensation to the VI for slavery.
Governot still benefit from colonialism - Skelton-Cline
According to Skelton-Cline, “The monarch exists on the backs of black people, you work people from can’t see in the morning, to can’t see at night but you don’t understand the construct of reparations, of repair, of repay?”
He was at the time speaking on Honestly Speaking on ZBVI 780 AM on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, noting that even in today’s era the governor remains a benefactor of slavery through his office and benefits from VI taxpayers dollars for vehicles and housing.
“While you [Governor Jaspert] benefit… of what was wreaked upon a people and yet come before those very people and speak in that manner and you don’t see anything wrong with this?
“And people of the Virgin Islands, we don’t see anything wrong with this? Are we that asleep? I know there has to be a majority of voices... calling for a public apology.”
Media & religious leaders called out
The commentator called on the media, talk show hosts, the Government and local religious leaders to denounce the comments against the people of the VI. “If you want to know what’s in a man's heart, the Bible says, listen to what is coming out of his mouth.”
Skelton-Cline further urged the Fahie administration to start a Reparations Commission to document the story of slavery in the VI and present to the United Nations and the UK for reparations to be paid to the Virgin Islands.
“How much longer we as a people will continue to tolerate this kind of a treatment from the United Kingdom and its representative? It's out of order and, Governor Jaspert, you need to apologise to the people of these Virgin Islands!” Mr Skelton-Cline stated.
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47 Responses to “Pastor urges religious leaders to condemn ‘reparation’ comments by Gov Jaspert”
We don't need a commission for this and we don't need to react Jaspert's statement either. Get grip. What do you expect him to say? What do you expect them to do? Why are you asking those who benefitted to acknowledge and give you something for it? The Knowledge of it is the Power you seek. Go listen & learn some more and stop the noise b/c you feel you should say something. Let them keep their guilt & reparations. We just need to unify simple as that.
Forget about the Governor and the UK and free your mind from the enslavement then you will have no need to be begging anybody for anything. With the mind that we have been given by our slave masters we will continue to go round in circles. Religion is the most deadly and oppressive device that has been employed against our people. Check the tidal wave of dislikes and negative comments and realize why we can still be told upfront and boldly "we don't have anything for you. Go to church and pray."
Slavery, the UK’s original sin, created the foundation of its modern capitalism. It was the blood, sweat, tears and pain of Slave labour that opened the flow for capital and commerce that fuel the UK’s dominant economic growth. Slaves were a store of value, article of commerce, assets, currency.......etc that delivered huge profits and fortunes for Slave traders and Slave owners.
However, despite Slaves value, the only people that didn’t benefit from their value was either Slaves or their descendants. Slave labour was the fuel that drove the UK’s economic engine. It was the lifeblood that carried the oxygen for economic growth. In accordance with the 1833 Abolition Act, the UK borrowed some £20M to compensate Slave owners for lost of their supposed chattel property; loan was paid off in 2015. The families of many prominent Britons got paid. In addition to building the UK’s economy, Slave labour also fueled an environment of White privilege that benefited and continue to benefit White Britons to this day. White privilege engineered preferential treatments in education, healthcare, jobs/employment, housing, asset accumulation, social services, neighborhoods.......etc. Did Britons benefit immensely from and continue to benefit from Slave labour? Yes. Did Slave owners descendants receive inheritances created by Slave labour? Yes. Did Slave descendants receive an inheritance or any other benefit from Slave labour? No. Thus, it time for Slave descendants to be made whole—-reparation.
Does reparation mean only cash in hand for each descendant? No. Reparation should include cash, coupled with plans and programmes to promote the growth, development and advancement of descendants to put them on a competitive footing and in a competitive and equal position with others.
1. “Who should come up with plans to promote the initiatives you mentioned?” Ans: Reps from UK government and and a select committee from among stakeholders in Caribbean Anglophone countries.
2. “For the past 400 years the shackles were removed from our hands and feet but our minds remains in slavery.” Ans: The Abolition Act was assented to on 28 August 1833 and took effect on 01 August 1834——186 years. Though physical slavery was abolished on 01 August 1834, Slaves and descendants still slogged through many decades of disadvantages, eg, unequal access and unfair to education, healthcare, jobs/employment, housing, neighborhoods, judicial protection, social services, adult suffrage, acquisition of property.........etc. After emancipation, Slaves started a new life with just the worn rags on their backs and barefooted.
You would agree that Slaves built the UK economy and was the foundation of modern capitalism in the UK, creating wealth and fortunes for many slave owners that they passed on as inheritances to their descendants. Is it not fair, reasonable and decent that Slaves/descendants should benefit from their labour as we do when we are employed or operate a business? Reparation is fair and not a novel action for abused people.
Germany compensated the Jews for the Holocaust. South Africa for Apartheid. US paid Japanese for internment during WWII. North Carolina, US, for sterilization of Black women. Florida, US, for Rosewood riot. USPHS for Tuskegee Syphilis experiment. UK to Mau Mau uprising in Kenya. Why not reparation for Caribbean Anglophone countries? Who am I debating with? Be bold, be confident.
And remember that the while the UK did not invent slavery, they ended it.
But Britain did end the slave trade in the colonies using the might of its navy because the vast majority of Britons believed it was wrong.
It’s a nice idea that you might get a big free hand out today for something that happened in the past. So naturally you promote your version of history. Would the 10% white people in BVI share in this bonanza ? What about those of mixed race? What about those whose ancestors were the house negroes? Would you have some kind of apartheid commission to determine people’s race to see how much they get?
We all know why you have good reason to dislike the British.
But stop looking for freebies sit down.
I cry for my ancestors and for my BVI with the level of ignorance and support for a man who preaches hate and white supremacy. What a sad day for my BVI. How come he was not against the slave owners getting reparation? How come he did not equally condemned that?
If this governor had said this any place else in the world he would have been sent packing, but some of you are so foolish to your history is make me say Yuk!!! I suppose there are black people who supports Trump: Mr. Skelton say the course
He said as follows"
“In terms of reparations, that’s not a position the United Kingdom has taken, that’s not something that here [VI], that’s is in the position, but I think it is always worth ensuring that we learn lessons from the past and we reflect on what a horrific period in history that was,”
How you and anyone else can interpret that as racist I am unsure. He even quite clearly states that lessons must be learnt from that horrific period in history.
Time to get a life and be for real. What we need much more than reparation is to find our self. The gift of God is eternal life. Eternal Life can only be obtained by those who know themselves. Those who for whatever reason don't know themselves die the second death. It is so sad to to see people puff up themselves because of position, power, money and or material possessions and are completely devoid of understanding. MANKIND KNOW THY SELF.
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Governor has been fooling some of the people some of the time but he can’t fool all the people all the time!
He is a blatant ra****t bi***t & needs to GO!
The truth is OUT!
or were prisoners following inter tribal wars. These captured people would be brought to the slave market and sold to the European or Arab traders. These are well documented facts. Look it up. Google it : "Kingdom of Dahomey & slavery" for example.
I think reparations would be detrimental almost exclusively to the descendants of slaves , for various reasons. Cash handouts never work.
If you still think is a good idea, towards reparations should contribute in equal proportions the descendants of slave traders & owners and the descendants of African warlords who captured and sold their African brothers to the whitemen and arabs in slave markets on the coast of Africa.
But otherwise I think the Pastor/Consultant/Host etc is just playing politics using the race card. Pathetic and sad.
Answer: as long as people hold a victim mindset.
This is why Jesus Christ said FORGIVE. Because you only hold yourself down.
There is no person living today, black or white who was involved in slavery. Lets turn the leaf & live in harmony, the only thing preventing this occurring is hatred & unforgiveness. It will not come on earth any other way!