Skelton-Cline calls out ‘VINO Boycotters’ for silence over Gov’s reparation statement
No reparations form UK to VI - Governor Jaspert
On Monday, September 7, 2020, H.E. Augustus J.U. Jaspert, speaking during an interview with 284 Media, said paying reparations to the VI for acts of slavery and the slave trade is not the position of the Crown at the moment, hinting that the VI should expect nothing.
He also called for relics of slavery to be preserved, such as landmarks that were named after the very people, like Sir Francis Drake, who inflicted decades of harm, rape, abuse and suffering on the ancestors of Virgin Islanders and other Caribbean people.
Now, according to Mr Skelton-Cline, on the Thursday, September 17, 2020, edition of his 'Honestly Speaking' show, the silence of VI’s most outspoken voices regarding the boycott of VINO now speaks volumes even as Governor Jaspert continues to evade community calls for an apology for his statements.
Locals were willing to boycott VINO over cartoon – Skelton-Cline
“A few months ago… we had some of our own local people here, businesses, private persons, up in arms when a certain online news agency did a cartoon with the UK foot on our necks and they depicted this present Governor and myself,” Skelton-Cline said.
He continued, “And you were up in arms protesting… about how in poor taste this cartoon is... that really bespeaks the truth and the reality of where we are,” he said.
VINO, in a statement on June 15, 2020, said the cartoon in question was created out of statements made by commentator Mr Skelton-Cline on his Honestly Speaking show on June 9, 2020, when he likened some of the actions and policies of the United Kingdom and the current Governor as having their knees on VI’s collective neck.
The 'knee on the neck' phrase was made popular after African American George P. Floyd Jr, 46, was killed on May 25, 2020, when a white Minneapolis officer pressed a knee on Floyd’s neck for about 8 minutes and 46 seconds before he died, sparking racial injustice movements around the world.
Small outrage over cartoon in VI
However, in the Virgin Islands, the cartoon resulted in several community members allegedly trying to strong-arm businesses into boycotting VINO and calling for mass protest over the depiction.
Persons included Dr Michael A. Turnbull, who is the brother of Opposition Member Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2) and former Vice-President of the National Democratic Party (NDP); Mr Aaron F. Parillon, who unsuccessfully contested the Third District seat as a member of the NDP at the February 2019 general elections; and a former Acting Chief Immigration Officer, Mrs Geraldine Ritter-Freeman, who was ousted from her post months after the September 2017 hurricanes.
A Ms Esther N. Fraser had also moved to allegedly harass businesses to boycott advertising on VINO, and on an episode of the low budget talk show ‘Cut Deep’, host Rosemary R. Rosan-Jones aka ‘Cindy’ had strongly opposed VINO’s cartoon and joined calls for the publication to be boycotted.
Where are the voices now? – Skelton-Cline questions
Skelton-Cline in his Thursday commentary further questioned, “y’all wanted to boycott the online news agency, you call for all kinds of things, where are you now? Where is your voice? Have you lost your tongue?”
“That the Governor has said these kinds of things… you ran to his protection, rant to the UK defence and here now, the UK’s representative has insulted you, desecrated on the graves of your ancestors…” and silence, he said.
The man of the cloth said those who called for the boycott of VINO were ‘quick to protect the massa, but you won’t run to the protection of your fore-parents and the sacrifices that they have made to get us where we are today.”
Skelton-Cline further remarked, “but when it comes to protecting your ancestors, some of you same business people, some of you same private citizens, you have said nothing!”
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74 Responses to “Skelton-Cline calls out ‘VINO Boycotters’ for silence over Gov’s reparation statement”
He spent too long in Detroit.
IT IS SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH FOR THIS R****T BIGOT WORST GOVERNOR EVER TO BE EXPELLED
HE MUST APOLOGIZE TOO
HE IS A BULLY WHO BELLITTLES AND UNDERMINES OUR GOVERNMENT AND NOW US
HIS STAFF ALL LOOK MISERABLE AND WE SEE THEM SMOKE AND DRINK TO DROWN THEIR SORROWS! HE COULD NOT EVEN PROTECT THEM LET ALONE OUR COUNTRY!!
PLEASE GOVERNMENT MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS DISGUSTING DISGRACEFUL POOR EXCUSE OF A ‘MAN’
THE SOONER HE LEAVES THE BETTER AND HE MUST NEVER BE ALLOWED BACK!
The Governor is just telling you what UK government policy is. No reparations anytime soon or ever. He doesn’t have any say in that decision , he is just the messenger.
That is not the spirit of a Godly person.
Mr Skelton-Cline, remember Nelson Mandela? Please follow his example people will respect you more.
These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.
CSC you need to separate yourself from worldly ways and get right with God.
We are not your disciples ...you are NOT Christ.
Plenty people hiding behind titles but dirty in their deeds.
Please my friends, I ask that you take some time to look into what France has done to Haiti as well as Belgium to Africa.
While I do believe that mr. Jasper was too young for the responsibility of his position I also do understand that he is simply a product of his (mis)education on the question of the wonton rape of the weak and the uninitiated. So yes, CSC is correct and apparently one of the few who recognizes the injustice of the matter. I urge our people to come out and let us join him in his efforts to highlight a matter too long ignored...a reality too long suppressed to the extent that they (the UK) once again have the "uninitiated" and the "unlearned" natives engaged in infighting and self destruction as was evident in urging a boycott of a newspaper which were simply the messenger.
ARISE!!!!!
R*****-f****** is not broke the others are
2/ its black why black stayed in slavery for so long, its always a rat in midst that tells the white master or the black boss of the black organized freedom plan... Same as today
3/ Abraham Lincoln was a white man. When he signed that declaration of freedom for black people, he knew he was going to die for doing so...He was prepared to make that sacrifice.. Of course we know he was shot soon after for doing that, but that signature of his on that freedom document is so powerful not even executing him could have changed it... thats the ultimate sacrifice by a white man to set black people free. How soon we forget,.. Living in America, I got opportunities from white men while the black oppressed and mock u for your accent... They are a lot of good hearted hite people amongst the bad hearted ones. The same can be said about blacks.. We are no different....
Vino why waste time with the 5 suckers where are they today? Outside of R**** F*****88 the others are broke and begging
Another very sad day for the BVI BAM
I NEVER agree with Claude but I do this time. These silly knee grows in the pic especially the one who took advantage of min** g**l a pathetic crime showing his face MS no rehabilitation for your reputation so shut it. Glad I see the wrong Turnbull in this pic and not the RIGHT one blessings stand firm.