Slavery Reparations? VI has nothing to get from UK - Gov Jaspert
The Queen’s representative was at the time speaking on a live Facebook interview today, Monday, September 7, 2020, with 284 Media.
Past was a horrific – Gov Jaspert
According to Governor Jaspert, “In terms of the past… that was a horrific period, it’s an issue. I think it’s one that is right to recognise and to think through in terms of ensuring that we keep on tackling and challenging any injustices,” while noting that racism must be tackled and eradicated.
However, when questioned on whether the UK intends to pay reparations in the Virgin Islands, he hinted that the Crown has no intentions of compensating people of African descent for the terror and injustices they suffered as a result of chattel slavery practised by the UK.
“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,” he said.
Keep names of slave owners on VI Landmarks – Governor Jaspert
Meanwhile, many Virgin Islanders, including radio hosts/Social commentators Claude O. Skelton Cline and Cromwell Smith aka ‘Edju Enka’ had called for places in the VI named after slave traders, thieves and murders, to be renamed.
“All the places that we have is named after these murderers and thieves," Smith told the listening audience on an episode on his Umoja show on Thursday, January 9, 2020.
However, the Governor has indicated that he shares a difference in opinion, which is to preserve the names of landmarks that were named after the very people, like Sir Francis Drake, who inflicted decades of harm and suffering on the ancestors of Virgin Islanders and other Caribbean people.
Governor’s office remains a remnant of slavery
“I think it’s really important that people are taught the history and taught to understand… a specific name change maybe takes it away, rather actually explaining and making sure that people understand what these various different symbols, names and places meant and understand the full history around them.”
Since the Interview, many progressive Virgin Islanders have said the Governor’s response and presence in the Virgin Islands is a manifestation of white supremacy and that his office remains a remnant of slavery and colonial rule.
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157 Responses to “Slavery Reparations? VI has nothing to get from UK - Gov Jaspert”
for god sake Governor stop trying to change the subject from your rac*** statement
BVIl have to be careful that the pendulum don't swing too swiftly to knock us out of where we belong. bc I was told by many expats that they want the BVI to be a FREE-WILL country so they can move about freely as they please smh!
You better examine yourselves instead of fixating on earthly matters.
We were not slaves and our names are not slavemasters names. They are ours from time we were in Europe etc. Furthermore many of these so call tyrants are or own people.
wow this is telling!!!! I told you all the man is a ra****t
Stop trying to change the subject the man is a r****t bottom line
ok Ms Ma* thought you were gone with your racist blogs
there can be no more guessing about this man Mr Governor's heart! Ra**** and w**** sup***** at play loud and clear
This sums it up so accurately!!! WHO VEX GO FLEX
Time longer than twine its clear the man is a ra****t
I am speechless with this r****st
those areas and the talk about reparations as we know will be over. You got yours now let us get ours.
For you to write such hate is another example of white power and KKK type behavior. We would not allow you to rewrite history and facts. Stop it VINO, going forward do not allow them to get away with such foolishness, Whites like other places need to pay up for their wickedness to other humans, mainly BLACKS
In terms of the reparations paid to white slave owners, as a UK tax payer I was paying for the loans the government took out in the 1800s to fund those payments. Half my family hadn't even migrated to the UK in the 1800s. So injustice abounds everywhere.
I am all for the very few wealthy families of the time being forced to pay reparations to the many they exploited. The problem with this is that it is not a colour/race thing, it is a class thing.
As for your final rant, I am with you in being against 'white power and KKK type behavior'. Please ensure you hold yourself to your own reasonable standard and never be wicked a 'down islander'
And he will get away with his ra******ts attitude
As a black man I am very insulted
As if slavery wasn't bad enough, when slavery was abolished, the slave owners were paid compensation for the loss of labour (properties) on the plantations. No wonder we noticed the aggression of the British to re-colonize the territory. I thank God that we have a Premier like Hon. Andrew Fahie to stand up against the Governor because even the little that we have here will be taken away from us. The Governor has the audacity to make such a statement in the territory. In other countries he would have been asked to leave. I hope the Foreign and Commonwealth office is taking note of the statement.
The blood, sweat and tears of Slave labour built the UK’s economy. Though the UK abolished Slave Trade in 1807, Slavery was not abolished until 01 August 1834. It is important to note that though Slavery was abolished in 1834, Slaves had to work an additional 4 years to buy their freedom.
Moreover, to pay for the 1833 Abolition Act, the UK borrowed £20M to compensate slave owners for lost of their property. The £20M equated to 40% of the UK budget at the time. By the way, the loan was paid off in 2015. Some approx 3000 slave-owning families were compensated, including the families of some prominent Britons. Everyone but Slaves and their descendants benefited from Slavery. Neither Slaves nor their descendants have yet to received even a “hapeny.”
Slave trade, Slavery and Slave labour built the UK economy. In addition to building the economy, Slavery also created a special privilege for White Britons. They have benefited and continue to benefit from Slavery. They enjoyed special privileges in education, healthcare, land purchase, housing, jobs, employment, nutrition..........etc. As the US is removing Confederate monuments, so too should the VI remove the names of alleged thieves, murders...etc from landmarks. The Guv rationale for. Keeping them is pure nonsense.
He needs to be fired and recalled his statement are big time racist and a manifestation of white supremacy and privilege
What are you so upset about after all we treat our blacks no different than racist people so get over it. I agree with um. Dig that
It doesnot mean that he is a racist but very very bad attitude
Your last point is just wrong. You do not, and cannot, know the position of everyone 'that come to live among us'. Saying there is no benefit to the Virgin Islander in remaining a British Citizen is false (although I will concede some of those benefits have diminished after the Brexit shambles). And I am not sure what monetary gain benefit foreigners who come to live here get that is not available elsewhere or to the BVIslander?
Listen to this, if you broke into someone's house and steal the valuables that are inside that house, then you went about and profited from those valuables. You were then caught by the authorities, wouldn't you be made to pay back the value of what was stolen , plus a fine?
You sure? Can't be. They ,plenty y plenty are here and too many want to be by here.
People like that scare me. Sumting wrong upstairs and ,they can't mean good.
The amount of people defending slavery is astonishing. DO you think every black person was sold into slavery NO those white men had guns while the Africans did not they were forced into slavery. MANY MANY MANY did not even survive the trip across the seas trapped on a boat with white rapists.
They killed natives and aboriginals THE WORLD OVER from Africa to Australia into South America and BACK up into North America. These acts fall squarely on their shoulders & humans have not evolved since. The same people
All of you saying if not for the UK this If not for the UK that. Shut up plenty of people in the UK did not want slavery abolished. There were plenty of violent rebellions one way or another Black people would rise up or die trying. What is life as a slave whipped at violated on the whim of another human. They watch Africa now thankful there is no African nation with no nuclear weapons to stand confidently at the table.
They cant catch themselves yet after these white racist inhuman colonizers ravaged the whole continent except a few select nations including Ethiopia.
This is history. This is fact. You dont have to be racist to acknowledge your ancestors were done wrong & the mentality that led that is still here in people's minds but they afraid to say N****r now to your face. The Governor and his ignorant remarks are offensive, insensitive, non diplomatic and ignorantly racist.
If we look at the truth of these historical figures and change names what is that taking off them??? It is admission of wrong doing, admission of what their empire was built upon.
They want to say it was TERRIBLE but they dont mean it.
He has shown us his hands, he has showed us his cards, he has showed us his heart…its dark and cold and he has no regards for blacks NONE I have lost all respect for Augustus!!!!
If my parents were raised in an environment of poverty and repression do I use this as a crutch on which to blame my own failings or do I use it to drive me to work hard and secure better things for my own children? We all have that choice. Reparations in the form of pure cash payments would do nothing to truly atone for the crimes of the past, as suggested by someone above any form of reparation should be in the form of improving the quality of and access to education for our children. This will allow them to truly succeed and have a sense of self worth rather than waiting for a handout from the white man.
To use a trite example, why do so many youngsters feel the need to ride around on scooters causing a menace? How does that benefit them and the wider society? Why do parents not take responsibility for their children running wild? Is that a natural outcome from slavery from 200 years ago?
Too many people fail to take responsibility for their own actions and their own destiny. As long as they have someone or something to blame it gives them an easy way from facing up to their own failings.
Moreover, some advocates against reparation for Slave descendants claim it would bankrupt the Bank of England. The UK borrowed £20M in 1833 to pay slave owners and the Bank of England didn’t go bankrupt. However, now nuff crocodile tears are being shed when it comes to reparation for Slave descendants. Do Black lives have no value? Yes. Did Slave labour have value. Yes. It built the UK’s economy, created White privilege, laid the down the foundation for industrialization.........etc. Further, the advocates against reparation is trying to make the ludicrous and nonsensical claim that there were sacrifices by both the slave traders, slave owners and colonialists and Slaves. Hogwash!
In the history books that were written by Colonialists, all kinds of false Brer Nanci stories were written. All those books need to be taken to dung heap. History must be written and preserve, but it must be truthful and accurate. What did pirates, buccaneers, murders.......etc contribute to the VI community and be rewarded with having their names associated with landmarks?
On another note, you want the current generations of Britons to pay reparation for the sins of past generations of Britons. The current generations should bear that burden. No Briton alive today participated in chattel slavery and didn’t owned any slaves. Reparation would be a huge debt that could bankrupt the UK. That is not in the interest of anyone. Slavery was horrible but it is time to turn the page.
By the way, it is an uncommon belief that Slave descendants are only looking for cash payments. Well, reparation is more than cash payments. Along with being dehumanized, traumatized and brutalized, Slaves were adversely impacted in other ways, eg, education, health, employment/jobs, family separation ........etc.
Consequently, programmes need to be developed, implemented and funded to provide opportunity(s) to allow progress in these other areas. How can one compete in a race if one starts the race at least 50 metres behind the starting line? Even Bolt could not make up that delta at his peak. Let’s debate. It is not enough to angrily strike the dislike button and run way.
This man represents an institution, that preety much ran the Black princess out of the Kingdom!
We should expect nothing less here of this man!
Is he a racist?
Well, most white people, like he, functions under the system of racism /white supremacy equation of white power-/non-white powerlessness!
And in the Kingdom, were it not for that power equation, the white collective as a group, would have been extinct a long time ago, with all of the supposed "browning", taking place over there!
This governor, even though he may have empathetic traits, cannot become a "John Brown"!
He would be tarred and feathered, degraded or even beheaded and killed, BY HIS OWN, for such an insubordination!
This, my people, is what we must understand, when dealing with the Kingdom and it's local representative!
Shame on the bvi people if they allows a ra****t in government house to get away with such a statement he is no different to trump
we now understand clearly why we're forced to have a white UK representative here in our midst - a continuation of what Bob Marley referred to as mental slavery. If we must have such representation we would gladly accept someone that looks like us.....
We MUST rise up and engage in daily demonstrations as was done in 1949 and send racists packing.
G** and mi** continue to be on our necks.
Racist bigots.
Get them gone!!!
Disgusting people.
And CHANGE THE NAME!!!! NO MORE FRANCIS DRAKE!!!
STOP BEING ENSLAVED!!!
Gus is our Trump. What did you expect???
Except he’s a civil servant who thinks he’s our imperial master.
Premier please get this disgraceful bi*** governor out. Bring back a black Frank Savage please, a true diplomat and gentleman who actually cared about us. Not this phoney fake undiplomatic politician dressed up in civil servant clothing!
Why you think he got NO honor after Irma?? UK know exactly how incompetent he is too...
Please Premier remove this ra***t incompetent governor.
The sad thing is this governor will get away with his r***t sick statement you watch
The racial divide is only going to get worst.
Drakes Highway to honor its engineer,a local.
Your names and that of your children.