Caller: If you do not like it here, go home!
She was at the time calling the show via telephone which was aired on Saturday March 17, 2012.
The caller claimed on national television that she had an unfortunate experience at Peebles hospital, where she allegedly heard some nurses who she claimed were expatriates “talking down the BVI”. The caller claimed that, “one of the nurses was saying they cannot wait to get her pension to leave the BVI.”
When Virgin Islands News Online contacted the Director of Hospital Services Mrs. Cedorene Malone-Smith, she said all official complaints that are made to the Peebles Hospital are reviewed, investigated and addressed.
“There is a Complaints Process that has been implemented and in our quest to improve our quality of delivery of care to our community, we continue to make ourselves available to address the concerns of our clients. We urge persons to contact us with any issues they may have, and give us the opportunity to find a resolution,” Mrs. Malone-Smith stated.
The caller made it clear that she has nothing against people from other islands but according to her, “they must respect the BVI and its people and our polices…and if they do not like it here they should leave”. The caller said on the TV talk show that she is married to an expatriate, however, “he is very respectful to her and the BVI.”
The female caller further stated that she was “not saying that they should not come here but they must respect BVI people, our laws, our procedures etc.”
Co-host of ‘Speak Your Mind’ Mr. Henry asked the caller if she knew young persons who were interested in nursing and challenged her to go to the Ministry of Health with the names. The caller claimed that she knows of “many young Virgin Islanders interest in nursing and jobs”.
Meanwhile, Mr. Henry also told the show’s audience that he himself had an experience with an expatriate disrespecting the Virgin Islands. He reported that he was in a Money Gram line recently, when he heard someone said, “I can’t wait until my house is finished, so I can leave the BVI….to go home.” Henry said he heard it live for himself.
In recent years, there have been some tensions rising between local Virgin Islanders and expatriates from the other Caribbean Islands, North America and Europe who are here on work permits. There is the perception that locals are being discriminated against in both the public and private sectors, as it relates to employment, top jobs, promotions and other opportunities. There is also the perception that local Virgin Islanders are not getting fair treatment from the judicial system.
However, no one has brought forward statistics to prove or disprove this wide spread perception amongst indigenous Virgin Islanders. Currently, indigenous Virgin Islanders are a minority, both in the population and in the workforce.
In many constitutions around the world, there are certain provisions inserted to protect the minority indigenous population. The Virgin Islands does not have such a provision in its latest 2007 Constitution.
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