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CoI: VI has always been a reactive society - Angelle A. Cameron

- calls on territory to be proactive for the sake of future generations
Former Mrs BVI and ‘My BVI’ talk show host, Angelle A. Cameron has called on Virgin Islanders to stop being reactive, and rather, be proactive towards issues affecting the territory. Photo: VINO/File
Mrs Angelle A. Cameron was at the time speaking at the June 6, 2021, edition of the Honestly Speaking radio show alongside host Claude O. Skelton-Cline. Photo: Facebook/File
Mrs Angelle A. Cameron was at the time speaking at the June 6, 2021, edition of the Honestly Speaking radio show alongside host Claude O. Skelton-Cline. Photo: Facebook/File
When the COVID-19 pandemic started to seriously impact the Virgin Islands economy in March 2020, the Government of the Virgin Islands made a request to the UK for a grant to help persons made unemployed as a result of stringent measures to fight the virus. Ex-Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert responded that the VI was capable of financing its own initiative and that it had ‘healthy reserves and the Social Security Board Fund is very robust’. Photo: VINO/File
When the COVID-19 pandemic started to seriously impact the Virgin Islands economy in March 2020, the Government of the Virgin Islands made a request to the UK for a grant to help persons made unemployed as a result of stringent measures to fight the virus. Ex-Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert responded that the VI was capable of financing its own initiative and that it had ‘healthy reserves and the Social Security Board Fund is very robust’. Photo: VINO/File
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI - Former Mrs BVI and ‘My BVI’ talk show host, Angelle A. Cameron has called on Virgin Islanders to stop being reactive, and rather, be proactive towards issues affecting the territory.

Mrs Cameron was at the time speaking at the June 6, 2021, edition of the Honestly Speaking radio show alongside host Claude O. Skelton-Cline and guest Shaina M. Smith-Archer on the topic of the Commission of Inquiry.

CoI & attitudes of Virgin Islanders 

Regarding the CoI, Skelton-Cline remarked that one religious leader had told him, “the bee that stings is also the bee that produces honey.”

Referencing the Great March of 1949, he underscored that the CoI could be a work of God, to shake Virgin Islanders who would otherwise not believe the UK does not have their best interest at heart until they see what is next.

Does the UK have our best interest?

There have long been sentiments that the UK does not have the best interest of the VI at heart, including due to its attempts to force the VI to have ‘Public Registers’ which could severely hamper the financial services industry, as well as wanting the VI to legalise gay marriages.

The Virgin Islands generates its own revenue and does not rely or receive monies from the UK to meet its annual budgetary commitments.

When Hurricane Irma ravaged the Virgin Islands in September 2017, the UK refused to assist the Virgin Islands with significant financial assistance to aid in its recovery but instead only offered a loan guarantee, while refusing to make adjustments to the Protocols for Effective Financial Management to allow the territory to access significant loans without violating the protocols.

Premier Fahie has refused to sign the loan guarantee unless the adjustments to the protocols are put in writing. There are reports that the UK is upset about the Premier's refusal.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started to seriously impact the Virgin Islands economy in March 2020, the Government of the Virgin Islands made a request to the UK for a grant to help persons made unemployed as a result of stringent measures to fight the virus.

Ex-Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert responded that the VI was capable of financing its own initiative and that it had ‘healthy reserves and the Social Security Board Fund is very robust’.  Mr Jaspert had noted too that the United Kingdom was also facing its own challenges due to the impact of the pandemic.

Interestingly, while the UK was unwilling to help the VI financially it was willing to finance a Commission of Inquiry into the VI in the height of the pandemic while its own [UK] government has dodged a CoI into its own management of the pandemic, citing that the pandemic was an inopportune time.

The current UK government has been labelled by its own parliamentarians and press as one of the most corrupt governments. Its Prime Minister and buddy of Mr Jaspert, who was recently given a job by ‘Boris’, continues to be accused of corruption, telling lies and cronyism and investigations have been launched into some of the allegations.

More proactive VI - Ms Cameron 

Using the bee analogy, Cameron responded that the VI has several ‘stings’ which has prompted people to move towards change; however, that precursor may not be the best call to action.

“If we aren't careful, we are currently repeating that history. So that stinging, I can believe that because unfortunately or fortunately we have always been a people who don't move unless there has been some upset or sting of sorts.”

According to Ms Cameron, even in 1949 and beyond there was a ‘sting’, and that has always been the precursor for persons to make moves, “I want to get to the point where that's not where we are. That we are proactive and not reactive.”

According to Ms Cameron, as the territory modernises it should not be repeating the same steps of VI’s forefathers, but rather, making new steps that will benefit future generations.

17 Responses to “CoI: VI has always been a reactive society - Angelle A. Cameron”

  • GTFOH (07/06/2021, 08:18) Like (12) Dislike (17) Reply
    The UK doesn’t have out best interest at heart. People that think they do are naive and obviously do not pay attention to what’s going on in the UK or their own history with racism and corruption.
  • Sleeping policeman (07/06/2021, 08:32) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Reactive is correct. Nearly all the sleeping policeman aka speed bumps on the roads of Tortola are in their unique location due to accidents, injuries and fatalities in that location. A proactive approach is to locate these speed bumps at these and other locations BEFORE there are any accidents. injuries or fatalities.
  • @ CANARIES (07/06/2021, 08:52) Like (22) Dislike (5) Reply
    ALMOST EVERYONE KNOWS THAT SOME OF US ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMY AND SROP POINTING YOUR DIRTY AND GREEDY HANDS AT THE UK / JUST LOOK IN THE MIRROR IF YOU DARE ( HYPROCRITES
  • JennyCumLate (07/06/2021, 09:12) Like (10) Dislike (5) Reply
    Shut the hell up
  • I will say this (07/06/2021, 09:19) Like (31) Dislike (4) Reply
    The BVI will never modernize. To many people want to be in control. The BVI don’t have something as simple as decent internet service, under dated Hospital. You want to se a specialist you have to go to the USVI or the United States. In order for the BVI to modernize, everyone have to be on the same page. One have to take criticism in order to get and do better. To many control FREAKS is holding the BVI BACK FROM MODERNIZATION.
    • (07/06/2021, 15:44) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      Noted
    • josiah'sbay (08/06/2021, 23:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Who would pay for those specialist while they wait on the not so populous patient list. Some of your other points were on point.
  • question (07/06/2021, 09:29) Like (6) Dislike (3) Reply
    should this commission of inquiry comes back not in the favor of us what will our people do or what can our people do...simply based on the outcome some among us will begin to flex their muscles others can simply book their flight

    talk show after talk show simply highlighting matters but the way forward needs to be featured on some the "talk shows": we all know the rain falling we all know the elephant is in the room

    talk is cheap!!!!!

  • My girl (07/06/2021, 09:42) Like (1) Dislike (21) Reply
    The racist mob Coi must go stand up people
  • facts alley (07/06/2021, 09:52) Like (25) Dislike (0) Reply
    How can anybody here in this BVI be proactive? When it is clear as day that government officials will not address the dire matters in which the blame falls on their own people; corruption begins at the top positions and drizzles down to the smallest man.
    • @ facts alley (07/06/2021, 15:31) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      if i had money i would give a five dollars the issue is poor political leadership but the drizzle dont reach me yet....money and the root of evil go hand in glove
  • wow (07/06/2021, 10:58) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    Everybody got a talk show now
  • The continuing cycle of the blame game (07/06/2021, 11:12) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Proactive and reactive are both necessary in thus life. One without the other can not work, just like a brain without life doesn't. Stop trying to educate people in areas that you need to be educsted in, sister Talk too Much.
    Our bigest problems is our disunited selves, not the CoI, nor the UK.
  • lol (07/06/2021, 11:30) Like (22) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why are we concerned about whether UK has our best interests or not? Didn't Willard Wheatley and others push to get us out of grant/aid and we were on our own ever since? We should be ashamed that the UK are even here taking our clothes off, why? Because despite all the money we have made over the years, a hurricane hit us and we had to go to them begging for money because we didn't save anything for a rainy day. Then COVID hit and again, we went to them asking for money after squandering ours. So we want to go cap in hand begging but they shouldn't ask questions? Money talks and you know what walks, if we were responsible from day 1 we didn't have to deal with the UK on anything.
  • Well (07/06/2021, 13:36) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    THESE JOKERS KNOW THE TRUTH BUT THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO WIGGLE THEIR WAY OUT OF WHAT THEY CREATED BY USING CANARIES AND SMOKE SCREEN TO TRY AND COVER THEIR TRACKS
  • Lillian (07/06/2021, 16:00) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    LOL THESE LOCALS ARE LIKE CATS! FEED THEM AND THEN WHEN YOU TURN YOUR BACK WILL GET SCRATCH! ON YOU OR BITE ! UNGREATFUL PEOPLE! NOW THEY DONT NEED NOBODY LOL
  • omg (07/06/2021, 16:21) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    it's no obvious that NOT developing our infrastructure and refusing the assistance of highly qualified seasoned professionals meaning most have left has helped us in any way. the whole territory seems to be using Spanish town or Prospect Reef as a blueprint. It's not helpful


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