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Hon Vanterpool blasts Commonwealth as reminder of UK enslavement

- says moving forward VI should not be part of Commonwealth but rather a strong partner with UK
Fourth District Representative in the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly, Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) has blasted the Commonwealth as a reminder of the scores of nations that were once colonies of the United Kingdom and subject to slavery. Photo: GIS/Facebook
Founded on December 11, 1931, the Commonwealth also known as the Commonwealth of Nations is a free political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. Photo: Internet Source
Founded on December 11, 1931, the Commonwealth also known as the Commonwealth of Nations is a free political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. Photo: Internet Source
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI– Fourth District Representative in the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly, Hon Mark H. Vanterpool has blasted the Commonwealth as a reminder of the scores of nations that were once colonies of the United Kingdom and subjected to slavery.

Hon Vanterpool was at the time speaking on the topic of self-determination for the VI and the way forward during the Emancipation Service held by the Virgin Islands Heritage Month Committee at Sunday Morning Well on July 31, 2022.

No celebrating the memories of enslavement- Hon Vanterpool 

“I no longer believe in this Commonwealth nations thing... the Commonwealth nations thing is a reminder of all of the nations that the United Kingdom enslaved...and we are not going back there,” he said.

The legislator added, “We are going forward. I am not celebrating the memory of us being enslaved as a nation.”

Hon Vanterpool called for the VI to move forward and work closely with the United Kingdom as partners with mutual respect and collaboration to make the Virgin Islands better for the people of this territory.

Founded on December 11, 1931, the Commonwealth also known as the Commonwealth of Nations is a free political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. 

The former dependencies who are members of the Commonwealth have chosen to maintain ties of friendship and practical cooperation and also acknowledge the British monarch as the symbolic head of their association.

More conversations needed 

Meanwhile, the senior legislator called for the conversation on self-determination to continue as the VI must be able to survive and grow as a people.

He reminded the VI that everywhere is now interdependent, including the UK, US, and other larger countries.

“As so it must be in the Virgin Islands, we are no less, we must be able to make our own destiny and our own self-determination,” he added while reminding us that the UK should continue to be a partner in spite of the history.

18 Responses to “Hon Vanterpool blasts Commonwealth as reminder of UK enslavement”

  • jack (02/08/2022, 09:09) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    But your sell out premier loves the uk
  • Yes to UK (02/08/2022, 09:10) Like (6) Dislike (7) Reply
    You blasted the Commonwealth as a reminder of the scores of nations that were once colonies of the United Kingdom and subjected to slavery, but you were out there yesterday celebrating. Make up your mind about what you believe in.
  • WELL HALLELUIAH (02/08/2022, 09:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    WHAT HAVE WE HERE ???? ❓ ???? WHO IS REALLY RUNNING THE COUNTRY ?????? ,( WE ALL COME AND MEET THIS LAND BAND WE ALL WILL GO AND LEAVE THIS LAND , NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE / U MIGHT WANT TO GET A LOUD SPEAKER AND HOLLER OUT , OR LOOK IN THE MIRROR
  • Agreeable One (02/08/2022, 09:18) Like (1) Dislike (19) Reply
    Kudos to you Hon. Vanterpool. I will focus on your message but not on you. As a country we have the right to make our own decisions and run our affairs as we have been doing for years. The colonialist mindset the UK has towards us MUST change and WE must initiate that change. Currently the BVI is like a child that is not allowed to grow up by its parents the UK. We have made mistakes like any growing or even mature democracies. Let’s go BVI, lets do this thing. Let us exercise our democratic right to self determination. Agree with Hon. Vanterpool 1 million percent! We have what it takes to do this with Gods help. ????????
  • Yes to UK (02/08/2022, 09:26) Like (17) Dislike (7) Reply
    Mark it sounds like you don't know what you want, but you should know most of the people of the British Virgin Islands Don't want self-determination.
    • @ yes to the uk (02/08/2022, 09:28) Like (2) Dislike (18) Reply
      Yes a majority want our independence
    • Josh (04/08/2022, 18:07) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      @yes to the UK. How stupid your comment is. The only people in the VI who don’t want self determination are white folks living amongst us and down islanders who simply hate VIslanders. Plain and simple
  • 911 (02/08/2022, 09:27) Like (2) Dislike (14) Reply
    Mark on point as alwsys
  • National apartheidism (02/08/2022, 10:22) Like (13) Dislike (2) Reply
    You do not want to be part of Caricom but you want their support, you do not want to be the Commonwealth but you crave their identity, globalism is changing the world environment but you chose to behave like what you define as your past colonial master in mimicking Brexit, your ideas and policies and counterproductive and based on backward thinking. You are bent on creating a system of national apartheidism.
  • Observer (02/08/2022, 10:27) Like (16) Dislike (1) Reply
    Do you have a team participating in the Commonwealth Games? Maybe a good place to start would have been a boycott of the games, since you are so big on "....breaking shackles."
    "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."
  • Unhappy man (02/08/2022, 11:05) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    always complaining about the UK but does not have enough power to accomplish political changes anymore. Sorry but no body cares about his complaints as he becomes weaker and weaker then fades into the past.
  • GTFOH (02/08/2022, 11:11) Like (5) Dislike (8) Reply
    We dont want independence because we know we dont have the resources to be truly independent but we do not want former slave drivers forcing their will on us and basically giving us a puppet government to do their bidding. The relationship with the UK right now is very much like a dictatorship. They allow us to feel like we are in control by allowing us to vote for leaders then they in turn strip the leaders of their power to lead independently by giving ultimatums with deadlines. That is not democracy or freedom. That is sugarcoated blackmail.
  • Big Richard (02/08/2022, 12:10) Like (7) Dislike (6) Reply
    The BVI. Blaming shortcomings & failures on racism and slavery since 1834
  • WEW (02/08/2022, 12:11) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    Mark is only for Mark. Wake Up peeps.
  • Notingtolose (02/08/2022, 12:46) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mark Vanterpool has nothing to lose. His career as a politician ended a almost four years ago and whether he had intentions of running for office again would have resulted in a lost. He was there for over twenty years and never spoke out against this Commonwealth issue or other relevant ones as a matter of fact. All he has to show is to declare himself as a Senior statesman. He could afford to say anything he wish. People Mark Vanterpool has nothing to lose.
    • the rock (03/08/2022, 17:39) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      You missed the message by focusing on the man, but hay if mark runs again, no one can beat him, actually we need him now more than ever!
  • Justwait (02/08/2022, 12:53) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    Dictatorship? Wait toll we become independent
  • pure hot air (02/08/2022, 13:03) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    if there one thing we have is talk: one can spend all day talking but talking hardly changes the circumstances


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