It's time to think about our ‘self-determination & our freedom’- Willock
Mr Willock gave his views while a guest on the ‘Panel-4’ discussion hosted by WPG-10–a Caribbean-themed television channel–to speak on the topic ‘Governance and the yolk of colonialism in the BVI.’ The show was aired on YouTube on August 1, 2023.
Strangleholds
According to Mr Willock, “It is time for the people of the BVI to determine the way forward, and in my humble view, the way out is certainly our self-determination. It's time for us to start thinking about our self-determination and our freedom.”
He was at the time speaking to the relationship between the UK and the VI and the impediments that accompany that relationship.
To this end, the Political Consultant, who served as Speaker of the House of Assembly under the previous VIP administration, noted that there are still several strangleholds that remain, and which leaves the territory dependent.
One such instance, according to Mr Willock, is the VI’s representation on the international stage, which in the present arrangement must be channeled through the UK.
This situation, he said, limits the abilities of the people of the Virgin Islands.
“All that (Intl representation), has to be channeled through the colonial power which is the UK, so we need to now look at our relationship with the UK.”
‘One-sided’ partnership
Mr Willock was adamant that a “partnership is based on mutual respect and understanding where each person is coming from, in terms of whatever the challenges of the day is” and reminded different Premiers have lamented the existing state of affairs as “one-sided.”
He cited, as an example, that complaints lodged with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in the UK against a sitting Governor are simply brushed aside.
Recognising ongoing efforts to revisit the relationship between the Virgin Islands and the UK, Mr Willock stressed, “The relationship has to be reviewed and in my humble view, it's time for us to start thinking about our self-determination and our freedom.”
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80 Responses to “It's time to think about our ‘self-determination & our freedom’- Willock”
Islands without the people? How would that happen? UK’s too busy trying to keep people away, and does not have the resources or political will for that matter to make all BVislanders move to the UK.
With corruption no self determination.
Yet you have an auditor general an attorney general capable of leading this country and you bad mouthing them. But tolans like incompetence they put an ex next to the name of slowman, but I commend you for sending a sheep out to pasture and bring back the Joshau in Myron. Yep action man said it.
So I can bat for the UK and for expats. I make no apology, tola belongs to the UK so that means it belongs to me. It belongs to my king and his heirs. We are your parent honor us. We will keep you under subjection for the next 100 years unless you begin to learn sense.
I can guarantee you that we Brits love tola more than you. How can you claim to love tola and vote an incompetent slow man to run the affairs. How can slowman claim to love tola and fought to be premier knowing full well he is incapable of running the country. We/I love tola hence the reason we are joining with the majority of tola lovers in saying no absolutely no to any form of self governance with this present incomoetent lot. Yep the action man speaks in the majority.
Ask where can you go on any UK site and see all the requirements (step by step) that any territory under them must follow if they want independence? Post it when you find it as all they say is if you want it just ask meanwhile they go behind the scenes and put barriers to make the people feel they are never ready for it. SMDH.
Research what was the reason in 1880 that caused the UK influenced commission of Inquiry Act to be passed during the still present slavery environment they created and said it was abloshied in 1834 and then turn around and used a 1880 act in 2021 in modern days to do what they called an 'independent and transparent' COI? You will be shocked when you find the answer.
Ask why no black or Caribbean person in the 21st century has ever been named Governor by the UK for any of its Overseas Territories?
The answers to the above will help anyone with common sense and basic understanding to make the right decision of whether to chose independence or not.
Moreover, the UK colonize the Virgin Islands in 1672 and has had full control of it ever since. The VI was part of Leeward Islands Federation until it became a direct colony in 1960; it is now an Overseas Territory (OT) ( 2002) of the UK, changing to the more political correct title from the less politically correct Dependent Territory. During its tenure under the Leeward Islands Federation, it had its Legislature suspended in 1901. It was reinstated in 1950 post the Great March of November 1949. It also got its first modern constitution in 1950, and local Virgin Islanders got the right/ability for the first time to vote directly for four (4) at large members to represent them in the Legislative Council. It attained universal suffrage in 1954, giving all qualified Virgin Islanders the right to vote. The VI got its second modern constitution in 1967, ushering the ministerial system of government, gaining a full measure of partial self-governance. It got additional constitutions in 1977 and 2007 which provided more incremental measures of self-governance, ie, transfer of finance from Governor to the local government. It got of grant -in-aid in 1979/80 under the Willard Wheatley Administration.
Moreover, the current constitution (2007) is a power sharing arrangement but a dependency-modeled constitution with U.K./Governor being responsible for defence, external affairs, internal security, including RVIPF; civil service, judiciary, and HMP ( partial ??); local government, remaining functions. Nevertheless, the U.K.-appointed governor has unilateral power and control, ie, reserved powers, retained and assigned powers, assent, etc. And any devolved powers can be easily reversed, ie, suspending of constitution ( which is currently suspended by an order in council and being held in abeyance).
Finally, if all people have the right through self-determination to pursue the blessings of liberty and freedom, in the spirit and intent, right, etc., of this blessing, Virgin Islanders should be given the opportunity through a referendum and by a majority vote to choose their political status. They must be given the option to choose from among status quo, free association, integration, independence, etc. The VI has transitioned a supposed poverty stricken, little sleepy hollow, poor house of the West Indies, only useful as a bird sanctuary, subsistence agricultural locale to service -based economy ( tourism /finsncial services)locale which is viewed as having one the highest standard of living, quality of life, per capita income, human development index in the region.
True, as a people,,as a territory, we transitioned from a lowly presidency in the Leeward Islands Federation to a forgotten and neglected direct colony to a dependent territory to today an Overseas Territory(OT). Under all of these statuses the BVI has been under the unilateral thumbs of the UK. As a territory, we are floundering from pillar to post not knowing up from down or east from west. The divide and rule conditioning crafted and implemented by Willy Lynch and hosts of others has and is working well. We are trying to find ourselves even after almost 200 years of supposed emancipation. We have hitched our blessings of liberty and freedom to the UK wagon. In case we have forgotten, the UK was instrumental in launching and implementing the slave trade, the institution of slavery, etc, exploiting the labour of our forebears. Slave labour was a real life monopoly game, enriching slave owners without having to work, contributing to building the insurance, banking, real estate, transportation, telecommunications, financial, shipping,etc industries. Additionally, lest not also forget that under Abolition Act of 1833, the UK authorized and appropriated £20, 000, 000 to compensate some 3000 slave owners( University College of London (UCL)) for the lost of their chatel property (slaves) and source of income and wealth building. The £20M equated to 40% of the UK budget at the time( today’s estimated value £17b); it was also borrowed money/loan which was paid off in 2015. The slave owners were paid but to this day the slaves and their descendants have yet to get even a farthing or even a simple apology to those force to play the monopoly slavery game with neither assets nor money yet force to partake in the game. The VI and other regional countries must get reparative justice as did Native Americans, Jews, Japanese, etc. The Brits did provide reparations to Kenyans for the Mau Mau uprising and resulting brutality. Where are we headed as the VI and Virgin Islanders? The Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland noted that if you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there. Is our destination hitching to the UK’s skirt tail? Has that plan work for us thus far? Do we need another wagon to hitch to??
The first is to determine if this is the will of the people. If that is the case then the second referendum is conducted once all the terms and conditions are fully understood and the pro's and con's have been explained.
The UK voted for BREXIT without even understanding what that would entail. If they had that vote again today they would get right back into the EU. Understanding is key.
1. Profanity is crutch for the intellectually disabled.
2. Please see latest opinion poll "As of July 2023, 55 percent of people in Great Britain thought that it was wrong to leave the European Union, compared with 33 percent who thought it was the right decision." https://www.statista.com/statistics/987347/brexit-opinion-poll/#:~:text=As%20of%20July%202023%2C%2055,it%20was%20the%20right%20decision.
3. Have a nice day
LONG LIVE THE ESTEEMED SPEAKER the closest person to BVI royally!!!!!