‘Leopards don’t change their spots’– Bishop Cline on colonialism
Speaking On the Monday, June 7, 2021, edition of Umoja, with host Cromwell Smith aka ‘EdJu En ka', Bishop Cline called on Virgin Islanders to look at Global Britain and what that means to the Virgin Islands, considering how large countries have reaped resources from Africa through colonialism.
According to the research publication, 'UK in a Changing Europe', Global Britain is the UK government’s mantra for its post-Brexit foreign policy. It was intended to signal that the country would not become inward-looking after Brexit, but on contrary would have a global outlook that went beyond Europe.
Be mindful of colonising countries - Bishop Cline
“We ought to be mindful that these large countries, these colonising countries, be it the UK, or France or Germany, or Belgium or the Spaniards… leopards don’t change their spots,” he said.
Bishop Cline continued, “If we are not mindful and vigilant about who we as a people are and where we want to be thirty years from now… then we can fall into that trap,” he said.
According to the Bishop, locals must examine, among other factors, their identity, the type of Governance it wants, and the legacies it wants to leave for the future when making decisions.
He said, if not, history will repeat itself in the territory regarding the future of the Virgin Islander, “we will be high paid slaves,” he said.
Lapse could result in modern slavery
“You’re getting a salary now, but you don’t own the resources, but the salary is just enough to keep you subservient to the master,” he said.
The Bishop hinted that under the Global Britain banner, the United Kingdom understands the importance of the resources in the VI and other OT's and is only presenting part of the story, which is why Virgin Islanders must think more holistically.
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15 Responses to “‘Leopards don’t change their spots’– Bishop Cline on colonialism”
And, sure, if working for someone else is to collect a wage is slavery, then slavery will never go away. However, the concept of slavery generally means an enslaved person can never quit, something that even people with work permits seem to have no problems doing.
Indeed, a leopard never changes its spots, just as Mr.