Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

‘Teach your children that reparations is owed to them’- Hon Fraser

-says many still don't understand the true meaning for Emancipation celebrations
Opposition Leader in the Virgin Islands, House of Assembly (HoA) Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) said as the VI celebrated its various emancipation events, the territory will never be fully emancipated until Britain pays up reparations to the descendants of slaves. Photo: VINO/File
The legislator added that even as emancipation is celebrated yearly, some people don’t even realise the true reason for the holiday outside for having fun. Photo: Team of Reporters
The legislator added that even as emancipation is celebrated yearly, some people don’t even realise the true reason for the holiday outside for having fun. Photo: Team of Reporters
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Opposition Leader in the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly (HoA) Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) said even as the VI celebrated its various emancipation events, the territory will never be fully emancipated until Britain pays up reparations to the descendants of slaves.

“The answer is no. We are not truly emancipated. And I will never accept that to be the case until reparation is made. We must fight for it,” Hon Fraser said in an August 1, 2022, social media post. 

Fight for reparations – Hon Fraser

He said the people of the VI must also teach their children that reparations is owed, “If we do [fight], even if it takes another 188 years we’ll get it... Let’s teach our kids to teach their kids that it is owed to us/them,” he added.

The legislator said that even as emancipation is celebrated yearly, some people don’t even realize the true reason for the holiday outside for having fun.

“Let’s remember it was 188 years ago on August 1st 1834 we were freed from slavery, and it’s that freedom we are celebrating. Supposedly, in 1834, the British abolished slavery,” he said.

Hon Fraser said the reality is that those formerly enslaved, had to give another four years of free Labour under the apprenticeship system.

“The British Government took out a loan in order to give financial compensation to the former slave owners. In today's terms, the figure would exceed 20 Billion dollars. 20 Billion to the former slave owners who took that money to start new businesses and make new fortunes. Many of those businesses still exist today.”

Money paid to slave owners & not slaves - Hon Fraser 

He said not a dime of the money went to those formerly enslaved, “Nearly 200 years later, have we received anything? Nearly 200 years later, the United Kingdom is still forcing unreasonable economic, political, and social demands on their remaining Caribbean colonies.”

He added that years later the region has only now realised that its survival means that we must work as one Caribbean people. Hon Fraser added that even in today’s world, the French are still plundering the wealth from their former African Colonies unabated.

“Nearly 200 years later, Independent countries still have the Queen as Head of State. Are we truly 'Emancipated' as yet?,” Hon Fraser further questioned.

59 Responses to “‘Teach your children that reparations is owed to them’- Hon Fraser ”

  • Wilberforce (04/08/2022, 13:44) Like (73) Dislike (8) Reply
    Didnt the slaves receive the land formerly owned by the plantation owners. ? If not how come all the land is owned by the rich elite families like Frasers?
    • we the people (04/08/2022, 14:13) Like (6) Dislike (40) Reply
      We need our independence and we need it now
      • How (10/08/2022, 18:32) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
        No problem. You already have it. Look what a mess we've made of the bits we control.
    • History Lesson... (04/08/2022, 14:37) Like (27) Dislike (9) Reply
      Your statement as you have phrased it here would imply that the formerly enslaved were given the land that the plantation owners formerly owned. That is not the case. You are perhaps confusing the story of the Quakers and specifically Nottingham Estate on the East End of Tortola with ALL the other estates in existence both at that time and after. As it happens, while the Quakers of Nottingham Estate manumitted their enslaved people and granted them land, other estates on Tortola and the other islands received no such land grant. It took a massive hurricane in the 1820s and severe losses on the part of the plantocracy (who weren't able to claim the insurance from Lloyds of London to rebuild), followed by rebellions (e.g., Josiah's Bay) for the plantocracy to cut their losses and leave, abandoning those estates which then went into chancery for a number of years before being BOUGHT and PAID FOR by the formerly enslaved (to answer your question about 'rich elite families'). There was no grant or free-for-all, only an Act of God, followed by unrest and then time and saving did the rest.

      HLSCC has a great course on Virgin Islands History if you are interested in learning about the history of this territory, especially during slavery days.
      • truth be told (04/08/2022, 15:21) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
        i was going to comment, you did a goo enough job on such. However, never knew such history and im born here. very interesting. Wish we were taught history like that while i was in school
        • True (04/08/2022, 16:29) Like (19) Dislike (3) Reply
          but you miss out all the crown land that has already been gifted to BVIsanders would that not count? But the UK should set up a fund to be used for infrastructure as payment of past deeds , not line someones pockets...
          • free (10/08/2022, 18:34) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
            Why should we be paid for slavery? The white man didn't enslave us. He bought slaves from the black Africans that had their own slaves. Educate yourself. Ghana needs to pay us.
      • Really? (24/04/2023, 20:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        How did slaves with no money buy land from the owners who, according to you, had only left the land because of hurricane or revolt?
    • Fraser does not do what he preaches (04/08/2022, 14:38) Like (34) Dislike (6) Reply
      Has Fraser transferred any ownership of any of his businesses to the people that work in them - or does he think that only applies to foreign owned businesses?
    • malone (04/08/2022, 15:14) Like (20) Dislike (0) Reply
      Exactly our own suppress us out of greed. All the suppressors have to do is start a race war or distract the fools with the outsiders hard earned money. Then no attention is paid to the roads or the ptogress of the country which the elite families control and careless about
    • @Wilberforce (04/08/2022, 15:34) Like (4) Dislike (10) Reply
      Not so. The islands were left for the bird and our grandfathers made lemonade with the limes. We will get our reparations from the British Government. Fire burn them. We serve a mighty god and it is better to repent that to do evil and continue in your dirty ways.
    • That's smarts BUT (10/08/2022, 18:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      The slave masters were PAID TO RELEASE SLAVES. Slaves were lifted to live on the property after all the illegal run offs were over
    • Lombo (10/08/2022, 18:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      ‘Teach your children that reparations is owed to them’ You might think of teaching them how to correctly use English grammar. You're welcome.
    • juke (10/08/2022, 18:36) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Good point. Frasers stole the land. These should pay reparations to the Arawaks.
  • belongers (04/08/2022, 13:54) Like (90) Dislike (9) Reply
    teach your children they aren't owed anything by anyone. everything they want in life demands hard work, instead of raising dependents
    • Tasty (04/08/2022, 14:35) Like (22) Dislike (4) Reply
      Well said.
    • To belongers (04/08/2022, 18:55) Like (15) Dislike (7) Reply
      Black folks were not the only race to be sold into slavery, but they act like the were. Now we see why most bvislanders act the way they do
    • josiah'sbay (04/08/2022, 23:57) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
      If ever you go for your pay and you are willing to forgo it, then talk to me. It's a simple concept if you work you should get paid.
  • jack (04/08/2022, 14:12) Like (6) Dislike (51) Reply
    Fraser is on point as usual
  • …. (04/08/2022, 14:21) Like (12) Dislike (3) Reply
    Strupes… Why?
  • resident (04/08/2022, 14:27) Like (49) Dislike (3) Reply
    What about the billions of revenue the Government has received since the 1980’s when we have third world infrastructure and terrible public education?
  • Eagle Eye (04/08/2022, 14:37) Like (8) Dislike (15) Reply
    Fraser you on point but very late. Lately I have been blogging on Reparations seems you have been checking the news.
  • facts (04/08/2022, 14:51) Like (8) Dislike (32) Reply
    I have teach my three children that the wicked white man must pay Frazer you speaking good
    • perhaps (04/08/2022, 16:31) Like (20) Dislike (5) Reply
      you should keep you legs closed or better still let their fathers teach them to own their own businesess and not expect or need a handout
    • @facts (04/08/2022, 19:27) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
      I Hope their grammar is better than yours
  • agreed (04/08/2022, 14:52) Like (3) Dislike (5) Reply
    AGREED!!!!
  • Diversion (04/08/2022, 15:19) Like (43) Dislike (3) Reply
    This reparation chat is nothing more than a diversionary ploy to portray the UK as the villain. There is only one Government that has spent the last 20 years stealing from us, and that is the BVI Government.
    • Truth speaker (29/09/2022, 22:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You speak the truth there. Just open your eyes and look about you. What has happened to the billions of dollars which have gone into government coffers in the last 30 years? We know it wasn’t used for the hospital, the roads, the schools, the water and sewerage system, communications, community healthcare, disabled or elder support. But a privileged few have gotten rich and fat on the cookies from the cookie jar. The truth is there for all to see.
  • What We Should Teach (04/08/2022, 15:27) Like (34) Dislike (4) Reply
    After viewing the many vehicular accidents that have left persons fighting for their life others nursing wounds and responsible for damage to public property how do we claim Festival was a success. Was the public demonstration of vulgarity a successful lesson in indoctrination of our young people into pagan debauchery. How on earth could this all begin with a so called gospel fest. Should we have a church service at the entrance to every brothel and strip club? None of our ancestors would condone our so called celebration. We need to stop calling their names in our mess. This madness that we call Festival need to be looked into. This is where the Christian Council need to step up. What we are doing makes no sense whatsoever. We are in serious bondage.
    • WOW (05/08/2022, 09:06) Like (1) Dislike (5) Reply
      @ what we should teach. You should research the bible and you will be shock to find out its a fake book.
  • SINCE HE (04/08/2022, 15:44) Like (10) Dislike (2) Reply
    GOT BACK HIS THRONE , HE TRYING TO FLEX OFF ???? BUT MOST OF HIS NOISE IS JUST THAT ( NOISE ) / HE OLD TIME BUDDY IN MIAMI , WAS SINGING LIKE A CANARY TOO ???? ARE THESE SOME OF THE SIDE EFFECTS OF COVID OR C O I ❓ ❓ ❓
  • Xpats too (04/08/2022, 15:51) Like (33) Dislike (8) Reply
    Xpats here more than 10 yrs deserve reparation also from the immigration Dept and BVI government for wilful and unlawful oppression against a certain people an act they know to be wrong and unlawful. Yet they still enforce it and caused much pain..
    • josiah'sbay (05/08/2022, 11:25) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
      The ack state that you can be considered. You don't have to be made, so what's your point?
    • Lin (11/08/2022, 03:31) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      Expats should not be permitted to stay that long like in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda.
  • Hmm (04/08/2022, 16:05) Like (8) Dislike (5) Reply
    Frazer slavery was not how we think it was. The largest slave owner in the southeastern united states was black. Don't be fooled by movies such as cry freedom and roots its all propaganda. All other races who were hired to work are called indentured servants but blacks are slaves ill-treated and dumb.
  • Reality check (04/08/2022, 16:25) Like (21) Dislike (0) Reply
    There is a possibility that my forebears were enslaved by Fraser's forebears, with one of mine escaping to the north, while his lost out to a stronger tribe and were then sent to the Caribbean. I want reparations from Fraser because his forebears were slavers.
    That is as ridiculous as Fraser's assertion that he is owed anything. Slavery started in African, where we all started, as soon as there was more than one tribe. Concentrate and channel your energy into building a better life, not sitting around waiting for some pie-in-the-sky enrichment. Shape the future instead of trying to change the past!
  • mad max (04/08/2022, 16:59) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    ... and call them the "entitled". That way they will never need to work hard or learn a skill. They can just wait for their entitlement.

    In the meantime, the hard working and determined will leave them in their dust. No wonder the BVI is as it is.
  • Rubber Duck (04/08/2022, 17:15) Like (5) Dislike (24) Reply
    Look at some of these white bloggers trying to rewrite history smh but we will never forget racism and white supremacy
  • Citizen (04/08/2022, 18:12) Like (48) Dislike (3) Reply
    How can our leaders sound so ridiculous, we need to teach our children the value of hard work, not handouts
  • christian (04/08/2022, 18:14) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    Which part of God see color? You blocker leave the almighty one out of youall mouth, The one i serve bring people togather thats why i dont go to no church, how can you be preaching racism and mention God in the same sentence?
  • Da vioce (04/08/2022, 18:23) Like (10) Dislike (2) Reply
    God created man they end up nail him to a cross he said forgive, how can we call ourselves christ like and hold on the slavery to used when its suits us best? Shame on all of you. Hope all of you asked for forgivness whether you yellow, black or white we all are equal in his sight.
  • c (04/08/2022, 18:56) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    That’s embarrassing.
  • @ historian lessons ???; (04/08/2022, 19:09) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    Mr E I respectfully your knowledge on history , what a pity you you seems to enjoy playing games with the whole truth and dramatizing certain parts of it ( respect yourself and do the right thing .
  • Salty Fish (04/08/2022, 19:13) Like (22) Dislike (2) Reply
    More genius and divisive comments from the architect of Bi-Water and 'the man' that put traffic lights and crosswalks on the road-a-bout!

    Keep us simple people at each other's throats while you run away with the gold. :)
  • M 5 (04/08/2022, 21:38) Like (3) Dislike (11) Reply
    Ha ha the Uk out blogging but we will never turn back
  • What a dumb bunch of slaves (05/08/2022, 00:32) Like (4) Dislike (9) Reply
    So our ancestors worked and never got paid, while their “masters” reaped all the benefits and some of you all feel that we are not owed anything? You all are really a dumb bunch of people. I agree that we are far from emancipated. Those people probably have a good laugh at us every year, especially around this time.
    • The TRUTH (05/08/2022, 08:11) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
      Worked is all? They were raped, beaten and killed for HUNDREDS of years. The socioeconomic impact is still being felt generations later. The majority of the wealth of the British, French empire etc. was built on the back of free black labour. Any black person saying reparations isn't owed is a plum fool. Far lesser atrocities in history have been remediated.
      • josiah'sbay (05/08/2022, 11:29) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
        That's the reaction you get when ignorance speak without history and education.
      • subsub (10/08/2022, 18:43) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        "Free black labour"? What about the cost of paying the Africans for the slaves, shipping, food, admin, taxes? Man, it ain't easy.
  • do better (05/08/2022, 02:00) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
    Not a soul in the last couple generations were born into slavery. Only those who were in slavery is deserving of reparations. Rest of us need to work for what we want and be happy with whatever we have or will inherit from our parents. If anything we need to teach our children is to acknowledge Jesus as lord n Savior that he is, work and earn an income, learn a trade, invest, save money and all the other essentials fo navigate in this tough world.. From being a set ah gimme gimme
  • Scarborough (05/08/2022, 06:30) Like (5) Dislike (4) Reply
    Teach your children manners.
  • hmmm (05/08/2022, 06:48) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    Why not start by teaching your children manners and civility? Slavery was not right, but on the other hand, descendants of such ended up with the BVIs and not a swamp. There was a time not long ago when the Territory was quite prosperous, but all that has been squandered by reckless politicians. IMHO, it is they who owe reparations.
  • Yes to UK (05/08/2022, 09:58) Like (10) Dislike (3) Reply
    @What a dumb bunch of slaves, You are very stupid to write what you wrote, We are not slaves, Slavery is a part of history no one owes you anything. People like you don't like the UK but you are out there begging for handouts you have no pride you are beggars because the UK don't owe you anything, GET A LIFE and stop listening to people like Julian Fraser who got us where we are today. The BVI government are the ones who owes us.
  • E. Leonard (05/08/2022, 14:18) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
    Undoubtedly, the UK greatly profited from the slave trade and slave labour. Slave labour built the UK’s economy, built vast personal wealth for thousands of Britons, provided source funding for the Industrial Revolution, etc,. The “Sugar Islands” contributed immensely to building the UK economy, ie, the profits from the Sugar Islands fueled the growth of commercial capitalism which in turn fueled industrial capitalism. The growth and shift to industrial capitalism caused the UK and investors to sour on slavery and the Sugar Islands. It is important to note that slave labour from the Sugar Islands fueled the Industrial Revolution yet the islands didn’t benefit from the Industrial Revolution. Further, consistent with the Abolition Act of 1833, the UK Parliament authorized and appropriated £20M to pay slave owners; the payout was funded from a loan which was supposedly officially retired in 2015. £20M equates approximately to £17b today. Everyone but slaves and their descendants benefited from slavery, a horrific, brutal, dehumanizing, exploitive, extractive, etc, institution. To date, neither slaves nor their descendants have received even a simple apology and have not received a farthing. The UK has a moral obligation to pay reparations to slave descendants. The often used lame canards, ie, I didn’t owned slaves, no one alive today owned slaves, I don’t know anyone that owned slaves, I should not have to pay for the wrongs of forebears, etc, is not going to fly today. That tired, toothless dog is not going to hunt today. The question is if slave owners descendants benefitted from slavery and is still benefitting? Are they enjoying special unearned privileges, entitlements, status, etc, as a result of slavery? YES. The UK needs to do the right for the right reason at the right time (now) and pay reparations.

    Nevertheless, though reparations is an account receivable, VI/BVI descendants of African slaves must be laser focus on building a self-empowerment plan, for the UK may remain a deadbeat. Post slavery after the planter class bolted from the territory, leaving it supposedly as a bird sanctuary, our forebears left abandoned and in order to survive built a peasant economy, ie, farmed, fished, sailed, traded, raised live stock, etc. They practice group economics. That collective survival drive, ingenuity, industriousness, resoluteness, etc, must be recaptured, bottled and boosted/marketed into something bigger.
    • UK Taxpayer (06/08/2022, 10:05) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
      There you go again trying to fleece UK taxpayers of their hard earn money and give a handout to some lazy bloaks. Current UK taxpayers had nothing to do with slavery so why make us pay for it. Talking about reparations, you already got yours for UK taxpayers paid for your education through grant-in-aid and it educated for many of you that is complaining. Not a UK penny for you lazy bums. What happen to land left behind by the slave owners.
    • Ne Timeas (06/08/2022, 14:11) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      @ E. Leonard, nice. You let it real and balance, providing some solid valuable advice. Another Emancipation celebrations is in books. It was a brief respite from the BVI enormous challenges. The Emancipation celebrations over, reality is splashing us (VI residents) in the face like a jar of cold water. Incidentally, Emancipation celebrations was a celebration of our foreparents freedom from the brutal crash and lash of the whip. Our freedom is still a work in progress; the fight for freedom has receded from the gallant fight of generations past: Dolph Faulkner, Lavity Stoutt, Lou Harrigan, Patsy Lake, Noel, etc. The current generations, the beneficiaries and next band of leaders, ie, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, Gen Alpha, etc, should be more actively engaged in the battle for more freedom. Instead , they want to harvest and reap but don’t want to do the hard work entailed in planting and nurturing. If you don’t sow, you shouldn’t expect to reap; that expectation is parasitic. E. Leonard suggest a self-empowerment plan but to memory the BVI has never had a self-empowerment plan, tending to lean on others. Dependency is an obstacle to our progress.
    • Sambo (06/08/2022, 16:59) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
      Good read bro. Bring the truth out in the sunshine. Some people that wants to keep the truth out of the sunshine are on tear to revise the truth and history. Whitewashing the truth does not mean it didn’t happen.
    • @E Leonard (10/08/2022, 18:45) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      So you think the Brits should get reparations from the Romans for enslaving them?
  • Factoid (05/08/2022, 17:44) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    @Leonard, good read. Did you say that the rise of industrial capitalism caused the UK and investors to sour on slavery and the West Indian islands. Hmmm, I thought it all this time it humanitarian concerns drove the abolishing of slavery. Instead, it seems like it was driven economics. No wonder the UK wanted to offload the islands in a hurry, ie, the federation, independence, etc, for they were no longer economically useful. So the UK does not really care about the OTs and if they all declare independence tommorow it will not shed not even a crocodile tear.


Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.