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UK is pushing own agenda with cruise ship pier project – Umoja

August 17th, 2012 | Tags: Umoja UK pier project Sowande Uhuru
Umoja host Natalio Wheatley, believes that we need to be more self determined. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Umoja co-host, Natalio Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru, has said that the upcoming Port project will bring in some US$500 million over a period of time, a sum which is believed they [United Kingdom] would like to have in the UK. This he notes would amount to a “pretty handsome bounty”.

Wheatley, one of the co-hosts on Umoja, a talk show programme aired on local radio last evening, August 17, 2012 felt that “they are colonisers” and “got a lot out of us” during slavery so will continue to ensure that their side's agenda will be  taken care of, this is added to the fact that the UK has a difficult financial situation at the moment. 

Cromwell Smith, the main host of the programme, felt that the UK was of the view that “The plantation has been left to the slave for too long” and needed more oversight. 

“Here we don’t vote for the Governor and we don’t have any representative in Parliament” this situation, the host felt could not be tolerated and as such “we have to make steps towards self determination.”

“ Slowly, but surely some of those subjects under the Governor should be transferred to our local government”, this is a case Wheatley felt could be made to the UK.

He felt however, that the UK would not want to repeat past experiences such as Bermuda, of giving too much autonomy to a colony not being sure of whether they would pursue independence. “I think the UK would want to know that eventually you will become independent.”

21 Responses to “UK is pushing own agenda with cruise ship pier project – Umoja”

  • MV (17/08/2012, 09:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    NOT INDEPENDACE UNDER THE NDP I WILL RATHER LEAVE
    • in the news (17/08/2012, 10:06) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      under none of them in fact as NDP and VIP is the same damm ting all about self, family and friends!!!!!
  • Rich (17/08/2012, 09:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I wonder if this dude does listen to himself. Hard tpo believe you so educated.
  • fatcs (17/08/2012, 09:47) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    what agenda boss, thank god for the UK or else our lands on the cay would have been gone for 48 years
    • bada (18/08/2012, 01:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      bad UK good UK they saved our lands that the man from Angullia was giving away.
  • ann (17/08/2012, 11:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    we do not need independence...He was just mad the Uk stopped his baby; the pier project
  • my two cents (17/08/2012, 12:28) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    both the UK and M*** are the same; they both have their agenda
  • parole buddy (17/08/2012, 13:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    When you sign to be a good little boy that what is expected of you. When he sign away our financial freedom everybody was praising him. Don't blame England or VIP we are getting exactly what we signed to.
    • lots of Sense (17/08/2012, 16:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Hit the nail on the head. It is now taking a special committee to review the "Protocol".
  • well meh boy (17/08/2012, 15:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    ...Seriously, if he is in favor of a project in which the Virgin Islands would receive nearly nothing for 25 years, then perhaps it is a good thing that he did not get elected!
    • flank (17/08/2012, 19:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      What you mean get nothing. What are we getting now with ships pulling out. You all too damn small minded. Any commerce in the country is a benefit directly and indirectly.
  • Disinterested (17/08/2012, 21:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Sowande is deep, strategic thinker and knows that the BVI does not have the resources to earn the hard currency to justify independence. Sowande also is also aware that the initial port project was a horrible deal for Virgin Islanders in both the long and short term. The port needs a development project. But not any project; it needs a prokject that benefits Virgin Islanders.
  • Quiet Storm (18/08/2012, 10:22) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    There has been lots of chatter in recent weeks about independence/self determination from the lil man on the street up to even some political leaders. The UK's weighing in on the port project has elevated the discussion. However, as many contributors or bloggers pointed out, any serious and credible cost benefit analysis will show that cost of independence far outweigh the benefits. Moreover, as others noted, the BVI does not have the means to go indpependent. The BVI rising standard of living and quality of life aside the BVI is a small have not territory. In regards to the alleged role in the port project, if it derail the initial project, it was sterling oversight. Simply the project was not in the best long term interesrt of the BVI. We committed the cardinal sin of putting efficiency and expediency over effectiveness. We attempted to the right thing instead of doing the right things. There is a vast difference.
  • Quiet Storm (18/08/2012, 12:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Couple of corrections: 1. Should have read.....in regards to the UK's alleged role in the port project. 2. ........to doing things right instead of doing the right things..........
  • PAM (18/08/2012, 15:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Who ever told him that number. Facts we do know is that Tortola Port Partners are a group of private investors with a mere $2 million to their name who yes intended to make huge profits from the deal. Once we had signed of giving them a 48year rent free lease of 4 plus acres of our prime waterfront then any bank in the world would have lent them money to spend extending our dock as the were to receive more than half of all the passenger tax for over the next 48 years . VI were to take a drop from the present $7 per head to $6 per head while TPP were to get $9 per head as they would increase the fees to $ 15 for now and up it to $ 35 plus in the future. In 48 years we would get half share. Meanwhile the $ 25 million the would spend on building the village on our doorstep would be speedily recovered by them as all rent would be theirs for the next 48 years and we all know that they were to bring in huge international name brand store that pay extremely high rent. Local artisans were told at a meeting that these investors had originally not planned to rent any spots there to locals and even with the discussions to change this we all needed to band together to apply for one spot between us as that was all we as artisans could expect from this deal! The further $ 25 million they said would be invested in local community ( kick backs) was to be spent over the contract period of 48 rent free years and so we may have had to wait till 2060 to see that ! Thank God someone was paying attention and has tried to shine some light on this terrible deal and I am surprised that Sowande was not marching the streets in the name of our hard fought for land. Remember Noel LLoyd and members were criticized and even imprisoned by those who thought they were merely standing in the way of progress but again thank God they did and finally they were recognized as National Heroes.
    • Correction (19/08/2012, 21:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      the $500 million + Sowande refers to is what Tortola Port Partners will be making based on the head tax you referred to and the revenue from renting commercial space. It seems as though you are against the project and you are free to march. I'm sure others will join you.
      • PAM (20/08/2012, 15:15) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Tortola Port Partners are the foreign investors so that is not money coming to the BVIslanders that is the point. WE are giving away these profits and our land to a set of outsiders . Time to march . TPP are the modern day Bates/Hill please study this and lets learn from the past.
  • queen b (19/08/2012, 16:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    If the bvi was to become independent ,what kind of resource would they depend on???????? N how ?
  • Diaspora (20/08/2012, 10:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Queen B, the BVI is not ready for independence. It has no strategic natural resources that it can employ in manufacturing something or sell to other countries that has a critical need for the resources. The BVI does have oil, precious metals....etc. Moreover, it does not have the natural resources to earn the hard currency to invest in other segments of the economy. As noted by other bloggers, it will be highly irresponsible to based independence on tourism and financial services. We need to stop fooling ourselves and admit that we are a small, have not in the Carribean Sea. We have champagne taste but only have lime aid resources. Other larger countries with natural resources are tremoring at the thought of independence and we are wanting to dash first into it. NUTS! I challenge anyone who is clamoring independence to conduct an objective cost-benefit analysis that showed the benefit of independence
    • Diaspora (20/08/2012, 19:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      completion....is higher than the cost. No credible analysis will show this. If the BVI go independent what currency will adopt? The US dollar being legal tender may not survive.


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