Vaughn Maduro of Positive Action Movement passes
Although his name is not among the popular ones, Mr Maduro aka ‘Old Oak’ was said to be a close friend of the late Noel Lloyd and was also a member of the Positive Action Movement (PAM).
He was part of the resistance against British developer Kenneth Bates from owning large portions of land at Wickham’s Cay and Anegada via 199-year leases.
Opposition to the Bates-Hill agreement and the formation of PAM began when it was rumoured that the company did not plan to allow locals access to the site except in a service capacity.
Following massive demonstrations and marches to Government House and the Chief Minister’s Office, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) the British government agreed to buy back the leases in 1970, via a $5.8M loan to the territory.
The Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online extend condolences to the family and friends of the late Vaughn Maduro.
.png)
Follow Us On
20 Responses to “Vaughn Maduro of Positive Action Movement passes”
Whilst what Old Oak did was a brave and honourable thing which we righty celebrate, I wonder if killing off the Bates deal was the best thing for the BVI in the long run.
At about the same time that we got rid of Bates's land deal, the TCI did a similar deal with a foreign investor.
Many years later, the TCI is still enjoying the benefits of that deal - giving away the land cheaply in return for a significant investment in an airport (a proper one with a proper length runway), a marina (properly run not like Virgin Gorda) and a hotel , reaped huge benefits for the foreign investor and for the TCI.
Provo, which was as barren of development as Anegada, is now the centre of the TCI, and TCIlanders have benefited hugely and are significant owners of tourism connected businesses (including contractors building numerous multi million dollar resorts). The TCI has gone from the poor relation to one of the wealthiest places in the Caribbean - so have TCIlanders - and the real estate there cannot be moved (like BVI companies can) to another jurisdiction. The stamp duty is a bonanza for the TCI Government that will long outlive the diminishing revenue the BVI receives from our companies.
It pains me to say it but with the benefit of hindsight, I am not sure that our marching heroes were good for the BVI.
It is sad to see our national heroes, heritage, history, culture, identity, etc slaughtered on the altar of a few dollars. Some of us only interest are greenbacks; we blinded by and prisoner to the greenback. In our blindness and prisoner status, we demonstrate an attitude and behaviour of not giving a rat’s @$$ about VI heritage, identity, history, culture, patriotism, etc. Unquestionably and clearly, you are demonstrating a more altruistic attitude towards external investors who don’t give a rat’s @%$ about BVI and BVIslanders interest with their only interest being personal benefit and profit. You see the universe of the BVI interest and what is good for the BVI through the eyes of external investors, ie, invaders. Clearly you are not a true Virgin Islander, thrashing national heroes. Embarrassing and shameful. Bluntly, you are a sellout, an Uncle Tom(more correctly a Sambo), appeaser, brownnoser, etc. You are fragging your countrymen. Sad, sad, sad. You have defiled the passing of Ole Oak with selfishness and anti- nationalism behaviour. Noel Lloyd and PAM fiercely stood against the relentless colonialist exploitation fast rising tide. However, you crap on it, wants to flush it down the drain, and erase it as being counter to BVI interest. You need to go on the Wall of Shame. Don’t call yourself a BVIslander. Banish yourself to Round Rock or somewhere but preferably out of the BVI. I have spent enough key strokes on you already.
By the way, I wonder if Ole Fellow got the view of TCIslanders masses, the many, or just the view of a few elites and big shots, if any,? Did Ole Fellow deliberatively forget that a plot on Wickham Cay would have gone for an estimated $160,000 an acre which was well beyond the means of the average Virgin Islander?
RIP my brother.
45th youth
Rest easy big man.
He did well towards the development of the territory
my condolences to all of his Love-Ones