BVI locals being treated as ‘field negroes’
Second District Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull has called on the territory’s leaders not to promote outsiders, to the detriment of its locals, when it comes to investment in the BVI.
The premise on which Turnbull made that call was the government’s proposed Virgin Islands Investment Act, 2020 that legislators debated in the House of Assembly last week.
“We’re talking about having investors come in – and only repeating what I heard – so that we can put our people in a place to get internships and to provide work for them so that they can be employees,” a seemingly critical Turnbull stated.
“I don’t want to talk about no internship. I want to talk about ownership,” he added. “I want to talk about partnership for the people of this territory.”
“We have to change this status quo that everything that we want to do on a grander scale is too big for us, that we have to continue to work our way up,” Turnbull further asserted.
He said history has shown that the BVI’s forefathers built the BVI with little or no education but were still able to own assets.
In contrast, he said the BVI today trains its people to get an education and work their way into a firm. And at that firm, they then work for decades only to be rewarded in the end with a meagre token such as a wristwatch.
Turnbull said he didn’t have a problem with developing anything in the territory, especially since it has been done in the past. But he said he was against bringing expats into the territory at the expense of locals, simply because their labour is cheaper.
We don’t need others to lord over us
He suggested that BVI nationals did not need anyone to come in and assert authority over them, especially after examining the works and industries locals have built in the past.
“And then we wonder why we always have to answer to somebody else? [It’s] because of our mentality, because of the way we have been training our people – it has to change,” Turnbull said.
Turnbull argued that the way to build the nation is by building its people.
Our negroes being put to work in the field
He referenced the lyrics of a Jay-Z song that suggested that regardless of where a negro stood – whether house negro, field negro, light negro or dark negro – they still remained a negro.
He said lyrics showed that once one’s mentality doesn’t change or their approach to success doesn’t change, nothing else will.
And while referencing the government’s Cannabis Licensing Act to bolster his point, Turnbull said: “You can’t tell me that on that same marijuana bill that you’re bringing in an investor who we don’t know and we’re going to put our negroes in the field to work,” Turnbull said.
“You can’t tell me that you going to have all these millionaires and billionaires coming in to invest and develop this territory and then tell me you’re going to put your people in there to work,” he added.
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Such a backward attitude. How does he think the rest of the world works? The global marketplace means investors invest in good opportunities and normally possess skills, knowledge or finances not available locally.
His attitude will cause the BVI great hurt as people will not want to invest in a country with poor relationships with those in authority.
He is d**m right. How the rest of which world works has nothing to do with him. Your country probably has the same problem, that’s why you migrated.
Always the racist s**t comes out with the Belonger. It’s disgusting and despicable.
What was racist about his statement race baiter? Their are BLACK investors out there he is talking bout OWNERSHIP! Now go take care of your mother or something and shut da fuq up!
“ He said history has shown that the BVI’s forefathers built the BVI with little or no education”.
He’s right. The Arawaks and Caribs did a good job, as did the Europeans and Africans. We all did it together and
continuing to work together rather than dividing is the way forward.
BVISLANDERS FIRST AND FOREMOST
Let us talk about the topic for example LAND, CROWN LAND AND ISLAND OWNERSHIPS. Caucasians buying up everything around a home they bought in the BVI so that negroes can not be in close proximity of them. The price of land is unaffordable for the average NEGRO but a piece of cake for the caucascians and UK folks.hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
And who sells the land, again?
Mitch, sounding good is one thing but being realistic is another! Show me a local with $50 million ready to invest in Prospect Reef now. Encourage the locals to partner but do not start this local vs outsider nonsense which is what caused the BVI to be stagnant all these years. If a local has a good idea and financing to proceed then sure, they should be given first preference. But I have seen too many local pie in the sky plans where they try to hitch their wagon to Government and it is not fair. The BVI needs HEAVY INVESTMENT fast and if the locals have it, lovely, but we know what the realities on the ground are so stop the negro nonsense. Talk is cheap young man, many of our people that own restaurants, bars, small hotels, villas etc. got their start when they worked for outside investors at the major properties etc. Starting out with a JOB does not make you a negro, we were not born walking. Keep the political emotional nonsense out of the conversation. Where are your ideas for local involvement? If you have none then be quiet and let the grown men/women move this country forward. Seeking political points and pretending to fight for BVIslanders helps nobody! Stop fooling people into thinking that because they are from here they will walk out of high school or even college and be rich and own everything. That’s not real life so you need to stop it.
the investors with $50M ready to invest in Prospect will not use their cash. However, like everything else the financial institutions will trust the big name over someone with $50M worth of collateral which can allow him to invest.
Is what it call , fool
When will these guys realize that this type of pandering is what is wrong with the BVI? We praise H.L. Stoutt regularly but do we even understand how or why he was able to do so much for the BVI? Whether you want to hear it or accept it, the BVI is a very small dot on the map with 30K people, we have no manufacturing and are a service industry. This simply means that while we will have some locals with the means to invest in certain things, for most major project, foreign investment will be required. It’s time to elect people that understand economics and not just word play to tug at emotions and garner votes and support.
CB Romney did more for the BVI in a short time, more than what Lavity did
If I was a potential investor and saw these words, I would run from BVI. Wow. Way to scare off people before they even consider coming here.
The racist belonger and his attitude at its worst I’m afraid…
Thank you sir.
Well you should look at some European countries, such as Denmark, and see how nationalism is taking hold. Isn’t nationalism somewhat at the core of BREXIT? I think he has a point that needs further expansion. Furthermore, I don’t feel he wants to exclude outsiders, but just keep seats at the table open for BVI nationals.
Stop the BS. When you were in power with the NDP you had a group of House N’s & uncle Toms doing things. Always lapping up under the other ppl and not understanding the real world. Wanting to be in their favour and making decision to make them happy. While locals left here to find opportunities elsewhere. Also Negro is a term that we refused already and is a racist term. So you have no authority to speak to us on this matter. Go find NegroLand and tell them that. Just stop with your nonsense. We can’t just get up and own a business in an industry we don’t know anything about. There is a real world out there boy. A school child doesn’t just walk out of class and get electrician contracts. They learn it first. Internships are part of the process. Stop encouraging the ppl to start at the end, that will never be sustainable. Life has its stages mr.preacher, & I expect a man of the cloth to know that. Stop trying to create political opportunities & do good work for the ppl. You’re getting disgusting now.
When NDP was in power, I remember them trying to bring Allen Stanford in. LOL what a catastrophe that would have been.
Allen stampford came when Ralph t O’Neal was in power check ur information
Hahaha, look at the BVI investment club and the trail of garbage they leave behind. Tolans want to own everything without putting in any hard work!! Because the only thing they can bring to the table is that they “bahn heh” …. Pathetic!! BVI people are born with such a sense of entitlement, it’s so embarrassing….
As a born Tortolian, I always take offense at being tarred with the same brush as everyone other Tortolian. I can say all white men are serial killers or financial embezzlers, but I don’t. It wouldn’t be fair to the decent people of European descent that I have met. I am not a member of the BVI investment club, neither are many of the Tortolians I know, but here we here being tarred with the same brush as the investors of said club. Entitlement…isn’t that when European and American expats move here and believe that they should own all the businesses, hire anyone besides a Tortola native and have us all believe the lie that there are zero qualified BVI nationals living on this island? I am not a statistician, but even I know that it is rare to have zero qualified individuals in any given population. I also do know that there are Tortolians in positions of power who are not only abusive of their power, but severely lack any vision or leadership skills. There are also plenty of BVI nationals living here who are willing and able to assist in whatever way our country needs us, but we are not “yes” men and women. Therefore, whatever contributions we could make are not wanted. Instead of all these disparaging, immature remarks about BVI nationals, why don’t we all do our part everyday to make living here a better place. Simple words and acts of kindness everyday go a long way.
You came here and met what you saw here. What on Earth do you know bout “hard work”?
Johnny come latelys always refer to us as Tortolians. Smh don’t even know the name of the country.
Name your countries let us Do a google search and we will find the same cry as locals there.
That said after you and your people done screw up your country you should not come here to double dip to our exclusion. We will share some but not all. BVISLANDERS FIRST
It’s hard to trust investing in locals when their capital is boxes and seal wrapped 20’s. Change those bills.
Is the house n***er more acceptable? Y ‘all are so dramatic lmao
The quality of debate in the HOA is very lacking. Its sad.
People like Myron, Ronnie and Pickering are missing.
BVI, Blaming their inadequacies and failures on race since 1847
LOL
Who have employed Filipinos in all the super market businesses, in their medical businesses, in the car businesses, in the restaurant business all for below minimum wages. Its ok to be play the slave master?
And those very same Filipinos are far more hard working and pleasant to deal with than many of the black persons here, less attitude, which is why they get employment in the first place.
Speak better English too!
This mentality is wha have us behind look around we the BVI are way behind!!! Individually we might loose a couple buck but as a country we will move forward!!but u see this self mentality we have and covering it up as we only wan Bvi landers to own stuff it is killin the country slowly…Jus look around is it working????
Biggest crock of s**t I have ever had the misfortune of reading
Sounds like that word you are looking for is Hobo or Homeless person. If you just want handouts for locals from people that want investments; that’s more like the opposite of the words you are using.
I get it. It is your country. But stop this crazy talk. No one is going to want to invest here.
Oh, dear. Mitch, I like you, but what were you smoking last week?
Poor young man has no idea but wanting to sound cool and hip for the people.
Sad to see these kind of comments being made by our representation. You are supposed to represent all your brother & sisters, black, brown, yellow and white. You are just out there trying to score points..
He clearly does not understand what foreign direct investment is, nor how beneficial this is for any country – and especially developing countries.
Even the USA…. its power grew from slave and low paid labor, then skilled immigrants and then MASSIVE investments from outside. This of course is being reversed and the USA is on the way down.
The outside investments are now going to Africa which today is becoming unrecognizable. Don’t mind what the news networks show you.
Which bvislander can get up and invest i. Such a large venture like such.
Now unlike his previous party Ndp. Who went on and decide to bring in direct flight to Tortola and fail.
That’s why I don’t listen to none or better yet stop listening to Ndp, vip, pop, qbc, or whatever they called themselves.
Same s**t different day. And if they cut s**t. From this and allowed S Richardson to swear openly
The neadia full of s**t.
I’m just getting started. You ain’t hear the end of me. Im ranked 6th in the world
I will definitely be back ??????
As a potential investor in the BVI, I have heard far too much negativity. I walk away!
Boss lol real investors with real capital are not blogging on VI** idiot bwoy guh way!
Boi. You dyin po fo sho
As long as your mommy their to support me I’m rich forever lol salute.