BVI observes 1949 Great March amid political turbulence
Amid turbulent times in local politics and tensions between local elected representatives and the United Kingdom, Virgin Islanders are today celebrating The 1949 Great March and Restoration Day holiday.
The holiday commemorates the historic demonstration of Sunday, November 24, 1949 that was led by Theodolph Faulkner, Isaac ‘Glanny’ Fonseca, Carlton deCastro, and followed by more than 1,500 Virgin Islands protestors. They marched through the streets of Road Town to the Commissioner’s Office (today known as the Governor’s Office) in protest of issues significantly affecting the quality of the lives of Virgin Islanders.
The demonstrators presented the Commissioner with a petition that highlighted their grievances with the political system, which was administered from Antigua at the time. The demonstration served as a catalyst for political development in the territory, leading to the restoration of the Legislative Council and the evolution of a modern Virgin Islands.
On this holiday — which marks the 73rd anniversary of the Great March — Virgin Islanders don’t have to protest the same social and political issues that existed in 1949. But they are called to ponder major events of the last few years that will, no doubt, shape their history and future.
The territory has to grapple with the blow that they suffered from the arrest of former Premier Andrew Fahie, who is currently jailed in the US on drug and racketeering charges. The arrest caused major international embarrassment and has forced Virgin Islanders to give serious consideration to those they elect to lead.
Elected leaders had to fight hard to stave off direct rule of the United Kingdom after last year’s Commission of Inquiry found the country was being poorly governed for years.
There’s also the recent arrests of high-ranking public officers which have divided the public and have no doubt affected the morale of public servants. These events are coupled with the ongoing constitutional review process that craves the support of all residents, especially BVIslanders who are set to be most affected by any changes to the constitution. These and other developments have led to revolutionary changes that are currently taking place in order to overhaul local systems and facilitate good governance in the territory.
As the territory reflects on the Great March of 1949, Virgin Islanders are called to march; though not in the same way they did 73 years ago.
They are called to march on poor governance, lack of transparency and mediocre results from those they entrust with leadership. It’s a march that requires the public to play a more active role in this democracy and its development.
This proverbial modern-day march may last more than a day or year but stands to yield even greater results than the Great March of 1949. Only time will tell if the territory will join this march that has the potential to lead the BVI into its brightest future.
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Those men marched in vain compliments of the VIP/UNITY GOV
A better write up than else where.
Why is someone who looks 39 years old holding up
a sign saying “we built the Virgin Islands..”?
We been around a lot longer than that and we been built
By all sorta ppl from all parts of the world.
The UK Government has to share in the cause of this country’s embarrassment with Fahie. Because they knew from investigations that he should not have been allowed to run since 2003.
Just like how in 1986 scandal lead to a Government falling allegedly, another politician got up in the house and broke the mace allegedly and another one was found guilty in a civil courtfor falsifying the proxy vote of persons who were not alive allegedly. All these people were allowed to continue their political careers which led to hurting the country with greed.
And today they even have Government structures named after them and all of them were granted so by Fahie’s Government. The UK has failed the people of this country just like how they appointed Natalio as Premier. Natalio who he and a family member should be under heavy investigation because of their close relationship with Fahie and Maynard.
But the 1949 march was not about colonial rule it was about a west Indian black nation exploiting other countries in the Federation. In which the people marched and demanded that the UK stopped turning a blind eye to what was happening and allow the BVI to come out of the Federation that was headed by Antigua.
The wish was granted and the Federation was dismantled eventually where each country was made a colony that had a direct link to the UK. That is what the march was about not Colonial rule.
Most of those marching today are people who benefitted from the corruption of our leaders, or they just want to chase clout. This generation is a lost cause that has squandered the sacrifices our grandparents made
We don’t enforce the constitution or laws.
on top of that,
Education is being systematically gutted to the point that our kids are not capable to enter any workplace but ‘government’, giving the labor laws no teeth.
This is NOT what the protestors and forebearers wanted for us!
THINK! We MUST do better!