Disgruntled charter players in USVI don’t have BVI ancestry
Rosan
Political commentator Cindy Rosan has weighed in on the ongoing maritime tensions between the BVI and the USVI, arguing that much of the backlash coming from the USVI is not being driven by people with strong familial ties in both territories.
As tensions persist, the BVI government continues to maintain that the recent reforms are not intended to be antagonistic and that it remains committed to peaceful relations with its neighbour, even as it seeks to better regulate activity and ensure fair economic returns from its territorial waters.
Many USVI nationals have strong ancestral ties to the BVI but Rosan said these distant relatives aren’t the main players in the USVI charter industry and aren’t primarily affected by the changes. She maintained that many of the affected charter companies are owned by mainland Americans who established businesses in the USVI and now dominate the industry.
“These are not even our family over there…because Virgin Islanders in the USVI have no rights and that’s something we’re fighting for over here — to make sure that we stay in control of what we have, no matter who’s in charge of us,” she said on her Morning Facts breakfast programme.
Ineffective escalation?
While acknowledging that USVI Governor Albert Bryan’s had a duty to uphold when he wrote US President Trump on the issue, Rosan questioned the effectiveness of the escalation. “I don’t think it’s going anywhere,” she said, suggesting that the US would ultimately have to engage the UK and the BVI on any major negotiations.
At the centre of the dispute is the USVI charter industry’s claim that the BVI’s regulatory changes could negatively impact its economy by as much as US$165 million. But Rosan said USVI-based operators have benefited disproportionately from BVI waters for decades.
Using a vivid analogy, she said, “You can imagine you have a house and you invite someone to come and stay with you… all of a sudden they like renting out rooms in your house and keeping the money. Because that’s really what’s happening.”
She expressed strong support for the BVI administration’s stance, saying the territory has been economically exploited for years. “The BVI has been raped for years by the US Virgin Islands,” Rosan stated, adding that she was glad the current leadership had finally “put its foot down” on the issue.
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Absolutely. It’s a certain hued people that are down there causing a ruckus. And unfortunately, it seems like they have Albert by the you know what.
How backward is a place where arguments are decided on whether someone has familial ties?
We don’t care about WHITE AMERICAN success. Next to no Black Charter owners in the USVI. PAY THOSE FEES OR STAY IN YOUR BORING ASS WATERS. SHUT UP.
is a fact. And history has proven up to the minute that wherever they go they create chaos, seperation segregation entitlement and more.
First we charged a tax to leave and go to the USVI. Then, COVID taught us that we don’t need t go shop weekly anymore. We can afford to buy the food. If anyone think I lie, just recall going in any shop for Christmas. Then we got direct flights to the US mainland. No real need to go Stt to catch a flight anymore. Is a choice. However, we didn’t stop there. We started talking seriously about a longer runway. if that happens, tourists won’t need t fly to USVI and catch ferry to experience a sailing vacation. Now we raised the price on using our waters after some 30 yrs. We are now directly in competition with them for the tourist dollar. Wasn’t it over 80 charter businesses moved to BVI after the fee increase? We should have expected this fallout and be ready for the backlash. While I support the decision regarding the fees, we are too reactive and never proactively prepared.
Look at parking at the airport? Why are staff being charged for parking? How many staff working there are not hourly paid? the solution is the find parking for the staff that is affordable. I don’t recall any lands being leased solely to be held vacant around the airport. Rather than assess and provided a solution, he comes on here and bitches about the parking instead of complaining that staff are not paying to park. Drawing attention to a problem of is own creation because he was not prepared to deal with people who will refuse to pay for parking. Typical reactive behaviour that seems entrenched in anything we decide these days.
Welcome to the World Today where every country is by design subject to chaos and instability by design. The New World Order Magic keeps you focused on subversion while Problem Reaction Solution produces the intended results. That is how we make war without firing a shot.
Well if natalio a born American can put down his foot against his own American birth place interest, well Myron that born here in the BVI will do far better standing up for the BVI.
White privilege is touch and white power is seeking to have UK straighten out our black government.
Natalio both parents are bvislanders. Just leave from pretending to be us !
If you owned a business on the beach you would understand but half Ayo still on your … and get free money from the government then come here talking piss
Thank you CINDY !!!!!! I AM CRYING RIGHT NOW !!! EXPOSE THEM AND DIVE A BIT DEEPER Using a vivid analogy, she said, “You can imagine you have a house and you invite someone to come and stay with you… all of a sudden they like renting out rooms in your house and keeping the money. Because that’s really what’s happening.”
You got TO HAVE A SPECIAL SICKNESS TO BLOG BOUT YOURSELF IN THE 3RD PERSON LOL. Like a regular person going comment like this. Even if they rate you. This comment is all in your imagination Rosan NOBODY feels this way bout you absolutely no one. LOL
I got family in both so I’ll stay out of this…
you shouldnt some of us come from multi generational families that built the vi to what it is today and just because you was born in the US doesn’t make you less than the transplants that born there.
Thank you Cindy, for the well pointed argument!
NO, those charter folks here on St Thomas, are not Virgin Islanders, and do not possess a Virgin Islander’ last name!
This is why I’m asking the Premier to HOLD FIRM, and do what he has to do, to protect the ancestral businesses, of these beautiful islands that we call home!
Cindy is right this time. It’s those caucasians who love the island life but not the people who are the ones that are running their mouths.
So why the old crazy Cindy did not tell Myron that before he put his foot in his face talking shit against the bvi
I don’t like or ever agree with Cindy. She right with this one. It’s the WHITE American charter owner who been taking advantage in the USVI crying now.
Y’all never want to plant the corn,don’t want to be involved with planting the corn(in this case the marine industry)yet y’all want to reap and cuss the farmer..typical craven behaviour non stop.Cindy is a troll.
Her ancestry is African, I won’t try and guess where exactly. Most BVIslanders are Bantu. There are probably trees that have stood longer than Bantu people have been in the Virgin Islands.
Kalinago and Taino(yes a lot of Dominicans have Taino blood)are the true indigenous people’s,so the whites and the blacks can just catch them breath and get over themselves..and give the region back to we.Thank you.