Fraser suggests natives have right to feel entitled

Member of the parliamentary opposition Julian Fraser has chided persons who have been telling natives of the British Virgin Islands to drop their ‘entitlement’ attitude.

He suggested that natives have a right to feel entitled to certain benefits because the government is indebted to them.

Citing an example, Fraser said Government has built roads through properties belonging to him and other persons without making the necessary compensation.

As such, he declared that he could have blocked a roadway in Sea Cows Bay, but he hasn’t done so.

“See that road down in Sea Cows Bay; that steep road that you go up to go over the hill, I could go tomorrow and block it off. Government cuts that road through people’s land and they haven’t compensated them, and the road hasn’t been transferred to government. It’s still in the individuals’ names who pay the taxes on it.”

“I submit to you that you couldn’t get from Sea Cows Bay to West End or from Road Town to West End unless you pass through property that’s owned by me, my family and other families as well. Not a dime in compensation,” Fraser lamented in the House of Assembly yesterday, June 6.

He further stated that the people who have been saying natives should resist the feeling of entitlement are ‘some of our own people’.

Fraser continued: “When people walk around [asking] ‘why Virgin Islanders think they are entitled to this, that, and the other; take it easy. You just got here and you don’t know the history.”

“People have been overly generous and made contributions to our country; people have been robbed; all kinda things have happened to Virgin Islanders. So we need to step back a bit to better understand what we are dealing with,” added the lawmaker, who represents the Third Electoral District in the House, where he once served as Leader of the Opposition.

Fraser also urged Government to ensure natives of the British Virgin Islands are provided with opportunities.

He said: “Prepare your people; make sure your people get opportunity so that [other] people don’t throw things in their face later on. People are waiting to throw things in their face later on if [they are] not prepared. You got to be qualified to get what is rightfully yours.”