‘Indigenous Virgin Islanders’ deserve preferential treatment
Outspoken clergyman and radio host Claude Skelton Cline has reignited a longstanding debate, saying certain high offices, opportunities, and privileges in the Virgin Islands should be reserved exclusively for those considered “indigenous Virgin Islanders.”
Speaking on his Honestly Speaking radio programme, Skelton Cline acknowledged that not everyone will agree with his position, but insisted the time has come for the territory to have an open and honest conversation on the issue—especially as Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn, who many do not consider “indigenous,” currently holds the post of Opposition Leader.
“[This discussion] is being given rise to not exclusively because of the current occupant in the post of Opposition Leader, but certainly it gives rise for us to have a discussion since this is the case,” he said. “We should ask whether there are certain posts that should be designated for ‘indigenous Virgin Islanders.’”
Skelton Cline clarified that Walwyn is widely seen as a first-generation Virgin Islander and questioned whether deeper ancestral ties should come with specific preferences or privileges.
“Yes, we are all Virgin Islanders by tenure, time, or birth. But are there certain preferences, privileges, [or] preferred status that should be given to indigenous Virgin Islanders to protect, preserve, and perpetuate the lineage of our first ancestors?” he asked.
The term “indigenous Virgin Islander” is not a legal classification, but it is often used locally to refer to persons who can trace their ancestry in the Virgin Islands back three or more generations.
Skelton Cline also acknowledged the historical contributions of non-indigenous individuals who migrated to the BVI and played key roles in its development. However, he argued that such contributions came during a time when the territory lacked a highly educated population and needed external support.
Now, with a more advanced society, Skelton Cline said it is fair for those with longstanding ancestral ties to be prioritised so they are not “overrun by foreigners.”
While some residents support defining “indigenous Virgin Islander” in the next iteration of the BVI constitution as a way of honouring African-descended families who built the territory after emancipation, historians have cautioned that the term could prove problematic and may not be embraced in future constitutional reforms.
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CSC…shuddup! There’s your preferential treatment! And the media carrying this content is culpable in the folly as well.
Preferential treatment like how he got the government’s money and not doing any work for it. That’s exactly what he means.
Where was Myron born/where was Sl**ande born? That should be told.
The man need a dictionary. But I understand his point – he wants to be privileged
Privileged just like American whites. Y’all want to be treated with a silver spoon? Or would everyone rather to be treated equal?
That’s why the Orange Man get elected.
Skelton-Cline is just a want-to-be Trump. Stirring up the crazy belongers again. The issue is they want to do whatever they want with no consequences.
This is 100% bad. Bad for normal people. Bad for our children (why not do crime if there are no consequences?). BVI society is doomed if we don’t speak up against this stupidness.
I would rather be treated the way you are treated in your country, but when I was last there, and inquired about a job for which I was well qualified, I was told that those jobs are for “uno”.
Who gets preferential treatment in Barbados, Jamaica, St Vincent and St Lucia, to name a few? Why should it be any different elsewhere.
CLINE IS ONE PATRIOTIC LOCAL WHO ISNT AFRAID TO SPEAK HIS MIND….MOST OF THE OTHER’S HEADS ARE BURIED IN THE SAND
Then don’t evEr call out otheRs as racist!p.when. CSC was messing around in Detroit, did he feel “locals” should be more privileged, than he?
They should never have all the privileges like an indigenous, DRAW THE LINE NOW!
@He is right
Okay, so you and the Rev. are all in favour of 2nd class citizenship?
Our politicians need to grow some b@ll$
People claiming to be indigenous to the BVI should get extra years in school as preferential treatment to learn what indigenous means.
In the meantime are pretty much all laws when it comes to homeownership, labour and trade preferential to belongers.
Protect your own….Make the BVI great again
I agree
As a belonger, I deserve preferential treatment. Free health care, no taxes, and the ability to do what I want when I want to.
I believe that only Indegenous Virgin Islanders should come to your restaurant
I agree. Only indigenous should go to his restaurant, go to his church, pay tithes in his church and more. That goes for the businesses of his cousin to who has been spewing the same garbage in the public.
You don’t have to visit anyone’s restaurant. Can you even afford to? You are probably being exploited, sharing rent and still cannot pay.
The governor is not black or have any ancestral ties, the onliest tie he has is to his white ancestors who murdered and steal our wealth, I thought this Claude use to talk about these things but instead he gone fight Myron instead a the governor and colonialism.
There is no such thing as an “Indigenous BVIslander”, as no one can go back 2 generations on either side before realizing some ancestor came from elsewhere before residing in the BVI. Persons need to stop using this term to stir up a division in society.
Come on back to Detroit. you sure aren’t loved there.
@cline: you believe that indigenous going way back will assist the thievery and contracts you enjoyed to fast forward to you once more, and the secrets will be safe from the people and the law when you rip off the tax payers fraudulently ably assisted by what you call indigenous politicians you are hang with.
Belongers first. Who would have a problem with this?
He not talking about belongers. He talking about indigenous virgin islanders (he must have some form of identity crisis because he is not indigenous if we applying the true meaning of the word indigenous).
He does not like belongers. To answer your question, he does. He has a problem with this.
Indeed they do. Shame there aren’t any left.
Shouldn’t it be “Competent/Qualified indigenous Virgin Islanders”?
If you keep pushing for this narrative/nonsense, the BVI will just keep declining.
I’m not from here, but if you want to keep indigenous people in certain areas. the Government should invest in nurturing its people. And start to figure out how to create a production base economy.
CoI and Fahie; ring any bells anyone?
Rule by a tiny, incestuous (figuratively) clique, unaccountable to taxpayers, leads to gross corruption and inefficiency. If you doubt that look around.
Mr. Skelton-Cline is correct!
But, how would these privileges be so determined?
I think there should have been provisions made in the Constitution for such
Perhaps, it’s a bit late, now. Hindsight should have been 20/20
So “WOW”,as for nativity and it’s privileges,Mr. Walwyn, was born here to non- indigenous parents, and the Premier, was born elsewhere, to indigenous parents.
So, yes, the Premier is well in his rights to hold the position that he now have
Lots of kinks, to be tackled, on this issue!
Clearly, not solvable, simply, on an internet blog!
To shed some light on the indigenous question it might help if persons view on you tube the feature entitled “Are the Tianos extinct? This woman knows otherwise.” These are the type of subjects we need to have national dialogue on. There are many persons in the Virgin Islands US and British who have Taino ancestry. From the Virgin Islands right up to Cuba have remnants of the Tiano Civilization. In the larger islands Cuba Jamaica Hispanola Puerto Rico there are still Tiano communities contrary to the narrative of the colonizers who would have us believe that the Tainos are extinct. We are very much alive and yes we are the indigenous inhabitants of these islands. You can fool some people some of the time but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. Virgin Islanders your history and your heritage go back to before the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade wake up to who you really are and stop these wicked fools talking about there are no indigenous Virgin Islanders… we are part of what is known as Borinquen…..Borinquen Mi Isla. Better understand what time it is. The Game is over.
BVI Strong through diversity; not genetic selection.
Go tell that to USA Europe and Israel.
Monaco Model !
Monaco Model !
Monaco Model. !
It only have a handful of Indigenous Caribbean peoples in Tortola,and they are from Dominica,St Vincent.The are the first ppl..only them.
He just want this place to be a sh*thole like where he from, Detroit. They don’t want him, bvi should do same.
He can’t go Detroit..history.