Many feel England should ‘step in’ — Eileene Parsons
Former legislator Eileene Parsons has said many young persons that she has been speaking with recently are calling for a greater role by the United Kingdom (UK) over the affairs of the BVI.
Parsons made the comment while appearing on the Talking Points radio show yesterday June, 20.
“I talk to a lot of young people – mostly young men – and you’d be surprised how many people here feel very strongly that England should step in,” Parsons said.
Her comments appear to be in contrast with statements made recently by Bishop John Cline, who argued prior to an agreement being reached between the BVI and the UK on a raft of much needed reforms, that a majority of residents were completely against a UK takeover, despite sentiments expressed by Governor John Rankin.
In the meantime, Parsons — who has served as a Minister of Health, Education and Welfare — also suggested that foreign companies may be withdrawing their business from the BVI. She said this is possibly due to the reputational damage the territory may have suffered in recent months.
“We are part of our own problem, a lot of this we have brought on ourself. A lot of this we saw coming, and I must say, like me, we stood silent,” Parsons stated.
Premier slipped out and slipped in
In the meantime, Parsons expressed some level of dissatisfaction with the way in which the newly formed Unity Government was performing, suggesting that scant regard was being shown to residents.
Parsons made reference to a recent official trip taken by Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley, but suggested nothing was said about his trip or its purpose.
“The Premier went away from here, nothing was said, he just left the country and went to have a — something he and his brother went to defend us – and we knew nothing about it.”
She continued: “There was no acting Premier. Just like how he slipped out, he slipped back in and it is now the talk of the town. Is this the way we are going to be governed?”
At the time of Premier Wheatley’s departure, the government issued a press release to inform residents that he left the BVI to attend a June Session of the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24). The release noted that Works Minister, Kye Rymer would be serving as Acting Premier in his stead.
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I am not saying that the BVI is doing very well, but have you looked at the UK recently. And if Boris loses the next election and the socialists take over it will get worse – especially the corruption.
stop looking at other people; pull up our socks and do what needs to be done to get us to where we need to be. This watchy watchy is not working.
Well bad as the UK can be, they did not have a Premier arrested for drug dealing who, previously got away with taking $60 million out of the national treasury and giving it to his cronies and relatives.
Any UK policitian who took $1.4 million out of the treasury and gave a lump of it to his brothers to build a non existent wall, would not only be out of power , he would be in jail. In BVI its normal practise.
@Hmm thank you. People think it’s going to be a bed of roses but it will be a bed of thorn and they will all be saying you never know what you have until you loose it. Which Country have United Kingdom ever go to, to offer assistance and the country was better for it??? Name one. Just one.
Wait until they hike taxes. Wait until all our lands are given to them. Wait until they don’t need a land holders permit to buy land. Wait until they don’t need permits to work in our country. Wait until we cannot access our own beaches anymore. Just wait, then all who have been calling for them will be crying because they wont leave. THE NOT SO UNITED KINGDOM NEED TO CLEAN UP THEIR OUR MESS BEFORE TRYING TO PERTEND TO CLEAN OTHER’S MESS WHILE TAKING OVER THEIR COUNTRY. BUT THEY ARE VERY GREAT ON THE GAME OF DIVIDE AND CONQUR.
Turks & Caicos economy has doubled since their COI, so that’s one country you could look to.
The ignorance of the people of the BVI don’t realize that if Labour aka the socialist party was in power in the UK,the BVI would be under direct rule now.
Just like how they left their father in the old people home same way they threw us under the bus
We in trouble buddy. Slow Wande?
When you are a GOOD father, your children generally wouldn’t leave you in the old people home.
But he was good enough to educated all of then though?
Never talk about me until you walk in my mocassion /shoes . Li dad cared for their offsprings, and be there for their Mon children would never abandon them in an aged home . What dad did with all he worked for ? Leave the children . Hovewever his Premier skills is what you should monitor not his private life
Its her opinion sane way
I would believe Parsons over Cline any day.
The two of them are bad alike. I don’t want to hear from none of them
Some sober thoughts EP. Thank you.
Finally someone brave enough to say what can’t be said.
This conversation is distorted because our natural patriotism and anti colonialism (righteous) are tangled up with other peoples’ greed and lust for $$ and power.
So decent people who have decent opinions about our need for self governance find themselves in the same gang as Head Coach, Claude Smell Some and Bishop Crime, WilfulCock, etc etc etc.
They distort the conversation because if you say anything pro British you are written off as a colonial pawn, someone who wants the return of slavery and other nonsense. Even if it will make lives better for BVIslanders!?!?
So most people don’t dare talk like Ms Parsons. Good for her for saying what she sees and not what she’s pressured to say by all the wanna-be Malcolm Xs out there.
With a grown up conversation, we might get a BVI that works for decent people, and not just the few using colonial history as a cover for greed.
“ … not just the few using colonial history as a cover for greed.” That sums it up the mentality of the most vocal perfectly. It’s refreshing to hear someone talking sense.
I’m not surprised by this. Most BVIslanders aren’t stupid and can see how they have been victimised by a corrupt elite for years. They can see the disconnect between hundreds and hundreds of millions of government revenue for decades and our third world infrastructure, including education. Radical and urgent change is required if we are not to become a destitute narco statelet.
Slow Wande doesn’t make me feel reassured the territory has a sustainable plan.it just feels like he sees this like a high school project
You should respect your leaders whether you like them or not. If you have suggestion or idea you can voice it without being disrespectful and rude. Stop lickin’ stamps, envelopes and other things.
When your cronies ain’t getting their way you quick to spew incorrect info. The biggest problem is some of you hate just because you don’t have access. Give the government a chance and stop hating just because your pref ain’t in control.
The people are in the position to reject this corrupt cycle. Vote all of them out. The local media can do the Territory a favor by featuring the young, upcoming talents who can lead us into the future. There is hope. But first thing’s first. Vote them out.
And put in who? Name 1 person you think will do a better job!!!!
Mitch is letting that Ministerial position get to his head. He better slow down before someone slow him down. He can’t get a simple school built on JVD, a simple basketball court finished at Diamond Estate, the simple roads fixed in his district, last but not lease he took away thr bush cutting jobs from the young people in district 2. Now he talking about change is coming in the Dept of Labour and Immigration..
Lets face it, the government has done us great harm and we have to embrace the shame and dissappointments and more unknown to come! however, we are not the first to experience such, lets put our pride aside for a little while and wise up. We have the same Persons different name running in power who have to had known that there VIP leader was partially “crooked” but stood by and done nothing. How can we trust for them to lead? VIP? NDP? they don’t work! what’s left??? UK rule, just until we can have a fit government to run the territory! I fear our territory is DYING!
High cost of living, underpaid salaries, high electricity/gas prices, high apartment rental/ mortgage rates. People are crying! Think about it!
I am in agreement with you.
And that will give us a chance to find new people who are actually capable to run the country in the interest of it’s citizens.
Miss parson speak the truth she know exactly what she is saying
Perhaps it might be a good idea to hold a non binding referendum similar to the Brexit vote. That would give both the UK and BVI a sense of how the local population feels about the subject, which, currently, is extremely confused.
When your education and religious system is built of lies.only those who research history will stand ground.
From one dictatorship to another. The silent yes-men and women finally found their voices and the same game continues.
Taking us for fools, as usual.
But he was good enough to educated all of them though?
The Government you said have done us a disadvantage? I beg to differ it is we ourselves how have put us in this mess. Its because of our own greedy ways. Its we the people who does control the Government and put pressure on them to get what we want. Now we cant get, it lets vote them out , let the UK come in . Are you sure you know what we are asking for, you think when they come that they will care about us. Can you imagine the attitudes that will surface? You all can run it so lets show you how? Think again
I hope people are putting the pieces to the puzzle as to what is really going on. Malone came out of the woods and crossed the floor, now Eileen talking bout ppl tell her thing, they trying to cause division in a smart way. With all that was going on when last you heard she something. Think them easy!!
Ms Parson speaking the hard truth. A Britain take over is the popular anthem amongst most residents..I too support a BVI complete take over. Or nothing much will change
.
So when, are you saying an eye for an eye?……My Dad didn’t support us but in the end,We had to take care of him.
When they were pushing for her bald head concrete partner to lead the Governor Council she didn’t want UK to come in. Now that the young people are in power and they no longer have influence, now the UK should take over. I hope all our young people, 50 and under realize what is taking place in our little Territory. We have always been good enough to use, but not good for anything else. They promise that you are the future, you can do this, that or the other, but every time you step forward they pull you back. Look at the history of politics here and you will see. In a way the UK did step in and that’s why Sowande is Premier. Give them a chance to lead and stop with the fear mongering nonsense. This group cannot do any worst than who we had in power for last 12-20 years. At least we have schools being built and reforms on the table that MUST HAPPEN as the UK has the hammer holding over them.
The price of land and houses has been artificially inflated to the level that only the rich can afford to purchase any real estate. look at what the real estate agents are advertising now a days. A two or three bedroom home is going for 700,000 – 900,000. The banks require income of three times the monthly payment with a 20% down payment. So a local purchasing any of these advertised property must come up with 200,000 to 300,000 for down payment and closing cost and must have a salary of 15,000 to 24,000. How any locals are earning these salaries? You don’t need England to come in to take our land. We are letting the real estate people price our land away from us. because if local cannot afford to buy the land then who is going to buy it, the rich outsider.
The BVI has over 30,000 people. I highly doubt that Eileen spoke to 300 people about UK taking over so realistically far less than 1% of the territory represents this “many” that she spoke about. A lot of these talking points are unconfirmed and not supported with actual numbers. 10 people is listed as many and a few Facebook comments repeated by the same people are stated as the opinion of the vast majority. What we need to do is something similar like some US elections and take this to the polls. Along with the choices for election add a yes or no for UK takeover to the ballot box.
JWB fell off the bottler or was simply face down in the cupboard.
And put in who? Name 1 person you think will do a better job!!!!
It never ceases to amaze me how people who were champion of culture and BVI pride are now calling for the England to come and save us. When in the last 100 years has the UK showed any interest in the type of people who call these islands home?
Just Look at polices they have enacted look at their superiority mentality, look at the Windrush scandal and see who were affected, look at their actions to toward the BVI after Irma. look at their new policy towards African migrants. Yall fooling yourself if you thing they see your humanity
I use to respect that Lady’s oppinion but not anymore. *** bottle was empty.
The mumus that want the UK to take over are not true to bone Virgin Islanders. The are brain washed. They engaged in self hatred. They falsely believe that it is divinely manifested, it is human destiny, for Blacks to bend the knee and kiss the ring to serve Whites, to feel less than and play an inferior role to whites. They are urinating on and throwing shade at BVI departed warriors, heroes, ie, Noel Lloyd, Dolph Faulkner, etc. They are Sambos who enjoy stepping and fetching for massa. They don’t understand the vicious circle of colonialism and neocolonialism.
@Sambo, many in BVI have internalized the inferiority complex and are suffering from “Afri-Victimized-Syndrome.” They put the European/White/Good/Saint on a pedestal and African/Black/Bad/Lucifer at the bottom and blinded by the atrocities committed by the UK, ie, violent, exploitive and oppressive colonialism, slavery, Windrush, etc. This internalization of the inferiority complex is generational, ie,Boomers, elites, big shots, wannabes, etc. The sickening inferiority complex is further divided between locals and expats, haves and have nots, etc. Where is our personal and national pride?
What does the image on the Order of St. Georges and St. Michael represent? It represented good versus evil. A white angel standing on the neck of a black skin devil. After much push back, it the skin of the black skin devil was lightened. However, the image still represent the oppression of the marginalized. Governor John Rankin, CMG, proudly display in print the CMG, the lowest order of the Order of St. George’s and St. Michael—-companion something. Would he out of respect for the people he is representing stop wearing that badge. Not going to happen. Nonetheless, he should tell the people he is representing what it stands for.
Ms. P, the supposed cultural icon view of things is dated, demonstrating outdated 20th Century thinking, folly. Proverb 14:18: The simple inherit folly; but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. The knowledge and experience of seasoned elders are invaluable but it must be current, real, reasonable, relevant, and practical. Dinosaurs are mythical creatures that supposedly walked the earth but they are fading into history.