Protestors demand public meeting with UK Overseas Territories Minister
Led by spirited local activist Amberly Crabbe and clergyman Bishop John Cline, residents who gathered at Government House yesterday to protest the Commission of Inquiry’s (COI) recommendation for UK direct rule over the BVI have demanded a public meeting with the UK Overseas Territories Minister, Amanda Milling.
Speaking to the crowd of protestors, Crabbe said the people will remain united against the recommendation.
Crabbe also urged the Overseas Territories Minister to listen to the BVI residents and meet with them publicly before making an executive decision on the recommendations in the COI Report.
“Madam Milling, we request an audience with you as the people of the Virgin Islands. We would like it tomorrow (today, May 3). They say they demand it and I agree. We give you until 10 o’clock tomorrow morning to let us know what time the meeting with the people of the Virgin Islands will be because believe me, we are coming,” Crabbe said as some protestors chanted, ‘we need it’.
Bishop Cline also encouraged the UK Minister to hear what the people have to say before coming to a decision.
“Honourable Amanda Milling, we urge you, to listen to our people. Step back from this decision or recommendation and let us the people be involved in the future and the determination of our country,” he said.
In a message to the Acting Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley, who raised his fist in the air to the protestors as he walked the slope to Government House for the meeting with Governor John Rankin and Amanda Milling, Bishop Cline encouraged Dr Wheatley to remain steadfast in his stance.
“Do not settle for anything less, go in there strong. Honourable Natalio Wheatley, your position is no direct rule. Your position is no direct rule. There is no negotiation on that matter,” he said.
Local political aspirant Luce Hodge Smith also had a message for the international media on stories being published about the Virgin Islands.
“I am asking the BBC crew and any international media crew here. Zoom in on us as the people here today to display our democratic and God-given right to protest and to let the UK government know how we feel. Zoom in on us, tell our side of the story. Do not edit a thing, do not edit anything. Your articles are hurtful, damaging, and false. But we shall rise again. Our message to the United Kingdom government and world is, ‘there will be no direct rule in this land’,” she said.
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They are a minority. Most people I know are sick of the corruption and welcome the UK intervention to clean up the mess.
Yes the UK has its own internal problems, and for sure there are plenty people there who would like nothing more than to put the whole of parliament under a similar commissioned inquiry.
We have an opportunity to do that here in the BVI, let’s not waste it by looking over at other worse governments. Let us not also bite the hand that will feed us the nourishment we need to stand on our own feet.
The 55 year experiment has failed. Time for a change.
I guess some people will continue to blame white people until the day they die cause to them everything is the whiteman’s fault. Why all the anger and frustration against the UK, but not A.F for his action????? I am so sick of these people who are pissed that they can’t hang their mouths by the table for the scraps and gravy. You can tell who is pissed because they can’t prosper from dirty money. I give props to the honest citizens who work hard for a living and who want to see good people prosper.
Some of them know why they out there. The gravy train coming to an end. No more envelopes and high positions that were created just for them.
It sure looks like a very small crowd to me.
If there was an anti corruption march tomorrow, I bet we would see five times as many people marching.
it was 50 people and 50 onlookers when I drove through
Ah, Crabbe and Cline. A couple of Buzz names from people who benefit from things staying the same. Time to move on, we need a clean break from local oppressors to allow the VI to get back on the right track.
anyone asked him about his hotel in Antigua? Wonder how he made this kind of money..
I’m sure the many, many HOA sessions held at Save The Seed have been beneficial. I wonder if we the people might get a look at that particular no-bid, tender waiver contract now?
Demanding what they have been afforded? They want a separate meeting from the ones that UK rep said they were willing to have? These people are delusional.
They are the minority they don’t speak for the majority of the population. What do they expect? To leave the same set of currupt people in charge of cleaning up corruption? make that make sense. Those individuals protesting are either gaining directly from the corruption, simply do not care or halfwits playing follow the leader.
Set of family names that have stood by and done nothing but milk the public purse for decades and given NOTHING BACK to this country! Not one of those names gave back after the storms but were the first to capitalize on donations to fill their own pockets!
They protest while blissfully forgetful of the transgressions of their own making, all while they audaciously make demands and laying blame on the very people that are trying to bring order, transparency and good governance to our Country.
The UK has not brought shackles and chains for the people of the BVI like you want all of the masses to believe. They’re bringing the opportunity for a new beginning after 30 plus years of theft and deceit!
If anything, and it is my sincere hope, that any shackles and chains brought will be for the likes of you charlatans and thieves of the public purse!
I suppose if I was making the millions their families have made under the cover of ‘darkness’ while trying to convince their own selves of their goodness by hiding behind the the respective houses of God I would be scurrying around like roaches brought out into the light too!
the people who are calling for the uk to come in don’t know much about what they are really calling for.i was one of the many that didn’t know what the British suspension of our constitution would mean but I did some research and found out that it’s a very bad idea.it means that the Civil service would be cutting staff and some may say oh it need to cut,maybe in some cases but it is going g to have a ripple effect. health care is not going to improve. as a matter of fact nothing is going to improve in the average person daily life. it would only get worst.the governments of past and present we all know did many wrongs but it was mostly the Virgin Islanders belongers and residents that benefitted from all the under hand that went on.we the people is who benefitted in one way or the other.the economy was still doing good. bvi people who calling for British take over please think again. we probably would have more accountability during the two yrs but many would be out of work. salaries would not be paid on time.any money that the British put in this small island will have to be paid back.the expatriates would seriously suffer and I see many of them calling for British take over.i am with crabbe and others who says they will not allow it to happen.i am ready to show my solidarity with my fellow Virgin Islanders.
plesae cite the sources for your research, because it looks very much like you are just taking outlandish claims from people with vested interests in not having their hand surgically removed from the cookie jar
Dear Rt Hon Milling
Just so you do not get it wrong, look waaayyyyyy to the back to find the trampled honest voiceless majority in the BVI.
There are many loud empty vessels that all relate to the same source.
There are some migrants who only want to hear that they get equal rights for them and family to ravage BVI and leave those who they presume to have more than them poor. Misery loves company. Ask the mothers before king Solomon.
If you don’t have eyes on the ground you do not know who is local from who is not. Who is chin deep from who is not. Who is bad for this country and who is not.
We implore you, stay longer do more research and ensure that the real majority voice is represented not that of the same old close knit group of crooks.
Obviously Amanda don’t know and don’t who DeCastro relation on several boards and same for Kye
And opposition relationship with the group the the radio say try to pull of the Coup.blind
Ms. Amanda Milling has better things to do here in the BVI this week than meet with a super small group of corrupt minority citizens making noise in the streets. The majority of BVI residents are extremely happy she is here and hope to see direct UK rule commence later this week.
Apologies for that old pre-Irma photo in our news story about the current scandal in the BVI. We would be grateful for more recent photos of the BVI, like this year, as we continue to report on this unfolding drama in this British Overseas Territory. Thank you
You should have been demanding and marching YEARS ago! Then we would not be in this situation today!
Wait a tick that’s a good question. Why is he still the premier of the BVI? Something going on fish my lord.
His party is protecting him for that exact same reason diplomatic immunity. Because all of them are co**upt and have there hands in the cookie jar.
Why can’t the people in the BVI see they’re being played. The ruling party and the so Called Religious groups don’t want direct rule because they all bad.
HAHAHAh them make me laugh that woman with the microphone USA DEA needs to investigate everyone who is there participating belong to corrupt people some police too the government was in the past too all of them needs to go jail
BVI, it is time to think on the reason why we have not heard anything on Kadeem Maynard?
Is Kadeem Maynard going to cut a deal in exchange for calling names?
News reports are that he was in the process of being extradited to Miami from St. Thomas for Wednesday’s hearing.
The parasites on the people’s purse was out there frothing at the mouth to keep this corrupt system in place. The loudest voices have something to lose. The craaabs get most of the multi-million dollar contracts, the man of the cloth gets thousands of dollars from HOA using his building to hold their meetings, and the Premier family member and motherinlaw of one of the ministers sits on every board plus everyone of her buildings house government offices.
Those benefits are the reason they are out there screaming and frothing at the mouth. It has nothing to do for love of country. It is greed and the love of money have them out there shamelessly making asses of themselves. I pray that the UK official don’t give them the time of day.
no cookies left in the jar and no get out of jail cards left. Well done to the USA DEA for clearing up our mess.
Lol bvi is it time to go independant? How will we feed ourselves? Is agreculture sustainable in the bvi? Lol all this ray ray marching and we still going get rule by the UK, as if we aint already innit? Cheers to all
This has nothing to do with slavery. What is wrong with you people. The corruption is right in your face. Your government was about to let drug cartels run the BVI ports, are you kidding me.
Yes, UK come, we need you come now!!!!!! The UK has stood back for years and watched while all this corruption was talking place and now the evidence is as plain as day!!! We the intelligent understand the need for a UK takeover!!!!