Turnbull recognizes Caribbean expats, slams prejudice

Second District Representative Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull has called for greater cohesion in the BVI, urging residents to unite and recognise the contributions of Caribbean expatriates.

During a recent debate on the Immigration and Passport Amendment Bill 2025, Turnbull reflected on the Virgin Islands’ history and identity.

“The other side of the story of these Virgin Islands is, while it was built by those of us who were left here, those of us that were left here found ways and means to travel to other Caribbean islands and territories, neighbouring Caribbean islands and territories, to be able to find employment, to be able to provide for their families,” he stated.

Turnbull emphasised that people across the Caribbean had lived among Virgin Islanders and helped build the territory.

“The Virgin Islands or any other Caribbean territory was built by those of us who were brought from Africa. That is why we have so many similar traits. That is why so many of us have some of the same dialect and accents and cultural aspects of our diversity. We are black people, we are Caribbean people, we are one people,” he argued.

The legislator warned against selective storytelling and prejudice, explaining, “It cannot just be convenient for us to choose when and how we explain or highlight that we are indeed one people.”

Turnbull also recalled returning home in 2005 and encountering what he described as heightened discrimination. “There started to be, and it still exists, where we were putting down and being very prejudiced towards people from other Caribbean islands and territories. That ain’t who I am,” he said.

Turnbull addressed a previous workplace debate about sending home ‘island people’, a term often used to identify expatriates from other Caribbean islands.

“I said this to the persons who were having the debate. We keep talking about island this and that. If we were for a second to send home everybody who we do not call or consider indigenous Virgin Islanders, you know what the BVI will become? A slum.”

He was later challenged by Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer to explain what he meant when he said the BVI would become a slum without Caribbean expatriates.

Turnbull called for actions to match words when speaking about unity. “There’s nothing wrong with me pushing up Virgin Islands, but me pushing up Virgin Islands, I’m stepping on nobody else… because I need everybody. You want to talk about unity? When we talk about unity, it cannot just be speaking about unity. The very acts of what we do have to be unified,” he urged.