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.
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Many of us know lots of Caribbean nationals who have made BVI their homes, in fact many BVI nationals have family lines from other Caribbean islands, the UK etc. and those persons are patriots to their home land. You were out of place how you made that statement but Your quest to get the majority behind the Alliance will not work. You need to exit politics because being truthful is a hard for some of you.
Mitch we understand what you were saying. Don’t mind those who are trying to take what you said out of context. We are headline readers in the BVI. We only read headlines and don’t read the body the story. Kudos to you for recognizing and stating that we are all dependent on each other. Those bigots in the House of Assembly are trying to score cheap political points. Pay them no mind.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENT. HEADLINE READERS THEY ARE. THEY SEE A HEADLINE AND BEFORE THEY TAKE THE TIME TO READ AND UNDERSTAND THE ARTICLE, YOU KNOW THE REST. IF ONE CANNOT READ AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE READING ASK SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO READ AND UNDERSTAND FOR HELP.
Of course Mitch would recognize Caribbean expats, he wants their votes. That’s all he sees. How’s about this Mitch, do something for the people in your district. We know enough about you, from your past performance as Labour Minister, to say you are just like the rest of them.
The saying goes black people don’t read or know how to properly read and understand. Don’t pay them any mind Mitch.I am one of the blacks that understand thoroughly what you said.
Which black person refers to himself as “one of the blacks”. This isn’t a black person.
The prejudicial disease is an import fromwhere yts rule.
Divide and conquer are tow of their major tools. since the 15th century, most effectively practiced successfully on the VIslander and Afro America.
Look behind the comments on this site dailyand their nasty hands and minds are every where.
We were again programmed to hate our brothers and sisters by outsiders who do not lookor think like us. We must begin learning and knowing the truth. But the truths are not allowed to flourish in this territory nor on this site.
Hon. Turnbull has been in elected office 10 years now. We say the young people are the future. What has Hon. Turnbull done in 10 years of being elected besides cause political turmoil wherever he goes? I’m not being facetious here, I’m asking a serious question.
When you came here in 2005 you was bag up and couldn’t go anywhere. You have no clue about the relationship with VI people and other Caribbean expats. Those of us in the street hang out at soccer and cricket with our Caribbean brothers and sisters and break bread with them. They are proud odds their home countries and fly their flags high. We too are proud to be Virgin Islanders, but the second we say Bahn Heh everybody gets their pantries in a knot! Why?
Why do we have to give away our rights gifted to us by our ancestors? Our elders went to other countries to seek employment but they didn’t stay in other people country. They worked 6 months at a time in Santo and St Kitts and RICO and other places but brought their butts back home for the rest is the year. They weren’t trying to stay in those places or trying to get those people rights! A few left some babies behind yes but our people came back to the VI. Or people didn’t stay in those countries for 15 plus years. Our people didn’t tell those countries how they should live or what their laws should be. Big difference!
And we don’t owe any expat anything more except a fair living and pay for their work! They didn’t “build the VI” out of charity and the goodness of their hearts! We need to stop that narrative.
My grandmother’s brothers left here and went all over the Caribbean, Trinidad, Dominican Republic, ABC islands, etc. They never returned. It is only in the last few years that we are meeting with the children and grandchildren of those men. They left no babies behind, they raised their families in the countries they emigrated to and where they made a living. Their children did not come back here, or visit here, and call themselves belongers because they went through a grave yard and took names from head stones. I think part of the problem we have in the BVI is most of us are very confused about who we are. You confuse things like culture with fry fish and jonny cake. Our culture is rapidly being eliminated as the real culture bearers die off and the zenophobes come into play. If it weren’t for some of the Virgin Islanders who went off to different places and worked hard to send home those barrels some of us would have still been walking all now in tatters and no shoes. Some of the Virgin Islanders talking about what should happen to expats or what the intention of expats are, what their expectations should or should not be, are the very same people married to an expat and making babies with them. What do you tell those children who has an expat parent? What should their expectations be? What should they be able to achieve here?
We are dying for lack of the deliberate withholfing of identification of the murderers,robbers ,illegals that currently con tribute to the lack of vacancy in the prison that was built,pending their arrivals to ” build us up” They freely stroll among us enter pur private spaces etc.zIdentify these life destroyers and our recognition would improve as we recognize the human sepsis of our BVI and eliminate their existence in our home country so that we can live in our country without daily fear as we are Tolians.