Comments on: Are we Ready for Change?

By: Thinking Cap

Thinking Cap — Tue, 20 May 2008 02:48:15 +0000

Well look who’s back, obviously in need of courses in reading, reading comprehension, and math. Since you like counting, why not count how many times you’ve used the word “racist” on this website and how many people you’ve labeled as such. Now you’ve labeled all Crucians as racist. Why not include the St. Thomians and St. Johnians while you’re at it? Hasn’t anyone told you not to throw stones when you live in a glass house?

By: ladlie

ladlie — Sun, 18 May 2008 04:00:34 +0000

lol well thinking it took only 6 or so paragraphs until you refered to me as a racist,i admit it was truly fun to push your buttons until you reached or stooped to the level of calling people racist because they disagree with VI politics, we need districts here because they stop things like racism, and hey we all know that crucians look down on down islanders and statesiders alike,if thats not racism i don’t know what is

By: Thinking Cap

Thinking Cap — Thu, 15 May 2008 03:31:20 +0000

Outsider with a View, I have no desire to hold office, however I would love to organize a slate of honest candidates who truly have the best interest of the people of the Virgin Islands at heart. In the past, such individuals were only afforded one term by the electorate. I hope to see that change but unfortunately I don’t think we’re at that point yet. Maybe when WAPA bills are 2x what they are now the electorate might have a change of heart. Only time will tell.

By: Outsider with a View

Outsider with a View — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:37:35 +0000

TCap – Thanks for your response. Have you ever considered running for office?
I’ll check out those books.

By: Thinking Cap

Thinking Cap — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:29:29 +0000

Outsider with a View, I appreciate your thoughtful approach to the discussion. First of all, I agree with your assessment…we are not ready for change. This is proven each election as the senators most skilled at grandstanding are re-elected time and time again. You also have a large segment of the St. Thomas electorate who insist that the governor is from their district even though they know the candidate’s history. Furthermore, the mere fact that Virgin Islanders by and large refused to sign the Act 6905 recall petition, or even the repeal petition, despite the sad state of affairs the Turnbull Administration left us in, it is clear we are not ready for change. And the mere fact that the Turnbull Administration served 2 full terms is further evidence that we are not ready for change.

While I don’t agree with everything you stated, much of it is true. I will say that the “roots of the problem” do run deep, however I don’t see how being a “male-oriented society” has anything to do with the root of the problem. Isn’t most of the world “male-oriented”?

I don’t know how many of us are aware of the real movers and shakers behind the rampant corruption in the Virgin Islands. The selfish, grandstanding politicians are just the facilitators. They usually end up with campaign funds or a few tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. The “fat cats” are the ones who get the contracts from Waste Management and Public Works right up to Government House and the PFA. Let me suggest some books for you to read: The Hardball Years by Earle B. Ottley, Trials and Triumphs: The Long Road to a Middle Class Society in the Virgin Islands by Earle B. Ottley; The Extreme Test by Liston Monsanto.

There are too many people like ladlie who believe the local blacks are too dumb to run this government and are so corrupt they are running away with the farm. At the same time, many of them are the ones running around saying “the Governor said we have a shortfall and who are we to doubt him”. So while they claim to be ready for change, they in fact are fostering the continuation of the corruption. The same corruption that the present Governor continually rails about while fostering it. The same corruption that falls directly under his control as Governor.

If the Governor was genuine about “change” and “together we can”, we would have seen it already. You can’t say you’re going to tap local talent and bring back educated and skilled Virgin Islanders to bring about change then turn around and hire cronies and political hacks. You can’t put a mask on Generation Yesterday, call them Generation Now, and expect to see changes. You can’t hire the top financial guy (Nathan Simmonds) of the Turnbull Administration, the administration you railed as being corrupt, and make this man your Chief Policy Advisor. You can’t say you represent change while campaigning with and hiring the corrupt and incompetent leadership and associates of VI Restore Hope, who have been part of the past several administrations. Look deeper than the fancy names. Look at the characters behind the names and learn their history. You’ll be surprised!

By: Outsider with a View

Outsider with a View — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:23:27 +0000

Good Lord I just read this and weep.
I’d like to address the original question – “Are We Ready for Change?”
And the answer is a resounding “no.”
Now before you all start hurling invective at the “outsider”, let me finish. Then hurl away. When I moved to the VI I was fascinated – why there were black folks in charge of just everything! The government, the schools, law enforcement, public services – and I thought it was truly a paradise, in more ways than one. But the longer I stayed, the more disturbing some elements became. As I met people, I began to learn the true ins and outs of this place, and found that the inbred nature of the culture is the most damaging barrier to any type of true change.
Real change relies on the willingness to demand a higher standard; to insist on accountability; to refuse to tolerate schools, infrastructure, services, that don’t meet your needs.
Real change demands the ability to listen to those who are not entangled in the web of family and obligation so prevalent here.
Real change demands the realization that you should get what you pay for, and that the individuals who have the genuine ability, knowledge, background and skill to come in, without the noose of owing favors around their necks, and really generate some significant change, are probably NOT from here. And those are the people you repel.
The roots of the problem run deep. It’s an extremely archane, male-oriented society and women are prized mostly for their ability to cook, clean and breed. The general lack of exposure to the outside world and suspicion of anything not home-grown further weaken opportunity for real change.
The people who can afford to send their kids to private school and to college on the mainland do so – and those kids hardly ever come back. The result is that the pool of available talent is weak, and gets weaker, because the types of opportunities at salaries that would attract true talent, simply aren’t here in any great measure.
To “Thinking Cap’s” comment, no, I don’t think ‘the locals’ are “just a bunch of dumb black people in need of white continentals to come and save us from eternal damnation.” Not for a moment. I’ve met some great, sharp minds since moving here. But if there’s no structure to develop the intellect and no appreciation for new ideas or approaches, then it all goes to waste. And, BTW, although I am a “continental” I’m not white.
It is clear that this won’t improve if the only available resources are from the inside and the only ideas that are considered valid are those from people who were “bahn heah.”
One day, the Feds will run everything, and you won’t have any idea how it happened – and you’ll never get it back again.
Think about it.

By: Thinking Cap

Thinking Cap — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:32:33 +0000

You obviously haven’t been paying attention “for the last 14 years” and you clearly don’t know VI Politics. I’m not so sure you understand politics at all based on your comments. Maybe I’m reading too much into it. Could it be that you’re another one of the “outsiders” who think ‘the locals’ are just a bunch of dumb black people in need of white continentals to come and save us from eternal damnation?

By: ladlie

ladlie — Mon, 12 May 2008 00:01:01 +0000

oh i was not trying to hide myself, i had previously cleaned all the junk and cookies and stuff off my computer and this was one of the sites disk clean erased, and so i was not really paying attention when i made that last post,i’ve nothing to hide and no i don’t have “issues” i realize i live in a very racist enviroment and that the people in charge are terrified that someone from the “outside” will come along and “try to change things” actually it’s been quite fun to watch for the last 14 years the goverment and the people in charge slowly implode, most days reading the paper is and “eye roll” day and “what in the hell are they thinking” kind of day and because the people in power here and the wanna be’s just don’t listen well good luck to us all.

By: Indigenous Virgin Islander

Indigenous Virgin Islander — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:18:45 +0000

The economic status of the VI has not improved. The only positive change observed is better roads.I’ve asked supporters of the governor to illustrate how this administration has enhanced the quality of life in the territory. So far, there has not been a satisfactory response.

By: Thinking Cap

Thinking Cap — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:44:20 +0000

It’s a little late to go “Anonymous” Ladlie. Reading your posts, it’s obvious you have issues that even “the race conference at uvi on the 11th” won’t be able to address. God bless you.