Island Sun - Local News - British Virgin Islands

LOCAL NEWS

USVI SENATOR REPEATS CALL FOR REMOVAL OF "RASTA LAW IN THE BVI

Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Communications and Works the Honourable J. Alvin Christopher led a high-level BVI delegation to St. Thomas on Monday to attend the swearing in ceremony for the 24th Legislature of the United States Virgin Islands. The local delegation included Speaker of the Legislative Council Hon. Rueben Vanterpool, Minister of Health and Welfare Hon. Ethlyn Smith, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Hon. Andrew Fahie, Opposition Leader Dr. the Hon. D. Orlando Smith, Member for the 7th District Dr. the Hon. Kedrick Pickering and Clerk of the Legislative Council Mrs. Oleanvine Maynard.

They were all on hand to hear a repeated plea from returning Senator Adelbert M. "Bert Bryan for the BVI government to immediately repeal a controversial law that prohibits the free entry of Rastafarians into the British Virgin Islands. He insisted that despite the many invitations, he personally would not be visiting the territory until this is lifted. "We are all Africans in the Caribbean, so you guys need to get some way that you would remove that restriction that tells African brothers and sistersthat he or she cannot enter Tortola with a lock on his hair, rather than calling and getting permission to come there, he told the Senate. Senator Bryan said the Virgin Islands government and the United States government, whose currency is used in the BVI, does not impose such a law on citizens of the BVI. He noted that there is no law that states that "a guy or a lady from Tortola with a lock on their head can,t come to Red Hook, Coral Bay, St. Croix or Frederickstead, New York, Miami or Puerto Rico.

The USVI Senator emphasized that it was not good enough to have a prospective visitor with locks seeking permission ahead of time to enter the territory. "Columbus didn,t write and tell nobody he was coming; he came and everybody willing to say he discovered the world. So, I,m saying to you while you leave, he said, addressing the BVI Legislators, "I want that barrier taken down and until it is taken down, I expect not to be there on any invitation until all the people thatlook like you and I, whether they are Belongers, a U.S citizen, New York, Puerto Rico, Ghanaian, Zimbabwean or what can come to that country without a restriction. Following elections on November 7th last year, a new look majority was elected in the United States Virgin Islands Senate. Senator Almando "Rocky Liburd was sent back as Senate President, the new Majority Leader and Chairman of the Committee on Housing, Parks and Recreation is Senator Celestino White Sr. and his Vice President is Senator Adelbert "Bert Bryan, who also serves as Chairman of the Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture and Consumer Protection. Senator Norman Jn. Baptiste is Legislative Secretary and also Chairman of the Committee on Education, Secretary - Senator Norma Pickard-Samuels, Liaison to the White House and Chair of the Committee on Finance - Alicia "Chucky Hansen, Liaison to the U.S Congress and Chairman of the Committee on Government Operations, Planning and Environmental Protection Senator Donald "Ducks Cole, Senator Douglas Canton Jr. chairs the Committee on Health and Hospital, the Committee on Veterans and Labour Affairs is chaired by Senator Norma Pickard-Samuels, the Rules Committee Chairman is Senator Carlton Dowe and the Committee on Youth and Human Service is chaired by outgoing Senate President Senator Vargrave Richardson.

All of the Senators spoke to the need to bond together to further the economic development of the United States Virgin Islands. They generally expressed a desire to and called on the entire Senate to work together in the best interest of the people of the Virgin Islands. The Senate President said among his goals would be to reduce the budget and invest the money in seeking revenues for the territory, establish a lobbying group in Washington, reform the Board of Education, Governance and Finance, re-programme capital projects funding, enhance homeownership and affordable housing opportunities, implement healthcare reform, enforce government accountability and attempt to pay all vendors. The major activity expected at Monday,s ceremony the State of the Territory Address by His Excellency Governor Charles W. Turnbull was not presented. This was postponed until January 29th.

[Local News][Caribbean News][Sports & Entertainment]
[World News][What's New & Commentaries]
[BVI History, Attractions & Features] [Your Spot in the Sun]
[Legal][Contact Us][HOME]


			LOCAL NEWS

			USVI SENATOR REPEATS CALL FOR REMOVAL OF "RASTA LAW IN THE BVI Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Communications and Works the Honourable J. Alvin Christopher led a high-level BVI delegation to St. Thomas on Monday to attend the swearing in ceremony for the 24th Legislature of the United States Virgin Islands. The local delegation included Speaker of the Legislative Council Hon. Rueben Vanterpool, Minister of Health and Welfare Hon. Ethlyn Smith, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Hon. Andrew Fahie, Opposition Leader Dr. the Hon. D. Orlando Smith, Member for the 7th District Dr. the Hon. Kedrick Pickering and Clerk of the Legislative Council Mrs. Oleanvine Maynard. They were all on hand to hear a repeated plea from returning Senator Adelbert M. "Bert Bryan for the BVI government to immediately repeal a controversial law that prohibits the free entry of Rastafarians into the British Virgin Islands. He insisted that despite the many invitations, he personally would not be visiting the territory until this is lifted. "We are all Africans in the Caribbean, so you guys need to get some way that you would remove that restriction that tells African brothers and sistersthat he or she cannot enter Tortola with a lock on his hair, rather than calling and getting permission to come there, he told the Senate. Senator Bryan said the Virgin Islands government and the United States government, whose currency is used in the BVI, does not impose such a law on citizens of the BVI. He noted that there is no law that states that "a guy or a lady from Tortola with a lock on their head can,t come to Red Hook, Coral Bay, St. Croix or Frederickstead, New York, Miami or Puerto Rico. The USVI Senator emphasized that it was not good enough to have a prospective visitor with locks seeking permission ahead of time to enter the territory. "Columbus didn,t write and tell nobody he was coming; he came and everybody willing to say he discovered the world. So, I,m saying to you while you leave, he said, addressing the BVI Legislators, "I want that barrier taken down and until it is taken down, I expect not to be there on any invitation until all the people thatlook like you and I, whether they are Belongers, a U.S citizen, New York, Puerto Rico, Ghanaian, Zimbabwean or what can come to that country without a restriction. Following elections on November 7th last year, a new look majority was elected in the United States Virgin Islands Senate. Senator Almando "Rocky Liburd was sent back as Senate President, the new Majority Leader and Chairman of the Committee on Housing, Parks and Recreation is Senator Celestino White Sr. and his Vice President is Senator Adelbert "Bert Bryan, who also serves as Chairman of the Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture and Consumer Protection. Senator Norman Jn. Baptiste is Legislative Secretary and also Chairman of the Committee on Education, Secretary - Senator Norma Pickard-Samuels, Liaison to the White House and Chair of the Committee on Finance - Alicia "Chucky Hansen, Liaison to the U.S Congress and Chairman of the Committee on Government Operations, Planning and Environmental Protection Senator Donald "Ducks Cole, Senator Douglas Canton Jr. chairs the Committee on Health and Hospital, the Committee on Veterans and Labour Affairs is chaired by Senator Norma Pickard-Samuels, the Rules Committee Chairman is Senator Carlton Dowe and the Committee on Youth and Human Service is chaired by outgoing Senate President Senator Vargrave Richardson. All of the Senators spoke to the need to bond together to further the economic development of the United States Virgin Islands. They generally expressed a desire to and called on the entire Senate to work together in the best interest of the people of the Virgin Islands. The Senate President said among his goals would be to reduce the budget and invest the money in seeking revenues for the territory, establish a lobbying group in Washington, reform the Board of Education, Governance and Finance, re-programme capital projects funding, enhance homeownership and affordable housing opportunities, implement healthcare reform, enforce government accountability and attempt to pay all vendors. The major activity expected at Monday,s ceremony the State of the Territory Address by His Excellency Governor Charles W. Turnbull was not presented. This was postponed until January 29th.
			[Local News][Caribbean News][Sports & Entertainment] [World News][What's New & Commentaries] [BVI History, Attractions & Features] [Your Spot in the Sun] [Legal][Contact Us][HOME]