The following statement is issued by Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies.
The University of the West Indies (The UWI) joins with CARICOM in calling on Britain to retreat from stated political calls to subvert and subordinate the sovereignty of the people of the Virgin Islands.
This is the second occasion in recent weeks in which we have called for respect of the national rights of a community; having done so following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We are committed to the decolonization of the Caribbean and deplore the persistence of colonial rule of the people in the region.
The regional UWI insists, therefore, that its member community, the Virgin Islands, be given the full opportunity and autonomy to resolve its immediate domestic challenges. We are confident that it will do so within an enabling Caribbean framework without injurious imperial aggression emanating from London.
All the people of the region have fought with all means available to craft a democratic culture in the face of fierce opposition from Britain.
They have been murdered, imprisoned, and racially denigrated in the quest for freedom, justice and democracy.
Britain has no authority, moral or otherwise, to teach democracy lessons in the Caribbean, insisting as it does on dominating the people who are seeking Reparatory Justice for centuries of colonial brutality and continuing imperial rule.
The region is proud of the initiative by the Ruling Party and Opposition to come together to form a national consensus government. This is the spirit that forms the core of the independence sensibility now rooted in the region.
It is precisely this consciousness that will enable the community to resolve whatever governance challenges are arising from the tragic, debilitating, recent events.
It is also true that it is persistent British colonial rule of the community that distorts quality indigenous development and constitutes the framework in which international financial malfeasance seeks haven in these islands.
Britain has created this wicket on which the game being played is not West Indian cricket.
The UWI stands ready to facilitate the national strategy of the Virgin Islands, its stakeholder, to maintain and enhance its sovereignty.
It also stands ready to assist Britain in curing itself from the persistent impulse and cultural addiction to dominate the people of this region by imperial edict.
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Beckles,why you do not go and have discussions with the Caribbean Leaders.I do think they would listen to you,SIR. Talk to them about the consequences of their behaviors. Talk to them about greed and Corruption and what the end game results could be.
Beckles you ever heard of Barbuda and the Barbudans struggles to maintain their communal rights to their lands? Please I am begging you to have a word with your wonder boy Gaston aka Top Dawg. You guys are very selective on your fights. Guess when you are in bed with dawgs you hear nothing or see nothing.
a good soldier/commander is prudent not to fight every battle when the war is eminent.
They don’t have that right as we speak – its Crown Land. Why talk about this when it’s in the hands of the court. Antiman always bouy
Strange that someone with such a scathing view of the British is more than happy to use the title of Sir that was bestowed on him by that very same Britain. The hypocrisy is as incredible as the corruption he is overlooking
This is the man that seeks reparations from his colonial master but fully endorses their brainwashed education system.
UWI is becoming very political which is good but usually it is the students who are encouraged by civic minded professors to raise the standard, so as not to confuse the standards of the university with the intentions of the politicians. The sharing of the political platform in Antigua is the only campus of UWI which entertains this politicizing by top brass. Beckles is overreaching again!
Sir Beckles …..any crumbs left over to speak about Barbuda and Barbudans please have a conscience Sir….
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