Virgin Islands Day 2022 is an opportune time to reflect on the bitter-sweet political status of the Territory.
In the words of Albert Goodson's song:
Just the otherday, I heard a man say
He didn't believe in God's word.
But I can truly say that I have found the way,
And He's never failed me yet Oh, oh, oh!
Cho
We have come this far by faith,
Trusting in his holy word
He's never failed us yet,
Singing oh, oh, oh, can't turn around,
We've come this far by faith.
When the Territory was granted the first steps to internal self-government, the charge was led by men of faith who looked beyond self and beyond material things to a life justice, freedom and liberty. Three of the first cohort of ministers were Methodist local preachers- Hon H. Lavity Stoutt, Hon Ivan Dawson,, and Hon T. B. Lettsome. They had led the Territory thus far by faith. Fast forward to 2022, where is that faith today? Had we kept the faith of those early stalwarts I have no doubt that we would not be in this political mess today. So while the people are enjoying the sweetness of economic progress they are inflicted with the bitterness of political ineptitude. Trapped within our doings, we have a bitter-sweet situation on our hands. We are immersed in it and we must find the best path that takes us to freedom. Look at some words fron Sir Winston Churchill and ponder over them:
"Our inheritance of well founded, slowly conceived codes of honour, morals, and manners, the passionate convictions which so many hundreds of millions share together of principles of freedom and justice are far more precious to us than anything which scientigic discoveries could bestow."
"Where have all the flowers gone?"
They may have faded but brighter ones should bloom. Has that happened? Are we paving the way for that to happen? As Martin Luther King jr said:
We need leaders not in love with money but in love with justice. Not in love with publicity but in love with humanity."
Let Virgin Islands Day 2022 be a turning point for"love with humanity."
- Dr. Charles H. Wheatley