We hear so many people every day talk about respect and lack thereof in these times, and many of them blame someone else. The problem with the blame game is that few people take time to try and analyse the issue. As I have said many times, greed has replaced not only respect but also integrity, morals, pride and honesty.

Respect is not just an act between people but also between businesses and customers, between departments of a government, between countries and territories, to name a few. When respect is not shown, continuous lack of respect can lead to embarrassment to one or both parties. Respect is not something you can demand but something you earn. First and foremost, however, one must respect oneself.

I also want mention a few things here: doing something that is wrong for hundreds of years does not make it right; you are taught, “when you know better you do better;” and people in positions of trust who continue to mislead show their disrespect for others.

 

USVI election

Over the months leading up to the recent election in the United States Virgin Islands, the vast majority of the candidates running for elective office claimed that they were a running for a seat in the Virgin Islands senate or for the Virgin Islands governorship. This was very disrespectful to all true Virgin Islanders. However, it was also disrespectful and embarrassing when some of these candidates actually came to this territory — which is the true Virgin Islands — to be guests on one of our local radio stations. They continued on these talk shows with the same message, and the talk show host never made any attempt to correct them. Adding insult to injury, the radio station management approved their commercials.

 

A difference

We must understand and accept the fact that there is a difference between the Virgin Islands and the US Virgin Islands, just as there is a difference between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and between the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

So many residents of this territory should be embarrassed when they continue to complain about many issues, especially about young people. Yet these same people, including government ministers, politicians, religious leaders, teachers and the media are refusing to teach their children and others what is the correct name of this territory.