About one year ago, in a farewell address to the Methodist community in the Virgin Islands, Reverend Helen Maurose and her husband, Reverend Jonte Maurose, gave us a warning.
She encouraged us to open our eyes and see before it is too late. He encouraged us to return to righteousness. It was a message that every Virgin Islander needed to hear, because the church community to which they were speaking is only a microcosm of the larger community in which we live. I suspect that they were seeing in the spirit what we are failing to see in the flesh. Our community is an illustration of what Ms. Maurose called “success and prosperity turned upside down,” and regardless of how we choose to interpret it, the truth of the statement is inescapable.
‘Disorder’
For starters, even to a casual observer it must be clear that everywhere in the territory there is evidence of disorder. From the “highest” to the “lowest” levels of society, there is an unjustified arrogance and pride that tells “Everyman” that he can do as he wishes because he is not answerable to any authority, and in some cases not even to God. If you think that I am overstating the matter, just take some time out of your busy schedule and focus.
Start by listening to the morning news on ZBVI Radio. You may hear raised voices of persons who seem to be engaged in some sort of quarrel. You’d be surprised to know that it is coming from the House of Assembly. Former members of the legislature, such as the late Howard Penn and the late Ivan Dawson, must be turning over in their graves.
Then take a ride from East End to Road Town. Before you start, ask God to take you safely. You will find that there are more cars than roadway. That is not so bad. Just wait until you see where drivers stop, overtake and park. If you take the chance to look in the rearview mirror to see who or what may be riding your bumper, make it snappy because you do not know when a vehicle is going to shoot out from a side road in front of you. If you do not have quick reflexes, do not drive!
‘Automatic pilot’
The foregoing is just one snapshot of a community in which “success and prosperity” has been turned upside down. It is a community without leadership; a community without a moral compass; a community cruising on automatic pilot. It is a reality that we have to accept and subject to critical analysis before we can change it. All of us have a role to play in making that change, since all of us, either by what we have done or by what we have failed to do, have been complicit in creating this unfortunate reality in which we exist.
The anticipated change cannot happen without comprehensive, constructive dialogue in all aspects of life where we are seeing significant dysfunction. Education, health, social development, works and communication, labour and immigration, and fiscal responsibility all qualify for critical examination without prejudice toward the persons who engage in it.
The governor
With respect to fiscal responsibility, the governor, who is about to leave our shores, has led the way, not just with dialogue but with decisive action. He has led the way for those who have failed to address critical issues for fear of losing favour with the movers and shakers of the territory. I only wish that he had had the opportunity to take action earlier, although I understand that a governor on a three-year tour has a steep learning curve, and governing in these Virgin Islands is no walk in the park. I can only hope that his successor will continue the trend that he has started.
This trend needs to continue for the sake of encouraging responsible government. Responsible government should encourage responsible citizenship. Without these two examples of responsible action, talk of movement toward independence is irresponsible to say the least. However, if the steps taken by the governor encourage us to humble ourselves and become more responsible, it is to our credit and his. So, is the governor helping us? I would think so!
{fcomment}