Hon Vanterpool made the comments while debating on the Virgin Islands Investment Act 2020 on August 19, 2021, and touched lightly on the topic of race in the territory.

“We in the BVI and when I saw we, Mr Speaker, I want us to understand we must not be racial one way or the other,” he said.

Hon Vanterpool further noted that even with the presence of the VI Commission of Inquiry (CoI) in the territory and its allegations, that does not mean that Virgin Islanders cannot manage and invest in their selves.

VI Diversity highlighted

“We have some people living among us who are our people, they live with us, they are from England they are from all over the place, they might be a Caucasian, but they are a part of us, they have belonger status,” Hon Vanterpool went on to say.

While Hon Vanterpool has related that he will condemn any form of colonialist UK takeover of the VI, he called on white Virgin Islanders to run for power in the territory, in a bid to represent themselves and the VI.

“I wish and wait one day when a Caucasian would run for office and come in here [HoA], nothing is wrong with that, it's called representation,” he said.

Hon Vanterpool said while those in the House would be shocked at the statement, he said VI’s Caucasian citizens and belongers have a constituency.

The Opposition Member, who refers to himself as a 'statesman', further noted that even with the presence of the VI Commission of Inquiry (CoI) in the territory and its allegations, that does not mean that Virgin Islanders cannot manage and invest in themselves.