Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Apr 18, 2025

‘Indigenous Virgin Islander’ may be a problematic term

‘Indigenous Virgin Islander’ may be a problematic term

Despite a renewed interest from the public in the definition of an “Indigenous Virgin Islander,” Commissioners of the constitutional review team have hinted that the constitution may not adopt “indigenous” because the term may prove to be problematic.

Constitutional Review Commissioner Noni Georges said the topic of defining an “Indigenous Virgin Islander” has been raised by residents who have attended the public fora being held across the territory. But she said some people were recently cautioned that the word “indigenous” may not be appropriate.

“As Dr [Charles] Wheatley pointed out at one of our meetings, the term “indigenous” may not be textually correct,” Georges said as she addressed the controversial topic on the Talking Points radio show on December 5.

She didn’t give an explanation for what makes “indigenous” texually incorrect but some Caribbean historians believe the word “indigenous” should only be used to refer to the peoples who were living in the Caribbean before Europeans arrived in 1492.

Despite what historians say, some residents believe the next version of the constitution should further distinguish those who are “indigenous Virgin Islanders” — meaning people they agree have the closest ancestral ties to certain families of African descent who are regarded as founding families who built modern-day Virgin Islands.

In addressing the long-standing controversy relating to status in the BVI, Georges said much of the tension has been created by the British Nationality Act which doesn’t ascribe citizenship based on birth. She also pointed out that there isn’t much the BVI can do to change that law since British laws supersede those that are made locally.

“The British are the ones that have this ‘descent rule.’ They don’t subscribe to ‘you’re born here therefore you’re from here’. That comes through the British Nationality Act and this is where a lot of the tension comes in because those are rules that we (the BVI) cannot affect in the sense that our legislature cannot pass a law that will supersede the British Nationality Act,” Georges explained.

She added: “What we (the BVI) can affect is what we do with Belonger status and the policies and procedures and how polite or courteous we are when dealing with people in relation to that.”

At the same time, Georges said she believes it is time for the BVI to have mature conversations about what it means to be a Virgin Islander by heritage and a Virgin Islander as a nationality.

“We have to find a way to have these conversations and to distinguish between Virgin Islanders as a nationality status and Virgin Islander in terms of describing your heritage, your past, and things like that.” Georges explained.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. State Department Raises El Salvador’s Safety Ranking, Making It Safer Than France and Other European Nations
UK Government Assumes Control of British Steel's Scunthorpe Plant Amid Shutdown Threat
UK MP Wera Hobhouse Denied Entry to Hong Kong During Family Visit
Bangladesh Issues Arrest Warrant for UK MP Tulip Siddiq
China Urges United States to Cancel Tariffs Amid Escalating Trade Tensions
The Empire’s USD Pyramid Scheme Is Working Brilliantly—So Why ‘Fix’ It?
China Raises Tariffs on U.S. Goods to 125% Amid Escalating Trade Dispute
Elon Musk Reports $150 Billion in Projected Government Savings Amid Fraud Investigations
U.S. and Panama Finalize Defense Agreements Amid Canal Access and Chinese Influence Concerns
China Stands Firm Amidst Trade Disputes with the US: A Factual Analysis
U.S. Tariff Escalation Sparks Global Trade Tensions
Helicopter crashes in NYC with four people on board.
Australia Dismisses China's Suggestion to Collaborate Against US Tariffs
EU Postpones Response to US Tariffs
The Trump Administration is contemplating removing Chinese companies from U.S. stock exchanges.
Violent Incidents and Public Safety Concerns Escalate in London and County Durham
UK MP Arrested on Suspicion of Rape and Child Sex Offences
UK Gears Up to Respond to US Tariffs with Industrial Strategies and Trade Initiatives
‘Rocky’ star Dolph Lundgren and his wife Emma Krokdal bask in the Miami sunshine following the actor’s lengthy health struggles.
Spain Encounters Countrywide Protests as Housing Crisis Intensifies
Alisha Lehmann's Modeling Campaign and Public Controversy Stir Debate Ahead of UEFA Women's Euro
U.S. Firms with Major International Revenue Exposure in Light of New Tariffs
President Trump Calls on the Federal Reserve to Reduce Interest Rates in Light of New Tariffs
President Trump Prolongs TikTok Sale Deadline by 75 Days
Global Markets Dive Amid Rising U.S.-China Trade Conflicts
British comedian Russell Brand faces charges of rape and several sexual assaults.
Kanye West Reveals in a New Song That His Wife Bianca Censori Has Departed from Him
Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme Accused of Having Sex with Human Trafficking Victims
Tom Cruise Pays Tribute to Val Kilmer at CinemaCon
Europe Pursues Digital Autonomy Amidst Transatlantic Strains
OpenAI Lands Unprecedented $40 Billion Funding.
Charity Chairwoman Accuses Prince Harry of Bullying and Harassment
DOGE revealed that USAID provided $84 million to the Clinton Foundation. Of this amount, $3 million was spent on Chelsea Clinton's wedding, and $10 million was used to acquire a lavish mansion.
The State Department has announced the formal closure of USAID.
Apple's Innovation Deficit: Falling Behind in AI and Foldable Technology as Chinese Developments Progress
President Trump Proposes Military Intervention to Obtain Greenland
Passenger Taken into Custody After Engaging in Masturbation on SWISS Air Flight
Barcelona player Dani Alves found not guilty of rape accusations.
PUTIN'S LIMOUSINE DETONATES—SECURITY CHAOS ENSUES
French Foreign Ministry Denounces U.S. Interference in Corporate Diversity Initiatives
Copyright Issues Emerge as AI-Generated Studio Ghibli Images Gain Popularity
This is what we refer to as CREATIVITY.
Removing the Political Opponent Means Dismissing the Remnants of Turkey's Economy.
Malaysia Strengthens Semiconductor Regulations in Response to U.S. Pressure to Restrict AI NVIDIA Chip Exports to China.
OpenAI Launches New Image Generation Tool for ChatGPT
Ex-FIFA President and French Football Icon Acquitted of Corruption Allegations
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz Under Investigation After Journalist Added to Secret Military Chat
Ex-Business Partner of Hunter Biden Discusses Possible Pardon from President Trump
U.S. Attorney General Announces Task Force to Prosecute Government Fraud
American Brands Face Consumer Boycott in Europe Amid Escalating Trade and Political Tensions
×