Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

0:00
0:00

BVI News claims that VINO site's 'distasteful' cartoon of Governor sparks public outrage.

BVI News claims that a Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) cartoon of Governor Augustus Jaspert kneeling on the neck of talk-show host Claude Skelton Cline has been met with public outrage and calls for the website to remove the cartoon, and calls advertisers to boycott the website. We join the call to remove it too, but not to boycott VINO. Our standpoint is at the end of this article.

BVI News wrote:

Several residents and public figures have described the cartoon as insensitive and some have demanded a public apology from the management of the media company.

“For this news site to publish the Governor on the neck of a Mr Cline is inflammatory, insensitive and irresponsible. We don’t need to fuel race tensions here in our BVI, in such a callous and blatant manner,” local businessman Dr Michael Turnbull said in a Facebook post.

He continued: “If you’re a business that advertises with Virgin Islands News Online, a call needs to be made to have them remove this image or you remove your ads. Silence is stating you support. You have a corporate responsibility. Freedom of speech doesn’t mean that we have to fund this new site.”

Turnbull’s statement, which was posted around 11:30 am on Monday, June 15, has received more than 40 reactions, as well as multiple shares and comments expressing similar sentiments.


Advertisers told to boycott

Meanwhile, former NDP candidate in the 2019 General Elections, Aaron Parillon has also expressed his disgust on social media.

“Representatives of VINO, you and I have no sort of relations whatsoever but do right by your people and get your media house in order before we black Virgin Islanders have to. When I see people, I see people. I don’t care what party, race or colour you rock. It is disturbing to use George Floyd’s situation as a reference to prove a political point.”

“I would be ashamed to have my face or family’s face featured on this site as any young professional,” he added.

Up to publication time, his post generated 60 reactions, more than 50 comments and at least seven shares. Parillon and some social media users who commented his post have even called for advertisers to boycott the Julian Willock-owned website.

“People need to stop advertising their businesses as well,” former Miss BVI, Kadia Turnbull wrote.

Adding his voice to the conversation, local recording artiste McKenzie ‘B’More’ Baltimore, Jr wrote: “I am so disgusted right now! Pull the ads. Don’t comment the pics either on the site. I am sick to my stomach.”

“Very insensitive! This must be taken down immediately and apology given,” are other examples of comments that continue to pour in from social media users.


The cartoon and George Floyd’s killing

VINO’s cartoon was inspired by the controversial circumstances surrounding the May 25 death of 46-year-old African-American, George Floyd, who was killed on the streets of Minneapolis, USA when a caucasian police officer kneeled on his neck for just under 9 minutes.

The incident, which which was recorded on video, sparked worldwide protests and violence, calling for an end to racism against the black community.


Premier denounces racism

Even locally, Premier Andrew Fahie has publicly commented on the Floyd killing and denounced all acts of racism.

VINO’s cartoon, in the meantime, follows June 9 statements from Skelton Cline reportedly that the United Kingdom and Governor Jaspert have their figurative knees on the necks of Virgin Islanders.

Skelton Cline further called for residents to join in the fight against the injustices being faced by people of colour.


Our opinion and standpoint:

This cartoon is disturbing indeed, especially at such a sensitive time.

We are great advocates of the maximum protection of free speech. 

The value of freedom of expression is not examined in the expression of pleasant and comfortable views. The value of freedom of speech is measured precisely in relation particularly to the expression of offensive and disturbing views.

“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” (George Orwell).

However, freedom of expression does not abrogate the responsibility that verbal or visual humour can be translated by some extremist into dangerous action.

It is both very fine and very relevant to oppose the colonialism that the Governor Augustus Jaspert is part of, and represents. And it is also very relevant and definitely appropriate to link the anti-colonialism voices in (B?)VI with the George Floyd protests, the same as it must be okay and very welcome to express the opposite voices, that appreciate Governor Augustus Jaspert service and contribution to BVI people and territory. Both opposite opinions are legitimate and must enjoy the same freedom of expression.  

It is also very relevant and definitely appropriate to link the anti-colonialism voices in BVI with the George Floyd protests even if obviously we all know that there is not much to compare between the built-in racism in major U.S. institutes and society, that almost do not exist in BVI, despite of what is left from the British colonialism. While UK is fighting constantly and effectively against it's traditional racism (it's just a question of time before we will see that the "second class citizens" in UK will control the whole political system) - U.S. is still 150 years behind.

So leveraging the George Floyd momentum to amplify the anti-colonialism movement in BVI is justified. However, this must be done in a way that does not risk anyone's personal safety.

And such a cartoon is, in my personal opinion, a strong and powerful way to deliver the message, but also creates a risk that this will lead to unwanted and dangerous action against the Governor (or VINO). So we join the call for removing it at this sensitive time, but we are absolutely against boycotting VINO just because they think or say something that we believe its wrong. 

We suggest to remove this cartoon not as a must and not by the law, but as an act of responsible journalism.

Mature society do not need a law to guide them how to act properly. Anyway as we all know, not all what is legal is moral, and not all what is moral is legal (for example: Slavery was legal but not moral, and Nelson Mandela acts against his apartheid government wasn't legal but absolutely moral...).

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
×