Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Apr 23, 2025

United Nations Article 73(b)

United Nations Article 73(b)

More often than not, it seems as if people around the world have allowed themselves to believe that colonialism was and remains some fairytale read in a book. You know the stories in which the handsome Prince marries a glowing bride and all in the Kingdom live happily ever after.
Well, on one hand, handsome Princes do get to marry the brides of their choice; however, the reality is those not in the Royal Families or their immediate circles do not live happily ever after.

For millions of people around the world, colonialism has had quite the opposite effect. There are very few who can say that their countries or lives are better off because of colonialism. Just ask the Aborigines of Australia, or the First Nations of North America how colonisation has worked out for them.

Post-1945, when the European powers of Holland, Portugal, France, and the United Kingdom were forced, in one way or the other, to lower their flags from their colonies around the world, they did not leave them in pristine conditions.

Quite the opposite, as they had essentially used those colonies primarily as sources of vast wealth. Nor did they actually provide educational development for the masses. 

Countries such as; Angola, India, Kenya, Indonesia, and Mali, just to name a few, were left with little to no proper infrastructure such as; adequate amounts of hospitals, proper roadways, telecommunications, electrical grids, and education opportunities, for their citizens. You know, all the nice stuff that developed countries had built for their “mother countries” with the monies generated from those very same colonies.

Hence the popular use of the comparative terms “first world” countries versus “third world” countries.

The newly independent governments were then in a predicament that they had to find financing in order to provide basic necessities such as; schools, hospitals and jobs, for their populations. For the most part, those countries such as India and Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, were major agricultural economies. In the case of many African countries, they had vast amounts of natural resources such as; oil, gold and diamonds. Materials that were still controlled by European corporations.

India alone was the source of over 45 trillion dollars for Britain.

Closer to home, up until the late 1950, the Virgin Islands did not have island-wide electricity. During the same time period, opportunities for schooling were limited for young persons in islands such as Antigua, Trinidad, Sint Maarten and Guadeloupe. Just ask the people of Puerto Rico if they were treated as equals after Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Here in Bermuda, the majority of black students had to attend Central School, now known as Victor Scott. Often the 1,000 students had to share desks and chairs.

All this willful neglect against a backdrop of European nations and their elite, growing untold wealth for centuries. Take a look at any given world map and it is clear to see that colonialism only benefitted a few whilst destroying the many. Indeed it was no fairy tale existence.

Now, as we begin to have the conversations about self-determination, let us be reminded that the nations of; Holland, France, The United Kingdom and the United States of America are bound by International obligations to educate their citizens about "self-government".

The United Nations Article 73 (section b) states the following "to develop self-government, to take due account of the political aspirations of the peoples, and to assist them in the progressive development of their free political institutions, according to the particular circumstances of each territory and its peoples and their varying stages of advancement…"

Has the United Kingdom ever taken up the mantle to educate the citizens of their remaining 14 colonies about Article 73?

If not, why not?
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Woman slaps man at sports game and gets herself and husband beat up
Pope Francis: head of the Catholic church who pushed for social and economic justice
China do not pay these tariffs - you pay it. This is new 145% tax you pay to the US government.
Nightlife in the streets of Manchester
In God We Profit
Cultural Battles in the Vatican: The Candidates in the Battle for the Holy See and Pope Francis's Testament
Global Leaders Pay Tribute to Pope Francis Following His Death
Wild Chimpanzees Observed Bonding Over Alcoholic Fruit
US Federal Reserve Chair Issues Warning on Tariff Impact
UK Prison Officers Demand Electric Stun Guns Amid Safety Concerns
China, China, China!
Australian National Charged as Mercenary for Fighting in Ukraine
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Prince Andrew Joins Royal Family Attends Easter Sunday Service at Windsor Castle
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
Trump is assembling a coalition of Western leaders aligned with the MAGA vision, strengthening a unified front for global change
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Here’s a police officer with a brilliant gift for swift education
"Some complain that we put thousands in prison. In reality, we set millions free."
This is Vienna, Austria in 2025.
Boeing Jet Returns to US from China Amid Tariff War
Canadian Federal Election: Candidates' Positions on US-Canada Relations and Donald Trump
Resentencing Hearing for Menendez Brothers Who Killed Their Parents Delayed Amid Legal Disputes
Australian Woman Gives Birth To Stranger's Baby In IVF Mix-up
US Sets Deadline for Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal Brokerage
Italy Introduces 'Sex Rooms' in Prisons for Inmates
California Launches Legal Challenge Against Trump Administration's Tariffs
"Groundless": China Dismisses Zelensky's Claims It's Supplying Arms To Russia
UK Psytrance Festival Cancelled Amid Local Protests Over Noise Concerns
French Far-Right Writer Renaud Camus Denied Entry to UK
UK Police Force Updates Search Policy for Trans Individuals in Custody
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Meets with Donald Trump to Discuss EU-US Trade Tensions
Canada's Federal Party Leaders Engage in Final Debate Ahead of General Election
Ukraine and US Sign Outline of Minerals Deal
Fast Food Chain Refuses to Apologize for Online Comment About Katy Perry's Space Voyage
New York Attorney General Letitia James Faces Criminal Referral for Alleged Mortgage Fraud
Mark Cuban admits support for Trump executive order: ‘Gotta be honest’
US Senator Meets with Deported Immigrant in El Salvador Amid Custody Dispute
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
×