People of the Virgin Islands, the time has come to look seriously at the present situation of our islands. Not only the eminent financial crisis but the dependent ideology that is characteristic of many of our past and present leaders. We need to start making the necessary decisions in order to secure a prosperous future for our islands.
Isn't it a shame that the leaders of the Virgin Islands have to run to Washington, D.C. to beg for money? This is no better than standing at the corner of the road with a plastic cup in hand begging for donations.
We are so reliant on the handouts of America that it has almost become part of our nature to run begging to Washington whenever we stump our toe, without any effort to solve our own problems.
Now is the time for us to begin controlling our own destiny. We need to look to the people of the Virgin Islands for answers rather than the Congress in Washington.
The beauty, culture and richness makes our Islands very unique, and although at the end of the day we are still a piece of property of the United States of America we have our own identity!
It is time that we break away from this present day type of colonialism, enhance our uniqueness and take on the challenge of being an independent nation.
No one should question the value of the relationship that has been nurtured between our islands and the United States of America, but the time for us to stand on our own two feet and fend for ourselves is long over due.
As children, we were raised by our parents and they instilled in us all the necessary values and equipped us with all the tools we needed to be successful in life. They fed us, clothed us, bathed us and then one day, we realized that the time had come when we had to take care of ourselves.
Granted along the way, we made some mistakes, but we also learned from those mistakes (hopefully). It is those mistakes that make us stronger and more independent as we continue to carve a path for ourselves, we become more confident, more self-reliant and more proud of that fact that we can stand on our own and take care of ourselves.
We eventually realize that we control our own destiny! Fellow Virgin Islanders, translate this feeling of individual independence to a higher level.
Let us take our first steps towards national independence. It may not be easy, but like those first few baby steps, we must work hard until we are confident on our own.
Besides, how much worse can we do given the current situation in our Government? People, start taking those steps towards self-reliance, towards self-identity, towards independence.
Let's break away from being America's Paradise, for this name only belittles our significance. How beautiful it will be when we can face the world, not as the U.S. Virgin Islands, but simply The Virgin Islands.
M.A.Hamilton, St. Croix
