Dear Source:
Wind mills here, wind mills there………Shelley Moorhead (ACRRA) is getting ready for his second trip to Denmark to seek reparation for that country's role in the slave trade back when Denmark ruled the Virgin Islands. As a Danish citizen and a legal alien resident here for the past 19 years I offer best wishes for a successful visit. My attitude is: Go for it!
If it will help these Islands to become a better place and if it will ease the racial tension that has been steadily building since the passing of act 6905, this venture certainly has my blessing, and I hope Mr. Moorhead will be getting some or all that he is looking for.
Personally I would love to see the delegation bring home a dozen giant wind generators. Denmark is the World's biggest producers of these 5 giga watt monsters, and there is a certain poetic justice in getting free energy back from the nation that used the 'free' energy from slaves to generate wealth.
Once the delegation gets to Denmark they will have a number of obstacles to overcome. I get bags of newspaper clippings from people in Denmark, mostly about alternative energy and global warming, but also about anything that has to do with our former colonies in the West Indies. It is safe to say, that unlike over here, where DIHR director Morten Kjaerum got a 'royal' reception in Government House, it is not likely that the ACRRA delegation gets to meet with Danish government officials. In a recent pole only 28 percent of Danes support an official apology, and an overwhelming majority of Danes thinks that the Virgin Islanders should go on with life instead of dwelling on the past. To think that four days will do anything to change that seems a bit optimistic, but I guess you have to start somewhere.
As for the Danish Government, I have not seen anything that shows a change in attitude concerning reparation. In Dec. 2006 Shelley Moorhead received a letter from Peter Taksoe-Jensen, under- secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A copy was sent to the Avis but was never published due to the editorial restrictions of said paper. In the letter Mr. Taksoe-Jensen, rather sternly, notifies Mr. Moorhead that the Danish Government will not deal with ACRRA, nor will they deal with DIHR. Apparently the Danes want to solve all these issues through the UN, and they distance themselves from any agreement or memorandum of understanding between the two private organizations ACRRA and DIHR. I'm sure our delegation is fully aware of all these obstacles, and who knows, maybe the fact that Donna Christiansen is part of all this can open doors to people that really matter.
Finally some good advice to those delegates who have never been to Denmark in September: It can be wet, cold and windy, but it can also be the most gorgeous month of the year when the sun brings out the full spectrum of autumn colors. And if you have time, have a look at some of the thousands of windmills that are scattered throughout the Danish landscape. To me, that is functional beauty.
Steffen Larsen
St. Croix
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