| VIRGIN ISLANDS United States Virgin Islands United States Virgin Islands (organized, unincorporated territory of the United States) Joined United Nations: 24 October 1945 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 07/09/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Charlotte Amalie
109,775 (July 2010 est.)
Barack Hussein Obama
President of the United States
since 20 January 2009
President of the United States
since 20 January 2009
President and Vice President elected via electoral college for a
four year term; eligible for a second term. Under the US
Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such
as the United States Virgin Islands, do not vote in
elections for US president and vice president
Next scheduled election: November 2012
four year term; eligible for a second term. Under the US
Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such
as the United States Virgin Islands, do not vote in
elections for US president and vice president
Next scheduled election: November 2012
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
John DeJongh
Governor since 1 January 2007
Governor since 1 January 2007
Governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year term (can serve two consecutive
terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election
last held 7 and 21 November 2006
Next scheduled election: November 2010
popular vote for four-year term (can serve two consecutive
terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election
last held 7 and 21 November 2006
Next scheduled election: November 2010
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census)
| RELIGIONS |
Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between United States Virgin Islands and the US under the
jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior; no administrative divisions. Legal system is
modeled on US; US federal laws apply
Executive: President and Vice President elected for four year terms, eligible for second term (not voted for by Virgin
Islands residents); Governor and Lieutenant Governor elected for four years up to two consecutive terms by Virgin
Islands citizens
Legislative: Unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held November 2010)
Judicial: US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands
(judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)
jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior; no administrative divisions. Legal system is
modeled on US; US federal laws apply
Executive: President and Vice President elected for four year terms, eligible for second term (not voted for by Virgin
Islands residents); Governor and Lieutenant Governor elected for four years up to two consecutive terms by Virgin
Islands citizens
Legislative: Unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held November 2010)
Judicial: US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands
(judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)
| LANGUAGES |
English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)
| BRIEF HISTORY |
The Virgin Islands were originally settled by the Ciboney, Carib, and Arawaks. In 1493, Christopher Columbus visited
these islands. He had been searching for a route to India and consequently he called the people he encountered Indians.
Columbus named the beautiful islands 'The Virgins' in reference to the legendary beauty of St. Ursula and her 11,000
virgins. The period after Columbus' visit was quiet as far as exploration and colonization is concerned. Explorers as late as
1587 reported evidence of Indian habitation however settlers by 1625 reported not finding Indians. It is believed that
Spanish settlers on nearby Puerto Rico raided the islands on a regular basis. Some Indians were forced to work while
others fled. Indian groups lived throughout the Caribbean, however European exploration and colonization brought
demise to the indigenous groups. They had no immunity to European diseases and were not prepared to deal with the
harsh labor they were forced into. Within several decades following colonization of the Caribbean, Indian populations had
plummeted. Today they are found on reserved lands on only a few islands. They no longer exist in what is today the
USVI. Over the next three hundred years, the islands were held by many European powers, including Spain, Britain, the
Netherlands, France, the Knights of Malta, and Denmark. The Danish West India Company settled on Saint Thomas in
1672, on Saint John in 1694, and purchased Saint Croix from France in 1733. The Danish West India Company first
attempted to settle St. Thomas in 1665. They successfully established a settlement on St. Thomas in 1672 consisting of
113 inhabitants. In 1685, the Danish government signed a treaty with the Dutch of Brandenburg. This treaty allowed the
Brandenburg American Company to establish a slave-trading post on St. Thomas. Early governors also approved of St.
Thomas becoming a pirates' safe haven. The governors realized an influx of pirates would benefit local merchants. While
piracy ceased to be a factor in the island's economy in the early 1800s, the slave trade continued. They expanded and
settled on St. John in 1694. The Danish had claimed St. John as early as the 1680's, however hostility from the
neighboring British on Tortola prevented the Danes from establishing a settlement. The British, in order to maintain
hospitable relations with Denmark, eventually ceased their opposition. After the Danes settled St. John plantation
agriculture developed rapidly. The Danish West Indian Company purchased St. Croix from the French in 1733 bringing
St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John together as the Danish West Indies. The islands became royal Danish colonies in
1754, their name translating to Jomfruøerne in Danish. In the Danish West Indies slaves labored mainly on sugar
plantations. Cotton, indigo and other crops were also grown. Sugar mills and plantations dotted the islands hilly
landscapes. Each islands economy prospered through sugar plantations and slave trading. While St. John and St. Croix
maintained a plantation economy, St. Thomas developed into a prosperous center of trade. Slave rebellion on St. John
and St. Croix are well documented. Legitimate trade and business on St. Thomas influenced a different society where
many more slaves were given freedom and an opportunity outside of plantation life. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor,
drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries, until the abolition of slavery by Governor Peter von
Scholten on July 3, 1848. For the remainder of the Danish time, the islands were not economically viable and significant
transfers were made from the Danish state budgets to the authorities in the islands. An attempt to sell the islands to the
United States was made early in the 20th century, but a deal proved elusive. A number of reforms in the hope of reviving
the islands' economy were attempted, but none having great success. The onset of World War I brought the reforms to a
close, and again left the islands isolated and exposed. During the submarine warfare phases of the First World War, the
United States, fearing that the islands might be seized by Germany as a submarine base, once again approached Denmark
to sell the islands to the United States. After a few months of negotiations, a selling price of $25 million was agreed. The
Danish Crown may have felt some pressure to accept the sale, thinking that the United States would seize the islands if
Denmark was invaded by Germany. However, at the same time the economics of continued possession weighed heavily
on the minds of Danish decision makers, and a bipartisan consensus in favor of selling emerged in the Danish parliament.
A subsequent referendum held in late 1916 confirmed the decision to sell by a wide margin. The deal was thus ratified and
finalized on January 17, 1917, when the United States and Denmark exchanged their respective treaty ratifications. The
U.S. took possession of the islands on March 31, 1917, when the territory was renamed the Virgin Islands of the United
States. U.S. citizenship was granted to the inhabitants of the islands in 1927. While conditions improved, change came
slowly and frustrations brewed. Residents felt deceived when they were not granted American citizenship immediately
following the transfer and disappointment also existed in that the islands were run by Naval administrators and appointed
officials. The Military and the Interior Departments managed the territory until the passage of the Organic Act in 1936.
Today the USVI is a U.S. territory, run by an elected governor. The territory is under the jurisdiction of the president of
the United States of America and residents are American citizens. In the mid 1900s the Virgin Islands saw the dawn of
new times, more prosperous times. Tourist seeking the warmth, beauty and relaxation the USVI offers, vacationed in the
islands. Hotels, restaurants and shops began popping up on beachfront properties and in main towns. With the rise in
business and economy came a rise in the population as immigrants from neighboring islands flocked to the USVI to work.
Today the population of the USVI is made up of people from all over the Caribbean. The islands entered the new
millennium as one of the premiere destinations for tourist visiting the Caribbean.
Sources Wikipedia: History of United States Virgin Islands; VINOW History of the Virgin Islands
these islands. He had been searching for a route to India and consequently he called the people he encountered Indians.
Columbus named the beautiful islands 'The Virgins' in reference to the legendary beauty of St. Ursula and her 11,000
virgins. The period after Columbus' visit was quiet as far as exploration and colonization is concerned. Explorers as late as
1587 reported evidence of Indian habitation however settlers by 1625 reported not finding Indians. It is believed that
Spanish settlers on nearby Puerto Rico raided the islands on a regular basis. Some Indians were forced to work while
others fled. Indian groups lived throughout the Caribbean, however European exploration and colonization brought
demise to the indigenous groups. They had no immunity to European diseases and were not prepared to deal with the
harsh labor they were forced into. Within several decades following colonization of the Caribbean, Indian populations had
plummeted. Today they are found on reserved lands on only a few islands. They no longer exist in what is today the
USVI. Over the next three hundred years, the islands were held by many European powers, including Spain, Britain, the
Netherlands, France, the Knights of Malta, and Denmark. The Danish West India Company settled on Saint Thomas in
1672, on Saint John in 1694, and purchased Saint Croix from France in 1733. The Danish West India Company first
attempted to settle St. Thomas in 1665. They successfully established a settlement on St. Thomas in 1672 consisting of
113 inhabitants. In 1685, the Danish government signed a treaty with the Dutch of Brandenburg. This treaty allowed the
Brandenburg American Company to establish a slave-trading post on St. Thomas. Early governors also approved of St.
Thomas becoming a pirates' safe haven. The governors realized an influx of pirates would benefit local merchants. While
piracy ceased to be a factor in the island's economy in the early 1800s, the slave trade continued. They expanded and
settled on St. John in 1694. The Danish had claimed St. John as early as the 1680's, however hostility from the
neighboring British on Tortola prevented the Danes from establishing a settlement. The British, in order to maintain
hospitable relations with Denmark, eventually ceased their opposition. After the Danes settled St. John plantation
agriculture developed rapidly. The Danish West Indian Company purchased St. Croix from the French in 1733 bringing
St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John together as the Danish West Indies. The islands became royal Danish colonies in
1754, their name translating to Jomfruøerne in Danish. In the Danish West Indies slaves labored mainly on sugar
plantations. Cotton, indigo and other crops were also grown. Sugar mills and plantations dotted the islands hilly
landscapes. Each islands economy prospered through sugar plantations and slave trading. While St. John and St. Croix
maintained a plantation economy, St. Thomas developed into a prosperous center of trade. Slave rebellion on St. John
and St. Croix are well documented. Legitimate trade and business on St. Thomas influenced a different society where
many more slaves were given freedom and an opportunity outside of plantation life. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor,
drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries, until the abolition of slavery by Governor Peter von
Scholten on July 3, 1848. For the remainder of the Danish time, the islands were not economically viable and significant
transfers were made from the Danish state budgets to the authorities in the islands. An attempt to sell the islands to the
United States was made early in the 20th century, but a deal proved elusive. A number of reforms in the hope of reviving
the islands' economy were attempted, but none having great success. The onset of World War I brought the reforms to a
close, and again left the islands isolated and exposed. During the submarine warfare phases of the First World War, the
United States, fearing that the islands might be seized by Germany as a submarine base, once again approached Denmark
to sell the islands to the United States. After a few months of negotiations, a selling price of $25 million was agreed. The
Danish Crown may have felt some pressure to accept the sale, thinking that the United States would seize the islands if
Denmark was invaded by Germany. However, at the same time the economics of continued possession weighed heavily
on the minds of Danish decision makers, and a bipartisan consensus in favor of selling emerged in the Danish parliament.
A subsequent referendum held in late 1916 confirmed the decision to sell by a wide margin. The deal was thus ratified and
finalized on January 17, 1917, when the United States and Denmark exchanged their respective treaty ratifications. The
U.S. took possession of the islands on March 31, 1917, when the territory was renamed the Virgin Islands of the United
States. U.S. citizenship was granted to the inhabitants of the islands in 1927. While conditions improved, change came
slowly and frustrations brewed. Residents felt deceived when they were not granted American citizenship immediately
following the transfer and disappointment also existed in that the islands were run by Naval administrators and appointed
officials. The Military and the Interior Departments managed the territory until the passage of the Organic Act in 1936.
Today the USVI is a U.S. territory, run by an elected governor. The territory is under the jurisdiction of the president of
the United States of America and residents are American citizens. In the mid 1900s the Virgin Islands saw the dawn of
new times, more prosperous times. Tourist seeking the warmth, beauty and relaxation the USVI offers, vacationed in the
islands. Hotels, restaurants and shops began popping up on beachfront properties and in main towns. With the rise in
business and economy came a rise in the population as immigrants from neighboring islands flocked to the USVI to work.
Today the population of the USVI is made up of people from all over the Caribbean. The islands entered the new
millennium as one of the premiere destinations for tourist visiting the Caribbean.
Sources Wikipedia: History of United States Virgin Islands; VINOW History of the Virgin Islands
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands hosted 2.4 million
visitors in 2008. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, rum distilling, textiles, electronics,
pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The agricultural
sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are small but growing
components of the economy. The islands are vulnerable to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to
improve fiscal discipline, to support construction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime,
and to protect the environment.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Virgin Islands)
visitors in 2008. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, rum distilling, textiles, electronics,
pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The agricultural
sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are small but growing
components of the economy. The islands are vulnerable to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to
improve fiscal discipline, to support construction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime,
and to protect the environment.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Virgin Islands)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
Politics of the United States Virgin Islands takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic
dependency, whereby the Governor is the head of the local government, and of a multi-party system. The United States
Virgin Islands are an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular
Affairs of the United States Department of the Interior. Executive power is exercised by the government. The judiciary is
independent of the executive and the legislature.
Virgin Islands residents are U.S. citizens but cannot vote in United States presidential election and cannot elect voting
members of Congress. However, in the U.S. House of Representatives, they are represented by a Delegate, who can
vote in congressional committees but not in the House itself. Virgin Islands residents can vote fully in all elections if they
become resident in one of the 50 U.S. states.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of the United States Virgin Islands
dependency, whereby the Governor is the head of the local government, and of a multi-party system. The United States
Virgin Islands are an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular
Affairs of the United States Department of the Interior. Executive power is exercised by the government. The judiciary is
independent of the executive and the legislature.
Virgin Islands residents are U.S. citizens but cannot vote in United States presidential election and cannot elect voting
members of Congress. However, in the U.S. House of Representatives, they are represented by a Delegate, who can
vote in congressional committees but not in the House itself. Virgin Islands residents can vote fully in all elections if they
become resident in one of the 50 U.S. states.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of the United States Virgin Islands
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
None reported.
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDP) |
None reported.
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
None reported.
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
The U.S. State Department does not issue an annual Country Report regarding the Human Rights practices of the United
states and its territories. It does, however, assess the Human Rights condition of foreign countries as stated below:
The protection of fundamental human rights was a foundation stone in the establishment of the United States over 200 years ago.
Since then, a central goal of U.S. foreign policy has been the promotion of respect for human rights, as embodied in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. The United States understands that the existence of human rights helps secure the peace, deter
aggression, promote the rule of law, combat crime and corruption, strengthen democracies, and prevent humanitarian crises.
Because the promotion of human rights is an important national interest, the United States seeks to:
states and its territories. It does, however, assess the Human Rights condition of foreign countries as stated below:
The protection of fundamental human rights was a foundation stone in the establishment of the United States over 200 years ago.
Since then, a central goal of U.S. foreign policy has been the promotion of respect for human rights, as embodied in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. The United States understands that the existence of human rights helps secure the peace, deter
aggression, promote the rule of law, combat crime and corruption, strengthen democracies, and prevent humanitarian crises.
Because the promotion of human rights is an important national interest, the United States seeks to:
- Hold governments accountable to their obligations under universal human rights norms and international human rights
instruments; - Promote greater respect for human rights, including freedom from torture, freedom of expression, press freedom, women's
rights, children's rights, and the protection of minorities; - Promote the rule of law, seek accountability, and change cultures of impunity;
- Assist efforts to reform and strengthen the institutional capacity of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights and the UN Commission on Human Rights; and - Coordinate human rights activities with important allies, including the EU, and regional organizations.
Statement by Ms. Donna Christensen
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Virgin Islands
26 January 2010
I rise to speak as an elective representative of an offshore territory of the United States, by U.N. Definition, a non-self governing
colony.
There have been many steps taken and supported by the U.S toward greater self government and participation in our country's
governance by the US Virgin Islands and the other territories - Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Marianas. The latter only this year for the very first time has representation in the Congress of the United States. All of us
serve in the House of Representatives.
However our participation is not equal to that of our fellow citizens in he states. We have no representatives in the Senate and while
a major advancement was made in the last Congress to allow Delegates - as we are called - to vote when the House is meeting in
committee-of-the-whole on amendments. We do not vote when the House is voting as a body on final passage of legislation.
Most importantly, even though we serve in our nation's military, we do not have the right to vote for our president.
I want to note that the people living int the territories are overwhelmingly members of racial and ethnic minorities in the US.
When Puerto Rico has attempted to seek statehood they have been subjected to a vote demanding that they adopt English as their
official language. Essentially as a condition.
It is also significant to note that the only other part of the United States that does not have full voting rights in the Congress is the
nation's capital, Washington, DC. The population of Washington DC is largely minority.
And therefore I would recommend that in addition to the very fine, significant and far reaching recommendations already included
in the working document, that in nations that still have territories or colonies, should ensure that their citizens living there have full
voting rights equal to other citizens of that country.
Click here to read more »
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Virgin Islands
26 January 2010
I rise to speak as an elective representative of an offshore territory of the United States, by U.N. Definition, a non-self governing
colony.
There have been many steps taken and supported by the U.S toward greater self government and participation in our country's
governance by the US Virgin Islands and the other territories - Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Marianas. The latter only this year for the very first time has representation in the Congress of the United States. All of us
serve in the House of Representatives.
However our participation is not equal to that of our fellow citizens in he states. We have no representatives in the Senate and while
a major advancement was made in the last Congress to allow Delegates - as we are called - to vote when the House is meeting in
committee-of-the-whole on amendments. We do not vote when the House is voting as a body on final passage of legislation.
Most importantly, even though we serve in our nation's military, we do not have the right to vote for our president.
I want to note that the people living int the territories are overwhelmingly members of racial and ethnic minorities in the US.
When Puerto Rico has attempted to seek statehood they have been subjected to a vote demanding that they adopt English as their
official language. Essentially as a condition.
It is also significant to note that the only other part of the United States that does not have full voting rights in the Congress is the
nation's capital, Washington, DC. The population of Washington DC is largely minority.
And therefore I would recommend that in addition to the very fine, significant and far reaching recommendations already included
in the working document, that in nations that still have territories or colonies, should ensure that their citizens living there have full
voting rights equal to other citizens of that country.
Click here to read more »
No Reports from Freedom House mentioning United States Virgin Islands after exhaustive search of their database.
Please forward any information you may have regarding Freedom House efforts on behalf of United States Virgin Islands
to the Pax Gaea World Report editor at the link below
Contact the editor »
Please forward any information you may have regarding Freedom House efforts on behalf of United States Virgin Islands
to the Pax Gaea World Report editor at the link below
Contact the editor »
No Reports from Amnesty International mentioning United States Virgin Islands after exhaustive search of their
database. Please forward any information you may have regarding Amnesty International efforts on behalf of United
States Virgin Islands to the Pax Gaea World Report editor at the link below
Contact the editor »
database. Please forward any information you may have regarding Amnesty International efforts on behalf of United
States Virgin Islands to the Pax Gaea World Report editor at the link below
Contact the editor »
No Reports from Human Rights Watch mentioning United States Virgin Islands after exhaustive search of their
database. Please forward any information you may have regarding Human Rights Watch efforts on behalf of United
States Virgin Islands to the Pax Gaea World Report editor at the link below
Contact the editor »
database. Please forward any information you may have regarding Human Rights Watch efforts on behalf of United
States Virgin Islands to the Pax Gaea World Report editor at the link below
Contact the editor »
Virgin Islanders: The Other African-Americans
Written by Shelley Moorhead on February 04, 2009, 12:45 PM
It was a feeling of mixed emotions. An extraordinary pride filled the air, but also the feeling of not wholly belonging; a sentiment of
satisfaction descended upon all, but yet still for many Virgin Islanders the inauguration of the United States’ first African-American
President – all its glory, historic achievement, present-day significance, and stimulus package notwithstanding – has yet to merit the
shouts of “We have overcome!” now being clichéd on every high hill and from under every green tree in black America.
Painfully accentuated during Barack Obama’s presidential campaign bid was the fact that there exists African-Americans “in the U.
S.”, men and women born on American soil, citizens who are not qualified to participate in the election of the U.S. president. At
the same time, many of these Virgin Islanders have fought and served the military in every major U.S. conflict since World War I
and have shed blood and lost lives on foreign soil as recent as Iraq and Afghanistan.
These truths exist at a time when the Virgin Islands’ representative in the U.S. Congress serves only as a delegate with no vote in
the House of Representatives and little if any influence over policy decisions. Inasmuch as the right to vote remained a matter of
racial discrimination for blacks in the United States during the greater half of the 20th century, the 21st century issues which
challenge democratic governance and today threaten socioeconomic and sociopolitical advancement and success in the Virgin
Islands far exceed suffrage and are directly linked to the contest between sustainability and dependence...between self-
determination and hegemony, and the related expiration of colonial era thinking and outdated principles of power, privilege, and
exploitation.
Which nation is responsible for repair? Who must bear the still-lingering, inevitable burden of decolonization?
Today, for Virgin Islanders the statistics are ominous and bleak and cast a dark shadow against the sun, sea, and sand which for
many visitors characterize the islands as a tourist destination. A review of the facts is shocking:
* Although tourism is the lifeblood of the Virgin Islands economy, not too many native Virgin Islanders are industry stakeholders
directly benefiting from the ownership of hotels, resorts, or marinas; rather, the local population has been marginalized and tasked
generally with performing in more service oriented areas of the industry like cooking and housekeeping, maintenance,
transportation, and entertainment.
* The Virgin Islands Government is the largest employer in the territory, but at present unemployment rates are nearing 10%,
poverty exists at a rate of 30%, and 5 in every 10 people impoverished in the Virgin Islands are children under the age of 17. The
related drop out and illiteracy rates are at obscene levels and undermine public educational efforts as evidenced in the fact that less
than 2 in every 10 high school graduates obtain college degrees.
* In the areas of health and wellness, 3 in every 10 Virgin Islanders die from heart disease, diabetes is the fifth leading killer, and
both stem from the fact that more than 7 in every 10 Virgin Islanders are not aware of the connection between diet and health.
Additionally, the percentage of people living with AIDS/HIV in the territory is second only to that of Washington, D.C., the city
having the most known cases of the disease in the U.S.
Click here to read more »
Written by Shelley Moorhead on February 04, 2009, 12:45 PM
It was a feeling of mixed emotions. An extraordinary pride filled the air, but also the feeling of not wholly belonging; a sentiment of
satisfaction descended upon all, but yet still for many Virgin Islanders the inauguration of the United States’ first African-American
President – all its glory, historic achievement, present-day significance, and stimulus package notwithstanding – has yet to merit the
shouts of “We have overcome!” now being clichéd on every high hill and from under every green tree in black America.
Painfully accentuated during Barack Obama’s presidential campaign bid was the fact that there exists African-Americans “in the U.
S.”, men and women born on American soil, citizens who are not qualified to participate in the election of the U.S. president. At
the same time, many of these Virgin Islanders have fought and served the military in every major U.S. conflict since World War I
and have shed blood and lost lives on foreign soil as recent as Iraq and Afghanistan.
These truths exist at a time when the Virgin Islands’ representative in the U.S. Congress serves only as a delegate with no vote in
the House of Representatives and little if any influence over policy decisions. Inasmuch as the right to vote remained a matter of
racial discrimination for blacks in the United States during the greater half of the 20th century, the 21st century issues which
challenge democratic governance and today threaten socioeconomic and sociopolitical advancement and success in the Virgin
Islands far exceed suffrage and are directly linked to the contest between sustainability and dependence...between self-
determination and hegemony, and the related expiration of colonial era thinking and outdated principles of power, privilege, and
exploitation.
Which nation is responsible for repair? Who must bear the still-lingering, inevitable burden of decolonization?
Today, for Virgin Islanders the statistics are ominous and bleak and cast a dark shadow against the sun, sea, and sand which for
many visitors characterize the islands as a tourist destination. A review of the facts is shocking:
* Although tourism is the lifeblood of the Virgin Islands economy, not too many native Virgin Islanders are industry stakeholders
directly benefiting from the ownership of hotels, resorts, or marinas; rather, the local population has been marginalized and tasked
generally with performing in more service oriented areas of the industry like cooking and housekeeping, maintenance,
transportation, and entertainment.
* The Virgin Islands Government is the largest employer in the territory, but at present unemployment rates are nearing 10%,
poverty exists at a rate of 30%, and 5 in every 10 people impoverished in the Virgin Islands are children under the age of 17. The
related drop out and illiteracy rates are at obscene levels and undermine public educational efforts as evidenced in the fact that less
than 2 in every 10 high school graduates obtain college degrees.
* In the areas of health and wellness, 3 in every 10 Virgin Islanders die from heart disease, diabetes is the fifth leading killer, and
both stem from the fact that more than 7 in every 10 Virgin Islanders are not aware of the connection between diet and health.
Additionally, the percentage of people living with AIDS/HIV in the territory is second only to that of Washington, D.C., the city
having the most known cases of the disease in the U.S.
Click here to read more »
REMARKS by Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr.
at a Press Conference to Address the Proposed Constitution
from the Fifth Constitutional Convention
June 11, 2009
Government House, St. Thomas
I have called this Press Conference to address the recently submitted Proposed Constitution from the Fifth Constitutional
Convention and the actions I have taken with respect to the document.
But, before I begin a full review of the history and the events that have led us here today, I would like to start by restating my firm
conviction that we in the Virgin Islands must find our way to write our own Constitution.
The political development of the U.S. Virgin Islands since the transfer of these islands from Denmark in 1917 has been a relentless
journey towards increased self-government and Home Rule.
I feel a great deal of pride as a Virgin Islands leader who has come after so many others who have worked so hard throughout our
history so that we could elect our own Governor and Legislature as well as our own Delegate to the United States Congress, have
our own Supreme Court, and draft our own laws.
With the drafting of our own Constitution, we have this one further step to take and I remain fully committed to that goal.
All elected officials in the Virgin Islands take an oath before God to "support, obey and defend the Constitution and laws of the
United States applicable to the Virgin Islands and the laws of the Virgin Islands." Today I announce a decision consistent with the
oath that I took in January of 2007 as it relates to the document that has been forwarded to me by the Fifth Constitutional
Convention.
Our efforts, past and present, to agree upon and adopt a Constitution for the Virgin Islands has been and remains one of great
emotion as well as legal complexities.
In 1976, the U.S. Congress passed PL 94-584 which authorized the local governments of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam, if
they so desired, to initiate local conventions for the purpose of drafting a constitution which, if such constitution met certain
requirements that were set forth, in detail, in the law, would be then forwarded to the President of the United States for his
comments. The President would then forward it to the U.S. Congress. The Congress would have sixty days in which to approve,
or modify the draft by Joint Resolution of the two houses of Congress. If the Congress did not act within such time, the draft
would be deemed approved. Thereafter, it would be returned to the Territory for ratification, or rejection, by a referendum of
Virgin Islands voters.
Click here to read more »
at a Press Conference to Address the Proposed Constitution
from the Fifth Constitutional Convention
June 11, 2009
Government House, St. Thomas
I have called this Press Conference to address the recently submitted Proposed Constitution from the Fifth Constitutional
Convention and the actions I have taken with respect to the document.
But, before I begin a full review of the history and the events that have led us here today, I would like to start by restating my firm
conviction that we in the Virgin Islands must find our way to write our own Constitution.
The political development of the U.S. Virgin Islands since the transfer of these islands from Denmark in 1917 has been a relentless
journey towards increased self-government and Home Rule.
I feel a great deal of pride as a Virgin Islands leader who has come after so many others who have worked so hard throughout our
history so that we could elect our own Governor and Legislature as well as our own Delegate to the United States Congress, have
our own Supreme Court, and draft our own laws.
With the drafting of our own Constitution, we have this one further step to take and I remain fully committed to that goal.
All elected officials in the Virgin Islands take an oath before God to "support, obey and defend the Constitution and laws of the
United States applicable to the Virgin Islands and the laws of the Virgin Islands." Today I announce a decision consistent with the
oath that I took in January of 2007 as it relates to the document that has been forwarded to me by the Fifth Constitutional
Convention.
Our efforts, past and present, to agree upon and adopt a Constitution for the Virgin Islands has been and remains one of great
emotion as well as legal complexities.
In 1976, the U.S. Congress passed PL 94-584 which authorized the local governments of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam, if
they so desired, to initiate local conventions for the purpose of drafting a constitution which, if such constitution met certain
requirements that were set forth, in detail, in the law, would be then forwarded to the President of the United States for his
comments. The President would then forward it to the U.S. Congress. The Congress would have sixty days in which to approve,
or modify the draft by Joint Resolution of the two houses of Congress. If the Congress did not act within such time, the draft
would be deemed approved. Thereafter, it would be returned to the Territory for ratification, or rejection, by a referendum of
Virgin Islands voters.
Click here to read more »
Saturday, December 12, 2009
ACRRA Urges USVI Slavery-era Disclosure Bill
USVI activists push for slavery-era disclosures
By DAVID McFADDEN , 12.10.09, 07:45 PM EST
An activist group is urging U.S. Virgin Islands lawmakers to require corporations doing business in the Caribbean territory to
research their histories and disclose any links to the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Shelley Moorhead, head of the St. Croix-based African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance, said the legislation would
not seek reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans.
"It would serve as recognition for our ancestors who have gone to their graves without any kind of respect for their contributions,"
said Moorhead, who is black.
Sen. Terrence Nelson of St. Croix, who plans to run for governor next year, said he will introduce a slavery-era disclosure bill in
early 2010. A similar effort by another senator stalled in committee in 2005.
In the 17th and 18th centuries,more than 100,000 African slaves arrived in this territory, which was then the Danish West Indies.
Many were sold at slave markets and shipped to Britain's American colonies while thousands remained as the property of Danish
settlers. The U.S. bought the three-island territory from Denmark in 1917.
Nelson said he is aware disclosing involvement in the slave trade could be embarrassing for a company, but that would allow people
to better understand slavery's legacy of racism and provide "healing" for some islanders.
Moorhead said only a change to the law will persuade companies to come forward.
A Chicago ordinance requiring disclosure of slavery ties spurred JPMorgan Chase & Co. in 2005 to acknowledge that predecessor
banks had links to the slave trade.
Click here to read more »
ACRRA Urges USVI Slavery-era Disclosure Bill
USVI activists push for slavery-era disclosures
By DAVID McFADDEN , 12.10.09, 07:45 PM EST
An activist group is urging U.S. Virgin Islands lawmakers to require corporations doing business in the Caribbean territory to
research their histories and disclose any links to the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Shelley Moorhead, head of the St. Croix-based African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance, said the legislation would
not seek reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans.
"It would serve as recognition for our ancestors who have gone to their graves without any kind of respect for their contributions,"
said Moorhead, who is black.
Sen. Terrence Nelson of St. Croix, who plans to run for governor next year, said he will introduce a slavery-era disclosure bill in
early 2010. A similar effort by another senator stalled in committee in 2005.
In the 17th and 18th centuries,more than 100,000 African slaves arrived in this territory, which was then the Danish West Indies.
Many were sold at slave markets and shipped to Britain's American colonies while thousands remained as the property of Danish
settlers. The U.S. bought the three-island territory from Denmark in 1917.
Nelson said he is aware disclosing involvement in the slave trade could be embarrassing for a company, but that would allow people
to better understand slavery's legacy of racism and provide "healing" for some islanders.
Moorhead said only a change to the law will persuade companies to come forward.
A Chicago ordinance requiring disclosure of slavery ties spurred JPMorgan Chase & Co. in 2005 to acknowledge that predecessor
banks had links to the slave trade.
Click here to read more »
Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr.
Vice President of the United States
since 20 January 2009
Vice President of the United States
since 20 January 2009
| Click map for larger view |
| Click flag for Country Report |
Gregory R. Francis
Lieutenant Governor since 1 January 2007
Lieutenant Governor since 1 January 2007
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
None reported.
