Shirley Walters Faulkner
The British Virgin Islander sold his Legacy for a bowl of porridge — his hometown is bursting at the seams with the outsider to whom he’s given Carte Blanche - unaware that his wings have been clipped he is now the endangered specie and must be watchful less he become like the Dodo and Moa — flightless birds from New Zealand extinct for over a century.
Marx asserts that history repeats itself, the first is tragedy and the next time farce. “In the Caribbean we often appear to be sleep-walkers reliving history and repeating the farce.”
Shirley V. Walters, an alumnus of Columbia University received a BS degree in Dental Hygiene from Columbia’s School of Dental & Oral Surgery and an MA from Teachers College.
As a fifth grade teacher at the Alexander Henderson Elementary School in Frederickstead St. Croix U. S. Virgin Islands she taught the (IGC) Intelligent Gifted Child and was nominated Teacher of the Year by her fifth grade students.
In the Science Department at the Johnny Woodson Junior High she explored Life and Earth Science with her 7 and 8 grade classes. She was a Lecturer at the College of the Virgin Islands.
Shirley Vanessa as Jill St. John her friend from Trinidad calls her has been writing since she was six.
The 70s were empirical– altercation seemed to have taken precedence over rational thought.
The general elections of 1971 under the new Constitution providing a Ministerial form of Government, was disquieting.
Political unrest like a ghostly specter lurked in the shadows of the Legislature Council Chambers — internal bickering among the political aspirants gave every indication that the fledging Government in the hands of neophytes was unprepared to deal with the many issues and decisions confronting them.
The dismissal of Dr. Q.C. Osborne Minister of Natural Resources and Health by Governor Wallace on the advice of the Chief Minister, coupled with the resignation of Mr. Cills Minister of Communications and Works set in motion a series of events that shook the Government to its roots.
Moreover, the challenged Wickham’s Cay Anegada Agreement and its repeal saw a decline in construction causing a sharp drop in the British Virgin Islands economy. This recession being acted upon by the worlds’ economy left one to view the future of these islands as dubious.
Compounded by the speech from the throne outlining future proposed legislation by the newly elected government delivered by His Excellency Gov. Walter Wallace opened Pandora’s box setting a match to the kindling and it ignited.
The leader of the Opposition, the Honorable Lavity Stout loudly voiced his disenchantment with the speech from the throne and four days later on October 31 1974 the Legislative Council convened. The Honorable leader of the opposition sipping on his cup of bush tea, took his seat, secured the floor and proceeded to take issue with portions of the speech he had found displeasing.
‘The construction of the Beef Island Terminal remains incomplete although funds have been available since 1971,” declared the angry leader. It is inconceivable that the Carrot Bay School building has been deferred until next year. There is much talk about fund raising but nothing has been done about the building of a new hospital. I thought by now the first phase would have commenced. I hope the Government will not re-introduce the Ground Water Control Ordinance. It was thrown out once before and the A.G. had better strike it off,” concluded the angry leader.
The second speaker, the Hon. Reeial George representative of Virgin Gorda rose to his feet. “It is useless to discuss proposals of the Government outlined in the speech if there are no funds to put them through, he declared angrily. The speech from the throne is biased -- it gives attention to only one section of the British Virgin Islands. Problems of all the islands should be equally addresses,” he concluded.
Anegada, fourteen miles north of Virgin Gorda could contribute what her meager earning allowed. There had never been an internal boost of a long duration that could assist her in moving forward. Being a small community, the capital needed for her development could hardly be attained from within. Perhaps her wrecks would have yielded some revenue had the project been planned with sufficient insight. Training the indigenous folk as divers to oversea the project would have been wise. We have been fleeced by those whom we perceive as experts.
The speech from the Throne further outlined the outcome of negotiations with the Anegada Corporation stating that the Sterling and International Banks that were to be guarantors of the Cayman Islands had gone into voluntary liquidation.
