Parsons’ VI Day comments spark heated heritage debate

Comments made by former legislator Eileene Parsons during a panel discussion to observe Virgin Islands Day yesterday have elicited a spirited debate among members of the public.

Parsons was speaking at the H Lavity Stoutt Community College when she made the remarks that she described as her very personal opinion.

“A Virgin Islander has to be able to trace his parentage back three generations of Virgin Islanders on both sides,“ Parsons stated in a widely viewed Facebook video clip of the panel discussion.

BVI’s Xenophobia

The former legislator who was previously awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE), prefaced her comment by stating that she made “absolutely no excuse” for her comments.

The ensuing public debate is about the significance and appropriateness of Parsons’ statement.

Another former legislator, Myron Walwyn, who commented on his Facebook page said the remarks should not be viewed in isolation.

“They (Parsons’ remarks) are a part of the xenophobia that we need to rid our country of,” Myron Walwyn stated. He further argued that the strength of the Virgin Islands lies in its diversity.