Did You Know That

Sooooo?

Trade,
If you are a tourist it means nothing! If you are a resident it means everything!

Such as???

Moi aussi..

?????

Means you can probably complain to the idiots at the UN. I'm sure Libya and the Sudan can help you with all of your human rights problems. Hell, probably get you into the world court.

Yeah, even this tourist would love to know what all that means

What it means is that an international Governing body has the right to investigate, and insure, with due respect for the culture of people concerned, their political, economic, social and educational advancement, their just treatment, and their protection against abuses.

How does this come into play with the USVI. As long as the territory has no constitution, it will always be dictated to by administrative offices of the Republic without representation. For example the USVI had to seek legal redress on how Real Estate would be taxed,what exemption would be allowed (Senior citizen/Veteran/Disabled).
Administrative agency decide how people are taxed(income,gross business. etc).

If the USVI develops and institutes a constitution, they come off the United Nations list. Without a constitution, the territory can't obtain Commonwealth status or Statehood.

East Ender
I never really cared much for Sam Vakin Poems, especially "Moi aussi"

Promoguy,
I'm not sure if you were referring to me, about me, or at me for posting something I thought was interesting.
From your statement, I assume your a tourist, I suggest you google UN Charter: article 73 Non-Self-Governing Territories

I have to now infer from your remarks that I am a tourist that you are very bright, since I said I was one of dem.

Guess you didn't get my little sarcasm with regards to the UN. But you're a resident????

We have the Revised Organic Act of 1954 that acts as our constitution until one is written.

RL

Ronnie,
The Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands of the United States dated 22 July 1954 is an organic Act, or Charter of Civil Government for the people of the Virgin Islands. This act authorizes the Virgin islands to draft a Constitution at a Constitutional Convention as one part of the Act. US Code: Title 48, Chapter 7 sub chapter 1. This is not a Constitution. It is part of a parcel as an Organized, Unincorporated territory of the US administered by the office of Insular Affairs U.S. Department of the interior. Which means Non-Self-Governing Territory .

I am a resident and, in the real world, this means nothing to me.

I'm with Linda & the other residents on this one. :S

Liz: "Moi aussi" is a common French phrase meaning "me too." I still do not understand your point. If you are trying to tell us that we do not have the right to self-governance, I think we know that. We are a territory, a piece of real estate owned by the United States. As Ronnie said, the Revised Organic Act contains the guidelines for government. So far the people of the Virgin Islands have been fine with that, judging from the history of the Constitutional Conventions and the votes about status over the years.

Are you hoping for the UN to investigate or are you worried they could?

Linda J
The Law's that Govern us, are the real world!
Trade,
All the "other residents"?

I really don' have any idea what you are trying to say as well.

RL

East Ender,
To answer your Question, neither ! I posted the information that I found "to be interesting". You see I didn't know about the UN list, until I came upon it accidentally, just wanted to share. Silly me! Sorry don't speak french, but thanks for sharing.

You state an obvious fact. Those of us who live here are aware of our status. It is as plain as the nose on your face. Yes we are an un-incorporateded organized territory of the United States. We are also on the UN list of non-self-governing terfritories along with Guam, American Samoa and even the BVI. I disagree with the UN's designation because we have had a a vote on status and it didn't even garner enough interest to rise above the voter participation threshold to be cosidered a valid plebiscite.

With a population of just over 100,000 people it is unlikely that Congress will ever grant us statehood unless we become an English speaking county of a hypotehtical Puerto Rican state. Independence is an option but would be defeated in a landslide if it were ever put to a vote. Recently a presidential commission was established to determine options for Puerto Rican status--- four million US citizens 50 miles from our shores who are in the same boat as we are. The commission has recommended that "enhanced commonwealth" not be an option for any future vote on PR's status--- statehood or independence- either outright or "free-association" but soveriegnty none the less will be the options. When PR eventually "jumps" that will most likely provide impetus for these islands to think about our status more seriously.

As it stands now we are at the whim of the US Congress which has the right to annul any of our laws it may wish at any time and has the right to sell or otherwise dispose of these islands as Congress sees fit at any time. What I would like to see is an end to our status as "second class" Americans--- give our delegate to the US Congress a vote on the house floor so we can have some real negotiating power to get things done-- allow registeredf VI voters the opportunity to vote for our nation's president and commander-in-chief. We are US citizens and citizenry in a democracy implies the right to be involved in that democracy. Federal laws and regulations affect us on a daily basis and we have little say or influence on them as it currently stands. The feds can alter social security, customs regulations, fcc regs, epa regs etc and that would have a major impact on our lives but we as VIers have little say or bargainig power in those decisions because our delegate has no vote that counts on the House floor. The Demopcratic controlled Congress allows our delegate to vote on the floor but if that vote is decisive it won't count--- useless. The new constitution will not alter these facts. In order to effect change we must hope that Congress will someday "do the right thing" for their fellow Americans to put an end to our "second-class" status. It doesn't have to be statehood per se but at least give us a say in our nation's democracy.

Iquana,
Excellent post, and I agree with most of what you said. However I will digress from the intent of my original post.
Our delegate to Washington can chair, vote on committees but not on the house floor or the Senate. The US is a Republic not a democracy. If we were a true democracy, Al Gore would be president today. The people do not elect the president they only vote.

Ronnie,
I didn't forget you. To answer your question, This is a relocation message board. Again I will state ( I found the information interesting and just wanted to share). Some Residents have posted their knowledge of how the USVI is Governed. Some Residents might not know, and for New Prospective Residents relocating this might help. Thats all no hidden agenda.

"Trade,
All the "other residents"?"

I meant East Ender, Ronnie, LindaJ, etc. as residents who had posted on this thread. I knew this was an unincorporated territory before I moved here. Never felt 2nd rate to me as a citizen.

Ah, but your problem might be that you have too much self esteem, which by the way ain't that bad.

What I should have said is that our status does not affect my day to day life. We knew when we moved that we would lose some of the rights we enjoyed as citizens of a state and accepted that.

I would agree that anyone contemplating a move should inform him/her self about the status issue, as well as many other details of life in the USVI.

"Recently a presidential commission was established to determine options for Puerto Rican status--- four million US citizens 50 miles from our shores who are in the same boat as we are."

Puerto Ricans are not in the "same boat" as Virgin Islanders. Puerto Rico is a self-governing commonwealth, not an unincorporated territory. Puerto Rico is politically as close as can be to statehood without actually being a state, whereas the USVI is as far as can be from statehood and still be part of the U.S. The differences between Puerto Rico's political status and the USVI's political status are profound and they affect our health, education, legal, and economic systems, which directly relate to our overall safety, welfare and quality of life. Many of us accept the trade-offs and choose to live here but I think all of us know the odds are against our staying here should we become seriously ill and need specialized medical care or unemployed and unable to find a job or a victim of violent crime and then a further victim of an inept and corrupt justice system.

dntw8up,
Well Said. I Think you should run for Office! I'll organize the fish fry,LOL.

Of course, there are many of "us" who do not have the option of going "back home".