London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

0:00
0:00

BVI Governor Augustus Jaspert addresses VINO's-George-Floyd-cartoon

Governor Augustus Jaspert has condemned local news website VINO's controversial cartoon with him kneeling on the neck of radio talk-show host Claude Skelton Cline. He obviously has the right to condemn it, and VINO obviously have the right to express their opinion. Our opinion is at the end of this article.

"I was made aware of the cartoon published by VINO today and comments by the host of Honestly Speaking and was appalled and disturbed by what they depicted and insinuated.  
 
The horrific death of George Floyd in the United States has moved us all and sent shockwaves around the world.   There should be no place for racism in any society, and I actively stand with those who oppose racism, and who are highlighting injustice and prejudice in the aftermath of the tragic death of George Floyd.   I hope we can come together as a community to say no to racism in any form.
 
It is grossly offensive and unacceptable to use George Floyd’s tragic death in this way.   Freedom of speech is an important and vital principle of our society.  The media carries a responsibility to ensure that principle is not abused or operates outside the bounds of decency.    

Augustus J.U. Jaspert
Governor"


Saying nice words in British-English is one thing - however the Governor did not offer to take any action to support his words or to prove that he really meant what he said. For example, to take action to ensure that the Governor is democratically elected by BVI people for the BVI people, and not appointed by the white-elite in London for the white-elite in London, as he publicly stated just one month ago that he is in BVI to protect the UK's interest and to report back to the UK government.  And secondly to make sure that the Governor is a  local person that is part of the same society and culture, and not a totally outsider that coming "from up" to control the local government. But nice words are a good start, anyway, and maybe the George Floyd tragedy really has opened his eyes and made him realize what is wrong with him being Governor while declaring he is against racism. The fact that he is there "by the law" is just a reminder that also slavery was "by the law" yet the whole world agree that it was an organized crime against humanity.


Our opinion and standpoint;

This cartoon is disturbing indeed, especially at such a sensitive time.

We are great advocates of the maximum protection of free speech. 

The value of freedom of expression is not examined in the expression of pleasant and comfortable views. The value of freedom of speech is measured precisely in relation particularly to the expression of offensive and disturbing views.

“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” (George Orwell).

However, freedom of expression does not abrogate the responsibility that verbal or visual humour can be translated by some extremist into dangerous action.

It is both very fine and very relevant to oppose the colonialism that the Governor Augustus Jaspert is part of, and represents. And it is also very relevant and definitely appropriate to link the anti-colonialism voices in (B?)VI with the George Floyd protests, the same as it must be okay and very welcome to express the opposite voices, that appreciate Governor Augustus Jaspert service and contribution to BVI people and territory. Both opposite opinions are legitimate and must enjoy the same freedom of expression.  

It is also very relevant and definitely appropriate to link the anti-colonialism voices in BVI with the George Floyd protests even if obviously we all know that there is not much to compare between the built-in racism in major U.S. institutes and society, that almost do not exist in BVI, despite of what is left from the British colonialism. While UK is fighting constantly and effectively against it's traditional racism (it's just a question of time before we will see that the "second class citizens" in UK will control the whole political system) - U.S. is still 150 years behind.

So leveraging the George Floyd momentum to amplify the anti-colonialism movement in BVI is justified. Somehow. However, this must be done in a way that does not risk anyone's personal safety.

And such a cartoon is, in my personal opinion, a strong and powerful way to deliver the message, but also creates a risk that this will lead to unwanted and dangerous action against the Governor (or VINO). So we join the call for removing it at this sensitive time, but we are absolutely against boycotting VINO just because they think or say something that we believe its wrong. 

We suggest to remove this cartoon not as a must and not by the law, but as an act of responsible journalism.

Mature society do not need a law to guide them how to act properly. Anyway as we all know, not all what is legal is moral, and not all what is moral is legal (for example: Slavery was legal but not moral, and Nelson Mandela acts against his apartheid government wasn't legal but absolutely moral...).


VINO responds to backlash

VINO responds to Governor’s statement over cartoon as the following:

Mr Jaspert claimed that the cartoon was “grossly offensive”; however, after the recent murder in the United States of George P. Floyd Jr and more recently Rayshard Brooks, he did not find the same time and courage to release a statement condemning the murder of blacks in the USA by racist police mobs.

We take it that the good Governor was also outraged, but did not get around to a public position via a statement!

Be consistent

It is not our role to judge Mr Jaspert or pronounce on his motive; however, we never heard a statement when young blacks were tased a few months ago by local police or even the result of the investigations, but the Governor found time to get into the conversation over a cartoon. Should we conclude that he cares about Black Lives Matter issues?

His alleged disrespect and unprofessional behaviour against some of our leaders may need a statement, but we will leave that to his good conscience.

I trust the Governor will use the time remaining in the Virgin Islands to help fight racism and all forms of discrimination in many private sector businesses and many industries, and truly let actions speak louder than words.

End of VINO's respond.


Claude O. Skelton-Cline responds:

In that episode, Skelton-Cline had told his listening audience, "every time the United Kingdom uses its cohesive powers, that's a knee on our collective neck. Every time the United Kingdom threatens us or gives us an ultimatum, that's a knee on our collective necks."

The office of the Governor was a remnant of systematic and institutional racism against Virgin Islanders maintained by the British Empire.

"Every time in this recent history where this Governor overrides the Public Service Commission and their recommendations to honour the requests of the newly elected government for their own PS's," he said that is a knee on VI's collective neck.

It was in August 2019, when Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert usurped this function entirely upon himself when he rejected the recommendation of the Public Service Commission (PSC) with regard to the appointment of Permanent Secretaries and made his own appointments. This was seen as a slap in the face of the VI at a time when the Territory was celebrating Emancipation from slavery.

The man of the cloth, Mr Skelton-Cline, further said it is not just George Floyd who couldn't breathe, "we can't breathe, our Premier [Andrew A. Fahie] cannot breathe because we have a Governor with his knees on our necks."

"The depiction of the governor, is a depiction, a reflection that represents the United Kingdom in our Geo-Political construct... that's the way I see it, that's the way I took it," he further explained.  

A small section of the VI community had reacted in outrage to the social commentary and the visual depiction. A few persons connected to political parties in the Opposition had also publicly vowed to shut down VINO and have called advertisers bullying them to discontinue advertising on our news site.

Mr Skelton-Cline; however, urged those individuals to channel their passion and anger into identifying companies utilising slave labour and institutional racism. 

"And so, what I want you to hear me say, I am not interested in a boycott against the local agency [VINO]. I'm in favour of looking at companies in our midst, across the Americas, across the UK and other countries in the earth who have systematically and institutionally deprive people of colour for promotions, for new hires, who support slave type labour."

He urged those who are upset by his comments to do the research, identify the systematically racist companies and boycott the goods they sell.

British colonisation was built on racism and the VI, now classified an Overseas Territory, is still a colony of the UK, and overseeing that colony is the Governor's office with a Governor appointed by the British monarch to act as the de facto head of state.

As part of his role, the Governor also has certain powers to make and remove appointments in the VI while Britain maintains its political, economic, and social influences through neocolonialism in the OTs and around the world.

Mr Skelton-Cline said; however, that he does not believe the sitting VI Governor is a racist although he is empowered by the Crown, "I don't know him that well, I don't believe that, and that's why I took the cartoon as simply a representation," of the UK he said regarding his commentary.

At the same time, the man of the cloth said he believes Britain has other motives, "The United Kingdom continues to demonstrate to us in ways, where they do not intend to substantially, materially, factually, in any way, support these Virgin Islands or its OT territories in the forward motion and progress of self-determination."


Website denies racism, distances Speaker from cartoon


Management of the site also sought to distance House of Assembly Speaker Willock from the cartoon, adding that VINO rejects acts of racism. The website said it was not trying to “downplay the seriousness” of the global ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests that have been happening since the May 25 killing of 46-year-old African-American, George Floyd.

VINO’s cartoon was inspired by the controversial circumstances surrounding Floyd’s death. He was killed on the streets of Minneapolis, USA when a caucasian police officer kneeled on his neck for just under 9 minutes.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×