Saint Vincent Deserves Better from Britain
For the past few weeks dramatic footage of the volcanic eruptions from La Soufrière volcano has caught the public attention. The volcano is situated to the north of the Island of St Vincent, part of the Windward Islands in the Caribbean.
Britain has had long and close connections with the island, which for many years was a crown colony before gaining independence in 1979. Still today St Vincent is part of the Commonwealth realm and retains the Queen as the Head of State.
I have been privileged to visit Saint Vincent as the Anglican Diocese of the Windward Islands has a formal link with my Diocese of St Albans. These bonds are further strengthened by the presence of a significant community of Vincentians in the diocese, most of whom live in Luton.
I have met many of these people and have experienced their kindness and warmth. What is so disappointing is the British Government’s lacklustre response to the natural tragedy engulfing their island, offering just £200,000 so far.
St Vincent and the Grenadines have not enjoyed a happy history at British hands. Like many Caribbean Islands, it was originally a depository for slaves, the descendants of whom now inhabit the islands. When independence eventually came, the UK seeing no tangible economic benefits in helping St Vincent and the Grenadines sought economic relations elsewhere and left the island with little support.
Yet in spite of this, and the fact that many of its Caribbean neighbours opted to formally end ties with the UK, St Vincent kept faith and retained a joint head of state. Even as late as 2009, when a referendum on the Monarchy was held, 56% of the island voted to maintain the status quo.
In a world increasingly defined by raw economic output and value, it is no surprise that the UK has not sought to engage in development or provide proper assistance in their darkest hours. But is that right? Don’t we owe these people something more concrete than our empty friendship?
The British Overseas Territory of Montserrat is a vivid warning about the long-term consequences of a Volcanic Eruption. Two-thirds of the population were evacuated from the island, the capital was entirely destroyed, and an exclusion zone encompassing half the island remains to this day. Only a rump of the former population still resides there, a once vibrant community destroyed by natural circumstances.
Already suffering from the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, the volcano has made life impossible in the north of the island. It is estimated that between 16000–20000 people have already been evacuated. However, the entire island is now being covered with volcanic debris. Once ash deposits build-up, areas can very quickly become uninhabitable, and farmland rendered infertile. This happened to Montserrat and may well happen in St Vincent.
If people are unable to return home, the inhabitants may look to the crown as their final saving grace. For a people who have constantly kept faith with the UK, isn’t it time we actually gave them something to believe in?
