Yesterday, at the request of the Kingdom of Denmark, I met in Christiansted with Ambassador Stig Paolo Piras, Deputy Chief of Mission of Denmark to the United States, along with representatives of the Danish Embassy.
This was not a ceremonial meeting or a photo opportunity. It was a substantive discussion about history, responsibility, and the continuing consequences of decisions made more than a century ago.
Our conversation focused on the 1916 Treaty through which Denmark transferred the Virgin Islands to the United States without the participation of the people whose political future was being determined.
We discussed Article 6 of the treaty and the present-day realities confronting Virgin Islanders, including disparities in healthcare, exclusions from Medicare and SSI benefits, infrastructure challenges, high energy costs, housing affordability, and the continuing political and democratic deficits faced by the people of the territory.
I made clear that these are not simply matters of history. They are living issues that continue to affect the economic security, political rights, quality of life, and future opportunities of Virgin Islanders today.
Ambassador Piras engaged directly with these concerns and acknowledged Denmark’s interest in exploring future avenues of engagement through what he described as a diplomatic track of dialogue.
No agreements were reached. No claims were withdrawn. No positions were surrendered.
What was established, however, is equally important: the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands continue to have a voice. We will continue to be heard, and we will continue to press for accountability, dignity, equality, justice, and meaningful participation in decisions that affect our future.
For more than twenty years, the African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance has carried this work forward. That commitment continues today.
As a candidate for Delegate to Congress, I remain committed to ensuring that the people of the Virgin Islands are never again excluded from decisions concerning our future. Our concerns must be heard not only in Washington, but wherever policies, agreements, and international decisions affecting our people are being made.
The path forward requires sustained dialogue, determined leadership, and the courage to confront unresolved history. We will continue that work.
Shelley Moorhead
Candidate for Delegate to Congress
President, African-Caribbean Reparations and Resettlement Alliance
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