CHRISTIANSTED — Today is October 1st, the start of the new fiscal year and what has been known as Contract Day in the Virgin Islands.
“Today we salute those who came before us,” St. Croix Senator Kenneth “Kenny” Gittens said. “Those who set the example of standing up for fair treatment and better wages. Today I ask you to join me as I honor the spirits of our ancestors like Queen Mary and the Fire burn Queens. They may have been scared, but they were not afraid to risk it all as they took a stance against their oppressors to demand fair treatment. Happy Contract Day Virgin Islands.”
Governor Albert Bryan released this statement recognizing the 1878 labor revolt on St. Croix known as Fireburn:
“More than 140 years ago, the slaves on St. Croix began the battle for their freedom when they rose up and demanded justice from the plantation owners. Their freedom was short-lived because of the contracts they were forced to sign, but those first demands began the journey to fair labor practices and brought the Territory to the active economy and worker’s rights that we enjoy today. As the Bryan-Roach Administration continues its march toward a more robust workforce and a better quality of life for all residents in our community, let us not forget where it started and how far as a people and as Virgin Islanders we have come.”