The Daily News Of The Virgin Islands

TUESDAY, JANUARY 2, 1962

TOWARD THE NEW YEAR

Virgin Islanders may face the New Year with a spirit of confidence and with a sense of high purpose.

In many ways we may take pride that our position in the world is unique. During the past year, even the past decade, as other nations have sought to break parent ties and move with faltering steps, these islands have succeeded not only in achieving a high degree of responsible self-government, but in strengthening ties with the United States as well.

While we still have far, far to go toward perfection in government, the new Code of Ethics is a good beginning and will stand as a model of maturity and self-appraisal.

We have even had the honor of appearing before the United Nations to express this same pride in our achievements and in our American citizenship.

Executive leaders in our nation's capital have viewed our progress, have analyzed our steps forward, and have recommended for us a democratic way of life of which we firmly believe we are capable.

These Virgin Islands are growing up. While other nations and world trouble spots are torn by racial tensions, by violence, discord, and confusion, we have learned to settle these same tensions in intelligent and lawful ways which have bound us more closely together in a true harmony of purpose.

We have taken the natural beauties of our Caribbean wonderland and tried to share them with others. So doing, we have learned to achieve a greater measure of self-support. We have taken the natural resources with which we have been endowed, and by using them judiciously have learned to depend more upon ourselves, less upon the paternal hands of others.

We are taking steps to improve our schools and our whole cultural heritage, but in so doing we are but continuing to build upon the models and examples which others have left in trust to us.

Before hardy pioneers braved the journey to the mainland of the New World measure of Old World culture had penetrated to these shores and to the whole Caribbean area. The flags of seven nations have flown over these islands, and each has left a bit of civilization or which we have built, by which we have grown.

If we may but strengthen the areas on which we have been right and correct those areas in which we have been wrong, surely we may face the New Year with courage and hope, with pride and dignity, and with the satisfaction in knowing that we have done our best.