Peter Bailey interviews USVI Democratic Party Chair Carol Burke on NiteCap, where Burke discussed party modernization, leadership, election reform and issues shaping the Virgin Islands. Photo Credit: V.I. DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
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Miami, FL– As the territory’s election season gets into full swing, Carol Burke, Chairwoman of the USVI Democratic Party, joined renowned Virgin Islands’ author and filmmaker Peter Bailey for a taping of his critically-acclaimed NiteCap talk show inside his Miami-based studio headquarters. Burke, who’s been making headlines for her crusade to reinvent and modernize the USVI’s largest political party spoke candidly on a range of issues while sharing her own story of being selected as a Lyndon B. Johnson Congressional Intern assigned to work under then USVI Delegate to Congress Melvin Evans who would go on to become the territory’s first elected Governor and America’s first Black Governor. Burke was also recently honored by the University of Miami as a trailblazer for being one of the institution’s first Black graduates.
From defending the Virgin Islands in light of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal to openly criticizing what many in the territory consider an old and aging election system in need of transformation, Burke pulled no punches in the hour long sit-down. One key highlight of the in depth discussion focused on Burke’s support of younger Virgin Islanders taking the helm of leadership as Bailey shared his own struggles of hurdles being placed by the old political guard after his returned home to his native Virgin Islands. “I’m not speaking from conspiracy theories, but actually facts of government officials trying to block my progress,” explained Bailey as Burke shared her experience of similar struggles she faced upon returning to St. Croix after living on the US mainland. Burke repeatedly answered, “It comes down to leadership” in response to the issues raised throughout the interview.
Bailey recently relaunched his NiteCap series which is credited with pioneering the current popularity of podcasting after taking several years off to produce the award-winning three-part documentary series Paradise Discovered which profiled Virgin Islands hurricane survivors in the wake of hurricanes Irma and Maria and is based on his now infamous New York Times Op-Ed Has America Forgotten the Virgin Islands. Well known for his in-depth introspective style of interviews with more than 20,000 subscribers and 200,000 monthly viewers, Bailey’s NiteCap Media YouTube Network routinely features global figures like Rudy Giuliani, 50 Cent, Mike Tyson, Janelle Monae and many others. However, Bailey considers his sit-down with Burke to be arguably his favorite as Burke who as Chair of the 175th Emancipation Commemoration Committee, presided over the Living Legends of Culture ceremony held on St. Thomas back in 2023. Bailey was one of the honorees of the prestigious award on that fateful evening.
“Being appreciated for my contributions to our home is something I’ll forever cherish and I’m honored to use my platform to amplify the issues facing Virgin Islanders in this pivotal moment in our island nation’s history,” says Bailey.
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