Mapp, Asked On Facebook Where He Resides, Responds ‘Wit Ur Mudda’

Governor Kenneth Mapp’s penchant for using social media to respond to Virgin Islands residents critical of him was on display yet again on Facebook today, this time in a post on the popular St. Thomas group, “What’s Going On, St. Thomas”, using lingo known to be an insult and eliciting a torrent of responses, some casual in nature and others expressing shock at his retort.

The latest response follows an incident in October on Facebook, where Mr. Mapp told a St. Croix resident, “Go $&#k yourself.” And in February, Mr. Mapp got roasted on Facebook after he responded to a post in which residents questioned his choice of hotel and vehicles.

The governor’s comment on “What’s Going On, St. Thomas” was made on a post questioning why a generator being used at the Estate Nazareth mansion where the governor once resided, dubbed Villa Fratelli Cresta, was not adhering to the curfew put in place by the Mapp administration, which recommends generator use between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. daily.

“Thought there was a curfew on generator use. Mapp’s former villa in Nazareth running a huge, very loud generator 24/7,” reads the post. 

The governor’s first response today took aim at commenters who made it appear as if he currently resides at the villa. In that response, Mr. Mapp said, “Why ah yo so? Everyone knows I have not been in that home since May 2015. Just gotta criticize even when u know what u saying ain’t true. Sounds like a screw on the top floor loose. New executive order: free 4” screwdrivers till noon on Monday. Who is the crazy person that want to “bomb” people property? Put Billy in the cell to bunk with Bubba.”

Then, a resident named Patrick Deery asked the governor where he resides now. And it was to Mr. Deery that the territory’s leader levied the insult.

“So, where are you now residing, on the people’s tax dollars?” asked Mr. Deery. Four comments later, Mr. Mapp responded, “Patrick Derry, wit ur mudda.”

Referring to someone’s mother in such a manner, along with the way the governor spelled the word, is widely known in the Caribbean as an insult. Mr. Deery did fire back at the governor: “Please, grow up,” he said. “If you were living with my “mudda”, you would already be dead.”

Mr. Deery added, “Now, that accommodation would please the vast majority. But, once again, you lie. As you always have.”

The governor’s crass responses in comment sections of Facebook posts have offended many Virgin Islanders who see the Office of the Governor as above such responses. Other Virgin Islanders, however, have defended Mr. Mapp, stating that he too is human, and is expected to lose control at times.

But the vast consensus is that the governor, if he chooses to participate in social media posts, should be mindful of the office which he occupies.

“Please tell me that this is NOT the governor talking,” said Cathalina John-Baptiste following Mr. Mapp’s comment telling a resident, “Go $&#k yourself. “This cannot be the new way of doing things where we have leaders using such language.”