Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

BVI’s legislature too small to serve territory — Fraser

BVI’s legislature too small to serve territory — Fraser

Opposition Leader Julian Fraser has contended that the composition of the House of Assembly (HOA) is much too inadequate to properly facilitate the needs of the territory.
Fraser made the claim as lawmakers debated the merits of the National Sustainable Development Plan (NSDP) which was laid in the HOA yesterday, February 2.

Fraser said he felt the executive – the governing body of the territory – was already overwhelmed and overworked in the execution of their duties. He then questioned how other lawmakers in the HOA were expected to get things done with the scant resources at their disposal.

“The first thing I would say also is that the House of Assembly is too small. The legislature is too small to serve the territory. You’ve got a House of Assembly as it is right now with five ministers of 13 members,” Fraser argued.

In holding the executive to account – a task he deemed as critical and one of the legislature’s main priorities – Fraser suggested that the HOA was stymied by its meagre means.

“What about the rest of us? Where are the resources that we do need in order to fulfil the obligations of the House of Assembly?” Fraser asked. “Without resources, how can you [hold the executive accountable]?”

Fraser also pointed out that there are even committees set up in the HOA that never meet.

Reports gathering dust in HOA

“I’m sitting here [in the HOA] and it’s just me,” he said. “I don’t mean, I don’t have any other members in the Opposition. I mean, it’s just me when I look back and there’s nobody [assisting] me.”

The lawmaker argued that a look at any other developed legislature would show that they have staff serving in legal, accounting and administrative capacities who help with research and advice.

“We don’t have that. Without that, the government public service cannot function properly. The government public service will never ever be any better than it is,” he argued.

Fraser asserted that it was the duty of lawmakers to act as the government’s conscience and said without the necessary focus placed on resources, this could not be achieved.

The lawmaker shared that reports are compiled and sent to the HOA, and instead of being scrutinised by lawmakers as they should, they are instead left to sit on a shelf and gather dust.

“Our committees are supposed to call those public servants in and have them know their shortcomings, and hold them accountable to it,” Fraser said. “Because if they don’t live up to their responsibilities, when the budget comes to the House, the monies they’re asking for, they wouldn’t get it.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×