Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Sep 04, 2025

Controversial ‘Police Act 2019’ & ‘Disaster Management Act 2019’ returning to HoA

Controversial ‘Police Act 2019’ & ‘Disaster Management Act 2019’ returning to HoA

Two controversial pieces of legislation will get its re-introduction at the First Sitting of the Third Session of the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA) at the Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff's Bottom, Tortola, on November 5, 2020.

According to the HoA Order Paper released today November 2, 2020, in addition to several other pieces of legislation, Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) will move motions for the introduction and first readings of bills including the “Disaster Management Act, 2019” and the “Police Act, 2019.”


Leading the objections over certain aspects of the bill was Opposition Legislator, Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) who said that the bill seeks to repeal and replace the Police Act Cap 165 and said that imperative the VI people know what this replacement is, “not just us but the public. The public should have a say in what this bill is going to be.”

Bills no stranger to HoA


The Police Act, 2019, no stranger to the HoA, was debated during the Second Session of the Fourth House of Assembly in July 2020 but was moved to a special select committee of the whole House.

Leading the objections over certain aspects of the bill was Opposition Legislator, Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) who said that the bill seeks to repeal and replace the Police Act Cap 165 and said it was imperative that the VI people know what this replacement is about.

“Not just us but the public. The public should have a say in what this bill is going to be,” he argued.

Several other concerns raised included; that members of the disciplined force, such as Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner would escape trial for offences including for discipline and that officers convicted in a court for grave or repeated offences would face demotion or charge.

Strong Objections


“Unless he was convicted by a court for speeding there should be no reduction of rank, they should be fired. It’s a police officer we [are] talking about,” Hon Fraser said.

Other issues highlighted by the legislator was that the bill also allowed the police officers to return to the force after prison time and he called troubling, Clause 185 of the bill which provided immunity for police officers acting under the authority of a warrant, amongst other concerns.

Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) had also agreed with the concerns of Hon Fraser.

He had said he was aware the act needed updating as there were many things the current act did not take into account; however, there must be a balance between the power of the police and the rights of civilians.

Dr Wheatley had also said it is “not nice” to live in a society where persons have to fear those commissioned to serve and protect and that it was important the Virgin Islands does not allow its police force to get to that place.

He said he noted some occurrences during the COVID-19 lockdown where persons were being tased and said attention must be paid to that and to ensure that police brutality and police misconduct do not become a norm in the Territory.


Regarding the Disaster Management Act 2019, Opposition Legislator, Hon Mark H. Vanterpool raised objections during the Third Sitting of the Second session of the Fourth House of Assembly July 28, 2020, and the act would never pass as is.

Too much power to Governor - Hon Vanterpool


Meanwhile, regarding the Disaster Management Act, 2019, Opposition Legislator, Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) raised objections during the Third Sitting of the Second session of the Fourth House of Assembly on July 28, 2020, and said the act would never pass as is.

Hon Vanterpool highlighted that the act gave the Governor of the Virgin Islands too much power since it gave him authority to run the Territory in an emergency, calling it one that takes the country backwards.

“Who knows the people more, of the country, who knows what their needs are more… who knows how to deal with situations more than the Premier of the country?” Hon Vanterpool questioned.

He said it is not right that the Premier would have to be 'tiptoeing' behind the Governor to make decisions in times of a disaster.

“I hope we could get that change fast because me ain't signing on to no Disaster Preparedness Act that says somebody outside of the Premier should be in charge [in an] an emergency... the Premier should be in charge!” Hon Vanterpool said.

The Disaster Management Act, 2019, was also sent to a select committee of the whole House in June 2020.

The sitting of the HoA will be held at the Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff’s Bottom, Tortola at 10:00 am and will be streamed live on the HoA's Youtube page as well as on local broadcast television and radio stations.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
×