Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

CRC receiving suggestions for political term limits in VI– Lisa E. Penn-Lettsome

CRC receiving suggestions for political term limits in VI– Lisa E. Penn-Lettsome

Chairman of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) Mrs Lisa E. Penn-Lettsome says arguments continue for and against the implementation of political term limits in the Virgin Islands (VI), with one good suggestion being the staggering of political terms by those elected to the House of Assembly (HoA).

Mrs Penn-Lettsome was at the time a guest on ‘Real Talk’ with host Karia J. Christopher and guest Ronnie W. Skelton on December 8, 2022.

Terms limits being suggested - Mrs Penn-Lettsome 

“Our job is to solicit from the public what their views are and what they would like to see. So since we started the public consultations, we've actually heard this suggestion [term limits] quite a number of times and their pros and cons. Some people are for it and some people are against it,” Mrs Penn-Lettsome told Mrs Christopher.

“One of the disadvantages with it… [is] Something is not right with accountability if one person is in the legislature for decades without any break or so in between, especially if that's the case, if they are consecutive terms,” she said.

Mrs Penn-Lettsome said drawbacks raised by those who are against term limits include that it would lessen the pool of persons who were potentially interested in politics.

“It would probably make it less attractive for them because we have to bear in mind when politicians give up their day-to-day, ordinary 9 to 5 job, it's very difficult for them to get back into the mainstream if they're not successful in politics.

“So, the argument is that it may make it more unattractive to encourage persons to run for political life if there were term limits, and we've heard counterarguments to that… that they actually think it's the opposite.”

Mrs Penn-Lettsome said; however, one good suggestion they have received is to meet halfway and not have full-term limits but staggered political terms. 

“So instead of saying that you can only run for two consecutive terms and that's it, say you can only run for two consecutive terms but then a break of at least maybe five years or 10 years needs to be in between and then you can run again and your term limit will then refresh, the counter will be reset,” she said.
Mrs Lisa E. Penn-Lettsome was at the time a guest on Realtalk with Karia J. Christopher alongside Ronnie W. Skelton on the topic of the Virgin Islands Constitution and its review.

Term limits should not be for everyone- Ronnie W. Skelton

Seasoned politician Mr Skelton said in the case of the US political and US Congress, there are no overall term limits. 

He noted; however, there are term limits on presidents and governors and added that he would support term limits for positions like the Premier and Speaker of the House, along with a system to recall elected district politicians.

“But if we want the best Westminster system, where you have a legislature and you have a premier, then if you put systems in place that the Constitution and the Standing Orders talk about, then there will be no need for term limits for everybody,” Mr Skelton said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
×