Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Fraser says penalties in withdrawn ROI bill ‘unconstitutional’

Fraser says penalties in withdrawn ROI bill ‘unconstitutional’

Opposition Leader Julian Fraser has argued that some of the penalties in the recently withdrawn Register of Interests (ROI) bill were unconstitutional.

Fraser made the claim while speaking in the House of Assembly (HOA) last week.

According to Fraser, some elements of the bill were so convoluted that it was not possible for it to be done.

“When you look at the bill itself, there are penalties in the bill that are unconstitutional. It means that, in the haste and overzealousness, people didn’t coordinate the different arms of the law to make sure that one arm of the law isn’t in violation of the other,” the Third District Representative said.

The bill was withdrawn largely due to a lack of consultation with the individuals it might most affect — public servants. It was also withdrawn because of a hue and cry made by some legislators over its new provisions and enhanced scrutiny that neither legislators nor public servants had signed up for.

While not going into details about what he felt were the unconstitutional penalties contained within the bill, Fraser said : “Some things in the bill… for us to sit here and pass it, would be committing suicide. We will be lynching ourselves and others. So we we have to be careful.”

Bill will return with more venom


In the meantime, Fraser, who has consistently asserted that the now discarded bill was the Governor’s bill all along and not that of legislators, said once the bill is returned to the HOA in a new guise, it will be more venomous in nature.

“We’re sitting here, look at us sitting here and only to know that we have a master somewhere out there. Come talking about withdraw the bill. Okay, we’re withdrawing the bill. The bill is coming back. And when it come back, it’s going to come back with probably more venom in it because people get a chance to think.”

He advised that when legislators bring a new bill to the HOA, it should be of their own making and not through the hand of others, as legislators play the role of messengers.

The veteran legislator said he hopes the act of withdrawing the bill will not be used to accuse legislators of a developing pattern for being late and missing deadlines set for the Commissioner of Inquiry (COI) recommendations.

#CoI 
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
×