Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Mar 23, 2023

Gov’t decides to ‘bring back’ old Register of Interest Act with tweaks

Gov’t decides to ‘bring back’ old Register of Interest Act with tweaks

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has said the government plans to reintroduce the existing Register of Interest Act of 2006 and amend it to include penalties for persons who fail to declare their interest to the register on time.
He proposed this as an alternative to establishing the Register of Interest Act of 2022 that was recently withdrawn from the House of Assembly (HOA) because of several concerns, including the government’s initial decision to rush it through the House to meet a deadline promised to the United Kingdom.

The Premier said the government also plans to have public consultations about striking a balance between registering one’s interest and privacy.

Speaking at the HOA sitting held last week, Premier Wheatley said all members of the House agreed that the people must be involved in the process, democracy must be respected, and the integrity of the legislative process must be respected. He added that he cannot see how the United Kingdom or anyone else could counter this argument.

“So, yes, we missed the deadline — this June 30th deadline — and of course we have to discuss how we resolve that. What we will do is bring back the existing Register of Interest Act (2006). We will make that public, we will add the penalties for not declaring on time and then of course we will engage in a conversation with the people of the Virgin Islands, with public officers, persons in statutory office, and other public bodies about the measures that we should take as it pertains to the registration of interest,” Dr. Wheatley said.

“[We will also talk about] what it is we seek to achieve and what balance we can strike between persons individual rights — their rights to privacy and their rights not to be exposed unnecessarily and, you know, be subjected to security risks, etcetera. And that is the conversation we will have. We will take time for that, and we will bring other examples of countries in territories where they register their interest, and we will see what works for us best here in the Virgin Islands,” the Premier added.

Dr Wheatley also clarified that it is important that people understand very clearly that the legislation the Government of National Unity committed to passing by June 30 was only about making the existing register public for elected officials.

“We cannot get past that point. We cannot be leading our people to believe that we intended to pass a bill on them that they were not consulted on. We cannot allow people to believe that. That was not the situation and that was not the case and every elected member in the House knows that. We were just supposed to, by June 30th, make the existing register public. That is what we committed to do,” Dr Wheatley said.

“However, it happened a new bill came to HOA for three readings. We must not let the public think that this bill was approved for three readings. The three readings, one, two, and three were for the existing register that the members have to declare presently to go one, two, three. Anybody that is misleading the public to think that we were coming one, two, three on public servants that they did not have an opportunity to see is being disingenuous,” the Premier added.

He explained that the new bill should have an introduction known as a first reading. He said it should be made public and the ministry responsible for bringing it to the House has a responsibility to consult with stakeholders.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
Close
0:00
0:00
Donald Trump arrested – Twitter goes wild with doctored pictures
I have a dream, MLK inspiring speech
NYPD is setting up barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court ahead of Trump arrest.
Aretha Franklin, Marvis Staples - Oh Happy Day
Credit Suisse's Scandalous History Resulted in an Obvious Collapse - It's time for regulators who fail to do their job to be held accountable and serve as an example by being behind bars.
BVI Freedom Song
Home Secretary Suella Braverman tours potential migrant housing in Rwanda as asylum deal remains mired in legal challenges
Billy Preston - You Can't Beat God Giving (Live)
Paris Rioting vs Macron anti democratic law
VIRGIN ISLANDS REGGAE CARIBBEAN RIDDIMZ
'Sexual Fantasy' Assignment At US School Outrages Parents
Oh Happy Day Edwin Hawkins - Anthony Brown w FBCG Combined Choir
Credit Suisse to borrow $54 billion from Swiss central bank
'Stand by Me' performed by Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir
Russian Hackers Preparing New Cyber Assault Against Ukraine
National Anthem of the British Virgin Islands - Oh, Beautiful Virgin
Jeremy Hunt insists his Budget will get young parents and over-50s back into work
Hello Dolly
If this was in Tehran, Moscow or Hong Kong
for KING & COUNTRY - Amen (Reborn) [feat. Lecrae & The WRLDFMS Tony Wi
Nashville police officer, and a female driver shooting one another
Bob Marley - Get Up Stand Up
TRUMP: "Standing before you today, I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent World War III."
Yes He Can
Mexican President Claims Mexico is Safer than the U.S.
What A Friend We Have In Jesus
A brief banking situation report
Unforgettable
Lady bites police officer and gets instantly reaction
Touch The Hem Of His Garment
We are witnessing widespread bank fails and the president just gave a 5 min speech then walked off camera.
The Lord's Prayer
Donald Trump's asked by Tucker Carlson question on if the U.S. should support regime change in Russia?.
THE GOD MOVEMENT...BEAUTIFUL BVI
Good news: The U.S. government is now guaranteeing all deposits, held by, Silicon Valley Bank, and the funds are available as of today
Siyahamba
Silicon Valley Bank exec was Lehman Brothers CFO
Ray Charles And The Voices Of Jubilaton, Oh, Happy Day
In a potential last-ditch effort, HSBC is considering a rescue deal to save Silicon Valley Bank UK from insolvency
Ramblin' Rose
BBC Director General, Tim Davie, has apologized, but not resigned, yet, following the disruption of sports programmes over the weekend
Protoje - Who Knows ft. Chronixx
A Mississippian man, who was once considered a “ticking time bomb,” has lost a whopping 165 kilograms! What motivated this incredible transformation?
Pressure - Virgin Islands Nice
Elon Musk Is Planning To Build A Town In Texas For His Employees
Phil Wickham - House Of The Lord
The Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse effect is spreading around the world, affecting startup companies across the globe
My God Is Real (Yes, God Is Real)
City officials in Berlin announced on Thursday that all swimmers at public pools will soon be allowed to swim topless
The Lion King Circle of Life by LEBO M. — LIVE at the HAVASI Symphonic
Fitness scam
Louis Armstrong - When The Saints Go Marching In
Market Chaos as USDC Loses Peg to USD after $3.3 Billion Reserves Held by Silicon Valley Bank Closed.
Kanye West Sunday Service - hallelujah, salvation, and glory
A primitive judge in Australia sparked outrage when he told a breastfeeding woman to leave his courtroom for being “a distraction"
Jonathan Nelson - I Believe (Island Medley
Barcelona is feeling the heat as they face corruption charges over payments to former vice-president of Spain's referees' committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira
From The Virgin Islands Sqad Up
Senator Tom Cotton: If the Mexican Government Won’t Stop Cartels from Killing Americans, Then U.S. Government Should
Common, John Legend - Glory
Banking regulators close SVB, the largest bank failure since the financial crisis
Anthony Evans vs. Jesse Campbell - If I Ain't Got You
The unelected UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, an immigrant himself, defends new controversial crackdown on illegal migration
I have a dream, MLK inspiring speech
Old clip of Bill Gates saying Ukraine is a big, fat, corrupt sinkhole is going viral
Aretha Franklin, Marvis Staples - Oh Happy Day
Man’s penis amputated by mistake after he’s wrongly diagnosed with a tumour
BVI Freedom Song
In a major snub to Downing Street's Silicon Valley dreams, UK chip giant Arm has dealt a serious blow to the government's economic strategy by opting for a US listing
Billy Preston - You Can't Beat God Giving (Live)
JP Morgan Becomes First Bank to Predict UK Will Avoid Recession
VIRGIN ISLANDS REGGAE CARIBBEAN RIDDIMZ
JP Morgan Becomes First Bank to Predict UK Will Avoid Recession
Oh Happy Day Edwin Hawkins - Anthony Brown w FBCG Combined Choir
How do stolen goods end up on Amazon, eBay and Facebook Marketplace?
'Stand by Me' performed by Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir
It's the question on everyone's lips: could a four-day workweek be the future of employment?
National Anthem of the British Virgin Islands - Oh, Beautiful Virgin
Is Gold the Ultimate Safe Haven Asset in Times of Uncertainty?
Hello Dolly
Spain officials quit over trains that were too wide for tunnels...
for KING & COUNTRY - Amen (Reborn) [feat. Lecrae & The WRLDFMS Tony Wi
Don Lemon, a CNN anchor, has provided a list of five areas that he believes the black community needs to address.
Bob Marley - Get Up Stand Up
Hello. Here is our news digest from London.
Yes He Can
×