Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

Gov’t plans to make Self-Governance Assessment Report public

Gov’t plans to make Self-Governance Assessment Report public

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has indicated plans to bring the territory’s recently conducted Self-Governance Assessment Report before the House of Assembly so residents can understand the options to achieve political independence from the United Kingdom.
Earlier this year, the BVI hired an international expert on governance, Dr Carlyle Corbin, to conduct an independent self-governance assessment and in a summary of his findings, he argued that the territory has all the tools it needs to become sufficient in self-governance.

Dr Corbin also noted the only thing currently lacking in the BVI’s quest for self-determination or self-governance is the actual transfer of power from the United Kingdom.

Premier Wheatley, speaking at a recent press conference, argued that the report is very good and relevant, especially with all the conversation ongoing about the partial suspension of the Virgin Islands’ constitution.

He said any move to suspend the constitution would take the territory backwards.

“If we go based on international laws and what the United Nation charters have required — which the United Kingdom and all nations are signed on to — we will see that really our democracy is something that should be maintained and we will see that we have to continue along with our development towards the number of options which have been presented by the United Kingdom for us,” Dr Wheatley said.

“Our status right now is a temporary status. And that is not me speaking that, it is the United Nations speaking, And of course, we must move towards one of those options. We want to be able to continue our development and of course, it is the people of the Virgin Islands’ choice which option they want to choose and how they want their government to look,” the Premier added.

Meanwhile, the BVI’s status as a British Overseas Territory was something Dr Corbin examined. He said it ought not to be deemed acceptable or permanent.

The international expert noted in the report’s summary that the current overseas territory status remains preparatory to the full measure of self-government, according to international law.

He continued that the current democratic status cannot be accepted if political inequality and unilateral authority remain its overarching feature – regardless of how modernised the dependency arrangement with the UK may be projected to be.

It is for this reason the Premier wants the report to be made public and for the people of the territory to be familiarised with the findings by Dr Corbin.

“Of course, we are going to constitutional review as well, so, I think it is important for people to read that report and educate themselves on the political status. It gives us a history of our political status going back to slavery up until now and I think it will give us a firm grounding as we go into constitutional review and any discussion on the future status on the BVI,” Premier Wheatley said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
×