Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

HoA amends Register of Interest Act to comply with VI CoI

In an effort to fully comply with the Virgin Islands (VI) Commission of Inquiry (CoI) 2021, the House of Assembly (HoA) on Thursday, March 4, 2021, introduced and passed the Register of Interest Amendment Act 2021, to make it possible for the CoI to access certain files on HoA members.

While the bill was passed with the overwhelming support of legislators in the House, Attorney General (AG) Dawn J. Smith, in explaining the reasons for the amendments to the original 2006 Act, said the moves come as part of the Inquiry Response Until (IRU) mandate to ensure full compliance with the CoI by the VI Government.

IRU supports AG & Gov't to corporate fully - AG Smith


“The IRU is an independent unit, which supports the Attorney General in ensuring that the Government provides the fullest possible corporation while ensuring the laws of the Virgin Islands and the legal duties and legitimate interest of the Virgin Islands (VI) Government are upheld,” she said.

According to Smith, CoI Secretary Steven Chandler issued a request to HoA members, seeking consent to allow the Registrar of Interest to provide the Commissioner Sir Gary R. Hickinbottom with a copy of pages from the Registry of Interest, including a request for members to provide information on their declarations.

However, according to the AG’s interpretation, the request by the CoI falls outside of the Act, given the Register of Interest can only be inspected based on certain limited circumstances.

These include for the purposes of a criminal investigation, an order of the Court in any legal proceeding, and finally on the written request of a member.

Registrar cannot disclose info outside of limited circumstances


She said the Registrar, therefore, cannot disclose information relating to any declaration in the register, outside of the limited circumstances as outlined in the act.

And since the CoI is neither a criminal investigation nor a court order it cannot access the files. Smith said HoA members are also prohibited from taking copies or extracts from the register. In addition, there is no provision for members to give consent to provide copies of pages to a third party.

As part of the amendments by the Government, the act will now have an expressed statutory provision that will allow the register to be opened to inspection on the written request of a Commissioner of Inquiry.

“The amendment would also expressly enable the registrar, to provide relevant copies or extracts of the register. This is subject to safeguard that the registrar is only to provide those parts of the register that in her opinion, are strictly necessary to fulfil requests and upon such considerations and conditions as to preservation of confidentiality after their purpose has been exhausted as she shall deem appropriate,” Smith said.

Amendment is as part of Govt's commitment to corporation - Premier


More amendments to the 2006 act will also replace the term 'Legislative Council" with "House of Assembly" for 2021, where the AG has affirmed the government's policy of full transparency and support of the Inquiry.

Premier Andrew A. Fahie (R1), who seconded the motion for the Second Reading of the bill said the action of the house to amend the bill is from his Government in the spirit of cooperation.

He said the Government has created the IRU to ensure that proper and accountable standards are upheld in the government's cooperation with the Inquiry and that the Government of the VI makes a constructive contribution to the process.

Meanwhile, 9 legislators voted to place on record their support for the amendment. Four legislators were absent at the time of the vote.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
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
×