Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Aug 08, 2025

HoA to meet today Feb 10, 2023; Controversial Police Bill on hold

HoA to meet today Feb 10, 2023; Controversial Police Bill on hold

The Third Sitting of the Fifth Session of the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA) will convene at the Save the Seed Centre, in Duffs Bottom, Tortola, today Friday, February 10, 2023, at 10:00 AM.

However, the controversial Police Act 2023, which our news site was the first to bring to light in an article on February 3, 2023, entitled ‘Police Bill 2023 raises red flags & makes way for police abuse of rights’, will not get its second and third readings at today’s Sitting.

Premier and mover of the controversial Police Act 2023, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) will not proceed with the Bill until further consultations and amendments are made.

First steps to change the Bill

Instead, the Premier and mover of the Bill Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) will not proceed with the Bill until further consultations and amendments are made.

The HoA convened an informal meeting yesterday, February 9, 2023, and there were discussions with Drafters from the Attorney General's Chambers, top police brass and Members of the Police Welfare Association. The Commissioner of Police Mark Collins was noticeably absent as it was reported he is overseas. It is unclear whether he is on official or private business.

In addition, none of the UK Police Officers who are pushing this bill in its current form were at the informal meeting with legislators at the Richard Stoutt Building in Road Town, the capital city.

Commissioner of Police Mark Collins was noticeably absent from the HoA informal meeting yesterday, February 9, 2023, to discuss the Police Act 2023, and as it was reported he is overseas.


Police state if Bill passes in current form

Legal minds and ordinary citizens have warned that the Bill in its current form will turn the Virgin Islands into a police state, as it will take away rights and liberties from residents. The current Bill allows the police to take fingerprints, foot impressions and DNA without someone’s consent and without a warrant. They can then keep the information for seven years on whether or not a crime was committed.

The same Bill in its current form allows the police, even UK Officers, to search residents’ dwellings without a search warrant, access communications between lawyer and client and allows the Police Commissioner to implement a cordon whenever he or she sees fit.

The controversial Bill also allows the police to alter the right to silence, and allows the courts to draw negative inferences from a person exercising their right to silence. Currently, no negative inferences can be drawn from a person wishing to remain silent.

It is our understanding that before the Bill gets second and third readings, it will go back to the public and the Police to inform them of the changes made, including input from the BVI Bar Association.

The HoA sitting will be aired LIVE on House of Assembly VI Youtube; House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands Facebook; 780 AM ZBVI Radio; CBN-Radio (90.9 FM); FLOW TV Channel 101; and CCT TV Channel 291.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Administration Increases Reward for Arrest of Venezuelan President Maduro to Fifty Million Dollars
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
OpenAI Launches GPT‑5, Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet
Embarrassment in Britain: Homelessness Minister Evicted Tenants and Forced to Resign
President Trump nominated Stephen Miran, his top economic adviser and a critic of the Federal Reserve, to temporarily fill an open Fed seat
The AI-Powered Education Revolution: Market Potential and Transformative Impact
Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in Southern China: Over 7,000 Hospitalized
French wine makers have seen catastrophic damage to vines that were almost ready to be harvested after the worst fires in more than 70 years burned through the south of the country
US Lawmaker Probes Intel CEO’s China Ties Amid National Security Concerns
Brazilian President Lula says he’ll contact the leaders of BRICS states to propose a unified response to U.S. tariffs
Trump Open to Meeting Putin as Soon as Next Week, with Possible Trilateral Summit Including Zelenskiy
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau spark dating rumors, joining high stakes world of celeb-politician romances
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war ahead of President Trump’s peace deadline
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Karol Nawrocki Inaugurated as Poland’s President, Setting Stage for Clash with Tusk Government
Trump Signals JD Vance as ‘Most Likely’ MAGA Successor for 2028
US Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Illegal Nvidia AI Chip Exports
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
U.S. Tariff Policy Triggers Market Volatility Amid Growing Global Trade Tensions
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
Representative Greene Urges H-1B Visa Cuts Amid U.S.-India Trade Tensions
U.S. House Committee Subpoenas Clintons and Senior Officials in Epstein Investigation
Sydney Sweeney Registered as Republican as Controversial American Eagle Ad Sparks Debate
Trump Accuses Major Banks of Politically Motivated Account Denials and Prepares Executive Order
TikTok Removes Huda Kattan Video Over Anti-Israel Conspiracy Claims
Trump Threatens Tariffs on India Over Russian Oil Imports
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
U.S. Proposes Visa Bond of Up to $15,000 for Some Applicants
U.S. Farmers Increase Lobbying Amid Immigration Crackdown
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
×