Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

It is impossible to read the tea leaves

It is impossible to read the tea leaves

The report of the Virgin Islands Commission of Inquiry is what stands between normal and abnormal. Consequently, there is no certainty with today’s governance. The ‘tea leaves’ are impossible to read presently. And there can be no clear path into the future until the COI report is published.
The one matter the Virgin Islands Premier has made clear is that there will be no General Election before the Virgin Islands Commission of Inquiry Report.

That means elections sometime in 2023. Then there is a caveat. The holding of a General election is determined by what the COI report states, and the actions of the Governor as the Queen’s Representative in deciding how to respond to the report’s findings. The Governor remains the Constitutional Head of State in the British Virgin Islands.

Albeit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and local Governors traditionally, have always been wary of interfering with the local politics of Overseas Territories of Great Britain.

The preceding are the factors that will determine the shape of the next Virgin Islands Government.

Is there a storm brewing? No one can tell. Will the UK step in and suspend the constitution owing to findings of the Commission of Inquiry? Will there be prosecutions of high officials?

Someone informed this Old boy that UK intervention was unlikely because there has been no ‘’smoking gun.’’ However, even that is a subjective assertion. No one knows the content of the COI report, and its repercussions for the British Virgin Islands.

There are various scenarios, from UK intervention of the most direct type owing to COI findings that are indeed serious, to a closing of the file and normality as nothing truly illegal is discovered.

One thing is probable: the next few months will be volatile and unpredictable for Virgin Islands politics.

How will the COI report impact election results if elections are held?

Will the COI Report implicate any officials? And if these are elected officials, will they be eligible to run for office?

And if the UK does step in – the TCI Model- how will the Territory be managed until a return to self-governance?

These are the questions we all have as we contemplate the future of these islands in paradise.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×