Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

‘My Chambers should be independent of Deputy Governor’s Office’- Dawn J. Smith

‘My Chambers should be independent of Deputy Governor’s Office’- Dawn J. Smith

There has been concern during the 2022 House of Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee (SFC) hearing to examine the Budget Estimates in relation to the Attorney General’s Chambers being a constitutionally established office but still appearing under the Deputy Governor’s Office.

The Attorney General, Honourable Dawn J. Smith, raised the issue during the SFC hearing, informing that her position is that under the Constitution, the constitutionally established bodies - the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Governor, Deputy Governor, Auditor General, Complaints Commissioner, Registrar of Interests etc- attend Standing Finance on their own while the Attorney General, who appears in the constitution in a similar way, does not.

The Attorney General stated that she had also referred to Standing Finance Committee Minutes from 2009, 2010 where the case was made for the constitutionally established departments to appear in the Budget Estimates independently, “so as not to create any misunderstanding as to their independence”.

Treat me fairly- Hon Dawn J. Smith


The Honourable Attorney General stated that it was not appropriate for the “Attorney General’s Chambers to be treated differently as if it were a department of the Deputy Governor’s Office under the supervision of the Permanent Secretary and that the misrepresentation should be rectified to properly reflect the status of the office,” according to the SFC report for the 2022 estimates which has been made public.

The Chairman of SFC Honourable Julian Willock sought the input of the Ministry of Finance.

The Acting Financial Secretary Jeremiah G.A. Frett responded that without having the information in front of him some research would be needed; however, from his knowledge, he believed that this is a matter for the Governor and not for the Budget Process.

The Chairman asked Premier Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) if he could shed any light on the process. The Premier responded that the Attorney General is saying rightfully that the Attorney General’s Office should “be recognised as independent even though it (and the other offices) may fall under the Governor’s Group as the Governor will still be the one that they will report to in terms of a reporting mechanism”.

Premier Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1), left, has agreed that the Attorney General's Office should be independent before the SFC. Acting Financial Secretary Jeremiah G.A. Frett, right, has said it is a matter for the Governor and not for the Budget Process.


No less independent-AG


Hon Smith emphasised that the Attorney General is no less independent than the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Auditor General, Registrar of Interest, Complaints Commissioner and noted that the Attorney General in the Virgin Islands has predated some of the other institutions. Administratively, as do the Director of Public Prosecutions, Auditor General, Complaints Commissioner, and so on, matters can be channelled through the Deputy Governor’s Office.

The Attorney General said that it is striking that the other independent offices appear in the Budget under a separate area and appear before Standing Finance on their own. The positioning of the Attorney General in the Budget feeds the narrative that the Attorney General represents one arm of Government more than the others. The Attorney General represents one indivisible Government and that should be properly reflected even in the Budget Book.

Honourable Smith noted she believes that it is a matter of changing the book around so that the Attorney General moves from where it is now to where the constitutionally established offices are.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
×