Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Oct 30, 2025

Premier reiterates call for Governor to be stripped of some powers

Premier reiterates call for Governor to be stripped of some powers

Although many in the territory would like the next constitution to properly define the term “BVIslander”, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said the BVI’s non self-governing status is the biggest issue that the next constitution should address.
In making that statement, the Premier renewed calls for the Governor’s Office to be stripped of some powers, saying it is not normal for one political office to reserve unlimited powers without accountability.

“We have an individual who is unelected who has tremendous powers and the people of the Virgin Islands, the voters cannot hold that individual accountable. And so it’s important for our young persons viewing here tonight, and it’s important for the people of the Virgin Islands to know that is not something which is normal. It is not something which is acceptable,” Wheatley stated.

The Premier said, as it stands now, the BVI and 17 other non self-governing territories of the world are properties of larger, more powerful nations. He said this must change gradually, adding that Sir Gary Hickinbottom — the man who headed last year’s Commission of Inquiry — agreed that the BVI must gradually detach itself from the UK.

“If Sir Gary Hickinbottom can recognise our aspirations for self-government, we ourselves should not be shy to do so,” Premier Wheatley said.

He also added that some of the other issues that the constitutional reviewers will encounter are not as important as the matter of advancing the BVI’s status as a self-governing territory.

“We may have some issues which may be considered peripheral and not necessarily fundamental. This constitution must deliver on fundamental change as it pertains to our relationship with the United Kingdom government in keeping with international norms and what is moral and acceptable in the world,” Premier Wheatley argued.

Elected leaders have long bemoaned the powers reserved by the Governor’s Office. They say the powers are unreserved and that there is no way for the people to hold the Governor accountable. They’ve said this is unfair for the Governor’s powers to be discretionary while their powers are subject to the constitution.

At the same time, elected leaders have stated that many residents seem to be content with the unreserved powers given to the Governor’s Office while they heavily criticise elected leaders.

Governor displeased 

In the meantime, Premier Wheatley’s call for the advancement of the territory’s political status comes amid a statement from Governor John Rankin that he isn’t pleased with the way elected leaders have implemented the Register of Interests (Amendment) Act — a piece of legislation that will ensure politicians declare their business interests while serving in office.

While mentioning all the things he isn’t pleased with, Governor Rankin reminded elected leaders that, “it is vital that the commitments made under the framework document are adhered to.”

The United Kingdom has previously reminded elected leaders that power can be snatched away if recommendations for good governance aren’t done according to the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
UK and Vietnam Sign Landmark Migration Deal to Fast-Track Returns of Irregular Arrivals
UK Drug-Pricing Overhaul Essential for Life-Sciences Ambition, Says GSK Chief
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Temporarily Leave the UK Amid Their Parents’ Royal Fallout
UK Weighs Early End to Oil and Gas Windfall Tax as Reeves Seeks Investment Commitments
UK Retail Inflation Slows as Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since Spring
Next Raises Full-Year Profit Guidance After Strong Third-Quarter Performance
Reform UK’s Lee Anderson Admits to 'Gaming' Benefits System While Advocating Crackdown
United States and South Korea Conclude Major Trade Accord Worth $350 Billion
Hurricane Melissa Strikes Cuba After Devastating Jamaica With Record Winds
Vice President Vance to Headline Turning Point USA Campus Event at Ole Miss
U.S. Targets Maritime Narco-Routes While Border Pressure to Mexico Remains Limited
Bill Gates at 70: “I Have a Real Fear of Artificial Intelligence – and Also Regret”
Elon Musk Unveils Grokipedia: An AI-Driven Alternative to Wikipedia
Saudi Arabia Unveils Vision for First-Ever "Sky Stadium" Suspended Over Desert Floor
Amazon Announces 14 000 Corporate Job Cuts as AI Investment Accelerates
UK Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since March, Food Leads the Decline
London Stock Exchange Group ADR (LNSTY) Earns Zacks Rank #1 Upgrade on Rising Earnings Outlook
Soap legend Tony Adams, long-time star of Crossroads, dies at 84
Rachel Reeves Signals Tax Increases Ahead of November Budget Amid £20-50 Billion Fiscal Gap
NatWest Past Gains of 314% Spotlight Opportunity — But Some Key Risks Remain
UK Launches ‘Golden Age’ of Nuclear with £38 Billion Sizewell C Approval
UK Announces £1.08 Billion Budget for Offshore Wind Auction to Boost 2030 Capacity
UK Seeks Steel Alliance with EU and US to Counter China’s Over-Capacity
UK Struggles to Balance China as Both Strategic Threat and Valued Trading Partner
Argentina’s Markets Surge as Milei’s Party Secures Major Win
British Journalist Sami Hamdi Detained by U.S. Authorities After Visa Revocation Amid Israel-Gaza Commentary
King Charles Unveils UK’s First LGBT+ Armed Forces Memorial at National Memorial Arboretum
At ninety-two and re-elected: Paul Biya secures eighth term in Cameroon amid unrest
Racist Incidents Against UK Nurses Surge by 55%
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves Cites Shared Concerns With Trump Administration as Foundation for Early US-UK Trade Deal
Essentra plc: A Closer Look at a UK ‘Penny Stock’ Opportunity Amid Market Weakness
U.S. and China Near Deal to Avert Rare-Earth Export Controls Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit
Justin time: Justin Herbert Shields Madison Beer with Impressive Reflex at Lakers Game
Russia’s President Putin Declares Burevestnik Nuclear Cruise Missile Ready for Deployment
Giuffre’s Memoir Alleges Maxwell Claimed Sexual Act with Clooney
House Republicans Move to Strip NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Zohran Mamdani of U.S. Citizenship
Record-High Spoiled Ballots Signal Voter Discontent in Ireland’s 2025 Presidential Election
Philippines’ Taal Volcano Erupts Overnight with 2.4 km Ash Plume
Albania’s Virtual AI 'Minister' Diella Set to 'Birth' Eighty-Three Digital Assistants for MPs
Tesla Unveils Vision for Optimus V3 as ‘Biggest Product of All Time’, Including Surgical Capabilities
Francis Ford Coppola Auctions Luxury Watches After Self-Financed Film Flop
Convicted Sex Offender Mistakenly Freed by UK Prison Service Arrested in London
United States and China Begin Constructive Trade Negotiations Ahead of Trump–Xi Summit
U.S. Treasury Sanctions Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro over Drug-Trafficking Allegations
Miss USA Crowns Nebraska’s Audrey Eckert Amid Leadership Overhaul
‘I Am Not Done’: Kamala Harris Signals Possible 2028 White House Run
NBA Faces Integrity Crisis After Mass Arrests in Gambling Scandal
Swift Heist at the Louvre Sees Eight French Crown Jewels Stolen in Under Seven Minutes
U.S. Halts Trade Talks with Canada After Ontario Ad Using Reagan Voice Triggers Diplomatic Fallout
Microsoft AI CEO: ‘We’re making an AI that you can trust your kids to use’ — but can Microsoft rebuild its own trust before fixing the industry’s?
×