Premier urges Virgins Islanders to engage Constitutional Review Commission
During the Launch of Constitutional Review Public Consultations press conference yesterday, November 11, 2022, the premier also urged the public to participate in a respectful manner while noting that if persons do not make use of the opportunity, it may be a very long time before another one presents itself.
“I know that the members of the Constitutional Review Commission and all our Constitutional actors are fully aware that if a constitution does not reflect what the people want, then that contradicts everything a constitution is supposed to stand for and it makes a mockery of the process.”
He added that his belief is that the Constitutional Review Commission aims to ensure that the new Constitution reflects the aspirations and the will of the Virgin Islands people – who are the persons, along with the future generations, who will be most directly impacted by the Constitution when it is written and put into effect.
The Commission has set up a website:
www.yourconstitution.vg which provides more information on how to engage
and submit suggestions.
Commission must know what is in hearts & minds of Virgin Islanders
“The Virgin Islands we want to create for the future and the future we want for our people depend on the Constitution we are about to create. But, for the Commission to know what is in the hearts and minds of Virgin Islanders, we all have to come forward and tell them – whether in open meetings or in written submissions.”
The Premier at the launch event thanked all the members of the Constitutional Review Commission for their service and for their diligence at approach the assignment of constitutional review.
“I look forward to wide public participation, and I look forward to us having a robust, relevant, and functional Constitution that is aligned with our aspirations and vision as a people, and which will enable us to realize the dreams of our fore-bearers who carried the torch for generations before us.”
The Premier reminded that in designing the VI’s new Constitution there must be deep thought into what the people want it to say and contain, “We also have to look towards the future and gauge what our future needs from a constitution may be so that those issues can be taken into account during the Constitutional Review process,” he added.
The Commission has set up a website: www.yourconstitution.vg which provides more information on how to engage and submit suggestions.
