Ninety-three Virgin Islands laws are now accessible online, and more than 100 others should be uploaded by the end of the year, according to Attorney General Dawn Smith.
The announcement marks the completion of the first phase of the Law Revision and Accessibility of Laws Project, an initiative designed to ensure that the territory’s laws are current and easily accessible, Ms. Smith said in a Monday statement.
“This initial stage involved the comprehensive revision of approximately 90 acts and their subsidiary legislation, culminating in an Interim Revised Edition effective [Jan. 1, 2023],” she said. “These 93 revised laws, brought into force under the Law Revision Act 2014, are now fully accessible online, marking a transformative step towards digital governance and legal transparency.”
The project, she added, stems from an April 2021 Cabinet decision to endorse her plan to carry out a long-overdue revision of the territory’s laws and post them on a public online platform.
“The second phase of the project is already under way,” Ms. Smith said. “It will focus on revising 101 acts and their subsidiary legislation, together with a dedicated Financial Services Legislation Interim Revised Edition covering 25 key acts and their subsidiary legislation.”
All told, she added, about 200 laws will be revised.
The second phase will also introduce a new online platform featuring better navigation and search functionalities, according to the AG.
Revision history
The first revised edition of the VI’s laws was completed in 1961, followed by a second revision in 1991, Ms. Smith said.
“An interim revision exercise culminated in the Interim Revised Edition 2013, which included immigration, criminal and financial services legislation,” she said. “For many other laws, it has been over three decades since their last comprehensive update.”
The third and final phase of the project, which is to include the revision of all remaining laws, is scheduled to start in the final quarter of this year, according to the AG.
“Additionally, the Attorney General’s Chambers is developing a law revision manual to facilitate knowledge transfer and continuity with annual law revision as the ultimate goal,” she said.
Importance
Ms. Smith also stressed the importance of the exercise.
“The rule of law is the foundation upon which our society is built,” she said. “It provides structure, safeguards our rights, and guides governance. Yet for the law to serve its purpose, it must be readily available and comprehensible to those it governs.”
The project is being led by legal consultant Michelle A.R. Daley with guidance and technical support from the Regional Law Revision Centre in Anguilla, according to Ms. Smith.