"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
The United Kingdom will continue working to support His Majesty’s Prison, the police force, and other aspects of the Virgin Islands justice system, a senior official said following a visit …
Continue reading “UK leader pledges support for justice system”
Works to implement the Commission of Inquiry reforms are still progressing steadily, according to Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley. As of September, 24 of 50 recommendations from last year’s COI …
A United Kingdom agency that inspects the UK’s police and fire services has sent a team to the Virgin Islands for the fieldwork phase of an ongoing review of the …
A week after Governor John Rankin released his most recent quarterly report on the Commission of Inquiry recommendations, Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley defended his government’s progress on the reforms …
A review of belongership and residency is complete, and a report will be tabled in the House of Assembly soon, according to Premier’s Office Permanent Secretary Carolyn Stoutt-Igwe. The update …
Despite the recent change in overseas territory ministerial leadership and the pending change of governor early next year, Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said on July 25 that progress on …
Virgin Islands leaders will have to speed up governance reforms to meet an important May 2024 deadline, Governor John Rankin said on June 9 while giving an update on his …
Continue reading “Rankin: COI reform progress ‘still too slow’”
When tabling an auditor general report that alleges consultant Claude Skelton-Cline did little to deliver contracted work for the government despite receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars over two and …
The government paid $2.04 million to EZ Shipping Limited to rent barges for five months of border security services in 2020 and 2021 — including $738,000 for about two months …
Continue reading “EZ Shipping barges cost government $2 million”
Reforms to governance, education, environmental protection, health care and other areas are among the government’s legislative priorities for a new House of Assembly session that started Tuesday, Governor John Rankin …
Continue reading “Throne speech promises wide-ranging reforms”
After “much consideration,” Governor John Rankin announced his plan to assent to the Register of Interests (Amendment) Act, 2022 despite his misgivings about amendments legislators made behind closed doors. However, …
Continue reading “Guv gives one year to fix interests register”
Following the recent leadership shakeup in the United Kingdom, senior UK officials have postponed meetings with leaders in the Virgin Islands and other overseas territories. Former OT Minister Jesse Norman …
Continue reading “Meetings with United Kingdom leaders delayed”
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States called on the United Kingdom this week to withdraw the order in council that is being held in reserve to suspend the Virgin Islands …
Three days after Governor John Rankin released his first quarterly review on the implementation of the Commission of Inquiry recommendations, Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said the document included criticisms …
Governor John Rankin on Oct. 4 published his first quarterly report on the ongoing reforms recommended by the Commission of Inquiry, guardedly praising the overall progress while also noting a …
Continue reading “Kudos and ‘concern’: Governor reviews reforms”
Legislators created a special select Reform Committee on Sept. 27 to help ensure that the House of Assembly meets its law-making obligations under the National Unity Government’s framework for implementing …
More than 11,000 pages of supporting documents that Governor John Rankin received with the Commission of Inquiry report on April 4 were posted last week on government’s website — more …
Continue reading “Commission of Inquiry supporting documents now public”
Less than two months after the Virgin Islands Party government came to power in February 2019, Cabinet revoked the membership of the Climate Change Trust Fund Board — a move …
Hoping to address long-standing issues with the territory’s jury pool that resulted in legal action in 2019, Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley recently introduced a bill in the House of …
Last week government backbencher Mark Vanterpool once again got permission to retain his seat in the House of Assembly while one of his businesses secures a government contract. To make …
The framework for carrying out Commission of Inquiry recommendations includes a deluge of deadlines for July, but Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said last week that his National Unity Government …
On June 30, legislators missed their deadline to make the Register of Interests public and establish penalties for violating declaration rules. On July 21, however, they passed a bill to …
More than a month ago, the new National Unity Government agreed to work with the United Kingdom to carry out reforms recommended by the Commission of Inquiry — thereby avoiding …
The House of Assembly missed its deadline on June 30 to pass legislation to reform the Register of Interests by making it public. However, Governor John Rankin said the next …
Continue reading “Interests bill tabled, but not passed by deadline”
Despite a missed deadline to publish the Register of Interests by June 30, Governor John Rankin and Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said on July 1 that they are pleased …
