After the House of Assembly passed the last of five bills to reform statutory bodies last Thursday, Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley boasted this week that his government has completed …
October 3, 2024
September 26, 2024
Statutory board reforms continue
Over the past week, legislators passed four out of five bills designed to improve the governance of statutory bodies as the House of Assembly addressed its final reform recommendation from …
September 26, 2024
Fahie’s lawyers pull out as his funds come up short
Former premier Andrew Fahie has launched an appeal of his United States conviction on drug-conspiracy charges, but the Florida appeal lawyer who previously represented him is withdrawing from the case …
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September 19, 2024
Financial sector defended in London
A London meeting with more than 30 high-level figures from the British financial services sector was hailed a success by Deputy Premier Lorna Smith. The gathering at BVI House last …
September 19, 2024
House tackling last COI reform
The House of Assembly began tackling its final Commission of Inquiry reform this week as legislators debated the first of five bills designed to improve the governance of five statutory …
September 19, 2024
Premier hopes Doughty visit will end threat of direct rule
A November visit by Britain’s new overseas territories minister will be a crunch moment in the ongoing effort to get London to lift its threat to impose temporary direct rule …
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September 13, 2024
Anti-money-crime reforms rushed through HOA
Six bills intended to combat money crime and terrorism financing were rushed through the House of Assembly last week in a bid to avoid international sanction. Deputy Premier Lorna Smith …
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September 12, 2024
EDITORIAL: COI reforms must be finished, then followed
We are disappointed that the government and the governor missed their Aug. 31 deadline to complete the Commission of Inquiry reforms, but the delay does not detract from the extensive …
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September 12, 2024
Reform target just missed before talks in London
A last-minute rush brought more progress on the Commission of Inquiry reforms last week, but Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said he fell one short of his push to complete …
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September 4, 2024
12 bills laid days before COI deadline
Two days before the missed Saturday deadline for completing the sweeping reforms recommended by the Commission of Inquiry, the House of Assembly suspended its usual rules to introduce 12 bills. …
September 4, 2024
HOA votes to reform public service
After returning from a closed-door committee session last Thursday, the House of Assembly passed a bill designed to bring sweeping changes to the public service as part of the ongoing …
August 29, 2024
Governor signs off on public aid reform
Struggling residents will have new ways to get help under a law that received assent from Governor Daniel Pruce on Aug. 22, government announced. An amendment to the Public Assistance …
August 29, 2024
Civil service reform debated in House
Just ahead of the Saturday deadline for completing the Commission of Inquiry reforms, the House of Assembly has been debating a bill that would bring sweeping reforms to the …
August 22, 2024
HOA debating sweeping reforms for public service
A private register of interests for senior public officers. New integrity rules. The creation of a government department known as the Virgin Islands Public Service Learning Institute. All are among …
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August 20, 2024
EDITORIAL: Opposition should stop resisting COI reforms
For decades, successive Virgin Islands governments have shamelessly wasted the public’s money by awarding pork-barrel contracts to cronies and other unqualified bidders. Last month, a divided House of Assembly barely …
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August 17, 2024
Virgin Islands heading for intense financial scrutiny, experts predict
The Virgin Islands is headed for increasingly intense international scrutiny despite a government drive to push through a raft of anti-financial-crime measures in the coming weeks, experts have warned. Deputy …
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August 15, 2024
HOA okays vetting law enforcers
Certain prison, customs and immigration officers could soon be subject to new vetting requirements under a bill the House of Assembly passed recently in accordance with a Commission of Inquiry …
August 2, 2024
HOA votes to amend 2021 integrity act
The House of Assembly voted Friday to amend a 2021 integrity law that never took effect and strengthen an Integrity Commission that was never established. The Integrity in Public Life …
August 2, 2024
HOA limits Cabinet’s power over contracts
Despite dissent from five opposition members, the House of Assembly narrowly voted on Tuesday to dramatically limit Cabinet’s discretion over contract awards in keeping with recommendations from the 2022 Commission …
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August 2, 2024
At trial, premier says Najan Christopher was ‘misguided’ but ‘trying her best’
When Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley took the stand last week in Najan Christopher’s criminal trial, her attorney asked him about the letter that landed Ms. Christopher before the court. …
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July 25, 2024
Fahie says US informant, not him, led drug conspiracy
Former premier Andrew Fahie is pushing back against prosecutors’ contention that he led a plan to smuggle cocaine into the United States, instead arguing that it was a Drug Enforcement …
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July 22, 2024
EDITORIAL: Recent assistance reforms a good starting point
Kudos to the House of Assembly for passing legislation this month to help reform social assistance in the territory. But leaders must not stop now. The Public Assistance (Amendment) Bill, …
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July 18, 2024
Guv’s inquiry bill sparks cries of ‘dictatorship’
On Tuesday in the House of Assembly, two legislators used the word “dictatorship” to decry a bill that Governor Daniel Pruce is proposing to modernise the Commission of Inquiry Act …
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July 12, 2024
HOA shoring up assistance programme
The House of Assembly passed a bill Tuesday that aims to further reform the Assistance Grants Programme, which has been dramatically revamped over the past two years in keeping with …
July 8, 2024
Veteran UK cop to oversee law, justice reforms
A 30-year veteran of the United Kingdom’s policing service has been named the “implementation manager” responsible for overseeing immediate priority reforms across the Virgin Islands’ law-enforcement and justice-administration agencies. Governor’s …
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