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 30, 2024
Artificial intelligence may help crack down on money crime
The BVI Financial Investigation Agency may soon use artificial intelligence to crack down on child sexual exploitation, human smuggling and other illicit activity as it intensifies its efforts following recent …
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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
Skelton: pay flub may cost $19 million
Opposition Leader Ronnie Skelton warned this week that government’s accidental overspend on public service pay raises could cost $19 million instead of the $13 million previously estimated by Premier Dr. …
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
Financial services reforms continue
The House of Assembly suspended its usual rules on Monday to introduce and pass two financial services bills designed to avoid international sanction by bringing the territory in line with …
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
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 5, 2024
Opposition tries no-confidence vote
Citing a lengthy list of grievances and accusing the premier of “incompetence,” the opposition attempted to topple the government with a vote of no-confidence on Tuesday in the House of …
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 23, 2024
A $13 million mistake
In the 2024 Budget Address last November, Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley announced a Cabinet decision to include about $10 million in this year’s budget to ensure that all public …
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 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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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 15, 2024
Government urged to boost land-based visits
The Virgin Islands is being left behind by tourism rivals like St. Thomas due to government complacency, opposition member Myron Walywn warned recently in the House of Assembly. To tackle …
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July 12, 2024
HOA okays Skelton contract worth $36k monthly
The House of Assembly has passed a motion to allow Opposition Leader Ronnie Skelton to retain his seat even though a company he leads is renewing a $36,000-a-month contract to …
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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 …
