"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
House of Assembly members voted this week to make changes to their Register of Interests, but the extent of those changes is not clear because a bill they passed Tuesday …
Continue reading “HOA votes to change Register of Interests”
When lawmakers voted in July 2022 to make the Register of Interests public as advised by the Commission of Inquiry, they also added several viewing restrictions that drew strong criticism …
Continue reading “Bill keeps restrictions on interests register”
Last Monday, Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley sharply criticised Governor John Rankin for his “untrue” claim that the government could have called early elections during the political turmoil last year. …
Continue reading “Premier accuses governor of ‘untrue’ claim”
With a general election due in less than three months, the Virgin Islands is heading into an unusually short campaign season. That’s a good thing. Prior to past elections, campaigning …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: A long cheer for short campaigns”
For decades, successive governments dragged their feet in the House of Assembly, moving at a snail’s pace and getting bogged down in politicking and petty squabbles instead of efficiently passing …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: We hate to say it, but the HOA may need to slow down”
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”
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”
With a general election due early next year, there is a very real danger that a divisive campaign season could derail the ongoing governance reforms and trigger direct rule by …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Next year’s general election must not derail reforms”
Despite a few hitches, the National Unity Government is off to a good start with the governance reforms agreed with the United Kingdom. Already, the territory is seeing badly needed …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: So far, so good on governance reforms”
Make no mistake: The people of the Virgin Islands are fed up. For decades, they have watched their elected leaders waste taxpayer money, reward cronies, shun transparency, and otherwise break …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Reform detractors should put up or shut up”
A week after the National Unity Government’s reform proposal was accepted by the United Kingdom — heading off a partial constitutional suspension and period of direct rule for now — …
Continue reading “Malone crosses the aisle in House of Assembly”
We applaud the specific deadlines in the reform proposal agreed this month by the Virgin Islands and United Kingdom governments. The targets are ambitious, but they represent exactly the sort …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Coming reports and audits must be published quickly”
Forty-eight of 49. That’s how many Commission of Inquiry recommendations the new National Unity Government has pledged to complete over the next two years under the proposal recently agreed with …
Along with the broader governance reforms laid out in the proposal, the National Unity Government committed to an extensive list of deadlines for carrying out recommendations included in the Commission …
Continue reading “Reform proposal includes dozens of deadlines”
This democracy dodged a bullet on June 8. Kudos to Virgin Islands and United Kingdom leaders for mapping a route to comprehensive governance reform without resorting immediately to a partial …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Virgin Islands democracy has dodged a bullet — for now”
As the Virgin Islands awaits a decision from the United Kingdom on a possible period of direct rule, the new National Unity Government is promising a “fresh start” with widespread …
Continue reading “Wheatley promises change ‘at every level’”
So far, the new National Unity Government is saying the right things as it works to dissuade the United Kingdom from implementing direct rule. For instance, it has rightly accepted …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Gov’t is saying the right things, but action and more info are needed”
The territory waited in limbo after the newly formed National Unity Government privately sent the United Kingdom a proposal last week to make reforms locally without the two-year dissolution of …
Continue reading “Government makes plans ahead of UK decision”
Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley hopes the territory will hear “very soon” whether the United Kingdom will impose direct rule for two years here, he said in a press conference …
Continue reading “Premier hoping for UK word on direct rule ‘very soon’”
The newly formed “National Unity Government” has sent the United Kingdom a proposal to make reforms locally without the two-year dissolution of the House of Assembly as recommended in the …
Continue reading “Government sends proposal to UK, but it’s not public”
The Virgin Islands hit rock bottom last week with the arrest of Premier Andrew Fahie in Miami on disturbing drug allegations. Fortunately, there is a way up. The roadmap is …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: No way to go but up. The COI shows how.”
Hours after the House of Assembly voted to revoke Andrew Fahie’s premiership on Thursday, Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley was sworn in to head a new “national unity government” that is …
Continue reading “‘Unity government’ sworn in, but UK still silent”
In an attempt to avoid the partial suspension of the Constitution and a temporary takeover of the Virgin Islands government by the United Kingdom, VI political leaders are proposing that …
