"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
Urgent legislation has been triggered after it emerged that up to 30 percent of companies registered in the Virgin Islands were on track to miss a deadline for submitting financial …
Continue reading “Firms’ failure to file financials sparked urgent bill”
A no-confidence vote the opposition has been pushing for more than two months may now be delayed until as late as next March following a government walkout last week in …
Continue reading “Confidence vote could be delayed to next year after gov’t walkout”
Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley has hit back at opposition criticism of a $100 million loan designed to boost the government’s long-delayed recovery from the hurricanes of 2017. His comments …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Opposition should stop resisting COI reforms”
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 …
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 …
Continue reading “HOA limits Cabinet’s power over contracts”
Shortly after 10 p.m. on Tuesday, the House of Assembly returned from closed-door committee and passed an amended version of a bill proposed by Governor Daniel Pruce to modernise the …
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 …
Continue reading “Guv’s inquiry bill sparks cries of ‘dictatorship’”
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 …
Continue reading “HOA okays Skelton contract worth $36k monthly”
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 …
The Immigration and Passport Amendment Bill, 2024, passed with amendments on Friday after the House of Assembly returned from a closed-door committee session, according to HOA Public Relations Officer Linton …
A 20-year residence requirement for belongership applicants is among the broad-ranging immigration reforms proposed under a bill currently under consideration in the House of Assembly. The Immigration and Passport Amendment …
Demands have been made for the National Bank of the Virgin Islands to do more for customers. Opposition Leader Ronnie Skelton recently raised the issue in the House of Assembly, …
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”
As part of efforts to help government collect information as the census continues, lawmakers have passed a bill designed to impose harsher penalties on people who withhold statistics they are …
Continue reading “HOA votes to up penalties for withholding stats”
The property tax and buildings bills were among legislation passed in House of Assembly this week. The Property Tax (Amendment) Bill 2023, which passed with amendments on March 5, is …
Continue reading “Property tax, buildings bills passed in HOA”
More than four hours into last week’s House of Assembly meeting, Opposition Leader Ronnie Skelton asked his second question to Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer. “Would the [minister] give …
Adding two at-large seats to the House of Assembly. Amending the Constitution to grant the public an explicit right to access government information. Holding a referendum on whether to adopt …
The new governor of the Virgin Islands was sworn in to office Monday after arriving in the territory three days earlier. Upstairs in the House of Assembly building, Daniel Pruce …
In January 2021, Governor John Rankin arrived in the Virgin Islands days after his predecessor dropped a political bombshell by announcing a Commission of Inquiry into possible corruption in the …
Governor John Rankin drew the ire of elected leaders last week when he announced plans to seek additional powers to push through delayed Commission of Inquiry reforms. Premier Dr. Natalio …
Continue reading “Premier fumes as governor seeks new powers”
