Thirteen days after Sir Gary Hickinbottom was sworn in to head the commission of inquiry into alleged corruption in the territory, he and his secretary returned to the United Kingdom …
February 11, 2021
January 28, 2021
Commission starts gathering evidence
Following the bombshell announcement last week that the United Kingdom will lead an independent investigation into potential corruption in the Virgin Islands, Governor Gus Jaspert and Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom …
January 9, 2021
Brexit trade deal brings changes to all overseas territories
Last Thursday marked the end of 2020, but also the last day of the “transition period” to the start of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union. As a …
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December 17, 2020
UK publishes draft order for public registers
The Virgin Islands government has “significant reservations” about a draft order in council on public registers of beneficial ownership, according to Premier Andrew Fahie. The draft, which was published on …
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October 19, 2020
EDITORIAL: Sniping at the UK is not the way toward independence
As the Virgin Islands prepares for a constitutional review, Premier Andrew Fahie should stop picking petty fights with the United Kingdom. Instead, he should use diplomacy to lay the groundwork …
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October 8, 2020
Premier calls for reparations from UK
Five years after the United Kingdom finished paying off a longstanding debt that funded reparations to slave owners for loss of income following the abolition of slavery in the early …
October 2, 2020
Governor Gus Jaspert enlists Royal Navy for border security
Long-simmering tensions between Premier Andrew Fahie and Governor Gus Jaspert sparked anew last Friday when Mr. Jaspert defied the premier’s wishes and announced that he had enlisted a British naval …
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March 26, 2020
UK promises medical support during pandemic
Officials from the United Kingdom have said that the UK is procuring medical equipment and support for each of its overseas territories, including the Virgin Islands, during the coronavirus pandemic. …
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December 9, 2019
Labour vies to close gap as UK election approaches
Voters will decide the outcome of the United Kingdom general election one week from today, and the Conservative Party is holding a modest lead in most polls amid debate from …
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November 3, 2019
Premier tables downsized recovery plan
Government tabled a new Recovery to Development Plan during the Oct. 17 House of Assembly sitting, introducing a 33-page document that is designed to replace the previous 116-page plan that …
August 30, 2019
EDITORIAL: Absent alternatives, loan guarantee is needed
At a time when the government’s recovery effort is severely delayed and egregiously underfunded, Premier Andrew Fahie should stop fear-mongering and work quickly with Governor Gus Jaspert to finalise a …
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July 8, 2019
Premier asks UN committee to visit
As the territory struggles to recover from Hurricane Irma and to navigate an increasingly tense relationship with the United Kingdom, Premier Andrew Fahie has turned to the United Nations for …
July 3, 2019
Dependencies promise public registers
Facing increasing pressure from members of the United Kingdom Parliament, the Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man jointly announced last week what they called “a series …
May 27, 2019
Government still working on UK loan guarantee
As government continues struggling to access money from the $65.2 million Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Loan from the Caribbean Development Bank, leaders still have not been able to secure further recovery …
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January 25, 2019
Eleven registered as British citizens
Eleven people were registered as British citizens on Tuesday after having been previously naturalised as British overseas territory citizens. During a ceremony at Government House, the new citizens accepted their …
January 22, 2019
VI wary after Brexit deal tanks
Last Wednesday, Jan. 16, United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May narrowly survived a confidence vote 325 to 306 after her proposed Brexit deal received a stunning blow when members of …
November 5, 2018
United Kingdom to update ‘offshore compliance strategy’
United Kingdom Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered the UK’s autumn budget to Parliament last week, touching on several points designed to further regulate offshore finance. One of the budget’s initiatives is …
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September 27, 2018
Plane, lasers to be used to map seabed
Starting Thursday, an airplane will be flying low over the territory using lasers to map the seabed, government announced. The survey, which is funded by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, …
July 16, 2018
United Kingdom rolls out “soft” Brexit negotiating stance
The rollout of United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May’s “soft” Brexit plan earlier this month spurred multiple resignations throughout her government, including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. Mr. Johnson, who visited …
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July 12, 2018
United Kingdom responds to Decision March petition
Lord Tariq Ahmad, the United Kingdom minister for the Commonwealth and United Nations, wrote to the “Decision March” organisers last week to express his sympathy for their concerns about public …
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June 22, 2018
Territories to retain EU benefits through 2020, UK says
United Kingdom officials assured overseas territories delegations last week that their European Union privileges would remain in place throughout the 21-month transition period after Brexit begins on March 29, 2019, …
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June 14, 2018
Pickering heads to UK for Brexit Joint Ministerial Council
Deputy Premier Dr. Kedrick Pickering departed the territory on Sunday to serve in Premier Dr. Orlando Smith’s stead during the Joint Ministerial Council meetings in the United Kingdom, according to …
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May 25, 2018
1,000-plus protest UK public registers decision
More than 1,000 people marched from the Sunday Morning Well to the Governor’s Office on Thursday to protest the recent passage of a bill in the United Kingdom requiring the …
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May 24, 2018
Public registers bill receives royal assent
The United Kingdom bill that will force the overseas territories to implement public company registers became law when it received a royal assent on Wednesday afternoon. The amendment requires the …
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May 22, 2018
Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday parade scheduled for June 9
The territory will celebrate the Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday with a parade on June 9, according to Government Information Services. The marching route is set to begin at 4 p.m. …
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