48 COI recommendations fully implemented – Premier

The government has completed the implementation of all 48 recommendations from the 2022 Commission of Inquiry (COI) report and submitted its Self-Assessment Report to the United Kingdom government.

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley made the announcement in the House of Assembly on Thursday, saying the submission marks “another milestone in the governance transformation of the Virgin Islands”.

The Self-Assessment Report is one of four submissions required by the UK as it reviews whether to lift the Order in Council, which threatens to partially suspend the Virgin Islands Constitution. The other submissions include a final review by the Governor, input from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and feedback from the public.

“The journey of the last three years has not been an easy one. We were on the brink of erasing over one hundred years of governance progress had we allowed the recommendation for direct rule to happen,” Wheatley stated.

He said the government had taken the opportunity to push beyond the COI requirements. “In many instances, the reforms implemented extended beyond the scope of the COI Report recommendations as the government prioritised nation-building over a box-ticking exercise,” Premier Wheatley explained.

The Premier said areas like public assistance, residency and belonger status, and crown land management were addressed through longstanding plans that were integrated into the COI framework.

Dr Wheatley also credited public officers for their efforts in implementing the reforms while managing the day-to-day operations of government. “Our public officers developed and implemented the structures, processes, and procedures necessary for the reforms to be carried out and executed them whilst simultaneously managing daily operations of the public service,” he stated.

The Self-Assessment Report accompanies a Governance Reform Transition Plan, approved by Cabinet on 30 April 2025. The plan includes 17 new laws and nine major policies, along with a public education campaign on the changes.

Dr Wheatley said he expects a decision from the UK by the end of June. “The OT Minister committed during his November 2024 visit that this would be decided by 30 June 2025. It is my expectation… the Order in Council would be removed,” he asserted.

“Today is a day we should all applaud,” Premier Wheatley added. “It symbolises our collective resilience and commitment to the ideals that make us Virgin Islanders.”