COMMENTARY: The people’s voice must not be silenced in the Constitutional Review

This commentary was contributed by a Virgin Islander who wishes to remain anonymous..

To the Honorable Members of the House of Assembly, as a citizen committed to institutional integrity and community representation, I write to express deep concern over the current trajectory of the constitutional review process.

As the Virgin Islands undergo one of its most consequential constitutional reviews in recent history, it is deeply troubling to witness a pattern of disregard for the will of the people. Time and again, elected officials have taken to the microphone not to amplify the voices of their constituents, but to advance personal agendas and political entrenchment.

This process was meant to be a moment of collective reflection — a chance to shape a constitutional framework that reflects the lived realities, aspirations, and cultural identity of Virgin Islanders. Instead, it risks becoming a closed-door negotiation, where the few speak for themselves and the many are left unheard.

What is most alarming is the lack of transparency surrounding the committee stage. Only a handful of members have acknowledged the need for this phase to be public. The rest seem content to proceed in silence, drafting provisions that will ultimately be sent to the United Kingdom without meaningful public scrutiny. This is not just a procedural oversight; it is a democratic failure.

The people of the Virgin Islands are not passive subjects. We are active stakeholders in our governance, and any document that claims to represent our constitutional future must be forged in the light of public engagement, not behind the veil of political convenience.

We call on all elected officials to remember their mandate: to serve, not to silence; to represent, not to rewrite. And to ensure that the constitutional review is not just a political exercise, but a civic one — rooted in transparency, accountability, and the unfiltered voice of the people.

Anything less is not reform. It is regression.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the individual commentator and do not necessarily reflect the official position of BVI News or its affiliates.