Constitutional Review Youth Subcommittee being proposed by Deputy Speaker
Neville Smith
Territorial-at-Large Representative and Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Neville Smith is calling for the implementation of a youth subcommittee to be part of the British Virgin Islands’ constitutional review process.
Smith made that call during Tuesday’s sitting of the House where legislators debated whether to have the review under the oversight of a larger Constitutional Review Commission.
He said: “The persons that we need to get more involved now are the youths. Hence, I propose that in addition to what we have already, we include a youth subcommittee with representatives from all main islands — Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda and Tortola.”
“After all, this constitution review, as well as the next, will have the greatest impact on the lives of the present youths. Therefore, we need to give them a greater role to play from now, and I strongly recommend this as a course of action to be taken now during this exercise,” the first-term legislator added.
Role of youth subcommittee
If established, Smith further said the youth subcommittee must report their views and findings from their age demographic to the main constitutional review committee for consideration.
Constitutional review to pave the road to independence
He said he believes having a constitutional review in the territory after some 13 years will help to pave the way for eventual independence whenever the BVI decides to take that next step.
“We are embarking on a historic constitutional review this time. We have to get the road map towards being self-reliant correct. This constitution that we are working to upgrade will not be the one that gets us there, but this one has to be the one that takes us there,” Smith stated.
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One would think that for an issue as complicated as constitutional review would require minds and intellect well researched and knowledgable in condtitutional law.
Those minds should be the ones tapped to input, construct and or reconfigure a constitutional review that will protect and benifit the youths, not the other way around.
The green and limited political thinking and acumen of the current ruling party is astounding.
Awesome idea
If it was Fraser who said it your comment would’ve been different.
One thing you have to give the VIP is they know how to sweet talk, that’s about it. Let us get serious and move this Territory forward instead of all the posturing and foolishness. Simply shouting young people, youth etc. doesn’t make anything better. Let’s get serious please!
And I stand with you 100% on your thread. They can never sweet talk me.
This guy let me down…He is outta his league…Overrated if you ask me
Youth has its place and time . They should be groomed and prepared as the future leaders of the country but not for a constitutional review except they are in the field is studies and sit in to learn . The politician needs to rethink . Perhaps he is not matured for his position . What a ting
When I was a child, I spoke as a child and understood as a child. Now that I am a man, I put away childish things. Young people?
Thought the house had a dress code. Why is Smith wearing an earing in the HOA? And we wonder where the youths get the bad habits from.
1 timer
Can you talk about fixing those two potholes going up the hill from Fish Bay so that drivers will not be in the middle of the road/curve? Somebody bound to be hit and pushed over the guard rail.