Consumer protection bill doesn’t go far enough — Turnbull

Opposition legislator Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull has blasted the government’s Consumer Protection Amendment Bill 2026 as an inadequate response to the worsening cost-of-living crisis, arguing that the legislation focuses too heavily on bureaucracy instead of delivering meaningful relief for struggling Virgin Islanders.

Speaking during the House of Assembly (HOA) debate on the updated bill, the Second District representative said he expected far more substantial reforms, particularly since the original Consumer Protection Act was passed about six years ago.

“This amendment feels rushed, incomplete, and disconnected from the lived realities of our people,” Turnbull declared. The government has pitched the bill as a move to strengthen consumer protections by transferring powers from the dormant Trade Commission to the minister and director. A Consumer Affairs Tribunal will also be established, but Turnbull argued that ordinary residents are not crying out for more administrative systems.

“Our people are not begging for more administrative procedures. What they are begging for is affordability,” he said. Turnbull framed his contribution around residents battling rising living costs, saying single parents, pensioners, working-class families and young professionals are being crushed while salaries remain stagnant. A major plank of Turnbull’s criticism was the absence of a formal consumer price index or broader framework to determine fair pricing for essential goods. While the bill introduces provisions allowing price regulation for certain essential items, Turnbull questioned how the government would decide what is fair without transparent benchmarks.

“Where’s the definition of essential goods? Where’s the formula? Where is the independent oversight? Where is the transparency?” he asked. He also took issue with Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley’s previous indication that fuel prices would not be regulated under the legislation, arguing that fuel is one of the biggest drivers of inflation in the Virgin Islands.

The legislator also broadened the debate to healthcare affordability, saying the National Health Insurance system has failed to evolve with modern realities, despite increasing chronic illnesses and rising medical costs. Turnbull further raised concerns about what he described as excessive ministerial control under the bill, warning that consumer protection should not depend on “political discretion” but instead be “institutional, measurable, and independent.”

Though he said he supports the principle of consumer protection, Turnbull argued the government missed an opportunity for transformational reform. He urged the government to revisit the legislation and introduce stronger measures, including anti-price gouging laws, mandatory cost-of-living reviews, pension protections, fuel cost strategies, rent stabilisation discussions, and stronger protections for seniors.