Funds earmarked to make Constitutional Review a reality
Amid cries for greater self-determination and good governance in the BVI, Cabinet has earmarked funds to make the long-overdue Constitutional Review a reality.
At Cabinet’s meeting on February 17, leaders agreed that the overall budget for the establishment of the Constitution Review Commission and associated activities will not exceed three hundred thousand dollars.
The associated activities will include a public education campaign to keep the community abreast of the work the commission is undertaking.
Last year, the government indicated that a public education campaign would highlight the current constitution utilising varying forms of media which would include Snap Comms, GIS Previews, Public Eyes, Radio Programmes, Bulletins, Press Releases and Online Quizzes.
Cabinet also agreed the funding for the Constitution Review Commission be provided to the Premier’s Office in the next available Supplementary Appropriation Provision.
Since the 2017 hurricanes, there have been greater calls for a constitutional review that will give the BVI greater control over its domestic affairs. The calls are louder among elected representatives who believe the United Kingdom government doesn’t always make decisions in the best interest of the territory.
However, some sections of the public believe there elected representatives aren’t transparent enough to manage the country without oversight from the UK.
The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, which replaced the Constitution of 1976, came into force on June 13, 2007.
This year marks the 14th anniversary of its enactment.
The Constitution is available online at https://bvi.gov.vg/virgin-islands-constitution.
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I wish this government (VIP) would stop speaking as if the people’s desire is for independence. I am all for good governance and having more control of our own affairs but not full independence. If the goal is for independence then we need to start working on a 10-15 year national plan on how we intend to do so. Put a referendum to the people and shut this conversation down. We do not want independence right now.
Yes this is a move once again to gain the public support and use racism to hide the treachery, theft, misfeasance and malfeasance of the government and all the politicians. *** want immediate Independence to avoid prosecution and jail time. More important … is the fact that he can continue emptying the government coffers into his personal account. Just wait as he calls for freedom from the UK slave masters. He is just a giant windbag.
AS A CITIZEN, I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF INDEPENDENCE. WE ARE IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM READY FOR INDEPENDENCE. WE BECOME INDEPENDENT, WE ARE OPENING THE DOOR TO A MAJOR DOWNFALL. THE BIGGEST MISTAKE HAITI MADE WAS GOING INDEPENDENT FROM FRANCE. JUST LIKE MOST OF THE PEOPLE IS EATING MUD COOKIES TO SURVIVE, WE WILL BE EATING GRASS COOKIES TO SURVIVE. LET PANDORAS BOX STAY CLOSED.
BORN IN TORTOLA, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS AND GREAT GRANDPARENTS WERE BORN IN TORTOLA. LOVE MY BVI AND WILL ALWAYS CARRY BVI IN MY HEART. HOWEVER, BVI GOES INDEPENDENT, I AM MOVING OUT OF THE BVI. WE GO INDEPENDENT, WE ARE DONE FOR. I AM NOT WILLING TO LIVE UNDER MARTIAL LAW. I HEARD BARBADOS IS WORKING ON A LAW THAT ON SUNDAY’S YOU CAN ONLY LEAVE YOUR HOMES TO ATTEND CHURCH SERVICE, THE PHARMACY AND TO BUY FOOD. THEY ARE SHUTTING DOWN SUNDAY’S.
Go. Leave fast Speeding like a jet.
What a waste of money. The COI is going to determine the near future and put things back in track.
You are so right.
and no desire for VIP!
Quick, let’s go independent, and we might avoid prison! It’s so obvious, we can all see it!
Let us not go for a Brexit scenario where people vote for something that they don’t understand or which has not been honestly explained to them and they are given no opportunity to vote again when the terms of the deal are clear.
To be spent on consultancy from a “man of the cloth “ no doubt.
20 thousand to each church in the BVI and can’t buy furniture for the school the future of the country What a waste
Sad to say
But the bvi cannot survive if the get full independence
Tourism is the main source of income in the bvi, but the vip destroy it
The bvi does not export any resources so how will the survive on there own
Young ppl ayo do the math is y’all will suffer
The issue of independence for the BVI needs complete and thorough professional explanation from experts in that area, so to then have lengthy informative discussions to inform the public of the PROS and CONS of the BVI attaining independence.
That is the only wise way forward on the issue.
We should continue to have political illiterates, some with colonial and neocolonial intentions at the top of their agenda, others with simply a blank slate relative to world political freedom views, guide the narrative on the future of the BVI, its people and their future.
As for example, it is quite disingenuous to use Haiti as an example of a failed state due to her gaining her independence.
It is groosly wrong and misleading to try to convince the world otherwise without considering the major causes of that failure, as that is the narrative that has been fed to the public by the perpetrator of that failure, the pernicious french and EU, ever since her independence, which was later exacerbated by very poor to bad leadership later on.
The core reasons for Haiti’s failure is due to instituted ongoing crippling economic sanctions imposed upon her at her independence by European nations and America that are in place to this very day, and will never be removed.
So the people of Haiti will be eating mud cakes forever due to the almighty moral mind of the European man, and not the decision of the Hatian to fight for his freedom and chose his independence rather than remain a slave, but because he did chose to go independent. Those are the facts.
It was therefore, Europe’s deliberate intentions to ensure that Haiti did not succeed as an independent nation after its revolution and victory over the the European and slavery.
A fact he could not and cannot deal with to this day. A poor Black nation defeated a rich powerful WHITE nation. White imperialistic pride still runs deep.. That is the historic truth!
So yes, BVI could face similar retributions if similar self governance maechanisms are persued.
The younger generation is going to suffer the most under independence. YOU YOUNGER GENERATION, THEY ARE GOING TO BE MAKING AND ENFORCING THEIR OWN RULES. THE PEOPLE OF HAITI IS GETTING READY TO TURN IT UP IN HAITI. A LADY FROM HAITI TOLD ME SOME PEOPLE SAID THEY ARE NOT AFRAID TO DIE BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY DEAD THAT IS HOW BAD IT IS.WE DON’T WANT A PAPA DOC AND HIS TONTON MACUTE SECRET POLICE ON THE LOOSE IN THE BVI.
the French/Haïtian issues have rien a faire with 21st century BVI politics. you bases are deluded and without genuine reasoning.
I beg to differ sir/madam. They are facts. They are truths that have remain to inform us. They cannot be replaced with lies. They can be looked backed upon and learned from to avoid future mistakes.
Are you afraid that some have awaken to truth? Are you one of those pernicious French?