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UK MPs threaten Order in Council over BVI’s public registers delay

Two Members of the UK Parliament have called for the imposition of an Order in Council over the British Virgin Islands, following the territory’s failure to meet the final deadline for implementing publicly accessible registers in its financial services industry.

The UK had originally required all Overseas Territories (OTs) to establish these registers by 2020. After several years of lobbying and negotiation, June 2025 was set as the final deadline.

Instead of implementing fully public registers, the BVI recently published a policy stating that only certain individuals with a legitimate purpose will be able to request beneficial ownership information.

In an article, UK MPs Sir Andrew Mitchell and Lloyd Hatton accused the BVI of dragging its feet and deliberately defying the will of the UK Parliament.

“Fear not, the government has tools at its disposal to tackle this problem once and for all. Parliament holds clear powers to make laws for the British Overseas Territories using Orders in Council — a tool it has used before,” the MPs wrote.

They added: “In fact, a draft order already exists, setting out exactly how these public registers should work. This step has long been seen as a last resort. But after years of missed deadlines, stalling tactics, and broken promises, how much longer can we afford to wait?”

The MPs also labelled the BVI a “tax haven” and argued that the real victims of financial secrecy are citizens of developing countries, who are denied access to critical resources when the wealthy hide money in offshore jurisdictions.

Several UK advocacy groups have also issued a joint statement urging the UK Parliament to use all legal and constitutional mechanisms to ensure the BVI and other OTs fulfil their commitment to financial transparency without further delay.

Bermuda, Anguilla, and the Turks and Caicos Islands have also missed the deadline. However, it remains unclear whether those jurisdictions have faced similar threats of an Order in Council.

For now, it is also uncertain whether the BVI government will revise its current policy in light of renewed pressure and the latest warning from the UK MPs.

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20 Comments

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  1. Real says:

    Go order yall self colonialism still in yall veins

    Like 9
    Dislike 11
    • Sir Andrew Mitchell says:

      Generally thought to have a serious dose of little man syndrom – was known as thrasher at his all boys school.
      His career as a politician has been largely uninteresting and the most memorable event was on the evening of 19 September, when he allegedly swore when a police officer told him to dismount from a bicycle and exit Downing Street through the pedestrian gate rather than the main gate. The leaked official police log of the incident stated that Mitchell said “Best you learn your f***ing place. You don’t run this f***ing government…You’re f***ing plebs”. The allegations became known in the media as “Plebgate”.

  2. About Time says:

    It is about time. Some positive action was taken. Hopefully the kicking of the can down the road has finally landed in one of the many BVI potholes, and there will be some consequences to the lack of action that was mandated.

    Like 18
    Dislike 9
    • Stopit! says:

      CSC put it right. Tbe best life they ever had is being in VI, now they thinking it is too good for black people. Apartheid seekers.

      Like 8
      Dislike 9
  3. Karnage says:

    I must have missed the article where the UK funds out territory’s annual budget

    Like 10
    Dislike 4
  4. Forward ever says:

    Those snakes. They cause trouble everywhere they go. Run from them. They don’t support us. Revolution time ..

    Like 7
    Dislike 4
  5. Anonymous says:

    We will resist you in our hall of justice, House of Representatives, in the streets, on the beaches..and wherever necessary. What people are you talking about that are denied help? The people in Gaza who you have turned your back on, the people of Congo, Mali, Burkina Faso whose Leaders you are trying to kill.
    Your hands an unclean and bloody. So don’t play the righteous now after the UK along with its euro countries have plundered the world , steal and kill so many..
    When public register comes a global standard, we will comply.

    Like 10
    Dislike 5
  6. Want2Kno says:

    Isn’t money laundered in London, just East of Buckingham Palace & Delaware, USA?

    Like 9
    Dislike 3
  7. Hmmmm says:

    Dem want all kind of F, but dont want give we what them owe for slavery.

    Like 6
    Dislike 6
  8. Order in Council? says:

    The idea that white men in England can sit in office with a belt or whip in hand and dictate to grown, men and country how to run their affairs is becoming to much this side of the 21st century.

    Colonialism is a dead horse in this era. It is not coming back. There are other systems more suitable to the country today than that that came out of piracy,war, theft and appropriation.

    If the people were not of the master slave mentality the country would be much better off today, as it will be procuring and establishing effective leadership for itself and citizens.

    When we begin giving orders and making demands to England and they obey, then we can think or talk about where the Order in Council should be placed.

    As, it nothing more or less than a slave’s master colonial whip across the people’s back, children and future children of this country.

    It pains many that they have to leave their children, grands and future grands under this hostile anti- Black people, Virgin Islands UK system.

    If thumbs down to a comment that is of all truths, the world will continue to be in denial of real truths, then those thumbs will illustrate just that.

    Like 6
    Dislike 7
    • BuzzBvi says:

      White men in England!!! Ha ha. You need to use your British passport and visit. Or buy a TV. What racist nonsense.

      Like 4
      Dislike 2
      • @BuzzBvi says:

        So saith the creator of racism whyte boy.

        • BuzzBvi says:

          As you prove my point with more racist stupidness. Creator of Racism!! Ha ha ha. Jeez, white or black you got some learning to catch up on. I starting to hope you don’t have a passport. The world may be better off if you stay at home.

          Like 2
          Dislike 1
  9. Uk socialist government says:

    Knows it has a duty to protect the BVI tax payer but won’t because of the non politically correct negative press that’s going to be slung at them by people with more than just skin in the game, cowards!

  10. Wow says:

    Took them this long mehson.

    Like 1
    Dislike 2
  11. Trick or treat says:

    I’ve learned over years that once our politicians making noise and giving push back over something (especially in unity) then there’s something very foul that they are trying to protect…. I’d like to see the register of interest revealed after seeing this!

    When there smokes there’s fire

    Like 11
    Dislike 4
  12. De Silent One says:

    Why are they so persistant in getting access to this register. I’m not seeing or hearing of their desire to look into their Prime Minister’s Keir Starmer corruption that niw have his premiership in jeopady

    Like 2
    Dislike 1
  13. Eldread says:

    What I see here in order to create reciprocity, the UK has to share ministerial legislation with the BVI and other dependant territory who are only dependant due to institutionalized policy’s, the USVI senators get to go to the USA on some administrative matters, so too should the BVI and dependant territory go to UK parliament and likewise the UK MP’s be allowed to participate in certain legislation of the BVI that is not personal but international benefits for both countries co-existence, only then the the feeling of colonialism can be mitigated and create a harmonious relationship.

  14. Appears says:

    the MP’s have a good reason now to impose their Order in Council threat on the only BOT that has an ex Premier incarcerated in a US prison.

    Like 3
    Dislike 2

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