Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1), at the last sitting of the House of Assembly, July 21, 2020, made a motion for the House to approve the establishment of and the composition of the Constitutional Review Commission for the purpose of conducting a full review of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007 (U.K.S.I. No. 1678 of 2007). Photo: Internet Source

Members of the House of Assembly (HoA) will debate the motion for a Constitutional Review at the Thirteenth Sitting of the Second Session of the Fourth House of Assembly slated for the Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff’s Bottom, today, Monday, July 27, 2020. Photo: VINO/File

Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1), at the last sitting of the House of Assembly, July 21, 2020, made a motion for the House to approve the establishment of and the composition of the Constitutional Review Commission for the purpose of conducting a full review of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007 (U.K.S.I. No. 1678 of 2007).

Part of the Motion states: "WHEREAS it was agreed between the United Kingdom Government and the Government of the Virgin Islands that the said Constitution may be reviewed after ten (10) years after the date of which it came into force and it is now thirteen (13) years since that Constitution came into force."

Constitutional Review Commission

The motion also states: "WHEREAS Cabinet has agreed, subject to the approval of the House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands for the establishment of a Constitutional Review Commission comprising nine (11) members: a Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and six (6) other members to be nominated by the Premier and two (3) members to be nominated by Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition and appointed by the Cabinet, for the purpose of conducting a full review of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007 (U.K.S.I 2007 1678)."

The motion also contains information on the composition of the Commission which states: "the overall composition of the said Commission should cover the main Islands of the Virgin Islands collectively and include persons drawn from the legal fraternity, academia, business, communications/public relations, and other areas of civil society."

Historical moment

According to a press release from Government Information Service (GIS), Speaker of the House of Assembly Honourable Julian Willock said, “This is a historical moment that paves the way for the future of our Territory and it is important and critical that all residents listen to the positions of all elected members on this crucial point in British Virgin Islands history.” 

The public is invited to tune in on Monday, July 27, 2020, for the continuation of the Thirteenth Sitting of the House of Assembly which will be aired LIVE on YouTube (House of Assembly BVI), ZBVI 780AM, CBN 90.9 FM and FLOW TV Channel 101.