Constitutional amendment needed to make Minister of State position official- Premier
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The Premier was speaking on The Big Story with Cathy O. Richards on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, following his announcement earlier in the day to bring back Hon Lorna G. Smith, OBE (AL), to the government’s side as Minister of State for Financial Services and Economic Development.
Hon Smith will be responsible for financial services, including domestic banking, economic diversification and investment promotion, trade and investment, and shared responsibility for climate finance.
Westminister System has Ministers of State- Premier
Premier Wheatley explained that in the Westminister system, there are provisions for having a Cabinet Minister as the head of a ministry with ministers serving under them such as Parliamentary Under Secretaries and Ministers of State.
“There are different types of Junior Ministers,” he said.
He reminded the Virgin Islands that the late Hon Ralph T. O’Neal had appointed a Parliamentary Under Secretary in the 1990s.
“So it’s something that has happened in our system before in terms of different types of Junior Ministers,” he said.
Minister of state position doesn’t presently exist
Premier Wheatley said a constitutional amendment is needed to make Hon Smith’s Minister of State position official.
“We got a constitutional amendment for the Junior Ministries and that’s something that can be done again. These amendments can be made in between constitutional negotiations,” he continued, “This is something I have put to the Governor about having the option to be able to appoint Ministers of State, Parliamentary Under Secretaries.”
He admitted that right now, the “Minister of State doesn’t presently exist“ and that Hon Smith is currently occupying “one of the two Junior Ministry positions”.
Premier Wheatley also explained that constitutional amendments are not done in the House of Assembly but by the United Kingdom through an Order in Council.
The Territory will be having constitutional negotiations, and Premier Wheatley was scheduled to speak with Stephen J. Doughty on Thursday, March 13, 2025, and had plans to bring up this matter with him to see how quickly it could be done.
Dr Wheatley also said Governor Daniel Pruce was informally notified, but he will be putting the request to him formally in writing.
Hon Smith 'passionate' about Minister of State position
Richards proceeded to ask the Premier, “It feels a little uncomfortable in some spaces to understand why it seems as though you are putting the horse before the cart…Why wasn’t it done the other way around where you have the official portfolio available to you, you have the constitutional amendment, and then you appoint?”
The Premier admitted that in discussion with Hon Smith, the Minister of State position was something she was “very passionate about”.
“I agree, of course, when you’re talking about Financial Services and the fact that it’s a big revenue earner for the Virgin Islands, I believe we should consider, as a Virgin Islands people, introducing the Minister of State, which is in the United Kingdom and exists in other places, it’s something that we should introduce,” the Premier said.
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6 Responses to “Constitutional amendment needed to make Minister of State position official- Premier”
Take your time and read this report carefully. It is critical clear that our current Hon. Premier ls the Minister of finance, but lacks the now how knowledge of how to manage our finances in our best interest.
You may not like the following, but nevertheless, it is true. Of all our past and present political ministers that held the financial minister position, the present opposition leader, Hon. Ronnie Skelton - (A), has proven to, and presently is the top of the list in financial money managing.
Some people have blame failure on hom. No, not him should be blamed, but rather all the greedy business employers that did not pay in to the Social security their share of money, be withheld it.
Not only they, but also medical businesses that rosed NHI money charged, and continuing, I believe.
Conclusion of this comment up and comment.
As you and I have read, in order for Hon. Minister Lorna to become Minister of State, prior successful negotiations, and approval is in the hands of the UK's government, not our local government. In other words, it is not the cart that pulls horse forward, but the horse does.