Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Removal of Order in Council continues to be the cry of VI – Premier

-says UK will have to answer on what will happen should VI fail to meet CoI recommendations
Virgin Islands Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D, Wheatley (R7) said the Virgin Islands continues to advocate for the removal of the Order in Council which remains in place to suspend parts of the VI’s constitution should the government fail to bring about reform. Photo: GIS/File
Former Governor John J. Rankin, CMG in January 2024, said with the Government of Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) seemingly unable to meet the May 2024 deadline for the CoI reform process, it is unlikely that the UK Order in Council in reserve to suspend the VI’s constitution will ever be lifted. Photo: VINO/File
Former Governor John J. Rankin, CMG in January 2024, said with the Government of Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) seemingly unable to meet the May 2024 deadline for the CoI reform process, it is unlikely that the UK Order in Council in reserve to suspend the VI’s constitution will ever be lifted. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Virgin Islands Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) said the Virgin Islands continues to advocate for the removal of the Order in Council which remains in place to suspend parts of the VI’s constitution should the government fail to bring about reform as recommended by a retired UK judge.

The Premier’s response came following questions from the media during a March 15, 2024, press conference regarding what happens if the May 2024 substantive CoI implementation deadline is not met by the VI Government and if there’s an update for further powers for the Governor.

“Well, I guess the UK will have to speak about that. We remain committed to meeting our obligations by May 31st, the majority of them…It's important to note as well, we have reforms which are under our remit as an elected government and there are also reforms under the Governor's Group,". 

He said there are some questions as to whether those will be completed by May 31st as well.

“Of course, what we have advocated for and we continue to advocate for is for the removal of the Order in Council that's hanging over us, because we don't believe that this is a democratic way of going about our business. We don’t believe it reflects on modern partnership,” he added.  

VI still advocating for removal of Order - Premier 

He said regardless of how the VI has progressed in terms of reforms, the removal of the Order continues to be the cry of the VI even as the Premier has told the UN that he wished for the Order to be removed. 

“But I think it's a more appropriate question for the United Kingdom Government as to what approach they will take, but we remain committed to meeting our obligations and we're not planning for failure, we're planning for success,” he added.

Former Governor John J. Rankin, CMG in January 2024, said with the Government of Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley seemingly unable to meet the May 2024 deadline for the CoI reform process, it is unlikely that the UK Order in Council in reserve to suspend the VI’s constitution will ever be lifted. 

Since then, the Premier in his latest update said work on all 50 of the CoI framework recommendations has begun, with the work split into a number of actions for completion by the May 2024 substantive deadline for full implementation.

14 Responses to “Removal of Order in Council continues to be the cry of VI – Premier”

  • Styles. (18/03/2024, 13:05) Like (32) Dislike (0) Reply
    The cry of the BVI is:
    - proper governance
    - no corruption
    - no more potholes
    - safe and proper education
    - decent healthcare

    Fix all that first Natalio, then cry about your personal problems.
  • taxpayer (18/03/2024, 13:09) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    “Well, I guess the UK will have to speak about that. We remain committed to meeting our obligations by May 31st, the majority of them…"
    This is not good enough; your Leadership is not good enough.
    We demand better!
  • ….. (18/03/2024, 13:25) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    Need remove u…
  • Really? (18/03/2024, 14:02) Like (14) Dislike (2) Reply
    No, it doesn't. In fact, if you polled the people of the VI, they would probably tell you that they want it to stay in place.
  • resident (18/03/2024, 14:34) Like (32) Dislike (1) Reply
    don't remove it until these crooked politicians do every last one of the coi reforms
  • .... (18/03/2024, 15:56) Like (15) Dislike (1) Reply
    Dear sir , we are not crying! we want it in place until everything is fixed and all the crookedness and corruption in this beautiful place is gone! If the UK got to suspend yall temporary so be it.
  • Street reporter (18/03/2024, 15:58) Like (10) Dislike (2) Reply
    Would we have been better off under a Britain rule If it had taken place 18 months ago.?
  • Residency (18/03/2024, 16:05) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    It’s frustrating when you can’t get things to happen, I feel your pain, nearly 20 years in the BVI and I’m getting nowhere with my residency application, my emails to immigration are simply ignored.
  • herbs power (18/03/2024, 21:56) Like (0) Dislike (12) Reply
    I aint going back under no white man slave ship with y'all black sheeps out here. He who forgot the past is doom to repeat it.
    • @herbs power (19/03/2024, 07:03) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      Spoken like someone who is benefitting from the corruption. What is interesting is that most of us who are standing up against our own corrupt and incompetent government, are free thinkers who have made up our own minds about what we want. You on the other hand, are happy to sit back and cry colonialism because it’s easy. You are in fact the sheep following Natalio’s anti UK rhetoric.
    • @herbs power (20/03/2024, 09:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Well if you haven't learned from what our own government been doing it us in the past over and over then you need to learn from your own statement or else you will be doom.

      Unless you benefiting from the government corruption.. #covidgrants #contracts
      Lay off them herbs you're not thinking logical right now
  • smh (19/03/2024, 10:29) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    CORRECTION, it is not the cry of the VI, it is the cry of the corrupt! The majority wants to see the corruption end.


Create a comment


Submit comment

Create a comment

Submit comment
Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.