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

Throne Speech: VI Gov’t looking to modernise police force

- Seeking to amend Police Act (CAP.165) to bring together an updated legislative basis for policing in the Territory
The government of the Virgin Islands (VI) is looking to amend the Police Act (CAP.165) to bring together an updated legislative basis for policing in the Territory according to the speech from the throne delivered on January 24, 2023. Photo: RVIPF/Facebook
The Speech from the Throne, which highlights the legislative agenda of the Government of the Virgin Islands, is writen by the government of the day and delivered by the Governor. Photo: HoA/Youtube
The Speech from the Throne, which highlights the legislative agenda of the Government of the Virgin Islands, is writen by the government of the day and delivered by the Governor. Photo: HoA/Youtube
DUFF'S BOTTOM, Tortola, VI– The Government of the Virgin Islands (VI) is looking to amend the Police Act (CAP.165) to bring together an updated legislative basis for policing in the Territory, according to the Speech from the Throne delivered on January 24, 2023.

In the speech delivered by the Governor of the Virgin Islands (VI) at the Fifth Session of the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA) at Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff's Bottom, Tortola on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, the updated legislation will also provide a strong constitutional and professional base for a modernised police force.

“Supporting the proposed Act would represent a positive and measured response to the current crime and community challenges facing the Virgin Islands and provide a real opportunity for the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force to emerge as a leading police force in the region,” Governor John J. Rankin, CMG added.

The Government will also move to amend the Proceeds of Criminal Conduct Act, 1997 to make provisions consistent with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations, particularly as it relates to the Civil forfeiture of proceeds of crime.

Witness Anonymity Legislation to come 

Further, he added that the Witness Anonymity Legislation will be brought forward to ensure the protection of witnesses and the preservation of their rights by making provisions for a court to make a witness anonymity order to protect the witness's safety, prevent damage to property, and prevent real harm to the public interest.

The Governor added that the new legislation would be an invaluable tool in assisting with combating serious crime and, at the same time, it would also help to bolster public confidence in the criminal justice system.

Governor Rankin said the Fifth Session of the House of Assembly is focused on bringing forward legislation in the context of "Resilience, Revenue, Reform, and Recovery: The Virgin Islands in Transition."

He added that the theme is aligned with the 2023 Budget Address and its strategic objectives and outcomes of Government agencies.

43 Responses to “Throne Speech: VI Gov’t looking to modernise police force”

  • People of BVI (30/01/2023, 09:53) Like (21) Dislike (13) Reply
    Read that police Act amendments carefully. The Governor and his UK Commissioner are trying to turn the country into a police state where the amendment to law will give them authority to do so. Read that Bill and get involved in what goes in it. Wake up BVI.
    • @People of BVI (30/01/2023, 12:43) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
      When the face of hope is really the face of hell then it is not right. I support the police 100% but I do not support what the Governor and the Uk commissioner of police and his Uk senior officers are doing that was organized by the well placed and well-organized UK Commissioner of the COI and their pre-authored recommendations. We all agree that changes are needed but this is about more than that and it is of racist and colonial nature, and we should not fool ourselves to think otherwise. I ask all involved with this bill to be diligent to ensure that it does not dress up the face of hell as the face of hope.
      • Mrs Tubman (30/01/2023, 13:22) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
        Black on Black killing by the thousands each year in the Caribbean. Some would say that the UK should turn a blind eye and enjoy the spectacle of its Black territory now immersed in the profane insanity .
        As a BVIslander,I loathe the murderous and performers of evil that is now the VI.
        A demographic change is overdue and is urgent!!!

  • Youth (30/01/2023, 09:56) Like (12) Dislike (2) Reply
    I am concerned about this law. This needs full public consultation. Also safeguards needs to be put in the law to avoid abuse of power by the police especially how these UK officers are moving as if the people of the BVI have no rights and are always wrong. Let us watch this one heavily.
  • here we go again (30/01/2023, 10:01) Like (12) Dislike (3) Reply
    Of course, they think we stupidy as usually by trying to fool us that this is about modernizing the police act when in fact it is about empowering the wicked Uk commissioner of police and his kind from the Uk on the police force to violate the citizen of the BVI's rights with the law now to back them up. They have no good thoughts of the people of the BVI. If you can only hear what they say about the people of the BVI when they are drunk. The people of the BVI needs to watch out on this one.
  • balance (30/01/2023, 10:04) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    A group of lawyers need to look over this bill to bring balance or the people of the BVI will suffer if it passes the way the Governor and his gang intend on passing it. Allow the police to do their work but also ensure that they are not allowed to abuse their powers or overreach their authority. This bill raises many red flags especially in light of what is taking place in the BVI currently.
    • Native Citizen of the UK (30/01/2023, 16:05) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      I do not trust these lawyers. Have you heard the lawyers on the Constitutional board? They are of no-good use to us. They just carrying out the Governors agenda. Everything you suggested to them the answer is "we had it and we gave it to them".
  • EYE opener (30/01/2023, 10:10) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    Without a doubt this is not being done with good intentions although the Head of the Police will say otherwise. The Police Welfare needs more authority. Independent bodies to review actions of all levels of Officers needs to be part of this legislation and they must be locals or of Caribbean origin. The police cannot be given legal powers to arrest, or this will be abused. Many other areas must be looked over in this legislation and restructured to avoid abuse camouflaged as modern policing.
  • yeah (30/01/2023, 10:12) Like (15) Dislike (3) Reply
    MODERNISE IT BY HIRING MAJORITY LOCALS
    • @yeah (30/01/2023, 10:47) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
      A mixture of Caribbean and locals will be best. The Uk aim is to make us think we cannot trust our own but anyone with sense knows better.
  • Urgent (30/01/2023, 10:13) Like (8) Dislike (2) Reply
    First, remove the police from a subject under the Governor and put it either under the full responsibility of the Police Commission or National Security. No one entity should have responsibility of the police because it lends itself to abuse, and plots as is currently evident.
  • What about our rights? (30/01/2023, 10:17) Like (8) Dislike (2) Reply
    The Human Rights Bill needs to pass before this police bill passes or the country will go into bondage through abuse of power by these British Police Officers and their Head coupled with the Governor. I agree with the other comments in this similar vein. I hope our elected officials and our people stay awoke on this one. Get the Human Rights Bill pass first.
  • BAR ASSOCIATION (30/01/2023, 10:18) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    I am appealing to the BAR Association to review this legislation especially lawyers that do criminal cases. Make your voice known before it is too late.
  • Xxx (30/01/2023, 10:22) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    I do not trust the unity government with this bill
    • @xxx (30/01/2023, 10:49) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
      I agree. They will look to please the governor and commissioner of police also from the UK and sell out their people.
  • questions (30/01/2023, 10:26) Like (19) Dislike (1) Reply
    Why is this a priority. Why can't bills to protect the rights of the people be given first priority rather than those that trying to put us in jail but try to make us think they are trying to protect us better. Where are the laws against ridiculous rents, or the laws to deal with employers taking our social security money from our pay checks and not paying it in to social security, or laws to protect us from the banks who have no mercy on us during these rough economic times and always ready to sell off our property when we fall behind because of the economy and no fault of yours, or laws to make government pay private vendors that work for government on time. I will stop there for now but let us get these laws passed first rather than this wish list of legislation to further enslave the people.
  • Agree (30/01/2023, 10:31) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    I fully agree the police act needs modernizing, but it must be done in the right way and for the right reasons. To all elected officials please get legal and professional guidance on this bill from other lawyers and attorneys other than the attorney general and the commissioner of police. Failure to do so you will be misled, and your people will never forgive any of you.
  • TO VINO (30/01/2023, 10:45) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    I like the story and the comments for or against. Whether people like VINO or not we must thank them for allowing comments for and against any story to be posted unlike that other UK and BVI hater site that have BVI in their name, that block the posting of the majority of comments that are submitted to their news site that are either positive about the BVI or against the actions of the UK, the UK Governor, and this Uk Commissioner of police especially in regards to their ongoing plot through their pre-arranged COI and recommendations and audits aimed at striking fear in the people of the BVI so they can take over with approval. Thank you, VINO, for allowing balance.
  • Public servant (30/01/2023, 10:56) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    All of a sudden everything with a public servant is being referred to the police and not the public service commission. The reason is simple. The Governor can get the results he wants in the way he wants from his UK Commissioner and UK senior officers to justify to the international community why they need the orders of council. This is not about right or wrong or evidence or not. It is about a takeover through instilling fear in the people through a means that seems justifiable to the international community so they can get their support. The same old slavery tactics but in a modernized fashion.
  • take note (30/01/2023, 11:22) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Modernise immigration based on records and statistics.
    The one demographic of the immigrant population has devastated education and quality of life in the BVI, prison is the destination of they and their children.
    In plain black and white it is written. Overnight our once sleepy and empty penal system has become overburdened with the same characters from the same countries. These characters are the death of many locals and will be the final death of the VI . Imported policemen from their countries makes everything doubly worse.
  • Really (30/01/2023, 11:24) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply
    You all really can't read in between the lines because I told you this numerous times. The shot is the Mark and 5g gives real time data. They are installing millions of cameras all over the World because the vaccinated people will be using their body for all transactions. Its called the digital credit control system it will have all your data send to the cloud. The AI will take over everyone's job so they will no longer need police with all these News dangerous technology. Lazy people loves technology which is the down fall of mankind. Think about it when it had curfew you all stayed home and didn't go outside. Do you really think that's normal when All essential workers had to Work. Common sense isn't common anymore. I feel for you All. Repent and pray. One Think you all need to talk about. The Bible said in the end times it will have all kinds of diseases and sicknesses think for one second before COVID it was the same viruses, disease nothing different after the vaccine how many viruses and sicknesses are around. Wake Up people time is running out
  • WOWO (30/01/2023, 12:02) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    They mean militarize not modernize. Look at all the PPE gears they are wearing as if they are going to a combat zone, the level of negative interaction with the public is about too get out of control, we do not have that level of crime, now the video that the Commissioner made makes all the sense in the world, show high levels of criminality to justify turning to police to the Military
    • @wowo (30/01/2023, 12:32) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Well said. The UK influence especially those they placed in the police force intend to terrorize the people of the BVI and make us seem worse than any other part of the world when this is not so.
      • LookSee (30/01/2023, 13:35) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
        The People of the VI are not all People Of the VI.
        The People of the VI that are non People of the Vi are the achilles heel and those are the ones who will be disaffected. A few of their carcasses shipped out and entombed
        in their countries soil would be a step in the right direction.
  • Native Senior Citizen of the British Virgin Islands (30/01/2023, 13:04) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    In mine honest opinion I believe that any action to ammend or update the police act (165) for better policing services in our country as positive, not negative as some people would us believe.

    In the Governor's Speech from the throne I read these words "serious crimes." As I see it all crimes are serious. Many large deadly crimes began with a small thougt. Crime in the BVI is bad enough. Any effort to strenthen anti-crime policing in the BVI shiuld be welcome by all our citizens and non citizenn, too.
    • @Native Senior Citizen of the British Virgin Islands (30/01/2023, 13:33) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      No one sees it as a negative but rather see it as a potential for abuse hence why safe guards must be put in place to avoid such. Crime in the BVI is no worse than anywhere else in the world as some trying to make us think as of late. As a matter of fact it is less than most places in the world. The fact is there will always be crime and we need to equip our police to fight crime. However we also must hold them accountable so that they do not become a law unto themselves.
  • Ricco (30/01/2023, 13:08) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    Jamaica is listed as #2 most homicidal country in the World. Some other 8 Caribbean countries are in the top 10. On a daily the VI is importing and installing on its soil the people from these countries,where they continue their homicidal cultural art form. The UK would be wrong and inconsiderate to not excercise their rights regarding this human Rights issue. Either way the VI is gone.
  • Save this post (30/01/2023, 13:43) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    By the time the Governor and his team finish with thus act and the public service it will shut down the country because it will be impossible to get a functioning government in the best interest of the people and it will be impossible to have a police force that does not violate our rights but have the law amended to back them up in doing so. I am not looking for anything wrong to be done or condone. All we need is balance and equal rights and justice.
  • Crazy joe (30/01/2023, 13:58) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    Not going to be popular with the white powder dealers and sex worker traffickers.
  • look around (30/01/2023, 15:14) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    The un just systems all around the world is crumbling and they are desperate now is the time to stand together and take back our VI. It will get ruff but bad times is on its way anyway and we can’t allow them to fall and give them the chance to rise up with the new slave system but this going go over most of our heads.
  • yeah (30/01/2023, 15:51) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    The crime and lawless behaviour in our haven has been disrupted and has desecrated with the advent of peoples from a nether region.
    Their mark of everything evil has mushroomed to an extent that is beyond measure.
    The local elected has done nothing in an attempt to stop or curtail the mess.
    Those here from the nether region have done nothing in this regards but quibble about locals and their non free rentals .No apology ever evah!!! But they head of church and other games while employed in the VI some with 6figure salary.
    A moratorium on immigrants and visas for some countries would have been a least bit effort. The UK is doing what is best for its territory and it's people and if that means it becomes a Police State,then no surprise..Police States are where the offenders originated, They will be in their comfort zone. BVIslanders will eventually sell and leave the BVI and watch from afar as it be comes another piece of dregs in the Caribbean chain.
    Thanks UK ,God Save the King and more curse sent on the heads of those nether region infidels.
  • Citizen (30/01/2023, 16:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Please people wake up. That speech is a set up for black people. Please check out his link
    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/racism-uk-united-nations-africa-b2270640.html
  • forfeiture (30/01/2023, 17:06) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    well this will be interesting...lots of boats cars houses and appartment buildings going to be coming up on the market soon or what. ?? all built bought with cash from criminal proceeds.

  • Look aroud (30/01/2023, 18:11) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    If big advance America is concern about police abuse and their brutality to citizens, then why should we not be concerned about the kind of power the police gets and the accountability and balance that comes with it. No one can be allowed to operate above the law and good governance, not even the police whether they are from the UK or not.
  • ... (30/01/2023, 19:50) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    With all the deaths in the USA... police beating, shooting citizens and tazing people to death are we still pushing for immunity for police????????????????????

    Police who are no different than you and I, yet they feel entitled to bully and brutalize.

    Most time those police are watching me funny.... like they are predators and think I am prey. Um no. Categorically, to say it the UK way.


    who's culture are we following BVI culture or what??
  • @ 2 VINO (30/01/2023, 20:54) Like (1) Dislike (4) Reply
    LOOKS LIKE YOU AND THE REST IGNORAMUSES BLOGGING YOUR USUAL SH*T ,USING DIFFERENT NAMES TO CREATE NUMBERS JUST SHOWS HOW NAIVE YOU JOKERS ARE , SO HAVE YOUR FUN IN THE SUN
  • hm (30/01/2023, 22:18) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    By adding more racist volunteers?
  • Racism (31/01/2023, 07:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    People of the BVI do not be fooled or brainwashes. Racism is trying to be down played but it is a factor with all that is going on with our country especially with the actions of the UK. The white police officer and their head do not trust the black police officers nor do they trust the other law enforcement agencies who are predominantly black. They want to discredit them and is being done through abuse of their powers to try to justify their colonial actions but camouflage it as good governance. Let us wake up and be aware and stand up for what it right. Ask yourself when last you saw or heard anyone other than black locals and black Caribbean people been audited, investigated, or arrested. Even in the boating accident they were freed. Wake up people. Racism is at our doorstep. Becareful with how this legislation is handled.
  • BVILOVE (31/01/2023, 07:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    For get the Police send back the COP and his DCOP to UK get rid of all the Expats cops and let BVILOVE ppl Join the force and see where all the good things will go.
  • Josiahsbay (31/01/2023, 08:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Do not pass the bill until it's satisfactory to the people of the VI.
  • Josiahsbay (31/01/2023, 08:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Do not pass the bill until it's satisfactory to the people of the VI.
    • @ josiah'sbay (31/01/2023, 17:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      It is the people of the Vi who created the unfortunate current VI. They and their duly elected aided and okayed the destruction of their BVI.
      Karma never fails. They will lose in a bad and regrettable fashion, deservedly.


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.