Deputy Speaker Hon Neville A. Smith (AL) has said there are 'a set of old laws' that need updating in the Virgin Islands. Photo: VINO/File

30 years have elapsed since the last comprehensive law revision in the Virgin Islands (VI) according to the territories Attorney General, Hon Dawn J. Smith. Photo: GIS

This was revealed in the report of the deliberations of the 2022 Standing Finance Committee (SFC) meetings held in the last quarter of 2021.

The revelation came following inquiries from Deputy Speaker and Territorial Member, Hon Neville A. Smith (AL) who had asked when was the last time there had been a review of the laws in the VI.

The Deputy Speaker noted that there were "a set of old laws" that need updating in the VI.

According to the report, “He noted the staff challenges in the Chambers but asked when it was projected that we can start looking into a lot of these laws that we have there before he was born.”

Last law revision was in 1991

The Attorney General responded that the process has started and that the last revision of the laws was in 1991 which is just about 30 years ago.

She also said a comprehensive revision will take 3-5 years.

The report further stated, “She informed the Committee that the Government through the Chambers has a relationship with the Regional Law Revision Centre (RLRC) in Anguilla, which is a regional body set up to assist jurisdictions in the region to modernize their laws.”

It was revealed that the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands, along with the Attorneys General of Anguilla, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Montserrat, is a director of that body.

Preparations for revision started- AG

Hon Dawn J. Smith explained that the Chambers is now working with RLRC firstly to consolidate the legislation that have had a lot of amendments and to convert the legislation that have never been amended to electronic format in preparation for a comprehensive revision.

“The Attorney General also noted that there is a law reform function on the books which at the moment is not staffed and indicated that in 2022, she is hoping to get at least a Senior Legislative Counsel so that the reform process could continue,” the SFC report stated.