Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has said the Virgin Islands will continue to work collaboratively with the United Kingdom Government to bring the CoI chapter to a close. Photo: GIS

Minister for the United Kingdom Overseas Territories the Right Honourable Stephen J Doughty MP met with Premier Dr the Honourable Natalio D Wheatley (R7), Leader of the Opposition Hon Ronnie W. Skelton (AL), other members of government, and senior public officials in the VI in November 2024. Photo: Facebook

Underscoring the aspirations of the Virgin Islands at a press conference on January 23, 2025, Premier Wheatley said, "I deeply appreciate the open, frank and constructive engagement as we work collaboratively to achieve tangible and sustainable government reform that will support the modern partnership based on mutual trust, respect and cultural understanding, which recognises the Virgin Islands' right to self-determination.”

As such, Dr Wheatley laid out the status of reforms and the next steps in transitioning towards enhanced governance and autonomy or self-determination.

CoI Context & Current Status

With this in mind, Premier Wheatley recalled the visit of UK Overseas Territories Minister Stephen J. Doughty to the Virgin Islands from November 4 to 6, 2024, resulting from Dr Wheatley's September 2024 trip to London—said to be key in assessing progress on the CoI recommendations and determining the future of the controversial Order in Council, which allows for the potential suspension of the territory’s constitution.

Minister Doughty, during his visit had outlined four critical components to be considered in the decision to lift the Ordering Council namely, The Governor’s final review; The Virgin Islands Government’s self-assessment; Assessments by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & the Development Office (FCDO) officials and Public submissions to the Governor

As such, Premier Wheatley spoke to the Virgin Islands Government’s commitment to completing its self-assessment by early March 2025, in tandem with the Governor’s review and public feedback collection process.

Minister Doughty, he said, had indicated that the decision on the Order in Council would likely be made before the end of the first half of 2025, following consultations with the Foreign Secretary, the Governor, and the Government of the Virgin Islands.

Reform & Transition Plan

With this in mind, Premier Wheatley detailed his Government’s reform and transition plan, which is central to ensuring that reforms catalysed by the CoI’s recommendations are integrated into the Territory’s governance framework.

"The plan facilitates the transition from the implementation of the recommendations of the CoI to the ongoing Government's Reform, whereby Government takes responsibility for continuous improvement in our institutions, systems, and processes," he explained.

The plan, he restated, includes implementing 15 pieces of legislation and nine major policies through an action-oriented approach, a. key aspect of which is the communication strategy, aimed at educating both the public and public officers on the reforms.

Elaborating further, he said, "...the plan seeks to build public understanding and awareness of what has changed, how those changes impact lives, and how the public can access and benefit from the new services; This is critical for improving governance and positioning the Virgin Islands for greater self-governance."

Public Awareness & Engagement

According to the Premier, in order to ensure that the reforms resonate with the people, the Government has launched a comprehensive public awareness campaign.

"We plan to reach every member of the public and public service by every possible medium, including websites, updates, brochures, flyers, infographics, newsletters, video and audio reports, town hall meetings, departmental training sessions, emails, WhatsApp messages, and SMS texts."

Additionally, public submissions are described as a cornerstone of the reform process with details on how feedback will be collected are expected to be announced shortly, ensuring that the voices of Virgin Islanders are integral to shaping the territory’s governance trajectory.