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by pltm
(PLTM) - Mrs. Lisa Penn-Lettsome has been appointed to chair the long-awaited Constitutional Review Commission
Cabinet at its final meeting for 2021 held on December 31, approved Penn-Lettsome's appointment along with the ten other members of the Commission who will hold public consultations on proposed changes to the BVI’s Constitution of 2007.
The other members appointed include Ms. Janice Stoutt - Deputy Chairman; Dr. Benedicta P. T. Samuels Ph.D. (Law), Member; Mr. Valston Michael Graham (Law), Member; Sir Charles Michael Dennis Byron (Former Chief Justice), Member/Resource Team; Ms. Maya Barry (Law), Member; Rev. Dr. Melvin A Turnbull, Member; Mr. Rajah A Smith, Member; Mr. Sendrick Chinnery, Member; Mr. Egbert D. Wheatley, Member; and Dr. Steve Lennard, Member.
The appointment of the members of the Commission is not to exceed two years and takes effect from January 4, 2022.
Mrs. Penn-Lettsome was appointed Executive Director of International Business with effect from October 1. She is a lawyer with over 25 years of experience and has served in the public sector for over 11 years, several of these as Deputy Managing Director of the Financial Services Commission.
Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon. Andrew Fahie had disclosed during the Budget address in November that government had set aside the funds to set up the Commission.
Premier Fahie has said that the review is now long overdue.
“The world has changed in more ways than we can count as we confront many of these challenges in the day-to-day affairs it is clear that we have outgrown our current constitutional arrangement and a new more appropriate one must be sought,” the Premier has stated.
He added, “Your government looks forward to lively informed and productive discussions when the constitutional review commission commences its work in this year and into the new year.”
Last year Cabinet approved the communication budget to implement the public education campaign for Constitutional Review. The Cabinet also agreed that the overall budget not to exceed $300,000 for the establishment of the Commission and implementation of associated activities.
Hon. Fahie stated that the review of the current Constitution will be led by the people of the Virgin Islands.
The Premier has assured that citizens of the Territory will have the opportunity to discuss and make recommendations on the direction in which the Territory should go in the years to come.
The Commission will be required to organise and conduct public forums, in person or virtually, as well as using other channels for receiving feedback from the citizenry.
The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, which replaced the Constitution of 1976, came into force on June 13, 2007.
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