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by pltm
(PLTM) - Spokesman for the One Virgin Islands Agenda, former Virgin Islands (BVI) legislator Carvin Malone has called on Virgin Islanders to take a more active interest and become more vocal in matters pertaining to the review of the Constitutional arrangement between the United Kingdom (UK) and the BVI.
His appeal comes as the UK House of Commons’ Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) prepares to wind up public consultations on the appropriateness of the current constitutional arrangements for UK’s Overseas Territories (OTs) in the 21st century.
The PACAC’s deadline for receiving submissions of evidence from the public on a number of issues regarding the UK’s Constitutional relationship with the OTs approaches at 5pm London Time, Monday, 4 September, 2023.
Currently, the BVI is awaiting the report of the Constitutional Review Commission, which will inform the BVI Government representatives’ position when they meet with UK Government officials to negotiate a new Constitutional arrangement to replace the existing Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007.
Speaking on a One Virgin Islands Agenda Open Forum radio broadcast on 29 August, 2023, Mr. Malone emphasized the need for Virgin Islanders to take personal responsibility for educating themselves on the relevant issues and the processes involved in revising the Constitution and advancing the BVI’s political status.
He said Virgin Islanders who do not use the opportunities to have their input in their own governance may wake up one day with serious regrets when decisions are made for them by others and imposed upon them.
“Too often when these opportunities come for persons to make their input, persons do not pay any interest. And when the pronouncements come, persons jump back and they say, ‘where did this come from?’”, Mr. Malone questioned.
He added, “Well it came from the two percent of the population who felt it necessary to write in with views that may not well match with yours. And that becomes the law. That becomes the suggestions that are given.”
According to the former Territorial At Large Representative of the 4th House of Assembly, a number of major and controversial UK policy documents that impact on the BVI-UK relationship and the governance of the Territory have ended up being out of sync with the views of the majority of the people of the BVI, and this is because the majority of persons did not bother to take the time to submit their input up front.
He said the same is true for when BVI representatives have to put forward the Territory’s position.
“Let us compile our responses on these questions so that when the Government writes to the UK on these particular questions, like they should, then it would be one that comes from the bowels of the people and the mindset of the people,” Mr Malone said.
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