The British Virgin Islands has been placed at the centre of a renewed Caribbean call for decolonisation.
Chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, Sir Hilary Beckles, directly challenged the level of authority still exercised by Britain over the Territory.
The intervention comes as representatives of the Virgin Islands and the United Kingdom are locked in formal constitutional negotiations, bringing greater regional attention to the future political relationship between the Territory and Britain.
According to The Guardian, Beckles argued that the people of the Virgin Islands remain unable to exercise full authority over their own affairs.
“In the Virgin Islands, our people cannot make fundamental decisions because they have to consult with the British governor,” Beckles said.
He indicated that the Commission wants the remaining colonial system dismantled as part of a broader movement for “democracy, freedom, sovereignty for everyone.”
The BVI operates with significant internal self-government, but ultimate executive authority remains vested in the King and is exercised locally by a UK-appointed Governor.
The timing places the BVI’s constitutional reform process within a wider Caribbean discussion about sovereignty, self-determination and the continued existence of British, French, Dutch and American territories across the region.
The Commission argues that reparations for slavery and colonialism must be accompanied by political self-determination for territories that remain under external control.
The ongoing negotiations follow the completion of the Constitutional Review Commission’s report in 2023 and subsequent deliberations by the House of Assembly. A 10-member Constitutional Negotiating Committee, comprising representatives of the Government, Opposition and constitutional experts, was established to negotiate on behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands.
The committee includes Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley, Deputy Premier Julian Fraser, Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer, Education Minister Sharie de Castro, Opposition Leader Marlon Penn, Opposition Member Ronnie Skelton and several legal and constitutional experts.
The BVI Government has said the process is aimed at modernising the Territory’s constitutional framework, strengthening governance, advancing self-determination and securing a Constitution that reflects the will and future aspirations of the Virgin Islands people.
Chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, Sir Hilary Beckles, directly challenged the level of authority still exercised by Britain over the Territory.
The intervention comes as representatives of the Virgin Islands and the United Kingdom are locked in formal constitutional negotiations, bringing greater regional attention to the future political relationship between the Territory and Britain.
According to The Guardian, Beckles argued that the people of the Virgin Islands remain unable to exercise full authority over their own affairs.
“In the Virgin Islands, our people cannot make fundamental decisions because they have to consult with the British governor,” Beckles said.
He indicated that the Commission wants the remaining colonial system dismantled as part of a broader movement for “democracy, freedom, sovereignty for everyone.”
The BVI operates with significant internal self-government, but ultimate executive authority remains vested in the King and is exercised locally by a UK-appointed Governor.
The timing places the BVI’s constitutional reform process within a wider Caribbean discussion about sovereignty, self-determination and the continued existence of British, French, Dutch and American territories across the region.
The Commission argues that reparations for slavery and colonialism must be accompanied by political self-determination for territories that remain under external control.
The ongoing negotiations follow the completion of the Constitutional Review Commission’s report in 2023 and subsequent deliberations by the House of Assembly. A 10-member Constitutional Negotiating Committee, comprising representatives of the Government, Opposition and constitutional experts, was established to negotiate on behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands.
The committee includes Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley, Deputy Premier Julian Fraser, Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer, Education Minister Sharie de Castro, Opposition Leader Marlon Penn, Opposition Member Ronnie Skelton and several legal and constitutional experts.
The BVI Government has said the process is aimed at modernising the Territory’s constitutional framework, strengthening governance, advancing self-determination and securing a Constitution that reflects the will and future aspirations of the Virgin Islands people.
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