HoA Constitutional Report: ‘No Term Limits for the Premier’
However, the House of Assembly (HoA) of the Virgin Islands Constitutional Review Report by the Committee of the Whole House rejected the idea of a referendum. A team led by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) will be conducting constitutional negotiations in London later this year.
In fact, Elected Legislators “agreed that no term-limit referendum or constitutional provision should be introduced” and have stated no constitutional amendment will be proposed.
The HoA, via its Committee report, recommended retaining the existing constitutional arrangements for selection and tenure of the Premier, without imposing constitutional term limits.
Rationale of elected members
Members considered that the Premier’s tenure is already subject to parliamentary confidence and electoral accountability. They were not persuaded that term limits would improve governance outcomes in the Virgin Islands’ parliamentary system, and preferred to prioritise other reforms aimed at strengthening accountability and institutional performance.
In the 75-year history of the restoration of the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, there have been only seven Chief Ministers/Premiers. They were Chief Ministers: H. Lavity Stoutt, Dr Willard Wheatley, MBE, and Cyril B. Romney. Additionally, both Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE and Dr D. Orlando Smith, OBE, served both as Chief Ministers and Premiers. The final two Premiers are Andrew A. Fahie and current Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), who is the grandson of the late Dr Willard Wheatley.
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