Special rights coming for ‘Ancestral Virgin Islanders’- HoA Report
The Lisa E. Penn-Lettsome-led Constitutional Review Commission recommended replacing the use of the word "indigenous Virgin Islander" with "Ancestral Virgin Islander". This Ancestral Virgin Islander, according to the Penn-Lettsome report, will include a proposed definition based on ancestral connection over three generations.
The Committee of the Whole House, which will make up the negotiating committee to London, further agreed with the Penn-Lettsome Committee and proposed constitutional amendments to include a distinct constitutional recognition of ‘Ancestral Virgin Islanders.’
New Constitutional Category
Elected Members agreed that the new Constitution should establish a distinct recognition of an “Ancestral Virgin Islander” as a unique category, separate from persons deemed to belong under section 2 and from the constitutional definition of “Virgin Islander” in section 65; and the term “Ancestral Virgin Islander” should refer to any individual who can demonstrate, by official means, direct lineal descent by birth, traced through the maternal or paternal line, from at least one ancestor born in the Virgin Islands on or before 1860.
Members emphasised that recognition as an Ancestral Virgin Islander would not necessarily equate to Belonger status. The Committee further agreed that an Ancestral Virgin Islander should be granted protections based on heritage and historical connection to the Virgin Islands, subject to law, namely, the right to hold land in the Virgin Islands acquired by inheritance or succession on death without having to obtain a Non-Belonger Land Holding Licence.
Furthermore, the right to hold shares in a Virgin Islands corporation acquired by inheritance or succession on death without having to obtain a Non-Belonger Land Holding Licence, in accordance with any law governing the transfer and registration of share, the right to reside in the Virgin Islands without being subject to immigration control, and access to a fast-track process, as prescribed by law, for Belonger status and citizenship.
Rationale for Ancestral protection
Elected Members also agreed that a distinct “Ancestral Virgin Islander” category should be framed as a recognition of heritage and historical connection, while remaining separate from Belonger status. The Committee considered that the protections associated with this category should be limited, clearly defined, and implemented through a constitutional framework supported by legislation that can address proof requirements and operational details.
Why 1860? Does the Opposition Leader support?
The Committee chose 1860 as the threshold date because it corresponds with the earliest reliable church and civil records. The date aims to identify individuals whose ancestral ties to the Virgin Islands are longstanding and well-documented historically.
It is alleged that the Leader of Opposition Hon Myron V Walwyn (R6) is opposed to any protection for Ancestral Virgin Islanders, which is why the Premier and others are saying he should not be part of the negotiating team to London on the new constitution.
'I will continue to hold Pastor Cline in my prayers'- Hon Walwyn
One of the persons who has been publicly stating that Hon Walwyn is opposed to ancestral rights for Virgin Islanders is, talk show host and clergyman, Claude O. Skelton-Cline.
According to Hon Walwyn; however, the Constitutional Report was debated in the House of Assembly "where I clearly articulated my views" on each of the recommendations.
"There were two recommendations that I and Mitch Turnbull differed on with the other House of Assembly members and those are documented in a dissenting report which is attached to the report coming out of the committee stage of the of the examination of the report. You can view those positions for yourself. You will note that none of those concerns had anything to do with Ancestral rights."
Hon Walwyn added, "I will continue to hold Pastor Claude Cline in my prayers because he seems bent on causing confusion and misleading the public. Only God knows what is his objective."
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43 Responses to “Special rights coming for ‘Ancestral Virgin Islanders’- HoA Report”
Sorry but a guy living in Miami all his life who only had a grandpa who was born on Tortola back in the 1800s shouldn't get any special access. These conditions need some reconsidering and it's baffling that an idea that comes from trying to protect the older families who actually live here somehow resulted in this. They need way stronger ties than just a direct line, like someone more recent actually living in the country.
This was all about protecting those whose great grandchildren are on the cusp of losing all ties to the BVI Nothing more, nothing less. That’s why we now have an American premier.
Locals are being charged more than 10 times expats in taxes for long lease Cay lands. That’s a fact
This why DT making hard all over !
God use ppl.like DT to make life difficult so everyone go back to their land of birth . Even the locals who get bvi rights through there parents here will go back, where they were born!
Read the article again
Why go back sooo far?
Why not the early 1900s?
I think that predetermined date, should be reconsidered!
and death record of my paternal grandmother and couldn't get them. i dare anyone of them to tell me that i am not an ancestral Virgin Islander.
The Caribs and Arawaks ARE NOT indigenous to the Caribbean.
If history is traced far back enough to Ancient Civilizations, you will clearly see that Africans or Melanated beings, occupied every continent and country on Earth first and alone, making us all indigenous.
Invasion by un-melanated beings occured, killing, replacing and re-writing our history (re-enforced by teaching us in schools first started by the church) to make us believe that tis so deh story go.
Baffled me, when ever people of the BVI try to secure an identity for themselves,you always have people trying to get in the way, it’s funny you people from elsewhere come and always want to decide our destiny, I bet where ever you come from you try to protect your own destiny.
That would be a VIslander.
Anyone else has moved on or not moved in.
Those VIslanders can then be able to share in the customs, cultures, laws, equal treatment and human rights with all the other people that live, work and pay taxes in the VI and contribute to a thriving living VI that is not cemented in the past.
The plantation minded Elites need to be removed from power so the VI can build itself an equal and equitable society that all in the VI can celebrate.
The indgenous Taino's, Arawaks, Caribs (and any others here before the European invasions and all the changes that came with that) should be given special status.
George Orwell is either laughing or crying from his grave.
Let's hope the FCO has the foresight to disallow this.
Nevertheless this is a step in the right direction.