VI should consider Associated Statehood- Violet Thomas-Gaul
During Talking Points last night, Monday, May 26, 2025, Mrs Thomas-Gaul said, “There is a lot of work that needs to be done in my view about independence before we even venture over there.”
She said the VI needs to know what it can gain by going independent, as well as what it can lose.
“The political-social stability is very important in this thing. One of the things I am thinking of, rather than going full independent, why don’t we do as St Kitts and those other countries have done, where associated states, that is one way we can go.”
According to her, Associated States are allowed to control their internal affairs while Britain remains responsible for defence and foreign relations.
'This is a serious situation'
“These are all things we have to think about when you go independent, defence…this is not something that we should take lightly, this is a serious situation.”
Currently, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are independent nations but have not yet chosen to become republics, keeping the British monarch as their head of state.
Barbados was the last Commonwealth realm to abolish the monarchy in November 2021. In December 2024, the Jamaican government introduced a bill to parliament to abolish the constitutional monarchy and transition the country to a republic.
Let the people decide- Elvin G. Grant
Meanwhile, Co-host Elvin G. Grant said the people of the Virgin Islands should choose whether or not independence is the right choice for the territory.
“This is something that should be guarded by the people, so I’d like that to be the first place that the discussion starts.”
A discussion should be held with the members of the population on whether or not this is what the people want now or sometime in the future.
While he said he is of the view that independence is a route that should be explored, he also said the general population seem to think there are things that should be dealt with before seeking independence.
“I think that we need to get it in the right order. First of all, we need to have an expressed will of the people that this is the road we want to travel. Then once we have an agreement…we’ve got to figure out the pros and the cons-what’s involved with it; what’s going to be the cost of it; how do we get there; what are the advantages, disadvantages; strengthening our systems; our democracy and all the rest of it.”
Some may be fearful
Grant added that fear may also be the cause of the concerns of the people.
“From my reading, the fear is based on the fact that the Commission of Inquiry report was basically very damaging, but a lot has happened since that doesn’t instil confidence in the population that we are doing a very good job of managing our affairs.”
Meanwhile, Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has repeatedly said the people of the Virgin Islands will have to decide which path to choose, but that decolonisation is inevitable.
.png)
_Skip_the_Ferry_copy_(2).jpg)
.png)
Follow Us On
15 Responses to “VI should consider Associated Statehood- Violet Thomas-Gaul”
Give the people there freedom or give them death
The UK's West Indies Act of 1967 allowed 6 former island UK colonies the option of becoming a free associated state but all 6 eventually chose complete independence by 1983 except Anguilla. The BVI was NOT named in this old law so the free associated state option for the BVI is inapplicable.
And I wish the United Kingdom would send people from there to govern.