‘We are ready’- Premier Wheatley on constitutional negotiations in London
In remarks released in a Video address on Facebook on Thursday, September 24, 2026, alongside the government’s public information campaign, the Premier framed the constitutional review as a homegrown, generational responsibility rather than an externally imposed exercise.
27 proposed amendments backed by all 13 elected members
“For generations, our people have built something on these islands worth protecting and worth passing on,” he said. “This constitutional review process was not handed to us; we chose it.”
Dr Wheatley said the House of Assembly’s unanimous agreement on 27 proposed amendments backed by all 13 elected members reflects a clear mandate from the people. “When our House of Assembly came together, the 13 elected members agreed on 27 changes to bring to the negotiation table, which I believe is a strong mandate from our people,” he said.
The Premier noted that the Constitutional Review Commission and later the Constitutional Negotiating Committee held island-wide engagements, meeting residents privately and publicly, including students, the elderly, and Virgin Islanders abroad. “We went to every island. We sat with our communities… We listened,” Premier Wheatley said, adding that both long-rooted islanders and newer residents who chose the Virgin Islands as home delivered the same message: “We are ready.”
Those consultations fed into the House of Assembly’s review of all 57 recommendations from the Constitutional Review Commission. Of those, 27 are being advanced as proposed constitutional amendments, while 28 are being addressed through legislation and policy.
27 proposed amendments grouped in five categories
The 27 proposed amendments are grouped under five themes: identity and belonging; fundamental rights; devolution of powers and political status; governance reforms; and community-level institutions. They cover identity and Belonger status, including a new “Ancestral Virgin Islander” category and protections for Virgin Islands land; expanded fundamental rights and protections for the elderly and persons with disabilities, as well as the right to marry; the devolution of certain Governor’s powers, a requirement for UK consultation on key matters, and a mandatory referendum on political status by 31 December 2031; reforms to the Senate, the introduction of at-large seats, five-year election cycles, and changes to the Cabinet and the office of the Attorney General; and the establishment of District Councils alongside reforms to the Deputy Governor and the Magistracy.
Premier Wheatley stressed that some amendments apply to everyone in the Territory, while others such as those on Belonger status and ancestral land, speak specifically to Virgin Islander heritage. “Some amendments speak to all—governance, rights, the courts. Others… speak specifically to Virgin Islander heritage,” he said.
Constitution campaign underway
The Premier is leading a delegation to the United Kingdom from September 21–26, 2026 for a second round of constitutional negotiations, as confirmed by the Premier’s Office. A 10-member Constitutional Negotiating Committee, chaired by Wheatley, was established earlier this year to represent the Virgin Islands in discussions with the UK government on reforming and modernising the Territory’s Constitution. Government statements indicate the aim is to conclude negotiations by the end of 2026 and prepare for enactment in 2027, with a new Constitution to be followed by a bilateral compact with the United Kingdom.
Alongside the negotiations, the “Our Constitution” campaign is running to ensure residents and the diaspora understand what is being proposed and why. “This is our Constitution. This is our voice, and this is our moment,” Premier Wheatley said in campaign messaging, urging Virgin Islanders at home and abroad to visit the site, learn what was agreed, and follow updates as the talks continue.
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