Governor Should Hold His Brakes
On My BVI on November 11, 2025, Jahnai L. Caul urged Governor Daniel Pruce to refrain from using broad constitutional powers after the governor chose not to appoint Jacqueline E. Vanterpool as Commissioner of Police. Governor Pruce used discretionary authority under Section 97 to revert Vanterpool to Deputy Commissioner effective November 18, 2025, a move Caul described as undemocratic while the Constitution is under public review.
Caul has called on Governor Daniel Pruce to “hold his brakes” in the exercise of constitutional powers after the governor decided not to appoint Acting Commissioner of Police Jacqueline E. Caul made the remarks as a panellist on My BVI on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, following the governor’s use of discretionary authority under Section 97 of the Constitution of the Virgin Islands.
The governor’s decision will revert Ms Vanterpool to her substantive role as Deputy Commissioner of Police, effective November 18, 2025. The controversy comes as the current Constitution — last negotiated with the United Kingdom in 2007 and now about 18 years old — is itself the subject of a public review.
Caul told viewers the timing raises questions about the exercise of powers that many in the Territory want reassessed, particularly powers that relate to appointments and security. “I believe that any and every subject that has been highlighted under the review...can now be questioned by the people once they have been exerted by these authoritative powers,” Caul said.
He noted that devolving certain authorities from the governor to the elected government has been a central theme in the constitutional review and was included in the Commission of Inquiry’s terms of reference. For Caul, the governor’s use of Section 97 in this case is illustrative of a wider concern. “I find it very undemocratic that the Governor can exert any such overarching power granted by him…and particularly as we talk about enforcement of internal and external security,” he said, adding that the governor’s interpretation and behaviour were the most troubling aspects of the episode.
Caul accused the governor of using the Constitution “as a shield,” and urged restraint while the public review continues. His comments reflect broader anxiety in the Territory about the balance between appointed powers held by the governor and authority vested in locally elected officials, a debate central to the current constitutional discussions.
The decision to revert Ms Vanterpool and the ensuing public reaction underline the practical stakes of the constitutional review for policing, governance and public trust. Residents can expect further scrutiny and debate as the review process progresses and as the community considers potential changes to how key appointments and security matters are handled in the Virgin Islands. (Reported on My BVI and by Virgin Islands News Online.)
Primary source: VINO