Hotel Rooms Declared Prison at Castle Maria
Four rooms at Hotel Castle Maria in McNamara, Tortola, have been officially declared a prison under the Prison Ordinance, Cap. 166, according to an instrument gazetted on May 19, 2026. The move formalises the use of parts of the hotel for immigration detention while plans for a dedicated facility remain in development.
An official proclamation published in the Gazette on May 19, 2026, declares four rooms at Hotel Castle Maria in McNamara, Tortola, to be a prison for the purposes of the Prison Ordinance, Cap. 166. The instrument names rooms 311, 315 and 317 and the room referred to as the "Recreation Room" as being part of the premises known as Hotel Castle Maria and states they "are declared to be a prison for the purposes of the Prison Ordinance, Cap. 166." The proclamation was published under the signature of Mr Archer Jr., according to the gazetted notice.
Section 4A of the Prison Ordinance, Cap. 166 empowers the Governor to declare any place to be a prison by proclamation published in the Gazette. Once declared, the designated place falls within the legal framework and obligations set out by the Ordinance, including provisions that govern custody, management and oversight of persons held there.
Immigration detainees in the British Virgin Islands have frequently been held in temporary or ad hoc facilities, and Hotel Castle Maria has been used in that capacity in the past. The gazette notice formalises the status of these specific rooms, giving the government a statutory basis for their use as a detention location.
In June 2025, the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) awarded a contract valued at $370,000 to the Virgin Islands company Trojan Design and Development Ltd to design an immigration detention centre and manage its construction. That procurement indicates plans for a purpose-built facility remain in motion, though the gazette proclamation shows temporary arrangements are continuing in the interim.
The declaration is likely to draw attention from residents, civil society groups and stakeholders concerned with immigration policy, detainee welfare and the impact on local businesses and tourism. Under the Prison Ordinance, declared prisons are subject to statutory rules; local observers will be watching for clarity on management, oversight, access to legal representation for detainees and the timeline for transition to a dedicated detention centre.
BVI authorities have not issued an accompanying public statement in the Gazette instrument beyond the proclamation. The publication of the instrument and the prior RDA contract together indicate the government is managing immediate operational needs while pursuing longer-term infrastructure for immigration detention.
Primary source: VINO