UK Negotiating Team To Be Announced
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley says the Virgin Islands has finalised its negotiating position for upcoming constitutional talks with the United Kingdom and will table the report in the House of Assembly next week. He will soon name the negotiating team, which must be ratified by the House, and residents will be given time to review the proposals before formal negotiations begin.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has announced that the government will shortly reveal the team that will represent the British Virgin Islands in constitutional negotiations with the United Kingdom, after finalising the territory’s negotiating position. Speaking at a press conference last week, Dr Wheatley said the negotiating position was completed and approved by the House of Assembly.
He said the report will be formally laid on the table of the House — likely next week — and will then become a public document to be shared with both residents and the UK government. "Since that document is completed, we are going to lay it on the table of the House of Assembly," the premier said, noting that making the report public will allow residents to "read it, peruse it, digest it" before talks begin.
The government intends to give the public an opportunity to ask questions about the proposals, possibly through a public forum or similar event. Dr Wheatley also confirmed that he will name the negotiating team in the near future and will bring a resolution to the House of Assembly to ratify the appointments. "I’ll make a decision in terms of who is on the team, and then I’ll bring that to the House of Assembly for a resolution of the House," he said.
Constitutional reform has been a central issue in the territory in recent years. The forthcoming negotiations are expected to address proposals developed by the Constitutional Review Commission and focus on the relationship between the BVI and the United Kingdom, including questions of governance and self-determination.
For residents, the immediate steps are clear: the negotiating position will be tabled and published, there will be a period for public review and questions, and the premier will announce the team that will enter formal talks with the UK. Those named to the team will require House approval before negotiations can commence.
The government’s timeline now moves from internal finalisation to public engagement and formal negotiation. Officials have signalled a desire for transparency and public input; residents are encouraged to review the forthcoming document and participate in any scheduled briefings or consultations once the report is released.
Primary source: BVI News