Premier Natalio Wheatley is in London heading a delegation through the second phase of constitutional negotiations with the United Kingdom, declaring that the British Virgin Islands have embraced reform on their own terms.
In a video message released Thursday, September 24, Wheatley emphasised that islanders initiated the review themselves. "This constitutional review process was not handed to us; we chose it," he said.
All 13 elected members of the House of Assembly have backed 27 proposed amendments. These emerged from island-wide engagement conducted by the Constitutional Review Commission and the Constitutional Negotiating Committee, which consulted with residents across different settings and demographics, students, older citizens, and diaspora members among them.
The 27 amendments cluster around five areas: identity and belonging; fundamental rights; devolution of powers and political status; governance reforms; and community-level institutions. They introduce an "Ancestral Virgin Islander" category for Belonger status, strengthen protections for elderly residents and people with disabilities, recognise the right to marry, shift certain powers from the Governor, reshape the Senate to include at-large positions and five-year election cycles, and create District Councils.
Wheatley pointed out that the Constitutional Review Commission had put forward 57 recommendations overall. The government is advancing 27 as constitutional amendments; the remaining 28 will be handled through separate legislation and policy measures.
The 10-member Constitutional Negotiating Committee, chaired by Wheatley, represents the territory in talks with UK officials. Negotiations are expected to wrap up by December 2026, with implementation targeted for 2027 and a bilateral compact with the United Kingdom to follow.
A public information initiative called "Our Constitution" is underway to keep residents and diaspora communities informed about the proposed changes.
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