The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24) completed a successful visiting mission to the British Virgin Islands (BVI) from 25th-28th August to hear firsthand local views on the full decolonization of the Territory, the state of the BVI’s relationship with the United Kingdom (UK), and perspectives on the political future of the BVI.
From 26th-27th August, the C-24 delegation engaged a wide range of societal stakeholders at meetings on the islands of Tortola and Virgin Gorda, which also included virtual participation by stakeholders on the islands of Anegada and Jost Van Dyke.
The delegation also held separate meetings with the Governor; Premier, Cabinet Ministers, and Junior Ministers; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Leader of the Opposition and Members of the Opposition; Attorney General; Financial Secretary, Cabinet Secretary and Permanent Secretaries; Heads of Statutory Boards and Constitutional Offices; and Members of the Constitutional Review Commission.
The C-24 delegation clarified that their role on the ground was to listen to the freely expressed views of persons on decolonization and not to seek to influence or steer the Territory in any particular political direction. They emphasized that the political future of the BVI and timing of full decolonization was exclusively a matter for the people of the BVI to determine, and that the C-24 will support the aspirations of the people of the BVI according to the Special Committee’s mandate.
Common themes arising from the stakeholder meetings included:
- the local population’s need for an information and education campaign on both the BVI’s current political status as an Overseas Territory and options for a change of political status with respect to either integration, free association or independence;
ii. the need for internal dialogue between the people of the islands on decolonization to determine what future political status they desire for the BVI; and
iii. the importance of adequate preparation for any change of political status to ensure the aspirations of the people of the BVI will be successfully met.
Commenting on the visiting mission, the BVI’s UN representative in Latin America and the Caribbean Mr. Benito Wheatley said:
“The engagement by local stakeholders with the C-24 delegation was robust during the visiting mission, which the BVI Government initially requested in April 2019 that was subsequently approved by the Special Committee in February 2024 after several years of diplomatic engagement between the BVI Government, C-24 and UK. The visiting mission allowed many persons for the very first time in their lives to seriously engage in dialogue on decolonization, which was impartially facilitated by the C-24 as emphasised beforehand by the BVI Government and UN.”
In terms of next steps, according to Premier Dr. Hon. Natalio D. Wheatley, “I have been advised by the Chair of the Special Committee on Decolonization that the C-24 delegation will prepare a report reflecting the views captured on the ground which will then be considered by the full membership of the C-24, UK and BVI. It is my hope that the report will positively contribute to further internal dialogue among the people of the BVI as we consider constitutional reform and our longer-term political future. I am most grateful to the Chair of the C-24 H.E. Ambassador Menissa Rambally and the entire UN Special Committee on Decolonization for following through on conducting a visiting mission to the BVI in line with the committee’s mandate to annually visit one of the 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories under its remit.”
The distinguished members of the C-24 delegation included:
• Chair of the C-24 and Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia to the United Nations H.E. Ambassador Menissa Rambally;
• Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations H. E. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Dr. Walton Aubrey Webson;
• Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations H.E. Chargé d’affaires Dr. Abbas Kadhom AlFatlawi; and
• Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Papua New Guinea to the United Nations H.E. Fred Sarufa.
The C-24 delegation was supported by Mr. Hermes Penaloza Rodriguez and Ms. Simone Kay Aggarao of the Decolonization Unit of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), and also assisted by First Secretary and Personal Assistant to the Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the UN Mr. Claxton Duberry; Governance Expert Dr. Carlyle Corbin; and Special Envoy of the Premier Mr. Benito Wheatley.