On Friday March 21st, 2025, At-Large Representative Hon. Lorna Smith, OBE was sworn in as a Junior Minister by Governor Daniel Pruce at Government House.
In an official statement issued by His Excellency Governor Daniel Pruce, Pruce said Hon Smith was sworn in upon the request of Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley in a letter dated March 13th, 2025.
Governor Pruce also said in his statement, “At the Premier’s request, I have forwarded his letter to the Minister for Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty. In his correspondence, the Premier asked for a constitutional amendment, to allow for the appointment of two Ministers of State and two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries, for a total of four Junior Ministers.’
As Junior Minister, Smith will be responsible for Financial Services and Economic Development under the direction of Premier Dr. Hon. Natalio D. Wheatley after returning to the ruling Government just months after being fired by Premier Wheatley. In the interim, Hon Smith is said to also hold Junior Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, previously held by Dr. Hon. Karl Dawson, Representative for the 1st District who is set to now be nominated Deputy Speaker by Premier Wheatley during Monday’s Third Sitting of the Second Session of the Fifth House of Assembly.
In initially revealing Smith’s return to the ruling Government, Premier Wheatley stated that Smith will assume the role of ‘Minister of State’ despite the fact that the positon currently does not exist in the Virgin Islands but would require a constitutional amendment approved by the United Kingdom to be formally established to which he would formally request.
The role of a ‘Minister of State’ is a Westminster style of UK politics used to create an additional Ministerial role which is equivalent to a Junior Minister.