UK Foreign Secretary can instruct Governor to suspend VI HoA & Cabinet - Elizabeth M. Truss points to power ‘on reserve’ as insurance to force Unity Government into meeting reform deadlines

LONDON, UK– United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Secretary Elizabeth M. Truss of the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) could at any time instruct the Governor, H.E. John J. Rankin CMG, to suspend the House of Assembly (HoA) and Cabinet, and by extension, the Constitution, should the Unity Government fail to meet deadlines and reform the territory as laid out in their proposal for the implementation of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) recommendations.

This was revealed by Mrs Truss in a June 8, 2022, FCDO Update on some of the terms of the proposal and the way forward between the United Kingdom and VI, while noting that the people of the VI want and deserve change and have made their desire for better governance clear.

Suspension power on reserve

Mrs Struss added, “We want to support the new government in making this change and allow them the opportunity to reform. The Order in Council will provide the people of the BVI with complete reassurance that change will happen.”

The Order in Council, according to Governor Rankin, was submitted by the UK Government to the Privy Council, and would allow swift action to be taken should the Unity Government fail to meet deadlines.

“If the Government of National Unity or any subsequent government fails to deliver any of the milestones without reasonable justification or I assess that progress is being frustrated in any way, the UK Government and I will take action to protect the interests of people here,” Governor Rankin noted.

Mrs Truss said, the Order in Council will be laid in Parliament, but not brought into force, “Should it prove necessary to do so, I will instruct the Governor to make a proclamation in the BVI Gazette appointing a day that the Order will come into force,” Truss added.