Friday, January 8 – Public consultations on the Draft Human Rights Commission Bill are scheduled to begin on the main sister islands next week.
In a historic move, the Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007 provides for the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the Individual (Bill of Rights) in chapter two with more than 20 such rights enumerated in the various sections.
Attorney General Honourable Kathleen Quartey told the Department of Information and Public Relations that, “The next stage is to implement the Government’s decision to follow international best practice by establishing a Human Rights Commission in the Virgin Islands. Such a body is constitutionally tasked with the practical implementation and public awareness of the Bill of Rights. To that end, the proposed bill seeks to provide for the composition and appointment of Human Rights Commissioners and staff.”
She added that, “The commission would be empowered to promote conciliation where there are complaints and disputes and tasked with keeping the public informed and abreast of not just the Bill of Rights but also of pertinent international human rights developments. The proposed Bill has clauses on the procedures for application and redress before the commission.”
The consultations begin on Tuesday, January 12 on Jost Van Dyke at the Jost Van Dyke Primary School and on Wednesday, January 13 on Virgin Gorda at the Ashford Waters Community Centre beginning at 7:00 p.m. The meeting on Anegada will be held at the Emile Dunlop Community Centre on Tuesday, January 19 at the Emile Dunlop Community Centre at 10:00 a.m.
The public is encouraged to come out to the meetings, to discuss the constitutional provisions, share your views and be a part of shaping the proposed Human Rights Commission Bill.
Resource persons will be attorneys from the Attorney General’s Chambers. Both the Governments of the United Kingdom and the Virgin Islands view such participation by the public as an essential stage to ensure that these individual rights are meaningful in the lives of the Territory’s citizens. “It is important to understand what your right and duties are and how the commission can work for you,” the Attorney General said.
The Attorney General’s Chambers operates as a legal adviser to the Government of the Virgin Islands and is responsible for international law and legal reporting obligations of the Territory and also drafting legislation based on the policy decisions of the administration which must all be human rights compliant.
British Virgin Islands News