Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has announced that the government intends to establish a Decolonisation Commission later this year as part of its constitutional reform agenda, saying the body will help educate the public and encourage dialogue on the territory’s political future.
The announcement was part of the Premier’s 2026 State of the Territory address, in which he outlined plans to begin a new phase of constitutional negotiations with the United Kingdom in July and complete those discussions before the end of the year, ahead of the proposed enactment of a new constitution in 2027.
‘That is why government will establish the Virgin Islands Decolonisation Commission this year, helping strengthen public education, dialogue and awareness around constitutional development, political advancement and greater self-determination,’ Wheatley said.
He added that the commission would support the territory’s constitutional journey by encouraging greater public understanding of the issues involved.
‘Because constitutional advancement is not only legal work, it is nation-building work.’
According to the Premier, the constitutional negotiations will seek greater internal autonomy, including ‘the right to chair our own Cabinet and responsibility for our public service.’ He stressed that the constitutional review belongs to the people rather than the government.
‘But let me be clear, this is not government’s constitution, this is the people’s constitution….government will launch a broad public education and communications campaign to ensure every Virgin Islander has the opportunity to understand, engage with and help shape our constitutional future.’
The Premier also welcomed what he described as bipartisan support for constitutional reform, noting that the House of Assembly had recently agreed on a common vision for the territory’s future relationship with the UK.
‘Because there are moments when unity must rise above division. And this is one of those moments. The future of the Virgin Islands is larger than politics. It belongs to all of us.’
The proposed commission follows several years of increased engagement by the Virgin Islands with the United Nations’ decolonisation process. In 2024, a visiting mission from the UN Special Committee on Decolonisation (C-24) assessed the territory’s progress towards self-government.
The committee’s subsequent report recommended a national public education programme on self-determination, continued discussions with the United Kingdom on constitutional advancement and consideration of a future referendum following an extensive public education campaign. The government has welcomed those recommendations and has said it will inform its constitutional review process.
In his address, Premier Wheatley said the territory had reached an important point in its constitutional development, arguing that recent governance reforms and the removal of the threat of an Order in Council had created an opportunity to pursue greater self-government through dialogue and public participation.