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by pltm
(PLTM) - While the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands and Mediterranean Region (CPA BIMR) Election Observation Mission (EOM) has called for a review on the voter qualifications laws in the BVI, Governor Augustus Jaspert says that such a change would need to be discussed and debated across the board.
Back in February, in delivering their Preliminary Report on the Elections Observation Mission, the team called on the territory to allow all citizens the privilege of voting, rather than just those who are Belongers.
Responding to this suggestion, Governor Jaspert said, “I think it’s an important issue that should be debated and discussed here.”
According to the Governor, “The heart (of the issue) is really about at what point do people signal that they are part of the territory. At the moment, there are certain rule around that in terms of time scales. I think that’s a discussion to should continually be had.”
While he could not say what form these discussions should take, such as the possibility of public consultations, Governor Jaspert said, “I hope there’s a full, healthy discussion on all of them.”
“Let’s see what people want to discuss around it. At the heart of it, this is a territory that has so, so much to be proud of….it has people who I know have lived here for many, many years and want to make a contribution to and want to be part of the territory,” he stated.
Further, he noted, “I think there’s a healthy discussion to be had on what’s the best way to make sure that everybody who wants to be part of the territory, to make a contribution, what’s the best way for them to feel valued in society.”
According to the Constitution, “A person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the House of Assembly if, and shall not be qualified to be so elected unless, he or she— ….(b) is a person who— (i) is a Virgin Islander of the age of twenty-one years or upwards.”
It goes on to say, “a “Virgin Islander” is a person who belongs to the Virgin Islands by birth or descent who was— (a) born in the Virgin Islands of a father or mother who at the time of the birth was a British overseas territories citizen (or a British Dependent Territories citizen) by virtue of birth in the Virgin Islands or by virtue of descent from a father or mother who was born in the Virgin Islands; (b) born in the Virgin Islands of a father or mother who at the time of the birth belonged to the Virgin Islands by birth or descent; or (c) born outside the Virgin Islands of a father or mother who at the time of the birth belonged to the Virgin Islands by birth or descent.”
The Constitution further mandates, “…A person shall be qualified to be registered as a voter for the purposes of elections if, and shall not be so qualified unless, he or she belongs to the Virgin Islands…”
