International observers who monitored the February 25, 2019 general election in the British Virgin Islands have published their final report
The findings of the team, which was commissioned by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands and Mediterranean Region, call for a number of reforms to be enacted at least one year before the next general election is held in the territory.
These include a review of the island’s suffrage rights due to a system that is overly restrictive and in the opinion of the group, may possibly contravene the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights given the lengthy process to acquire belonger status and the 2010 census estimate that some 61% of the resident population was born outside of the territory.
The observers praised the government’s proposed amendment to the Immigration and Passport Act and its “Clear Path to Regularisation” policy. They also alluded to the recent report of the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, which recommended a review of British Virgin Islands belonger status noting that although the UK government had agreed to allow its overseas territories to determine the best way in which the current inequalities should be resolved, it had not revoked the need to “review who can vote or stand in elections” altogether, and noted that further “robust” action was needed.
