Letter to the Chairman of the Committee from The Lord Triesman of Tottenham, June 2007

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS: DRAFT VIRGIN ISLANDS CONSTITUTION ORDER

I refer to my previous letter of 29 April 2007 enclosing the above draft Order, which sets out a new Constitution for the Virgin Islands.

I am writing to advise you that at the request of the Government of the Virgin Islands (BVI), we have amended Section 2 (2)(d) of the draft Order as follows (bold text indicates new text added):

(d) is born outside the Virgin Islands of a father or mother who is a British overseas territories citizen by virtue of birth in the Virgin Islands or descent from a father or mother who was born in the Virgin Islands or who belongs to the Virgin Islands by virtue of birth in the Virgin Islands or descent from a father or mother who was born in the Virgin Islands;

The new wording is intended to ensure that qualification for status as a Virgin Islander by descent for those born outside the Virgin Islands is restricted to the second generation, and does not extend further. Although this wording is now narrower than was originally proposed by the BVI and agreed by the UK, the limitation is reasonable, and I have agreed to this change.

DAVID TRIESMAN