The Government of National Unity has withdrawn the Register of Interests Act 2022, following a huge backlash from sections of the BVI public.
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. the Honourable Natalio Wheatley moved the motion in the House of Assembly (HOA) on Thursday after stating that he received several letters from public servants on their many concerns relating to the Act.
Among those writing the Premier, was the Virgin Islands Civil Servant Association, which said that more time was needed to fully comprehend the entire scope of the Act.
Premier Wheatley agreed that more time was needed for proper consultation before such an Act could be passed in the House of Assembly.
He added that his government will be conducting more research on similar acts before returning to the HOA at a later date to have a new Register of Interests Act passed.
The leader of government business also disclosed that the Register of Interests Act 2022 is not the same bill that his government had intended to pass within the proposed framework which was accepted by the United Kingdom Government.
He revealed that the Act was only presented to his government just one day prior to the June 30 sitting of the House of Assembly, which was also the deadline date set out in the government’s framework to have the bill passed.
Premier Wheatley said that his government will be resorting to the Register of Interests Act 2006 with plans of making new updates to that bill before returning back to the House of Assembly.