‘We have to be woke’, Fraser tells lawmakers

Veteran legislator Julian Fraser has urged fellow lawmakers to scrutinise legislation that he says grants too much power to the Governor rather than elected ministers in the BVI.

Fraser spoke during the House of Assembly debate on the Merchant Shipping Amendment Bill 2025, a wide-ranging piece of legislation aimed at modernising the territory’s maritime laws and aligning them with international standards.

Fraser warned that despite its technical nature, the bill risks undermining the principle of ministerial responsibility by placing decision-making powers squarely in the hands of the Governor.

“Throughout the entire bill, where the word ‘governor’ appears, make sure we put ‘minister’,” Fraser stated. “We have to be woke… or else we will just be wearing suits, with zero authority.”

Fraser raised concerns that the bill could quietly shift control over the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry back under the Governor’s authority, something he says goes against the spirit of constitutional devolution. He pointed to Section 60 of the Virgin Islands Constitution, which outlines the Governor’s special responsibilities, and warned against unintentionally expanding them through local law.

“My fellow colleagues… every member of this House has a responsibility to ensure that we don’t lose a single inch, not an inch, of what we have,” he argued.

Fraser called on fellow lawmakers to be vigilant. “It comes to us in a form that is, I would say, palatable if you’re not cognisant of what you’re doing,” Fraser said. “We will pass this bill, and it becomes law, and the Premier who is responsible for this subject has absolute authority under this bill. We can’t allow that to happen.”