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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS — May 15, 2025 — In a historic and resounding declaration, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) has thrown its full weight behind the British Virgin Islands (BVI) as the territory intensifies its march toward full internal self-government and constitutional emancipation from British oversight.

In a statement that has sent shockwaves from Road Town to Westminster, the OECS applauded the BVI’s bold governance reform program and its clear intention to negotiate a new pre-independence constitution with the United Kingdom.

“The OECS extends its firm support and solidarity to the Government and people of the British Virgin Islands,” the statement reads, hailing the BVI’s reform agenda as “a model of responsive leadership” and a powerful testament to the territory’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and democratic values.

The OECS didn’t mince words as it demanded respect for the BVI’s democratically elected institutions, calling for an end to any lingering threats of unilateral constitutional suspension by the UK via the controversial Order in Council.

THE DEMANDS ARE CLEAR:

Kickstart constitutional negotiations for full internal self-government under a new legal framework.
Respect existing legislative and executive authority already devolved to BVI leadership.
Lift the Order in Council, which looms like a colonial relic over the BVI’s democratic autonomy.
Reject any economic sabotage, especially those that could cripple the BVI’s vital financial services sector.

This sweeping statement from the OECS is not just symbolic—it’s a defiant rallying cry against neocolonial overreach, a bold stance that places regional unity and Caribbean dignity at the forefront of international diplomacy.

Political observers see this as a watershed moment.

“The tide has turned,” said one regional analyst. “This is the Caribbean telling the world: we will not be silent spectators while our brothers and sisters are politically strangled.”

As the BVI continues to shape its destiny, it does so now with the unshakable backing of the OECS—a regional bloc that is reminding the world that sovereignty is not a privilege, but a right.

The message is loud and clear: The Caribbean will not bow. The Caribbean will rise.