– in Speech from the Throne to be delivered by Governor Daniel Pruce
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The legislative agenda for 2025 by the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government led by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) will be laid out to the public via the Speech from the Throne today, Tuesday, January 7, 2025.
The United Kingdom-appointed Governor Daniel Pruce will have the honour of delivering the Speech from the Throne at the First Sitting of the Second Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA) slated for 10:00 AM.
The Speech from the Throne has its history rooted in British Parliamentary tradition.
The Throne’s Speech also represents the official opening of Parliament in many Commonwealth countries or the beginning of a new session.
When was first Speech from the Throne in VI?
Back in January 2022, then-House Speaker Julian Willock had shared that, according to his research, the first Speech from the Throne in the Virgin Islands was delivered in 1967 by then administrator John Thompson, “and we do have copies of that speech for any history buff or even Honourable Members with an interest in obtaining a copy.”
In 1967, according to Willock, “the Chief Minister was then H. Lavity Stoutt and the Speaker of the House was Henry O. Creque OBE and the Leader of the Opposition was Dr Q. W. Osborne OBE, all of blessed memories”.
The Premier and his Ministers write the Speech from the Throne.
