The Question of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Resolution adopted by the
Special Committee on Decolonization
Special Committee on Decolonization
June 2015
Taking note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on the
United States Virgin Islands[1] and other
relevant information,
Aware that, under United States law, the relations between the
territorial Government and the federal Government in all matters that are not
the programme responsibility of another federal department or agency are under
the general administrative supervision of the Secretary of the Interior,[2]
Aware also of the fifth attempt of the Territory to review the
existing Revised Organic Act, which organizes its internal governance
arrangements, as well as its requests to the administering Power and the United
Nations system for assistance to its public education programme,
Cognizant that a draft constitution was proposed in 2009 and
subsequently forwarded to the administering Power, which in 2010 requested the
Territory to consider its objections to the draft constitution,
Cognizant also that the Fifth Revision Convention, established and
convened in 2012, was mandated to ratify and approve the final revised draft
constitution,
Noting the holding of elections in the Territory in November 2014,
Aware of the closing of the Hovensa plant, and noting the
continuing negative impact on manufacturing and on the employment situation in
the Territory,
Cognizant of the potential usefulness of regional ties for the
development of a small island Territory,
1. Welcomes the proposal of a draft constitution
emanating from the Territory in 2009, as a result of the work of the United
States Virgin Islands Fifth Constitutional Convention, for review by the
administering Power, and requests the administering Power to assist the
territorial Government in achieving its political, economic and social goals,
in particular the successful conclusion of the internal Constitutional
Convention exercise;
2. Requests the administering Power to
facilitate the process for approval of the proposed territorial constitution in
the United States Congress and its implementation, once agreed upon in the
Territory;
3. Also requests the administering Power to
assist the Territory by facilitating its work concerning a public education
programme, consistent with Article 73 b of
the Charter, and in that regard, calls upon the relevant United Nations
organizations to provide assistance to the Territory, if requested;
4. Expresses its concern regarding the
continuing negative impact of the Hovensa plant closure;
5. Reiterates its call for the inclusion of
the Territory in regional programmes of the United Nations Development
Programme, consistent with the participation of other Non-Self-Governing
Territories;
6. Welcomes the active participation of the
Territory in the work of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the
Caribbean;
7. Recalls
the holding, in March 2014, of the meeting of the Inter-Virgin Islands
Council between the Territory and the British Virgin Islands.
