Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands,
the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena,
the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands
A/RES/69/105 A-B
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,21
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 2012,
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 ongoing
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.
Notes the holding, in March 2014, of the meeting of the Inter-Virgin
Islands Council between the Territory and the British Virgin Islands.
64th plenary meeting
5 December 2014
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21
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United States Congress, Revised Organic Act, 1954.