ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI — A recent exchange involving Honourable Lorna G. Smith, OBE, on the Talking Points programme has renewed attention on the title of Junior Minister, the authority attached to the position and the Government’s earlier proposal to elevate the designation to Minister of State.

The issue is particularly noteworthy because Smith is one of two Junior Ministers currently serving in the Virgin Islands Government.

During the programme, host Dameon Grange addressed Smith by her official title of Junior Minister.

Smith’s response appeared to signal her discomfort with the designation.

“You like to remind me that I’m the Junior Minister,” she reportedly responded, before adding that she calls herself the “Minister for Financial Services and Trade.”

Her comments have now placed renewed focus on the distinction between the title Smith officially holds and the more senior position Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley previously indicated he wanted her to occupy.

At the same time, the other Junior Minister, Honourable Luce Hodge-Smith, has not publicly raised similar concerns about the designation or indicated that she prefers another title.

That distinction is important because the issue is not necessarily whether either Junior Minister is dissatisfied with the position itself, but rather how the title is understood, used and perceived by those holding the office.

From Deputy Premier to Junior Minister

Smith’s current position comes after a dramatic political fallout in November 2024, when Premier Wheatley removed her as Deputy Premier and revoked her ministerial appointment.

The move followed disagreements within the administration and marked a significant change in the relationship between the two politicians, who had previously worked together in government.

Following her removal, Smith was offered a Junior Ministerial position overseeing Financial Services, but she declined the offer at the time.

In a letter to the Premier, Smith described the offer as extraordinary and confusing, noting that she had been removed from the senior positions she previously held before being offered substantially similar responsibilities under a junior designation.

Her decision at the time appeared to draw a clear distinction between the responsibilities she was prepared to undertake and the status of the office being offered.

But the political landscape changed several months later.

Wheatley Brings Smith Back With Plans for a New Title

On March 11, 2025, Wheatley announced that Smith would return to government, citing her experience in financial services, international standing and the need to strengthen the Territory’s response to changing global economic conditions.

The Premier’s announcement went beyond simply bringing Smith back into the administration.

Wheatley said he intended to recommend her appointment as Minister of State for Financial Services and Economic Development, a position he said would better reflect her experience and provide greater authority when dealing with external stakeholders.

The proposed responsibilities included financial services, domestic banking, economic diversification, investment promotion, trade, business regulation and consumer affairs.

Smith was also expected to be invited to participate in critical Cabinet meetings and relevant National Security Council discussions.

The announcement appeared to provide a pathway for Smith to return to government in a role carrying greater recognition than the existing Junior Minister designation.

There was, however, a constitutional obstacle.

The position of Minister of State was not recognised under the Territory’s existing constitutional arrangements. Constitutional changes would therefore be required before the proposed title could formally be established.

On March 21, 2025, Smith was sworn in as Junior Minister for Financial Services and Economic Development.

The official title consequently remained unchanged.

Two Junior Ministers, Two Different Public Positions

Smith’s recent comments have brought greater attention to the fact that the Government currently has two Junior Ministers serving under the existing constitutional framework.

While Smith has now publicly drawn a distinction between her official designation and the title she chooses to use professionally, Luce Hodge-Smith has not publicly discussed any objection to the Junior Minister designation or indicated that she considers the title inappropriate for her role.

There has been no comparable public statement from Hodge-Smith suggesting that she prefers to be referred to by another ministerial title.

That does not necessarily mean that the two Junior Ministers hold different views privately. It simply means that, publicly, Smith is the one who has raised the distinction.

The contrast has nevertheless prompted questions about whether the issue is ultimately about the responsibilities of Junior Ministers, the prestige associated with the title, the constitutional limitations of the office or the political history surrounding Smith’s return to government.

Why the Title Matters

The distinction between a Minister and a Junior Minister is not simply semantic.

Under the current constitutional arrangements, the Government has provision for five government ministers who sit in Cabinet, alongside two Junior Ministers who do not hold the same Cabinet status.

The designation therefore carries institutional significance.

For Smith, the issue may also have particular relevance because of her previous experience as Deputy Premier and a full Cabinet minister, as well as the international nature of the financial services portfolio she now oversees.

When representing the Territory internationally, the title attached to an official can carry practical as well as symbolic significance.

Smith’s comment that she calls herself “Minister for Financial Services and Trade” therefore raises a legitimate question about how she views the distinction between the position she formally holds and the position she believes more accurately describes her responsibilities.

Whether the remark was an expression of frustration, a preference for the title associated with her portfolio, or simply an objection to repeatedly being reminded of her junior status remains unclear.

What About the Other Junior Minister?

The presence of two Junior Ministers also makes the issue broader than Smith alone.

Luce Hodge-Smith, who also serves as a Junior Minister, has not publicly challenged the designation or explained any preference to be known by another title.

As a result, there is currently no public indication that she shares Smith’s apparent discomfort with the term.

That difference may ultimately prove significant if the Government’s proposed constitutional reforms move forward.

It also raises a broader question: Is the issue the title itself, or the circumstances and level of responsibility attached to each individual appointment?

The Minister of State Proposal

The proposed change has not disappeared.

The question of replacing or changing the Junior Minister designation has featured in discussions surrounding constitutional reform.

In April 2026, Virgin Islands News Online reported that the Government intended to seek a change in the title of Junior Ministers to Minister of State as part of constitutional negotiations with the United Kingdom.

Such a change would require the necessary constitutional amendments and approvals.

Until those changes are formally implemented, however, the existing designation remains the official one.

That means that regardless of how individual Junior Ministers describe their portfolios publicly, their constitutional status remains that of Junior Minister.

More Than Just a Name?

At the centre of the debate is a larger question about political rank, institutional authority and public perception.

Smith has previously served as Deputy Premier and Minister for Financial Services, Labour and Trade. Her return to government was publicly presented by Wheatley as an opportunity to draw on her experience and international standing at a critical time for the Territory’s financial services sector.

Her apparent reluctance to embrace the Junior Minister title therefore cannot easily be separated from her political history.

For Hodge-Smith, however, there has been no comparable public discussion about the designation.

Whether that difference reflects contrasting personal views, different political circumstances or simply different approaches to public office is not known.

What is clear is that Lorna Smith is officially a Junior Minister, regardless of the title she chooses to use when describing her portfolio.

And until the Constitution is amended, the Premier’s proposed Minister of State designation remains a proposal rather than the title currently recognised by law.

For now, the Government has two Junior Ministers — but only one has publicly questioned what it means to be called one.