Question of the United States Virgin Islands

  The General Assembly, Having considered the question of the United States Virgin Islands, Having examined the relevant chapters of the report of the SpecialCommittee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,and all other resolutions and decisions of the United Nations relating to theUnited States Virgin Islands, Noting with appreciation the continued active participation of theadministering Power in the work of the Special Committee in regard to theUnited States Virgin Islands, thereby enabling it to conduct a more informedand meaningful examination of the situation in the Territory and expressingits satisfaction at the willingness of the administering Power to receivevisiting missions in the Territories under its administration, Having heard the statement of the administering Power, Taking note of the fact that the proposed constitution submitted to areferendum on 3 November 1981 after an extensive debate was not accepted bythe people of the Territory, Bearing in mind that the territorial Government has taken positive stepsby adopting legislation designed to solve the problem of aliens in theTerritory, Noting that the territorial Government has pursued its efforts todiversify the economy and noting also the progress achieved in the fields ofconstruction and manufacturing, including developments in oil refining and theproduction of alumina and rum, Noting with satisfaction the efforts to revitalize health care programmesand to discourage juvenile delinquency, the measures to improve crimeprevention and the action taken to expand and upgrade school facilities,

1. Approves the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on theSituation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Grantingof Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to the UnitedStates Virgin Islands;

2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of the United StatesVirgin Islands to self-determination and independence in conformity with theDeclaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,contained in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV);

3. Reiterates the view that such factors as territorial size,geographical location, size of population and limited natural resources shouldin no way delay the speedy implementation of the Declaration contained inGeneral Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), which fully applies to the UnitedStates Virgin Islands;

4. Calls upon the administering Power, taking into account the freelyexpressed wishes of the people of the United States Virgin Islands, to takeall necessary steps to expedite the process of decolonization in accordancewith the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and theDeclaration, as well as all other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly;

5. Reaffirms that it is the obligation of the administering Power, inconsultation with the territorial Government, to inform the local people ofthe possibilities open to them, so as to enable them to exercise freely andwithout interference their inalienable right to self-determination andindependence in accordance with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and, inthis respect, calls upon the administering Power to facilitate the work of therecently established Status Commission and to ensure that the people are fullyinformed of the discussions concerning the future political status of theTerritory;

6. Urges the administering Power to expedite the passage of legislationcurrently before the Congress of the United States of America concerning theproblem of aliens in the Territory;

7. Reaffirms the responsibility of the administering Power under theCharter for the economic and social development of the Territory;

8. Urges the administering Power, in co-operation with the territorialGovernment, to strengthen the economy of the Territory by taking additionalmeasures of diversification in all fields and developing an adequateinfrastructure;

9. Urges the administering Power, in co-operation with the Governmentof the United States Virgin Islands, to safeguard the inalienable right of thepeople of the Territory to the enjoyment of their natural resources by takingeffective measures which guarantee the right of the people to own and disposeof those resources and to establish and maintain control of their futuredevelopment;

10. Urges the administering Power, in co-operation with the territorialGovernment, to continue to improve social conditions and to pay particularattention to overcoming problems of unemployment, public housing, health care,education and crime;

11. Considers that the possibility of sending a further visiting missionto the United States Virgin Islands at an appropriate time should be keptunder review;

12. Requests the Special Committee to continue the examination of thisquestion at its next session, including the possible dispatch of a furthervisiting mission to the United States Virgin Islands at an appropriate timeand in consultation with the administering Power, and to report thereon to theGeneral Assembly at its thirty-eighth session.