A petition has been launched calling on British Virgin Islands Governor Daniel Pruce to reconsider a deportation order against Guyanese journalist Cathyoliva O. Richards, who received a suspended prison sentence earlier this year for uttering forged documents.
Virgin Islands News Online reported yesterday that Enrique Callwood started the Change.org petition, citing Richards’ contributions to the territory and appealing for a second chance. It had attracted 214 signatures towards a stated target of 500 at the time of the report.
Richards, a senior reporter with Japhix Entertainment’s JTV since 2016, has worked in the British Virgin Islands for more than a decade.
According to the news outlet, the deportation order was dated October 20 and published in the territory’s Official Gazette on October 22 as Statutory Instrument No. 63 of 2026. It requires her to leave within 30 days of being served with a copy and to remain outside the territory thereafter.
In the petition, Callwood credited Richards with supporting community initiatives and assisting vulnerable people. He argued that her contributions and ties to the territory should be considered in reviewing the order.
“While laws are in place for good reasons, it is equally vital to balance justice with mercy,” the petition stated, according to Virgin Islands News Online.
Callwood urged rehabilitation and integration rather than deportation. The outlet also reported expressions of support for Richards on social media.
The deportation order follows Richards’ conviction in July 2025 in a case arising from documents submitted during the renewal of work-permit applications to the Department of Labour and Workforce Development in 2021. Production assistant Hitesh Yadram, who also faced charges, was acquitted.
On January 16, 2026, High Court Justice Angelica Teelucksingh imposed a two-year suspended prison sentence on Richards, Virgin Islands News Online reported at the time.
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