It is the process for becomming a Belonger with rights of citizenship. After 20 years living in the BVI you can apply for perminent residency so you don't need a work permit then after a couple of years apply for Belonger status so you can vote. (You never get IBAHNHEA status.)
The problem has been that the processing of applications has been so slow and arbitrary a huge backlog has built up. The new government wanted to shorten the wait time and fast track those who currently qualify to clear the backlog but the idea raised a streak of xenophobia and the government seems to be backing off.