BVI more ready for independence than most Caribbean nations were
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has declared that the Virgin Islands is more prepared for independence today than many Caribbean states were at the time they achieved self-rule in the 1960s and 1970s.
The leader of government business made the assertion while appearing on the Honestly Speaking radio programme with Claude Skelton Cline recently.
“There’s not one country in the Caribbean who’s more ready than the Virgin Islands is in 2025, when they got their independence… I make that statement without fear of contradiction,” he stated.
The Premier also rejected the notion that independence would harm the BVI economy, pointing to the territory’s history of building its own industries.
“When we eventually got our own representatives in the House of Assembly in 1950, you automatically see things start to happen… This was our people who did this for ourselves,” he said.
He also dismissed concerns about currency or comparisons to regional neighbours. “They start talking about other countries in the Caribbean as though they’re not doing well who are independent. You need to travel. These countries are doing very well. Take a country like St Kitts and Nevis – they thrive in their middle-income country,” he argued.
Dr Wheatley further said the push towards decolonisation is not optional but mandated by international law.
A visiting United Nations decolonisation committee recently assessed the BVI as ready to change political status but recommended a broad education campaign. Dr Wheatley confirmed his government will launch such a programme and set up a decolonisation commission.
While some voices have called for a quicker timetable, Dr Wheatley proposed a referendum in 2031 to allow residents to decide.
Debates over self-governance have intensified in recent years as the UK has exerted reserve powers, including threats of direct rule following the 2022 Commission of Inquiry. Opposition members have argued the territory must first address governance challenges before any independence move, but Wheatley maintains these issues should not be confused with the right to self-determination.
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Wow.dictatorship.
It’s almost as if he’s turning a blind eye as to why it seems that the BVI seems more ready than others to become independent. It’s why the other ones went independent and failed. You’re smarter than this Mr. Premier.
he is correct but to much moo moo do not understand what independent is talking about pot holes and what we going live off, such fools like we going to be somewhere in the ocean all alone!
Yes because st.kitts is selling passports.are we planning to go down that road?
Natalio,
An audit report showed your ministers giving money to friend and family… You have not done anything with this information.
During the parade your party proudly displayed the picture of a convicted cocaine criminal.
We are not ready. Especially not with your cr**ked mentality.
the same Caribbean countries that have food security, military, free education, decent infrastructure, proper health care with residents still fleeing for a better life no thanks to their corrupted leaders?
ok.
We need Independence A.S.A.P
we need u to lose internet access ASAP
Having a hospital where Doctors are no where to be found when needed, a school where pupils are not learning and a civil service where people are sick and tired of poor customer service and 5 million dollars missing without a trace. What are you rushing for Sir?
Name one country in the world that doesn’t have problems. Millions are sleeping on the streets of the USA. BVI is better off than 90 percent of the countries on earth. By your logic we should forever remain a colony because children fight in school and people break traffic laws and there are pot holes in the road. One thing is for sure when other countries are walking on streets of gold we will be here wondering how do we fix the potholes.
To list what it is you feel that we would be able to do as an independently country that we cannot currently do under our current relationship with the UK. This ought to be good…
Natalio Wheatley I haven’t heard anything as stupid as this in a long while. Can’t you put your mind to other things like fixing all the problems the people of the BVI is faced with every day. Independence for the British Virgin Islands is not up to you your brother and the UN it’s up to the people of the British Virgin Islands so stop crying about it looser.
Suggest the BVI government organizes a referendum before the UK does, it won’t have escaped their notice that the only people pushing for independence are government ministers.
Natalio Wheatley I haven’t heard anything as stupid as this in a long while. Can’t you put your mind to other things like fixing all the problems the people of the BVI is faced with every day. Independence for the British Virgin Islands is not up to you your brother and the UN it’s up to the people of the British Virgin Islands so stop crying about it looser.
You are right our young leader
,we have a bunch of Uncle Tom living in the BVI, that will always think the white man is better for us, tell me what does England do for us ,they colonize almost the whole world, it is time to stand for our self,independence is the way to go. These set of black jackass ,always want to kiss the white oppressors you know what, when is we as a people wake up, don’t you see that Africa is chasing those devils out of there Country’s the time is now to start thinking about self determination.
Thanks for the laugh Hon. Premier.
We are not ready to go independent as yet. The stray animal on the Island will be walking around with AK47s and glocks to protect themselves.
Is it that a certain individual is trying to get his name down in the history books as being the one who took the BVI to independence. Relax brother, we have so many citizens from those independent countries here if live was better at home they would have stayed there. Please stop misleading the people.
You are showing everyday that you don’t love the Virgin Islands.
Don’t put the cart b4 the horse. Learn how to be a decent productive administrator before trying to go independent. Let good governance be your legacy b4 trying to frame a historical narrative for yourself.
When the delinquent child wants to move out there parents house so that they can no longer be monitored, corrected or held accountable so they can run wild and do as they please. We see you!
You only think we are more ready because we are more corrupt than they were then and they are now.
This country not ready to self determine Independence until all your corrupt asses are long gone and we have real leaders again.
Those countries to which you make reference are desperately ruskjngctheur luvesto leace andtk land on our shores. Regreaably many are allowed to pkant c themselves hete whether or notcthey have entered kegally and the others with murder,ribbery,pruson escaoeeand such ,to thus vi and its peoples detrinent are gere abd a blind ee iscturned. guess is tgat theur presence fjnctions as ab assist eith the various illicit activities which as the streets aajndicates,participa
nts and partners of
the
Overnight affluent “business” men fronting amd
hiding the movement of illegal cargo.
Independence isn’t just about pride, it’s about credibility. On paper, the Virgin Islands looks stronger than many islands did when they became independent in the 60s and 70s. We have a higher per capita income, a “functioning” House of Assembly and an economy that punches above our size. But readiness is more than GDP figures.
Our prosperity rests on two fragile pillars: offshore finance and tourism. Offshore finance brings in 60% of GDP but that industry exists largely because of the confidence created by the UK link. Clients and banks trust the “UK umbrella.” Without it, blacklisting and loss of correspondent banking are real threats. Tourism, the second pillar, is vulnerable to hurricanes, global recessions and competition. Remove the safety net of UK credibility and the very industries that make us wealthy could collapse.
Governance is the other elephant in the room. The 2022 Commission of Inquiry showed systemic failures in accountability and corruption. Independence without serious reform risks replacing one flag with the same problems, only now with fewer safeguards. With just 35,000+ people, we’d also be taking on responsibilities that even larger nations struggle with: foreign affairs, international negotiations, security and regulatory compliance at global standards.
Self-determination is our right, and no one should deny that. But rights and readiness are not the same. Until we fix governance, diversify beyond finance, and secure international credibility, independence could leave us weaker, not stronger. Independence without preparation isn’t freedom …. it’s fragility.
I support you right? Even if sometimes I feel you does be doing pure piss but I support you.
But nah, not on this. Ayo aint ready for dat. The cons outweighin the pros…by alot!
Caribbean islands have been bought and sold in the past. Just continue down this line of breaking off from the UK and the UK will just put all 60 islands up for sale to the highest bidder.
So US buys JVD and Norman, Saudi Arabia buys Tortola, China buys VG and no bidders for Anegada and the remaining islands which stay UK. It’s possible!!!
The BVI is in no state to talk about independence. We can’t feed ourselves—no agriculture, no fisheries, no natural resources. Offshore banking is shaky, healthcare is broken, water supply unreliable, and infrastructure crumbling. Roads, culture, and youth development have been neglected. Crime, drugs, and guns are rising, while leadership fails to act.
Independence without stability, security, or accountability is reckless. The people are tired of corruption and self-enrichment while the country falls apart. Fix healthcare, water, roads, crime, and governance first—only then can independence even be a discussion.
Let’s be honest, the picture in the BVI right now is far from the paradise we like to market. The truth is, when you strip away the slogans and the political speeches, what are we really left with? We can’t even feed ourselves, and that’s not an exaggeration. There is no serious agricultural plan, no structured department to push food security, no investment in local farming, and no encouragement for the younger generation to see agriculture as a viable future. We had a fishery once, but that’s gone. The boats are rotting, the industry collapsed, and the government doesn’t seem to care. Without food security or a solid natural resource base, we’re dependent on imports—and the moment those supply chains break down, we’ll be left hungry. That’s the reality.
What about finance? Offshore banking is fragile. The world is tightening regulations, and the days of turning a blind eye are gone. You can’t base the dream of independence on a crumbling pillar, unless the plan is to let every dirty dollar wash through our shores—and we all know where that leads: international sanctions, reputational damage, and the collapse of whatever economy we have left. That’s not sovereignty; that’s self-destruction.
Let’s move to healthcare. Have you walked through the hospital lately? Shortages of supplies, staff stretched thin, equipment outdated, and patients who feel they are being treated in conditions that would shame a country of our size and means. How can we talk about independence when our own citizens don’t feel secure about getting proper care on their home soil? That is not progress, that is negligence.
And then there’s water. Every day, gallons of treated water gush into the streets from broken mains in the day, yet by night, the taps in homes are bone dry. People come home from work tired, wanting a shower, and instead they’re left frustrated. That’s the standard of living we have accepted under this leadership. This isn’t a luxury issue—it’s a basic human necessity, and it’s being managed with incompetence.
Infrastructure tells its own story. Roads full of potholes, broken sidewalks, unreliable electricity in some areas, and hardly any proper planning for future development. Meanwhile, the leadership boasts about progress, but the lived experience is a daily reminder of decay. The manifesto promises? Empty words. Where are the results? Where’s the delivery? Where’s the accountability?
Our culture—what was once vibrant, unique, and worth celebrating—is fading. There are no meaningful programs to preserve traditions, no investment in arts or heritage, and no effort to pass on pride in our identity to the younger generation. Instead, too many of our youth are lost to drugs, gangs, and violence. Illegal motorcycles tear up the streets, guns are circulating freely, and crime is rising. The question is: what future are we giving them? What kind of BVI will they inherit if this continues unchecked?
Ports and borders are another disaster. Drugs flow in and out with ease, and while leaders posture and give speeches, nothing meaningful is done. The management of our ports has already been scandalized, and the people who were supposed to be the guardians of our national interests were too busy planning their own businesses on the side. That’s betrayal at the highest level.
So let’s get to the heart of it: what is the real reason for this push for independence? Because from where the people stand, it looks less like national pride and more like a power grab. Independence without structure, without resources, without security, without accountability, is a recipe for collapse. And when crime takes root fully—and it will, if this path continues—you’ll have no police force strong enough to hold it back, no army to defend the people, and no UK to call for backup. Imagine a society where extortion becomes the norm, where families live in fear of drive-by shootings, where the government is powerless to protect its own people. That’s not independence—that’s chaos.
Right now, the mandate of leadership should be clear: fix the basics. Food security. Healthcare. Water. Roads. Crime. Jobs for the youth. Cultural preservation. Instead, we get excuses, broken promises, and the same recycled politicians running the islands into the ground while enriching themselves and their families.
And let’s not forget the scandals. Where is the missing $5 million? Who signed for it? Where did it go? These are not small matters. These are the kinds of breaches that destroy trust between the people and their government. And the people are tired. Tired of corruption, tired of mismanagement, tired of watching their home slide from “Nature’s Little Secret” to a rundown, neglected ghetto.
So yes, the time has come for truth. Either leadership gets serious about governing, or the people will have no choice but to demand change—real change. Enough of the excuses. Enough of the neglect. We want action, accountability, and results. Not independence built on lies, but a BVI rebuilt on honesty, hard work, and service to its people. Until then, stop chasing fools’ gold and start fixing the foundation that’s crumbling beneath our feet.
not with you cc rr oo oo kk ss in charge
Independent? He wants to make this country a drug loaded territory
The question isn’t does the islands deserve independence but what would it look like after independence. If there isn’t a plan in place for what independence would look like after then it’s probably a bad idea. A lot of times when country become independent their country becomes a target for larger countries with army’s. You should have a plan in place way before even suggesting such a idea.
If became independent will the currency remain. Usd if not they country will collapse everyone will leave for other countries that matching the usd the work force and development of the country will crumble is the dollars gets weak all the outsiders will leave and not much people here can do the jobs plus they ain’t enough people here to even covers all those jobs and if the money gets weak no-one will fancy coming here to work.
If my understanding is correct,the prison,policemen and such are funded by the UK. If so,how will we assume the cost of this multiplying
segment of crime criminals policing and other 1or two prisons. We desperately since yesterday need another prison as the current one built for the
incoming garrots is and for a longtime,full to the max. No holding place even for illegal immigrants and newly sentenced criminals…many are walking among us daily,our lives and property at risk.Wher and who will build the long overdue pruskn or are we to accept that we are destined to live with the unconfined loose and
crazy criminals as a normality. We are not financially equipped for this urgency. When and who will re n edy this catastrophic
matter..These VI are in disaster mode. What will.it take to convince you folks that successful independence for us is not sensibility at this time.I am convinced that thus proposed let’s do it is a ploy of the thieving elected blokes for additional opportunity to plunder.
I went to school with Natalio. I don’t know the day would have come whem I say he has lost his mind. If a country can’t at the very least feed its citizens, how is independence possible? Natalio is losing it.
It is possible to me independent…beauriful island with nice people. Americans would continue to visit. What happens when a disaster occurs like a bad hurricane, another pandemic, etc. UK would be off the hook. How would the BVI manage?