BVI should be a voice on promoting peace — Premier

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has said the Virgin Islands must play its part in promoting peace internationally, warning that global conflicts can have direct and damaging consequences for small island territories.

Speaking on the Talking Points show, Dr Wheatley said recent military activity in the region highlighted how vulnerable the territory is to geopolitical tensions.

“We have to ensure that we insulate ourselves from disruptions, that geopolitical tensions or conflicts don’t affect us in a negative way,” Dr Wheatley stated.

He pointed to the impact of military operations in Venezuela, noting that even a few hours of activity resulted in significant disruption to tourism and travel across the Caribbean.

“Some persons who naively perhaps maybe support some of these military actions taking place… were unaware of the very real time, the collateral damage… the real consequences that they would have on our economy,” Dr Wheatley said.

The Premier said the temporary closure of airspace and disruption of shipping routes underscored how interconnected the Virgin Islands is with global developments.

“What persons need to understand is we need to understand the geopolitical situation in the world because… while we are islands, we are interconnected to everything that happens in the world,” he stated.

Dr Wheatley noted at the time that he was travelling to St Lucia for what he described as “an emergency meeting of the OECS”, where regional leaders would discuss the implications of recent developments. He also said he met with the UK’s Minister for the Overseas Territories to express concerns about the situation and its potential effects on the Caribbean.

Emphasising the need for international engagement, Dr Wheatley said the territory cannot afford to remain detached from global affairs. “We have to be engaged internationally because… it poses great risks if we are not engaged and having partnerships,” he said.

He added that small territories must make their voices heard when larger nations engage in conflict.

“We also have a responsibility to be a voice promoting peace. We have to be a voice to be able to discourage military aggression,” Premier Wheatley stated.

Warning of the broader consequences of global conflict, he said, “When these giants move… we might get trampled when these elephants are running around the place.”

He concluded that the Virgin Islands must advocate for stability and recognition of its economic and social realities. “We are human beings. We have livelihoods. We want our livelihoods to be recognised, acknowledged, and we don’t want the conflicts which are existing in the world to affect us in a negative way,” Dr Wheatley stated.