Gov’t members say history will be kind to Premier

Some members of the government have rejected the “power-hungry” label placed on Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley, arguing that history will ultimately be kind to him for his leadership and courage when the territory’s sovereignty was under threat in 2022.

Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn recently accused the Premier of being “power-hungry,” alleging that Dr. Wheatley swiftly accepted the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report to fulfil his ambition of becoming Premier. According to Walwyn, that decision contributed to the ongoing negative perceptions the United Kingdom holds about the territory.

Premier Wheatley has continued to defend the decisions made during that period, maintaining that he and other elected leaders acted in the territory’s best interest amid significant political upheaval.

Speaking on a recent episode of the Virgin Islands Voice programme, Health Minister Vincent Wheatley said the Premier showed strong leadership during a time of great uncertainty.

“I want to commend the Premier for his leadership during that time. I think when we look back, history will judge him very favourably. It was a very challenging time, and the House often met a lot. Our families were at home and we were meeting morning, noon and night just to ensure the ship stayed floating,” Minister Wheatley said.

Similarly, Works Minister Kye Rymer offered praise for the Premier, acknowledging his role in preserving the territory’s autonomy.

“We’re here today and persons can now say what we could have done differently. But during that time, we were focused on maintaining our autonomy and our constitution. Premier, I must acknowledge you publicly for steering the ship and getting us through those trying times,” Rymer said.

The BVI’s acceptance of the 2022 COI report triggered sweeping changes in governance and resulted in a series of UK-commissioned reports, many of which highlighted widespread mismanagement and corruption across government institutions.

While some residents believe Premier Wheatley should have more strongly contested elements of the COI recommendations, others support the approach taken by the government during what was widely regarded as a politically volatile and uncertain period.

In the meantime, the Premier also picked up commendations from Minister of Financial Services, Lorna Smith, who urged current civil servants and elected leaders to use the new systems that have been put in place as a result of the COI reform era.