BVI News

I will never beg for my human rights

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said he would never be in the undignified position of having to beg for his basic human rights.

The Premier was at the time speaking with the media about Governor John Rankin’s move to seek enhanced powers from the United Kingdom (UK) concerning the slow pace of implementation of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) recommendations.

Premier Wheatley contended that residents should not be punished or have their democratic and human rights threatened with an Order in Council over their heads, something which would mean the suspension of the constitution and the removal of elected representation in the territory.

He argued further that the governor should not be granted any additional powers simply because he wants to see certain things before he departs the territory.

When questioned about his government’s response to the issue and asked whether his tone was the right approach if he wanted to “beg for sympathy” from the UK Overseas Territories Minister to deny the governor’s request, Premier Wheatley was adamant that he was on the right path.

“I would say to you that I would never be in the undignified position of begging for something which is my human rights,” Dr Wheatley said. “And I don’t expect any Virgin Islander to beg for what they’ve been born to have — which is the dignity of democracy and human rights.”

The Premier argued that he would never be shy about saying that this is what residents deserve and this is what is consistent with what was signed on to with the United Kingdom through a recent declaration and was consistent with what is in the United Nations charter.

In the meantime, the Premier ‘flatly rejected’ the governor’s narrative that nothing substantial was done in the past six months to move the COI implementation process forward.

He accused the media of holding the government and the governor to different standards of accountability and said various reviews were extended to allow for public consultation, forcing delays in meeting some of the deadlines that had been agreed.

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24 Comments

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  1. WTF says:

    …and the UK will make sure WE never have to.

    Like 13
    Dislike 1
  2. WHO HE THINK HE IS? says:

    PEOPLE WE NEED A REAL PREMIER TO LEAD US….I STILL BLAME LORNA FOR THIS ATROCITY

    Like 23
  3. WELL SAH says:

    THIS MAN SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE UK AND NOW HERE BACKPEDDLING AFTER HE FAILED TO MEET HIS OBLIGATIONS

    Like 31
    Dislike 1
  4. Sir says:

    You abusing people who did not vote for you.

    Like 17
    Dislike 1
  5. Ok says:

    Now tell us about these consultations. How many? Where? Discussing what?

    Like 12
  6. PT09 says:

    Why don’t you just shut up the more you talk the worse you look and sound little boy.

    Like 7
    Dislike 1
  7. Boo says:

    …yet we have to beg for a functioning government

    Like 13
    Dislike 1
  8. Busy Bee says:

    Ironic that the Hon. Premier is more than happy to fob off human rights for gay people to a vote that he knows will never, ever, grant said rights.

    Like 12
  9. LookSee says:

    Well..

    We the people begging pleadjng for water daily.

    Begging for breathable air

    Safe environment free from imported criminals and escapees we are denied.

    Safe environment for our children in our schools that are dominated by the presence of armed and imported spawns of the imported criminals.

    Like 11
  10. I agree says:

    I agree with the Premier. Beg for what? We are not a fraction of a human as they had us to be decades ago.

    Like 3
    Dislike 9
  11. Taxpayer says:

    Please step down, you are not the man for the job.

    Like 12
    Dislike 1
  12. sigh says:

    I don’t think the people of the BVI actually think that the government did it’s very best to make the changes in the time agreed upon; so now nobody studying the premier with his colonialism and slavery vs independence talk now. Talk about how you barely do half of what you agreed to have done.

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  13. Big Richard says:

    A true nar****ist, so****ath at his best

  14. UAC says:

    I am not surprised that the Implementation of the COI recommendations is lagging behind schedule. Politicians don’t like to implement Laws and Policies that will control their actions and accountability. That is why I taught breaking up the unity government and holding the elections before the completion of the implementation of the COI recommendation was a mistake.
    The UK also knew that it would be this way and it would provide them another opportunity to take control of the Territory.

    • @UAC says:

      Well said. They do not like to pass laws that have the potential to disrupt their personal power and level any playing field. They give alot of lip service. Then when they pass laws, they pass laws to the degree which “they” are personally comfortable; not looking at what is in the best interest of the majority. We as the electorate however, continue to fail to hold elected representatives accountable past election day, and for this we to have to take responsibility for the position that we are in. #wegetthegovernmentwhatwedeserve

  15. When to beg says:

    He will never beg UK for human rights. He will only beg the opposition to wallow in the mess he created and clean it up. While we the people begging for him to resign or for one single person to cross over and form government with the opposition. You all had more than one option. Go ahead and wait for the letter from the OT minister. Not smart. The governor was meant to leave on 8th January. He still there. What you think is happening. Ding dongs.

  16. Jim says:

    Our accidental premier may not beg for human rights, but he will beg for money. From the U.K.

    Jus sayin

  17. The hypocrisy of the premier says:

    So he will not beg for his human rights and at the same time he leads a given mental that denies so many of their human rights. Mummy, daddy the cat got pups.

  18. Be Factual says:

    Nothing COI completed since June according to your own government progress site front page so it is misleading for the Premier to have ‘flatly rejected’ the governor’s narrative.
    https://www.vicoiimplementation.vg/

  19. Soccermom says:

    Really !! This is your concern Prem Wheatley. Do you remember who originally called in the COI ?? Your man himself. And now you are back peddling!! You signed the papers to complete these recommendations and you have failed ! Again !!! And again !! In the meantime this Government have done nothing for the people and you have been in power for 10 months. Sort yourself out. Get these recommendations final so you can stop blaming the UK , you brought this upon yourself.

  20. @WHO HE THINK HE IS says:

    you are entitled to your own opinion / but if you are true to yourself ,you would of thrown it into the gabbage

  21. One love says:

    Natalio is part of NBM.He favours black power ideology.Aint no talking to culty ppl

  22. Sasuke Uchiha says:

    Well Mr. Premier,

    The bvi residents been begging for basic, bare minimum! humans rights.

    But y’all government(s) refused to fix the place. refused to raise minimum wages,
    refused to implement proper price control.
    refused to properly fix the roads.
    refused to stop open burning
    refused to give constant running water to certain area. list goes on and on

    So now you know what it feels like.

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