BVI News

No more hiding non-Belonger lands, Wheatley promises

Vincent Wheatley

Natural Resources Minister Vincent Wheatley said there will be a change in policy within his ministry regarding land sales.

Turning his attention to the issue of non-Belonger land-holding licenses during the recent budget debate, Wheatley said there’s something about the process that he does not particularly like.

“Some persons hide land when they are selling, so persons don’t know these lands are being sold,” Wheatley stated.

He said that there are times when published contact numbers for land sales are not reachable and other times where persons are told that the lands have been sold already when the interested buyers call.

“We have to give our locals a fighting chance. We’re going to make that process even more transparent by creating a register, a publicly accessible register for all lands under those licenses,” he stated.

He added that once locals can purchase those lands, they will be allowed to do so.

“No more hiding, no more trickery, no more speculating,” Wheatley added.

Meanwhile, Wheatley said he was happy that the territory finally had a land distribution programme.

He said the programme — funded through the seven per cent tax on wired money transfers going out of the territory — is going to make land available all year round for locals who are interested in owning their own property.

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24 Comments

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  1. Rock on Wheatley says:

    Start by checking real-estate agents like Mrs. M K**l.

    Like 11
    Dislike 8
    • partrotic says:

      this lady and the other older lady from another company is going all out to hide properties from belonger especially areas like belmont , trunk bay ,cooten bay and other areas

      Like 7
      Dislike 7
    • I agree says:

      I totally agree re MK. I am unsure how our Government grants her a trade licence every year to discriminate against blacks; not locals but blacks. Government of the BVI, please investigate MK. The discrimination must stop!

      Like 11
      Dislike 9
      • Second Look says:

        What you are saying is nonsense. I have seen many sales go through to locals in these areas. Those women real estate agents you have mentioned sell quite readily to anyone who has the money to pay for it and sales by foreigners are always advertised so that a local wanting a final look at it has their chance. Nothing bad going on here!

  2. heckler says:

    You’re talking the talk but let us see you walking the walk

  3. Hmmm says:

    Wow, what a crock of s….t. stop making excuses for your inept decisions. if a foreigner is buying land and the seller cannot be verified, all govt has to do is not approve the sale, as the issue of sale to foreigners is totally within govt control.

    Like 31
    Dislike 2
  4. Talk All says:

    Don’t hide what you own all of a sudden either. Talk all!

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
  5. Include says:

    Include the piece that got taken from Nature’s Way to give to the crony.

    Like 10
  6. Oh Really!? says:

    “No more hiding, no more trickery, no more speculating,” Wheatley added.

    If this is your ministry and there is hiding, trickery and speculating, who is the responsible entity for such dealings? Is this a case of villain’s monologue? Are you sir admitting that such activities were allowed or condoned? Y’all tink people ssschupid

    Like 16
  7. W.E Man says:

    The act is not there to protect the Belonger in purchasing property or land, because they rarely take advantage of the privilege, it really is to offer wealthy Virgin Islanders the opportunity to accrue land and property, the act is totally unfair and prejudicial to a fair market and should be revoked.

    Like 12
  8. REPENTANCE says:

    this bald prince from VG is confessing daily

  9. SMH says:

    Make sure People selling Land that is legally theirs. No word of mouth contract with Surveyors and Lawyers. The whole System needs to be looked into. People claiming Land and not knowing the proper access and claiming Rights to Property that’s legitimately not theirs. Government needs to look into registered and legal land property before aiding or assisting Land Owners with any form of construction. Know the legit boundaries, not what individuals showing in person.

  10. He smiles at you with those p*g eyes says:

    . Why you hate anyone not born here?
    We pay more for land, pay stamp duty on that, then jump through all your hoops to get employment. Then you tax these poor minimum wage guys when they try to send money to their families. It is all wrong.
    Please get rid of this snake in the grass.

    Like 17
    Dislike 4
    • @.........p*g eyes says:

      Those who eagerly and voluntarily abandon their vast richly endowed by nature homeland which they they have carved into an earthly hell, for the VI,a miniscule dry and rocky patch,made desirable by the splendid character of its few inhabitants, should have no qualms about submitting a bare minimum monetarily for the priveledge of anhialating its (V I) very foundation of sanctuary and quality of life while they(the interlopers) are acquiring and seeking a promise of hope. It’s the least a conscience should allow.

  11. lillan says:

    hunm! some of the locals taking more from the land what they bought investigate some of the locals specially in bell view in the back yard what is land revenue there?

  12. WOW says:

    :funded through the seven per cent tax on wired money transfers going out of the territory — is going to make land available all year round for locals who are interested in owning their own property”. He should really be ashamed to say that.
    Most of the people you are taking this money from are minimum wage earners who scrap and some times goes without food to save a few dollar. These are the same people whose bosses pay no NIH, Social security or payroll tax for, and at the end of the day you are wallowing in the last few dollar that you have snatched from them. These are the same people who have to catch a plane to go home and come back if the ever think of changing their jobs. This is just heartless.

    Like 17
  13. Immoral says:

    So you take money from poor labourers who would want to remit some money to their relatives back home and use it to help BVIslanders buy land and think that is right? It is downright immoral and unethical. God is not sleeping and he will vindicate those you are exploiting.

    Like 12
    • @immoral says:

      So contributing to a place that is you and your family survival is wrong.
      Well the answer is obvious and simple.
      Stay home in your land of thousands of acres none of which they own, and starve in your country rich with oil,gold, rivers,fertile land everything that God has blessed and they have caused to be cursed with immorality of every level.
      Nothing is free no matter their cultural habit,nothing is free. Give and take is reality and morality.

  14. Co-ownership says:

    Most of the registered land in the BVI is co-owned by large families which causes sale and subdivision problems. The UK resolved this problem decades ago by limiting the number of co-owners to FOUR persons. Perhaps it is time for this land reform in the BVI.

  15. LOL says:

    It isn’t easy like in the US to sell land here, so just go and check the listings of the real estate agencies and even on Facebook if you are interested in buying. People who want to sell are not hiding anything.

  16. Ahhhah says:

    This is the government’ who
    Love expat ahoy tek dat . They use alyo vote to get in ?? Hehe

    Like 2
    Dislike 3
  17. GoAway says:

    Expats does vote?!?!? They have to be made bvilongers first! Try go sit down in a ants nest.

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
  18. @.........p*g eyes says:

    Those who eagerly and voluntarily abandon their vast richly endowed by nature homeland which they they have carved into an earthly hell, for the VI,a miniscule dry and rocky patch,made desirable by the splendid character of its few inhabitants, should have no qualms about submitting a bare minimum monetarily for the priveledge of anhialating its (V I) very foundation of sanctuary and quality of life while they(the interlopers) are acquiring and seeking a promise of hope. It’s the least a conscience should allow.

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