Premier asks for prayer as constitutional negotiations get underway
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has called on Virgin Islanders to pray for the territory’s constitutional negotiating team as formal talks with the United Kingdom begin this week, describing the discussions as another important step in the BVI’s journey toward greater self-government.
Speaking in the House of Assembly last week, Dr Wheatley urged residents to support the delegation as it seeks constitutional advancement while rejecting suggestions that the territory is incapable of governing its own affairs.
“I just want to encourage everyone to pray for us as we enter into negotiations with the United Kingdom for a new Constitution,” the Premier said. “Pray for us that we might achieve advancement, and that we do what our ancestors did for us.”
The negotiations, which commence today, follow months of preparation by a bipartisan negotiating team and the approval of a unified constitutional position by the House of Assembly. Dr Wheatley argued that the BVI’s history demonstrates that its people are fully capable of managing their own affairs. He pointed to Long Look Estate, one of the first free Black communities in the western hemisphere, as an example of resilience and self-governance.
He said Long Look was once used by abolitionists to demonstrate that formerly enslaved people could not only survive after emancipation but also prosper.
“We can’t listen to the lies that tell us that we can’t manage ourselves. We can govern ourselves. We can do just as any other people in the world can do because we’re equal,” Premier Wheatley declared. “We should not see ourselves as inferior, morally inferior, intellectually inferior, or any other type of inferiority.”
The Premier also highlighted the territory’s achievements on the international stage, citing the recent achievements of sprinter Adaejah Hodge and the Fintech on the Seas conference hosted by BVI Finance as examples of the Virgin Islands exceeding expectations despite its small size.
“The BVI punches above its weight every single time, and we’re moving in the right direction,” he said.
Premier Wheatley also reflected on the legacy of past leaders, including Lavity Stoutt, Ivan Dawson, Terrance Lettsome, Willard Wheatley, Conrad Maduro and Leslie Malone, saying today’s generation has a duty to continue advancing the territory’s constitutional development.
“If they didn’t do it for us, would we be where we are today? Don’t we have a responsibility to fight?” he asked.
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Now I get it. The country being run on prayers not policy, priorities and joined up thinking.
What we need are leaders that listen to the people, take what they want into negotiations and work for all the people of the VI.
Not a list of wants of the elites who are chasing more power and control so that they can reap the benefits of more corruption and do not care about the people.
Prayers may have a place for people but we need more than prayers.
If the prays are as confused as his thinking, God help us.
So you are asking for prayers to give you more power. You want more power to dictate,get richer,and travel more,oh and more parties too.
You need prayers for your own selfish plans.
ALL U NEED IS THE CITY SLICKER ~ CSC AND ALL YOUR PROBLEMS WILL DISAPPEAR , PRAYER CONQUERS EVERYTHING , JUST GIVE HIM ONE DAY IN YOUR SEAT AND Y’ALL CAN TRAVEL MORE ” FREELY ” ON TAXPAYERS MONEY AND HE WILL TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME FOR Y’ALL WITH HIS MILLION DOLLAR SMILE , WHILE YOU & COMPANY ENJOY OUR TAXPAYERS MONEY LIKE KINGS & QUEENS .
That’s a smart truck use by the colonials, invoke god to control the people so that it could mask the intentions of natalio to go fight for more power for the premier office instead of fighting for people who we can sea he is not fighting for at all, he not fighting to pay pensioners increase or to fix infrastructure, but hell yes natalio fought to pay Vybz Kartel quarter million dollars and bank of Asia $5 million dollars.
How about asking the people of the BVI if they think we are ready for independence.
This is no Democracy!
How about showing that the Government could handle being on their own.
Curtail crime, take guns off the street.
stop the Drug Business
fix the roads
fix hospital and clinics
have dependent water supply
have dependent electricity
Get schools up to standard
just to mention a few things
Which kinda prayer? Andrew fahie prayer or legit holy water prayer?
I remember all those prayer warriors who use to be around A Fahie.
Need to do a “where are they now segment”
None of those politicanta negotiating on my behalf. I denounced all that they doing for more power. You guys go away and leave us alone. No to more power no to independence no more no Nono.