Premier doubles down on government’s overseas trips
Overseas trips taken by government members to attend various conferences and events have been critical to moving the territory forward and making gains for the BVI’s advancement, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has asserted.
Critics have railed against the government’s frequent overseas travel on the public dime ever since it entered office, and have suggested that some of the travel has achieved nothing tangible, with government ministers simply returning with speeches in hand.
But Premier Wheatley has once again justified his government’s travel to ports across the globe, noting that they have been taken to fight on behalf of the people of the territory, including lobbying efforts to prevent the UK government from imposing an Order in Council, which would see the temporary removal of representative government from the territory.
“We have held off impending danger of this Order [in Council] being imposed on us that was supposed to be imposed this month,” the Premier said. “And you had to fly to do it.”
He further suggested that the government’s multi-million dollar budget could not have been possible without the gains achieved in the financial services sector, particularly in the area of public registers, which have only been accomplished after government members travelled to the UK.
“We have made it very clear to the United Kingdom government that we cannot impose public registers in such a way that violates the privacy and the right to have our clients’ data protected,” Dr Wheatley said. “And we have been successful in persuading them that we could not impose it under those conditions. That is a victory and we did that after flying up to the United Kingdom.”
Premier Wheatley also dismissed the suggestion that his government’s numerous trips to the UK and other places are for the sole purpose of sightseeing.
“We must not encourage persons that these trips are just some sightseeing trips. I’ve been to the United Kingdom several times,” he stated. “I don’t need to go up there in the cold to sightsee. [Whenever you] go up there, your lip get chap up, your nose running. I prefer to be home here in the Virgin Islands.”
Dr Wheatley further suggested that Opposition members were being hypocritical and stated that they, too, travelled when several of them served as ministers within previous administrations.
“Over on the Opposition, we have several members who were ministers. I think maybe, with the exception of you, Speaker, everybody was a minister and everybody travelled, everybody travelled,” the Premier said.
He continued: “In fact, even as a member of the Opposition, persons are travelling and to go to Ghana and to go to the United Kingdom and to go to Turks and Caicos, you have to get on a plane. Nobody swam. Nobody swam up there. You had to get on a plane and you had to go there.”
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Would be nice to see if we are getting value for money. Let’s have an open book on the costs of these trips. But this na gonna happen… I bet they all flying 1st class.
I agree that some trips were necessary but Mr. Premier, who are you trying to fool? They were not all important and so could not be justified. If the members that travelled cannot explain the benefits to the tax paying public, that trip would have been an expensive waste of money. And yes, I do agree that members of the opposition are guilty as well. They all take advantage of the people’s purse.
near 3 million dollars in budget for travel 2024
Natalio the little di**ator doesn’t care about the public opinion.
Given that he was only elected by 400 people…. Why would he care.
Fake democracy.
“including lobbying efforts to prevent the UK government from imposing an Order in Council, which would see the temporary removal of representative government from the territory”
We want the removal of this jet setting government.
If you are so confident then please, please, please post the expenses that this government has spent on travel.
Including lobbying efforts to prevent the UK government from imposing an Order in Council, which would see the temporary removal of representative government from the territory, you can lobby as much as you want if the UK want to take over the BVI there is nothing you or anyone can do about it, so that lobbing trip was of money. Didn’t anyone teach you that you should clean up before you invite people into your house?
They travel all over the world at taxpayers expense, but our territory don’t see anything implemented to improve it. What do they bring back? Absolutely Nothing. They take their joy rides and that the end of it. British Virgin Isands are way behind our Caribbean neighbours as far as development. This government have their heads up their asses. They are against Foreign Investments which we badly need to drive the economic engine. Brothers and sisters we have to get rid of this half baked government.
Premier, get the roads and the over flowing sewage in East End fixed before going out promoting our destination.
Being speaker at irrelevant conferences like ganga farming does cut it for me.
Promoting the BVI’s Independence everywhere you go is not your place when you have not been mandated by the people.
Premier S!ow W@nde, Luarna in the Corna and other members of the A$$ C!own Brigade need to get voted out quickly. Can we get our money back through their salaries? They are all feckless and weak
Shameful how shoddy this place looks and the Jet Set can’t sit still. The roads are a total disgrace, turdy water running across the roads wherever you turn, so much needs to be done to restore this lil 2x 4 place to its former glory and rebuild its damaged reputation and all these people can do is travel up and down at our expense, reap the fruits of OUR labour, and accomplish ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. You think that’s fair?
Where is our pride? Gone with the wind.
Our elected leaders need to wheel and come again.
At this point he is quadrupling down. I do not care how many times you tell me the sky is green. Sadly he might be able to convince others.
Ghana??
dude just loves using our money to go places, fix the bloody place first nah, jeez we are a tourist driven economy but the place looks like crap it is shameful
That the canary ain’t hollering out his usual racial lyrics * OH ITS THE UK , RANKIN , COLLINS CINDY OR WALWYN *
Ghana??