Premier highlights injustice over concessional financing
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has decried the lack of grants and concessional financing for the BVI in the face of climate disasters.
Dr Wheatley highlighted the severe challenges that small island nations like the BVI face due to climate change while addressing the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Antigua and Barbuda recently.
The conference, held once every 10 years, serves as a crucial platform for SIDS to garner international support for sustainable development and climate resilience. Despite their minimal contribution to global emissions, these nations are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, dealing with high inflation, energy costs, and borrowing costs.
“The Virgin Islands is one of the best examples of a small island developing state facing these types of challenges. In our case, it is even more acute because we are also still recovering from two category five hurricanes in 2017 and do not qualify for climate finance or development finance to help us achieve sustainable development and climate resilience,” Dr Wheatley stated.
“We cannot get grants or concessional financing to address these areas despite our vulnerabilities,” the Premier added. “This is unjust. My singular mission at the SIDS Conference in Antigua and Barbuda was to address this issue.”
Premier Wheatley said his administration has consistently advocated for the United Nations and other development partners to give associate members of the UN Regional Commissions, like the Virgin Islands and others across the Caribbean and the Pacific, access to climate finance and development finance based on the BVI’s vulnerability.
The Premier reported progress at the conference, noting that his statement during the interactive dialogue on financing for SIDS was well received and referenced in the closing ceremony’s official statement. This recognition marked a significant step forward in the BVI’s advocacy efforts.
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Why do we need grants when there has been billions of dollars of government revenue since the 1980s?
Where did it go?
Where are the audited accounts to show where the money went
That’s frightening when the UN sponsored groups do not even trust our elected leaders.
Perhaps if your and previous governments hadn’t squandered so much of the billions of income over the last thirty years you would get more attention. We are in a much better position to handle climate change than any of the low lying countries, and if you could resist squandering millions on things like music festivals you could be developing programs to resist the effects.
Start programs at home and show the world your government and the BVI are worthy of help, not just an inept bunch of political hacks begging of hand-outs!!
Alyo said/proclaimed loudly your intentios to pilfer from the people’s purse and enrich your selves. That notion was stated clearly to an individualon social media.
It was clearly an arrogant moment when an individual was told, as the topic of elected officials self enriching off of government coffers was on tap, when one was told arrogantly told, “shut up, those before did so we going in to do the same.”
How can we now not believe, even though the captain has been sidelined, that the notion is not being carried out? How can the people grow any confidence in this administartion and it top officials?
Its just rain. Ifyou had spent money on real contractors instead of lining you and your friends pockets for years we would have roads, drainage, cleaning programs, and a beautiful country. Just look around you.
So the premier wants to get financing grants for the bvi for “Climate change impact on the bvi”
I glad them ain giving ayo the grant!
we are a Caribbean country that uses the US DOLLAR with a increasing yearly budget…..
yet we don’t even look half as good as some other Caribbean countries
3rd world from i small growing up till now smh.
clearly we don’t know how to handle of finances cuz yall too busy enriching your friends and family
instead of improving the bvi our government will just squander the grants giving to us.
them doing it all now with our tax money!
Tortola is the only Caribbean Island that uses the American Dollar and we are still in the dark ages. The other Caribbean Islands that is not using the American Dollar is way ahead. Perhaps the BVI should should be cut off from using the American Dollar and use British money.
Maybe if they cut the American dollar off from the BVI for 10 years they might get themselves together. You are so correct, the other Caribbean Islands does not have access to the American dollar and they seem to be way ahead of the BVI. How is it that a Territory that has access to the American dollar continues to be stuck in 3rd world status.
Get your spending priorities straight . Embezzlement of the peoples money is a criminal act .
You are. Not listening nor do you want to take advice
You are too headstrong and highminded
This country is in a bad state
Indeed ! We are dropping way behind the other Caribbean countries and we have US dollars
We are too proud and arrogant; badminded and spiteful
We have no compassion on people outside our own
God expects us to live and do better
Stock photo shoes Premier’s head hiding Mr Fahie’s portrait on wall behind, while the lady sitting enjoys a nap.
whatever happen to the financial secretary and the auditor general and the accountant general and the attorney general in the british virgin islands?
All the wasted money over the years, mentioned above, is a serious point. But there is another.
Seeing our government say we are victims of climate change makes me sick. Of course, we are. But we are also wilful and greedy climate criminals.
Because the BVI is so small we like to pretend that we can’t do anything bad to the climate and that we just HAVE TO destroy our nature in order to make our money.
We think that caring about the environment is a choice, something some people like to do as a stupid hobby, while the real smart folks get ahead by making money.
How do they make money? By building, building, building. Hear them screaming that we need a new airport so they can build more. Watch them pushing land on top of our coral reefs and destroying our coastline so they can make land and collect rent. Hear them saying that we need to develop our smaller islands and build resorts here and there so that we BVI people can make more money.
Not once do you hear them defend nature.
Not once do you hear them consider the value of protection, of national parks that will attract people to come to these islands and benefit our future generations.
They cry that UK once wanted to turn the BVI into a bird sanctuary. So to kick against that they want to kill all the birds, all the coral, all the fish, all the mangrove, all the natural bush and forests. And turn it into yet more concrete and money for one of the richest/greediest/most selfish/ places in the Caribbean.
And, Premier, you at a conference whining that we are a victim.