Premier hits back at ‘malicious’ UK attacks
Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley has pushed back against UK lawmakers’ claims that the British Virgin Islands (BVI) is attempting to weaken financial transparency measures.
UK Members of Parliament (MPs) criticized the territory’s proposed framework for a public register of company ownership, arguing that it obstructs efforts to combat financial crime. The BVI’s draft policy would grant access to ownership data only to individuals with a “legitimate interest,” such as law enforcement agencies, businesses, journalists, and civil society groups. However, some UK MPs have condemned the proposal as a “shameful” attempt to shield financial criminals.
Premier Wheatley strongly rejected these allegations, stating that the BVI is an active partner in the fight against financial crime and works closely with UK enforcement agencies, including the National Crime Agency (NCA), His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and the Serious Fraud Office.
“The coordinated attack on the jurisdiction serves to mislead the public and pressure the UK Government to take colonial measures against the territory,” Wheatley said. “Financial crime is a global issue, and tackling it effectively requires regulation, transparency, and collaboration—but also fairness and honesty among all stakeholders.”
The Premier emphasized that the BVI is not a safe haven for illicit activity and pointed to the territory’s strict regulatory oversight, which surpasses that of the UK’s Companies House, where no verification of beneficial owners is required.
“Our financial services industry operates under some of the highest regulatory standards in the world,” Wheatley said. “Non-compliant firms face fines, licence suspensions, or revocations.”
Wheatley also stressed that the BVI has consistently exceeded international transparency standards for over 40 years and has enforced UK sanctions, including those imposed in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
UK’s push for stronger measures
UK MPs, including Andrew Mitchell and Joe Powell, have urged the BVI to adopt fully open registers to prevent corruption and money laundering.
Mitchell, a former development minister, accused the BVI of helping criminals launder illicit funds, stating, “This is nothing other than a shameful bid to continue to manage stolen funds and assist in money laundering from sources close to the sex trade and the drugs trade.”
He added, “If the BVI wishes to travel under the British rule of law, under our flag, and under our monarch, they must also accept our values.”
In a letter to the Premier, the MPs warned that the “legitimate interest” requirement could expose journalists to legal or physical intimidation when investigating drug cartels, kleptocrats, and human traffickers. They also argued that the policy’s notification process could serve as an early warning system for criminals, giving them time to move assets before authorities intervene.
The UK Foreign Office as well as Transparency International, a leading anti-corruption watchdog, has also criticised the BVI’s stance.
Copyright 2025 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
I told you these white people are up to no good. Get them out the BVI asap.
Hey, You are so right. What black people going to do if we can’t carry on hiding financial information. We may even be forced into having Audited Accounts for the Territory. We have some dirty little secrets here and they are our Unique Selling Point and we want the world to know it, and that the territory is run by black people. Corrupt leaders encouraging investments and registration that are so corrupt they have to hide here, and we want that. Even our very own premier cannot tell us about the financing of his very own personal concert programs and does nothing but attack others wanting transparency and openness (you probably thinking that is white folk but there is black folk too), but we think that is a good thing for black people. It wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t have pin up posters of criminals (black) on his wall. How many years our black politicians not even been able to put anything in the Register of Interests. Our VI built on a world of secrets. Natures Little Secret. If we conducted our own affairs more openly maybe others wouldn’t be trying so hard to find out what we are hiding. There it is in black and white.
I wouldn’t say that. Just think the BVI should just come clean.
UK please take over the BVI we are going to the dogs, stop playing around with this government they are taking us down a road of no return
What a stupid suggestion for the UK Givernment to take over the BVI. Lunatics.
what did he hit back with? He is in UK more than British Airways. What use is he and what does all his trips benefit the BVI people?
Thanks to the untrustworthy bvislanders who keep doing unscrupulous things on government jobs. The locals selling out their birth right for a few pennies. Immigration, labour, town and planning and the list goes on and on. Mr King come for the bird sanctuary and it’s people. Help! Help!
wash that money bvi got proctect them 3rd n 4th pillars mehson
If my memory serves right, government authorized legislation to put persons bank balances in the news once inactive for a number of years. If the layman business could be made public why not the public, officials?
UK please come take over is like blood letting and jumping into shark infested waters. Since when the slave masters became our friends. Do you see where Wilcock ended up when he told Hickinbottom “we are all equals here.” As bad as the elected reps are UK take over is not the solution stand up and pressure them to act right BVI people too docile and act like moo moo. This sancitified we beseech thee profile is not going to cut it. Time to take a stand get up and demand. We are under the tyranny of the clock the world is changing fast and sadly we are not ready.
Hit the nail on the head
These politicians think people foolish
Always using colonialism to cover up
The issue at hand
1. We have to ensure that we live in freedom
BUT
The government is hiding their corruption and stealing and the debacle of not wanting to give accountability behind the curtains of slavery
Look at what Andrew did
Look at what Natalio is now doing
A) Money to sick artist to Jamaica- no accountability
B) 20 milloins over spend – no
Accountability
C) How and where this loan is to be spent-
No accounting
Stop this facade
Clean up the corruption them let us start to look for reparations
Look who get all the Long Look land that was to be shared to the descendants of the slave
See how the land was shared and who ended up wilh most of it
We Black people continue to oppress each other in the time we were doing our own thing So who is worse look how we treat our Caribbean brothers and sisters
Are we better than the Europeans ?
Keep it up and they will come for you too. Following basic financial reporting has nothing to do w/ race. He sounds more n more stupid every day.
Uk,EU and American spies and regular yellow haired colonialist mentalities continue o make up 99% of the comments on this site.
Then, they go tyrannical tirades about the yellow site as if they are the Gods and rulers of journalism.
If the political entities of the UK are a shadow of what the BVI is, what does that say about them continuing to meddle in the BVI political and economic affairs.
They need to realize that colonial and neocolonialism and UK continued domination over the OT’s Territories are a dying elephant in the room.
Many of my generation will not be around to see, but it is predicted that the Black people of these. Territories will continue to march towards greater autonomy.
As, they will not only acknowledge the foul taste of colonial domination, but will begin to move away from the exploitations and ugliness in selfish hoarding of that period.
If you are independent and interested in going independent you need to
1. Plant food and increase the policy for fishermen to fish ( build agriculture) infependent
2. Ensure that the hospital services are top class and each person is getting good healthcare
3. Ensure that there are education opportunities for all with capable and competent teachers
5. Have apprenticeships programs for hands on activities for those who are not academically inclined
6. Ensure the Policeforce have committed, bvislanders
7. Have education programs for young single mothers who have no children centered education to train up their children to respect law and authoritu
If you can begin to get these things handle you can call independence
You have no idea what it takes to build a nation
The UK is terrible, criminal and sneaky like a thief in fancy suit.
The BVI is wicked, greedy and doesn’t care that its major industry is helping to hide dirty money – an industry that is responsible for making poor people around the world poorer and poorer.
What can we do? Pretend that one side is good when both are bad?
Posted a similar comment i di, and was not accepted. Surprised yours got in.
The Uk agents and spies have the entire country. under their wicked eyes, hands and minds, sadly.