Premier insists, VI ready for greater self-governance
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has declared that the Virgin Islands is ready to take full responsibility for its internal affairs, following his address to the United Nations Fourth Committee in New York earlier this week.
Dr Wheatley said the territory has made significant progress since the 2022 Commission of Inquiry (COI) and has “remedied the governance challenges” that once placed it under threat of direct UK rule.
“The United Kingdom government has given us their seal of approval,” he stated, explaining that the removal of the Order in Council marked a major milestone. “It means that we are on the right track. It means that the governance challenges have been remedied.”
Call for constitutional advancement
The Premier described the next step in the territory’s political evolution as achieving “constitutional advancement” — a move that would grant Virgin Islanders greater control over internal governance.
“Now that we’ve gone through these governance reforms, the next step of the journey is to get constitutional advancement,” he said. “Remedying the governance challenges is a precursor to our aspirations for greater self-government.”
Dr Wheatley also reiterated that self-determination is a recognised human right under the United Nations’ Resolution 1514, which calls for the end of colonialism.
“Colonialism must be abolished. Colonialism is a crime against humanity,” he stated. “There’s an unequal relationship between the United Kingdom and the BVI. The United Nations is saying that situation must come to an end.”
Economic and governance independence
Responding to questions about the territory’s capacity to function independently, Dr Wheatley insisted that the Virgin Islands already finances its own operations. “Our government operation is 100 percent funded by the Government of the Virgin Islands,” he explained. “We haven’t received budgetary aid from the United Kingdom since somewhere around 1977.”
He added that during the 2017 hurricanes, the territory largely recovered using revenues from its financial services industry rather than aid from the UK. “What really was able to sustain us after those hurricanes was the money that we received from the financial services industry,” he stated.
Looking ahead
Dr Wheatley said the territory’s progress demonstrates its ability to govern effectively and to negotiate its future constitutional status. “We can be able to say, look, these challenges have been remedied. Yes, we have to sustain the progress we’ve made, but we can point to that with pride,” he said.
He added that the government will include both government and opposition members on the negotiating team for constitutional talks with the UK, to ensure “one unified voice” representing the Virgin Islands’ interests
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This feels more like an effort by someone trying to secure a place in BVI history rather than a practical initiative to improve the everyday lives of BVIslanders.
What I don’t quite understand is why we don’t hear the same calls from other Overseas Territories like Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, or the Turks and Caicos — all of which share similar relationships with the UK — about oppression and colonization. And I don’t ask that rhetorically; I would genuinely appreciate any scholarly insight or explanation.
Even our neighbors in the U.S. Virgin Islands, themselves territories of the United States, don’t seem to frame their situation in the same way. If someone could help explain the similarities and differences, I’d be grateful.
To be clear, I’m not against the idea of independence for the Virgin Islands. But it should be a well-thought-out, deliberate, and sober process — one that unfolds through a phased, incremental timeline, ensuring stability and real progress for our people.
Well the others may not have the prospect of drug cartels lining up to make them rich
He has got to mean HE is ready for more SELF-SERVING!!
This guy is the biggest cl**n you can find in the Caribbean.
Corruption, mismanagement and crime and he INSISTS that the BVI needs to be independent.
We need to be INDEPENDENT from these POLITICIAN who keep on thieving !
This man is so obsessed with independence it’s scary.he is doing everything in his power.he is trying to dictate everything.let not fall in his trap please .we don’t want to regret it later.remember, premier was originally born in Puerto Rico.he is American.
tell him to bring his referendum we are not going no where with him and his brigade.
PSA to the 7th District people:
We the wider community of the Virgin Islands implore you respectable, intelligent and dedicated citizens to take a stand and protect these vulnerable communities from this vampire!!
Vote Natalie OUT next elections! This is a dangerous time in the history of the world and we need not risk all our efforts for self-serving ideologists that have dictatorial tendencies.
You are so right.
Referendum- let the people decide!!
Or less than half of the ppl, according to CSC
They need to just ignore him until he can say we had a referendum and the result shows that this is what the people of the bvi want. The kart in front the horse on this one at least be able to say with confidence that this is what the people want before you go telling the world this is what we want.
He did not say the people of the BVI want more self government. He said we are able to do it. He has not asked the people what they want about anything. As a matter of fact many of the most important things were done, as per the usual, behind closed doors without the knowledge of the people.
Yall best don’t make the mistake like Guyana the people don’t have a voice
In the land of CLOWNS, this CLOWN IS THE BIGGEST JOKER!
Can we get rid of this guy ASAP and maybe send him to Trump Land
Don’t forget the politicians that started the VI Legislative Council Chambers on Main Street in Road Town Tortola BVI almost 100 years ago. Don’t forget what they started and don’t destroy the British Virgin Islands. Be very careful with the pathway that you choose.
Is at it AGAIN! Trying to GRAB ALL THE POWER so he can GRAB ALL THE MONEY!
He STARTED ALREADY WITH HIS OWN SALARY!
Ladies and gentlemen, we are looking at our first potential president of the the Virgin Islands, Natalio Wheatley. Clap clap clap clap clap!
You can tell when someone has Mental Problems By looking at their Mouth.