Premier: Not everyone born here are patriots
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has declared that not everyone born in the Virgin Islands is a patriot, calling for reforms to ensure that only those who show true commitment to the territory benefit from its privileges.
“Just because you have been born on the soil, it doesn’t mean that you’re a patriot,” Dr Wheatley stated during the House of Assembly debate on the Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Bill 2025. “Just because you have ancestry here, it doesn’t mean that you’re a patriot.”
He argued that patriotism must go beyond birthplace or ancestry and be shown through meaningful service to the territory. “Patriotism is measured in service,” he said. “And there is a service that you get paid for, which we appreciate. But the even more powerful example is the service that you are not paid for.”
The Premier made the comments while discussing the proposed bill, which aims to tighten criteria for obtaining resident and Belonger status. He explained that time alone is no longer enough to qualify. “What we are saying with this immigration reform is no, you have to demonstrate a certain level of commitment,” he asserted. “You have to demonstrate a certain level of patriotism in order to get those privileges and those benefits.”
Wheatley said the new approach aligns with the goal of building a sustainable nation, and that fostering a shared identity is critical. “You cannot build a sustainable nation without creating a shared sense of identity. You cannot create a sustainable nation without a concept called patriotism,” he warned.
The Premier also voiced concern about divisions within the society, especially when individuals with official status do not act in the best interest of the territory. “You might get a Belonger certificate… and then we put you in an HR position. And all of a sudden all the people who are being employed are from the same place that you had ancestry,” he said, calling such practices “dangerous.”
He linked this issue to the need for stronger institutional processes. “What we were doing before was just saying you’ve been here for a certain amount of time and you get the rights and the privileges. That’s not going to work anymore.”
The Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Bill 2025 includes changes to the definition of “ordinarily resident” and introduces new qualifying periods for permanent status. The bill follows previous reforms in 2024 and recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry for greater transparency and consistency in immigration policy.
“We must invest in our people. We must protect them,” the Premier stated. “Not protect them by stifling them. We must challenge them to be their best.”
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The Premier isn’t born here but he has made himself the judge of who is patriotic? You can’t make this stuff up!
Is he a patriot? Patriotism is action not words
No doubt the Premier thinks that patriotism means supporting independence. His entire approach to question patriotism is very dangerous thinking. This Premier is not fit for the role. I consider myself a true patriot but do not support either the Premier or his call for independence. Is he seriously going to challenge my patriotism???
Xenophobia is not patriotism. It is a mental crisis that requires professional intervention. Where are his children’s mother from? Clearly this man has no work to do at all. Imagine, all this because Walwyn was appointed leader of the opposition. If they treat a leader like this, imagine how they have been treating those patriotic first generation born here for all these years. The first gens are more patriotic than this xenophbic cl** who only abuses the public purse to pay for stupid parties and relies on his last name for entitlement purposes while wisdom, common sense and mature leadership are yet to make his acquaintance. Calling on all the patriotic persons, first gens included, to take a stand against the cl**n show because the country needs it right now. Shameful.
Whenever he is criticized for his poor leadership he says that people are not being patriotic LOL. This man is crazy.
Hear the Puerto Rican talking
General Hummel: “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Thomas Jefferson.
John Mason: “Patriotism is a virtue of the vicious,” according to Oscar Wilde.
Born here or not, if you cross swords with a prominent BVI family, no amount of patriotism will prevent you from being deemed a persona non grata when it suits the powers that be.
My experiences in the early 1990’s being a case in point.
Our Premier may wish to emulate Kim Jong’s North Korea where every citizen is a patriot at birth, and remains so, unless executed
Ronnie was called a patriot when he made xenophobic comments directed at Myron. A real leader would have condemned his remarks but instead he was praised. All while in the same remarks the Premier was calling for cooperation. We have a bunch of clowns running the BVI.
Sawonde they say you were born in st. Thomas or Puerto Rico so by definition you are not a patriot. Also who give you the authority to speak about patriotism when even with your PHD you still do not know what the word means. Your constituents in your district were being patriotic with you when they voted for you because they thought you were humble like Noel Lloyd but you are no Noel Lloyd but instead of uplifting them you treat them like dirt. Some of them actually say that you said that you don’t come to the district often because you find they beg too much. They are angry and say they hope you don’t come back for any more votes. It is alleged that they say, imagine sawonde was a man who wore an old suit and slippers worked as a part time teacher, never owned a business never had a significant office position in the BVI and now you act like you know everything and everyone else doesn’t. Allegedly they even scoff at the fact that you have a bunch of consultants surrounding you but cannot give you advice to make you look good.They question the selection and the boneheaded decisions like the idea to raise the charter boat fees to $24,000 when it wasn’t even a $1000. Your advisers almost make you end up in a fight with the USVI. I don’t know of any modern day politician who is patriotic I am still looking.