BVI News

Premier on COI deadline: Leave it to God!

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said the government’s ability to meet the Commission of Inquiry (COI) implementation deadline, set for the end of this week, should be left to God.

Speaking on ZBVI Radio recently, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley was asked if the BVI would meet the deadline. The Premier responded with assurances that the government was working hard but placed the outcome in the hands of divine power.

“There’s no need to be nervous, God is in control … We do our best and we leave the rest to God,” Premier Wheatley said.

The Premier has spoken about meeting the deadline on several occasions.  While acknowledging the tight timeframe, he has consistently downplayed concerns.

“We have Cabinet on Wednesday, we have a number of actions to take place that we’re working on, and of course, by Friday, we’ll let persons know how far we’ve gotten with all of our obligations,” the Premier added.

Premier Wheatley assured residents that his government has been making steady progress on implementing the COI recommendations and pointed to ongoing legislative work on the Public Service Management Bill as an example.

While Premier Wheatley expressed optimism, he also acknowledged the possibility that the BVI may only meet some aspects of the deadline.

“We see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we are steadily pushing for progress, as much progress as possible,” Dr Wheatley said. “Let’s wait until Friday comes, and then we can see how far we’ve gotten to.”

The Premier previously pointed out that Governor Daniel Pruce requested a final extension of the COI deadline to 31 August based on a Joint Action Plan.

The COI process began in January 2021 and was highly critical of governance in the BVI. The report made 48 recommendations aimed at improving transparency and accountability.

Since then, there have been several implementation deadlines, with successive UK-appointed Governors insisting that the BVI complete the implementation process before the UK would remove an Order in Council that could lead to the BVI losing its current self-governing status.

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56 Comments

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  1. Any bets? says:

    If it was for a party to be kept, it would’ve done been finished long time

    Like 35
    Dislike 1
  2. Bvi screwed says:

    Hear this lazy incomp****t joker. I wouldn’t do my laundry today. I will leave it to God to do. I hope people are understanding the poor level of leadership that this country is suffering from. Wheatley was the one who insisted he could make the time line of August 31st with the UK. He spend the time up and down traveling and partying and didn’t do his work. Now he will leave it to God because the constitution could be suspended now.

    Like 54
    Dislike 1
    • @BVI screwed says:

      No if ands buts how and why, we are sooooo screwed.we are scattering around like fowls trying to do or looking for damage control.

      Like 15
    • Eldread says:

      @ BVI receive: I wouldn’t be so pi$$ed about any suspended constitution because it’s a document given to us by the white man, america and others write their constitution. The only thing that troubling for these politicians is no more flying around the world first class or partying or power to victimize people they don’t like, and British formalities like been chauffeur driven to the admiration of the girls.

      Like 1
      Dislike 1
  3. It is what it is says:

    Am I nervous? NOPE, Am I worried? NOPE, Am I paranoid? NOPE. Am I going to worry about it? Nope. Am I glad if the UK take over? YEP.

    Like 66
  4. OMG says:

    This is our level of leadership. Leave it to God

    Like 47
    • @OMG says:

      The only thing this Premier did not do was drop to his knees like ANDREW DID. If the UK STEP IN AND DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO THEN SO BE IT.

      Like 24
  5. WEAK!!! says:

    All this time and allegedly all this work and that’s what he comes with? Obviously has no idea what has or has not been done so just throw out some mumbo jumbo.

    Like 24
  6. NO says:

    God is not involved. The UK Parliament and the Foreign Office are involved so enforcement of the Order in Council is their duty.

    Like 34
    Dislike 1
  7. Styles. says:

    Natalio is looking more and more like Head Coach.

    maybe he should say a few times:

    “The COI doesn’t play with us, so we should play with the COI”

    or

    “We are not out of the woods yet,”

    Then he can drop to his knees and praise the lord.

    Like 23
  8. Tunnel vision says:

    Same thing his grandfather said “light at the end of the tunnel” while the bank took people houses….A clone

    Like 11
  9. State of play in BVI says:

    Bad roads, bad electricity, bad finances, bad ports, bad schools, bad crime, bad corruption.

    Let’s go independent so we can pretend it’s all FINE!

    Like 29
    • @State of play BVI says:

      This place go Independent, this place will be worse than Haiti. know one thing, BVI turn independent, I’m out. Correct me if you may, Jamaica have their independence right? So why is it so many of them is fleeing elsewhere?

  10. SMH says:

    People of the Virgin Islands needs to petition for the dissolution of the HOA immediately. This pompous man is not performing or being of any productivity towards the betterment of the Territory. If he wants to just talk,talk,talk,he should have been a Lecture somewhere else to an audience who cares to listen. All he does is bicker back and forth with political irrelevance. NOTHING TO SHOW!

    Like 34
    • @SMH says:

      Our Premier needs to do the right thing and dissolve the house before the end of this month; throw us in to another election. This is crazy, and all for power. Opposition please call a no-confidence now

      Like 17
    • @SMH says:

      Understand everything you are saying but, do you really think these scary people in the BVI is going to come from peeping behind the dark shades or peeping from behind a car in a dark alley to hit the streets demanding the dissolution of the HOA? People here is running their mouths on the wrong things cowards.

    • I’m not says:

      Afraid, scared, nor am I going to lose any sleep over anything. I will continue to lay in my king size bed, under the AC, under my king size comforter and continue to have a good nights sleep.The Premier’s back is up against the wall due to the fact that the recommendations were not completed. The end of the month is around the corner.

  11. II shame says:

    This man is a national embarrassment

    Like 39
    Dislike 1
  12. Resident says:

    i am waiting for sl**ande to rip off his scooby doo mask to reveal he was andrew fahie all along

    Like 26
  13. LOL says:

    The Premier is clearly playing you guys and as usual you have taken the bait! Watch how this plays out.

    Like 12
  14. What!!!! says:

    What a ja** a** leave it to your imaginary friend who lives in the sky

    Like 14
    Dislike 6
  15. Sir says:

    You cannot be busy pushing what really matters. Please dissolve the house quickly. This is ridiculous.

    Like 12
  16. heretical says:

    This cr**p holds God only in his mouth, not in his heart and just to prove it invites the UN down right before the deadline. This wi**ed man does not care for his people in any way.

    Like 10
  17. Here we go again says:

    Back to the Andrew Fahie syndrome. WE IN THE BVI HAVE KICKED OUR OWN SELVES IN BACKSIDE WITH A PAIR OF STEEL TOE BOOTS. WE HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT OURSELVES.

    Like 14
  18. I WID MYRON says:

    THIS MAN SHOULD RELINQUISH HIS SEAT RIGHT AWAY

    Like 11
  19. Interested says:

    Trust me. The UK has no interest on taking on the BVzzzI. Starmer has enough problems of his own. They might be tempted to give the Governor a little more power, but I doubt that.
    My only problem is enduring these fools until 2027

    Like 12
  20. Anonymous says:

    God will either save or punish depending on the truth. God blesses those in need not those who ask.

    Like 2
    Dislike 1
  21. Like it or not says:

    WE HAVE TO DISSOLVE THE HOUSE ASAP

    Like 11
    • @Like it or not says:

      They want to have their cake with cherries on top. They are to busy worrying and paranoid about losing their jobs.

  22. Who’s accountability? says:

    Well I have heard of passing the buck, but this takes it to a new level…..

    Like 12
  23. My only comment to the saga says:

    Like the late Ronald Reagan said, Mr. G. tear down the wall. I am saying Mr. Premier dissolve the house.

  24. I have a strong feeling says:

    All the recommendations that was suppose to be met after numerous extensions was not met.i bet the Premier wish he can board a plane and hightail it out of dodge aka town.See? all this cronies, the who you are because of your last name, I give you a job and I have to vote for you, the white envelopes, the bullying, the victimization and who you are related to has came back to clip everyone in the A.

  25. ISLANDER, SOMEWHERE USA says:

    Mr. Premier, why would you sit under a picture that should be and should have been removed from the HOA. Andrew Fahie was tried, convicted of a crime and has been sentenced to prison. That photograph is a huge distraction in the HOA. Or is it possible that Andrew Fahie is still controlling/running the HOA from prison.

    Like 11
  26. Leave it to GOD says:

    Final words before he boarded his plane again to collect some more airmiles spending the BVI’s last dollars….

  27. Why? says:

    Why have a government at all? Let’s just leave it in God’s hands and see what happens?

  28. Eldread says:

    I can’t believe a young man like premiere Wheatley is so colonized that his harvested brain say leave civics to god, so god will do our civics and our constitutional duty, what a man with a PHD, perhaps that’s PhD of poems and poetry.

  29. Dw says:

    Don’t worry natalio Andrew got yah back!!

    As he is always behind in hung up on every photo

    I won’t be surprised if you had pic of him hung up in your home.

    Hopefully you not leaving it to Andrew Fahie God

  30. Lmaoo wtf says:

    And this is who you all put to run the country. He done throw in the towel he got his two terms and fat retirement to look forward to so to hell with all this headache and responsibility; that’s ayo and god problem to deal with.

  31. my2cents says:

    A blind man could see that the deadline was too short, and especially in August when we shut down for so many days. I expect that it’s 90% done and he just doesn’t want to say yes it’s all good then have to say well we missed one or two little somethings

  32. I guess says:

    I guess this is why tola radio was going on and on about independence? Lol

    Y’all struggling to manage the country while gun crimes increasing with drug trafficking but want to go independent?

    Those who begging for it will feel it after when corruption sky rockets.

    I for sure won’t be around for when Haiti Trinidad and Jamaica #2 is born mehson

    It will be worse than them we is the prime location for illicit activities compared to There geographic locations

  33. Sailor says:

    In the old square rigger sailing ships sailing around Cape Horn, the adage was may men put up the sails and let God take them down as they sailed into gales and worse. Didn’t always work out well for the ships as God collected a few more souls.

  34. And you know what? says:

    For all the time and extensions that was given, the recommendations should have been put in place. But it seems like nothing was done. At least start improving the road ways in the BVI.Start working on a solution as how to put a proper water system in place.

  35. Frock tail says:

    He is competent at picking out … . Perhaps he should put more of his timr and energy in leadership

  36. Sizzling says:

    If it’s government workers holding up the reform’s spitefully then simple moves them from their post. Y’all got these people like them king s**t in government departments past 25 yrs and refusing to retire and just being disgruntled smh force them retire or move the hard headed ones from there comfortable spot

    But then again maybe y’all like that they’re being spiteful cuz you politicians don’t like the reform’s period.

  37. Dear Sir says:

    It would have been better if you had admitted you messed up. Everyone knows you messed up. Don’t put God in it. Just admit you messed up. ONE THING I CAN SAY IS YOU DID NOT DROP ON YOUR KNEES WITH YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR LIKE YOUR OLD BOSS WHEN HE MOCKED GOD.REMOVE THAT PICTURE OF ANDREW THAT IS HAUNTING THE HOA. WE THE PUBLIC HAVE NO IDEA THE BEHIND THE SCENES DRAMA THAT BE GOING ON IN THE HOA.

  38. Seer says:

    Imagine a doctor at Peebles Hospital throwing their hands in the air after reviewing a patient’s diagnosis, saying “leave it to God” instead of doing their job. The Premier’s lack of urgency and responsibility to address outstanding actions—actions that would not only benefit his government’s reputation but also improve future government functioning—is both irresponsible and unacceptable. “Leave it to God”? No, do the job you were elected to do. People want accountability, transparency, and fairness in the way our government operates.

  39. Responsibility says:

    It wasn’t in god hands it was in your hands and it sound like you fail… again. Got to be this boy got some of that obeah on him still cause wtf.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  40. Stealth says:

    Even the sight challenged and political novice knew that the timeline agreed to was a fancy. The set a Bobbitrap and the VI ploughed through it and got ensnarled. There was some low hanging fruit with many issues being complex, needing more time developed. Nevertheless, the whole process was treated as a checklist, to-do-list. The focus was on checking off items on the checklist. The BVI government was outmatched in this process. The unilateral power of the U.K. ruled the day; it was a head I win, tail you lose exercise. Its (BVI) lack of governing experience was/is clearly evident. Experience is a priceless commodity which must be earned. It requires more than having an alphabet soup of letters behind one’s name.

  41. Premier HELP says:

    We need to trough a pitty party. No one else to blame so lets put this on GOD.

  42. @ What says:

    Exactly! These are the kind of fools that have led us to where we are today. All of them playing on the simplicity of the general public to give themselves a pecuniary advantage. A bunch of useless idiots.

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