Premier on UK trip: We didn’t fail
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has refused to categorise his recent trip to the United Kingdom (UK), where he met with Overseas Territories Minister Stephen Doughty and other UK officials, as a failure.
The Premier’s trip was seen as an opportunity to reassure the UK government of the BVI’s commitment to the reforms and to seek the removal of the Order in Council that threatened a UK takeover. However, the UK government indicated that it would not lift the Order until it was satisfied that the reforms had been fully implemented.
The Order in Council was held in reserve in the UK Parliament in April 2022 following the publication of the COI report and its recommendations. The COI report found widespread corruption and mismanagement in the territory’s government. The Order gives the UK the power to suspend the BVI’s constitution and impose direct rule if it is not satisfied with the progress of the reforms.
The Premier’s trip to the UK was part of a wider delegation that included Deputy Premier Lorna Smith and other officials. The delegation met with various UK government officials and parliamentarians to discuss issues such as climate change, financial services, and the progress of the COI reforms.
Victim blaming
While the Premier acknowledged that the Order in Council was not lifted during the trip, he maintained that it was not unsuccessful. “I don’t consider it a failure on our part,” the Premier said. “I’ve made it very clear in the past, and I continue to make it clear, that the Order in Council I see as a coercive, colonial tool.”
He added: “And I think to say that we failed in some ways is almost victim blaming. I believe that we need to move past those types of methods if we truly want to build a modern partnership.”
Premier Wheatley emphasised the importance of completing the remaining COI reforms and noted that Minister Doughty plans to visit the BVI in November to assess the situation personally before making any decisions.
The Premier also highlighted the progress made on the COI reforms, stating that the BVI is in a “far better place” than it was two years ago. He expressed confidence that the remaining reforms would be completed soon and that the Order in Council would be lifted in due course.
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Requiring the BVI government to rule the place in a democratic and transparent way, free of cronyism, corruption and rampant narcotrafficking, is seen as a “coercive, colonial tool”?
At some point I would love this Premier to let the people know just what he considers to be the definition of ‘failure’?
We as the electorate mostly feel that he has demonstrated failure more than adequately on many many occasions.
Just curious as to when he feels the meaning of the word ‘failure’ actually applies to him, his team, and their actions? 😉
How do you define failure – many would say that if you don’t succeed you fail. You may have played a good game and done your best, but if you didn’t win then it is a failure.
BUT YOU CAME BACK EMPTY-HANDED
but we passed – on the BENIFITS ,like – a Lil JOY RIDE /first class ) and we enjoyed the scenery and had a Lil rap session wid dem colonialist
– potholed roads across all islands
– healthcare in shambles
– no strategic plan for the future
– Corruption and drug related killings at a record high
– no audited accounts for government for nearly a decade
– education is a mess
– skyrocketing expenses due to travel around the world
– $20 million deficit due to a little ‘misunderstanding’ in your budget
etc etc etc
There goes Hon. Delu***nal again.
is still in place so you failed. The junket to London was a waste of time and our money!
toss these clowns for 3 years, UK money and staff make the gov work, better, on their money and expertise, which, fact(60m ppl vs 30k) is far superior to us.
How much BVI gonna fk. up before any we stooges say fix. basically 1000 people, or 3%, in handful of families been benefitting 50 years, and fking all rest of us, and our children future.
in the 80’s we were entrepreneurs and hustlers, money good to big and dirty and games emerged in the all you can eat econmoy .
tide out now . look who wearing shorts. None of dem politrixters.
How is it possible that this man says “I can see the disgust on peoples faces” and yet the The Ministry Of Truth (see 1984) refers to his as *esteemed* in a press release today?
Oh you failed. But I’m sure it made your ego. 5 star hotel, limo, 1st class flight and it didn’t cost you one cent.
Wheel and come again Opposition.
The country cant survive three more years of this 5h1t
Act of colonialism he says, the BVI belong to the United Kingdom accept or not. First get that straight, when things are bad you call on the UK for their support, you fret and fuss that they didn’t come fast enough during the aftermath of IRMA. They came and they set the prison in order , right. OK now the island is and I don’t say was, is in corruption right now and they are protecting their interest. We are u see British rule and thank God for that.
My only question is has the UK given more then it takes in taxes; and if they give more then take then what would BVI look like without that help?
The whole COI was brought about as the government was failing.
Corruption and poor governance.
How can you say you did not fail. You were failing so they brought about the COI.
Still not completed the recommendations and keep given extensions. If this is not what failure is I don’t know what you consider a failure.