Premier optimistic of Order in Council removal ahead of UK meeting
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley departed the territory on Sunday for official talks with the United Kingdom’s Minister for the Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, as part of discussions surrounding governance reforms and the possible lifting of the Order in Council.
The meetings, set for July 14-15, are expected to cover the comprehensive assessment process announced by Doughty during his November 2024 visit. That process includes the Governor’s final review, public input, and feedback from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
“My upcoming meeting with Minister Doughty forms part of the comprehensive assessment process he announced during his visit in November 2024,” Premier Wheatley said. “I am confident these elements will affirm our government’s belief that the Virgin Islands has fulfilled the framework agreement’s spirit, intent, and letter.”
The Premier added, “We have delivered reform, the most robust reform in the history of the Virgin Islands. I would expect that Minister Doughty would recognise that progress and see that the Order in Council is not necessary and lift it.”
The Order in Council, enacted in 2022, allows the UK government to suspend the Virgin Islands Constitution. It was introduced alongside the framework agreement for implementing reforms following the 2022 Commission of Inquiry report.
Wheatley maintained that all written obligations under the agreement have been completed. “Everything in the framework agreement we have completed. We didn’t agree with the Order in Council in the first place, but at the very least, the United Kingdom… should honour the commitments of removing the Order in Council based on the completion of our written obligations in that framework agreement,” he stated.
Dr Wheatley also highlighted the territory’s new Governance Reform Transition Plan and other measures to strengthen governance. The plan ensures ongoing implementation through education, monitoring, capacity building, and training led by the Premier’s Office.
“These initiatives reflect our full ownership of the reform process,” Dr Wheatley explained. “Given all of the different obligations that we have as a government, I’m pleased that we are well along the way in terms of ongoing implementation.”
In addition to governance reforms, Dr Wheatley said his discussions in London would include issues such as climate change financing and the restrictive financial ratios imposed on the territory. He described the trip as part of the Virgin Islands’ ongoing effort to foster a stronger partnership with the UK.
“I’m going to represent as best I can on behalf of the people of the territory the need to have that Order in Council lifted. I will fight my hardest and hopefully we come back successful,” Dr Wheatley said.
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Please don’t remove it, these jokers need sopmething over their heads to actually do what they said they would
I believe the Premier ain’t good in he head. He still doing a bunch of crap that caused the COI under the order in council and expect it to be lifted. It’s like a bad behaving child expecting to get a gift for good behaviour. Dude we wasted 300k to Vybz Kartel. Almost a million dollars on your failed music fest. And now you blew 5M dollars in the Bank of Asia. Something wrong with this man.
The UK will not be removing the order in council no time soon. He is so delusional but nothing wrong with be hopeful and bring optimistic.
They keeping proving to UK the BVI has deep corruption at its doors. UK need step in and clean house.
after yall refuse to make the registry public? lol okay.
To the UK if you remove the Order in Council you are showing the people of the British Virgin Islands who you should be looking out for that you dont cear about us.
No to UK!!
All ideas and opinions should be respected, to each his own.
However, to openly call for renewed subjugation and horrific oppression on a people who are still recovering psychologically and economically from such is an blatant and hostile insult to those people.
The history of colonialism as perpertrated by the British (UK) on people of color is beyond words to explain.
Hence, to publically advocate for such to be broughtback and impemented upon the Black people is cruel and unusual thinking.
Colonialism must be declassified. It is a relic of war, murder, genocide, appropriation of lands, kidnapping of humans and slavery.
Therefore, living in those modes of thinking and wishing clearly illustrate an antiquated mentality still locked in the eras of the 12th and thirteenth centuries.
On those accounts, the Black people of these islands must be left alone to chart their own course through history.
That course must not be interrupted with hostile interferrences by former colonialist and slave profiteers.
All ideas and opinions should be respected, to each his own.
However, to openly call for renewed subjugation and horrific oppression on a people who are still recovering psychologically and economically from such is an blatant and hostile insult to those people.
The history of colonialism as perpertrated by the British (UK) on people of color is beyond words to explain.
Hence, to publically advocate for such to be broughtback and impemented upon the Black people is cruel and unusual thinking.
Colonialism must be declassified. It is a relic of war, murder, genocide, appropriation of lands, kidnapping of humans and slavery.
Therefore, living in those modes of thinking and wishing clearly illustrate an antiquated mentality still locked in the eras of the 12th and thirteenth centuries.
On those accounts, the Black people of these islands must be left alone to chart their own course through history.
That course must not be interrupted with hostile interferrences by former colonialist and slave profiteers.
Hush your stupid mouth your not making any sense you degenerate!!
So what if the UK does remove the OIC. Then what?? You guys really think you understand what is at play here.
Booh! Hoo! I don’t want them UK colonial interrupt my grip on power you know, all them party and traveling and money peddling and Vybz Kartel would even be my friend again and bank of Asia.
The Virgin Islands as small as they are managed to achieve a level of self sufficiency that defied all the odds. This achievement has attracted persons from around the globe and propelled the territory into the international spotlight on one level while the majority of locals remain hooked on the colonizing christian narrative. I believe that the order in council was implemented as a means of forcing us to comply with Agenda 2030. The UK therefore will find every excuse possible not to lift it and to continue to leverage BVI compliance with all the wicked plans of the globalists. Some of us know exactly what is at play here and can see the connection to what is at play in Gaza Sudan Congo The Sahel and worldwide. The sad part is that you are going to play yourself out and the world will be rid of your tyranny.