Premier outlines advantages of greater self-determination
Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley has said that greater self-determination would not jeopardize the Virgin Islands’ access to disaster aid or security support, arguing instead that the territory could strengthen those areas through new global and regional partnerships.
Dr. Wheatley was responding to questions on the Virgin Islands Voice programme about whether greater self-determination would be practical for a small population of about fifty thousand people. The host raised concerns about who the territory could rely on for emergency funding, disaster relief, or security in times of crisis.
In response, the Premier said those fears are based on misconceptions about how aid and assistance are delivered. He pointed out that during the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria—the worst natural disasters in the territory’s history—some independent Caribbean nations actually received more help from the United Kingdom than the BVI did.
“We had the worst disaster in the history of the Virgin Islands that happened with Hurricanes Irma and Maria,” he said. “And the funny thing about it is some of the independent countries in the Caribbean got more help than we did. Dominica got millions and millions of dollars from the United Kingdom. It might have been Antigua and Barbuda who got money as well.”
Dr. Wheatley said becoming more self-governing would not exclude the BVI from international support.
“If you become independent—and there are other options as well for us, we can have a free association or we can be integrated—it does not mean that you’re not going to be able to get assistance in the event of a disaster,” he explained. “In fact, you might even get more assistance because of the relationships you’re able to form with different nations around the planet.”
The Premier also noted that a more independent BVI could continue to benefit from strong regional partnerships through organizations such as CARICOM, the OECS, and the Regional Security System (RSS).
“The RSS has been able to provide us with a great deal of support, even supporting our own police force,” he said. “We also have CARICOM IMPACS who assist with security concerns.”
Dr. Wheatley further reminded residents that even under a more autonomous arrangement, the United Kingdom could still play a supporting role through regional operations such as the deployment of naval ships, including the HMS Medway.
Since assuming office in 2022, Dr. Wheatley has consistently championed the Virgin Islands’ right to greater self-determination, arguing that the territory’s progress in governance and institutional development demonstrates its readiness to manage its own affairs while maintaining beneficial partnerships with the UK and other international allies.
Copyright 2025 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Sure, an independent territory with no audited financial statement in a decade ought to be good for the offshore financial services industry. Never mind, it’ll be supplanted by narcotrafficking ruled by tribalism. At least that’s an untraceable cash industry…
you can see that this man is trying every ways to force us into going indendence.he is trying to make a great name for himself.don’t really about anynone else.this man is a narcissist.
and when the Uk offered assistance you refused it.
Who is the person in the picture ? Looks like a banana republic dictator.
Myron is right. They are deliberately using self-determination and independence as if they are the same thing. People do not fooled. Independence is one of the options for self-determination. We don’t have to choose that option and we could also create our own options. The VIP is trying to bamboozle us into independence for their own benefit.
NATALIO=DICTATOR=INDEPENDENCE=CORRUPTION
And the advantages are:
Financial services will go almost immediately
More guns, more drugs, more gang activity more corruption; less tourism because of the crime.
Down into a spiral leading to a second Haiti…
Sounds attractive!
Be serious people; we couldn’t get a functioning public high school for 6 years…our former Premier is in prison….
Natalio here: it’s the only way I can get away from these investigation and auditor general and the governor on my tacks, I could a burst more nonstop parties and pay Vybz Kartel quarter million USD over and over but these oversight here can be lifted by independence.
We just had another shooting this time a Spanish person (when y’all gonna start move like trump and ban certain well know countries that bring problem even if yah gah lock up all the drug man here and send them st kitts jail forever)
We just had prisoners escaped too
Is this really wa you wanna be talking about and piushing on the community right now?
How bank of Asia looking?
After independence will you give all the politicians and the elites a big pay raise for all the hard work yall did to get independence?
Stop l**ng!
Self-determination for Wheatley and the Malones dictators not for I. Them guys dictating everybody life. Carvin was a disaster to the of BVI. He was the minister of death and destruction like heritage use to call him. Hon wheatly have to do what the Malones say he should do. He hands are tied follow by his greed and stupidness.
With independence we could be a true Banana republic. The big named families would have unlimited wealth and power. UK NOW
Sl**anda should be crowned the President of Cl**ntown so he bring over his brother and they can both entertain us without their public shows!
Can someone please vote this Cl**n out so we can move on from this s**tshow?
So we want to become independent or free-associative, so that we can get handouts from the international community? become a welfare state?
Reminds me of people who want to brag that they built there house cash, but now broke as ever. We want the pride of ownership even if it means the fridge is bare! yeah makes a lot of sense to me.
Natalio Wheatley stop talking to us about advantages and disvantages we know where we stand the BVI isn’t ready for independence and especially under your administration we cannot trust you. Tell us what you have plan after the trust companies leave, when the crime get so bad and the tourist stop coming all because you and your brother want to say that you were the ones that made the British Virgin Islands go independent. There are islands in the Caribbean who are independent that have more resources than us and are worse off than us. Before you continue with your BS do a referendum and see what the people of the British Virgin Islands want not you your brother the UN and your other contacts want.
Town halls and weekly organized meetings wih power points must be used to educate the masses of the types of autonomy vs. he pros and cons are mandatory stteps.
Education of the masses are the pahs forward.
Cannot help but feel like it’s all so condescending.
You need to balance positives against negatives, not just embellish some BS potentials.
To minimize the assistance we received post hurricane(s) is both arrogant and very telling of the gov. Lack of understanding of how the business works.
You applaud the financial services but fail to grasp that they are ONLY here whilst the crown is here.
Anyone who knows the industry knows this is true.
Like you want to cut open the golden goose cause you cannot wait for the egg.
You speak of”other nations” (name one, we will wait) and suggest that Dominica somehow received more help than us.
This is both ridiculous and false.
The bvi received over 6 million grant from UK, supplies, materials, vehicles, actual physical assistance, etc..
PLUS, the offer of hundreds of millions in a secured loan to rebuild the territory.
Let’s remember that we were too RICH per capita to receive the small donation/grant other, much poorer countries received from “other countries”
The fact that corruption here failed to keep any money aside to help ourselves is not the fault of the international community.
That falls on us, we are NOT fiscally mature enough, for the love of god, your boss is in jail for this!!
Instead, with no shame, You are here trying to turn this massive offer of help into a negative, by pointing out that the money came with some fiscal responsibility. Duh.
Besides, Is that what you want for us?
A toothless, penniless CARICOM that we have never even been full members of?
Imagine the utopia the bvi could be had the money been both borrowed and put to good use.
A happier and healthier bvi is a dream that could have, at one time, been a thing.