Premier stresses teamwork at govt’s mid-year review

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has called for stronger teamwork across the public service, saying collaboration between government ministers, permanent secretaries and department heads is critical to the territory’s development.

Speaking at the government’s mid-year review on Wednesday, Dr Wheatley addressed about 90 top public officers. He stressed that the review was designed to advance the implementation of the Public Service Management Act, 2024, and to align with the National Sustainable Development Plan (NSDP).

“This significant clarification means that Ministers have a strong management responsibility to set performance goals and provide direct input into the performance appraisals of Permanent Secretaries,” Premier Wheatley said, adding that permanent secretaries must also supervise department heads on behalf of ministers.

“This means that there must be a strong and collaborative relationship between Ministers and Permanent Secretaries,” he explained.

The Act, passed in August 2024, sets out the framework for managing the public service, requiring senior officials to carry out their duties under ministerial direction consistent with the Constitution Order of 2007.

Premier Wheatley told the gathering that the review aimed to support the mission of building a sustainable nation.

“We are here to strengthen the foundation of the Public Service as we support the territory to navigate the turbulent and challenging times in which we live,” he said.

He described the Virgin Islands as being at a “pivotal point” and urged officers to see themselves as key players in the country’s future. “The mid-year review provides the opportunity for us all to work together, to report on what we have achieved since we met in February and set the course for the rest of the year and 2026,” Dr Wheatley stated.

“I must emphasise that we can do this, but we can only do it by working together,” he urged.

The Premier also thanked ministers, junior ministers, and senior management staff for their work under pressure.

“I also thank the senior management team for the outstanding support you provide ministers and the government,” he said.

The NSDP, launched in 2023, is intended as the foundation for the territory’s development. It identifies six key goals: health, education, economy, infrastructure, good governance and the environment. Each budget cycle has since been framed around these priorities, with the government saying it provides a roadmap for long-term progress.