Premier touts strides in environmental protection, climate resilience
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has pointed to a series of environmental milestones achieved during his leadership of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government, reaffirming the territory’s commitment to sustainability and climate resilience.
In his 2025 Territorial Address, delivered under the theme “Building A Sustainable Nation,” Premier Wheatley underscored his administration’s focus on long-term environmental protection as part of the National Sustainable Development Plan and the Medium-Term Development Strategy.
“Protecting our natural environment is of utmost importance,” Wheatley stated.
He added that the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change had carried out public consultations to shape new environmental legislation, ensuring that policies match the values and priorities of residents.
Key highlights of the government’s achievements include the development of the Blue Economy Roadmap, which aims to guide the sustainable use of marine resources. The government also expanded its recycling and waste management programmes, strengthened marine conservation efforts, and introduced new Crown Lands Management legislation.
According to Dr Wheatley, these efforts “continue to serve as a catalyst for legislative and policy advancements, ensuring that environmental considerations remain at the forefront of national development.”
His administration’s push to gather public input was noted as a cornerstone of its policy direction. Climate and environmental policies were shaped through “public consultations, project implementation, and international collaborations,” Dr Wheatley explained.
The initiatives are intended to support sustainable growth while preserving the Virgin Islands’ natural beauty for future generations. The Blue Economy Roadmap, first introduced in earlier VIP-led discussions, promotes innovation and development in fisheries, tourism, and marine transportation while protecting ecosystems. In addition, waste management reforms are expected to reduce landfill waste and increase recycling rates across the islands.
Dr Wheatley stated that his Virgin Islands government remains “unwavering” in its commitment to environmental sustainability.
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Poor Natalio trying to justify his existence. You are completely irrelevant Sir. Time to go.
Still pumping sewage out at Slaney because the sewage plant still isn’t working! Still no “single use plastics” restrictions! Still no law against cutting down mangroves!
Still no restrictions on cruise ships running their generators spewing contaminates into our air!
Still just empty words from our Premier!!!!
Trust S!0wW@nde to try and hang his hat on this point. A point with no target no metric for success nebulous tactical planning. For the most part they treating this as a possible source of revenue to patch their failed deficit budget.
Writing things on pieces of paper is not the same as doing things.
This is pathetically delusional.
Where is our incinerator?
Jeez we don’t even have the basics of green. Continual land fill around our coasts, airport environment disaster now planned for (how does that fit this nonsense). Derelict, Toxic areas, sewage, beaches, roads. The place is an indescribable mess with an anti environment plan being actioned that is different to the one we have written down. The one we wave around and claim is policy and transparency.
He’s protecting us by moving us backwards into the Stone Age no water , no roads , no rule of law. Orchestrated tribal dancing & personal hallucinations of independence back to the good old days.
Just sailed in need to pump my holding tank which marina can do that for me?
Where would it go if they could? In the sea?
Politicians in the Territory is no better than the ladies of the night, they sell themselves and Territory to the highest bidder.