Recruitment process for interim top cop was poorly handled — Premier
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has criticised the handling of the recent police leadership shake-up, saying the process lacked transparency, sensitivity, and good governance, and has further strained the relationship between the BVI and the United Kingdom.
His comments follow Governor Daniel Pruce’s recent decision to appoint UK officer Richard Ullger as Interim Acting Police Commissioner, while Acting Commissioner Jacqueline Vanterpool — the first Virgin Islander woman to ever hold the post — was returned to her substantive role as Deputy Commissioner after a year in charge.
The move triggered public outrage, with dozens of residents gathering outside the Governor’s Office to protest what they described as a disrespectful and unjust demotion of Vanterpool. The protest, which remained peaceful, was publicly supported by Premier Wheatley and several Members of the House of Assembly.
At a recent press conference, Dr Wheatley said he had already spoken to UK Overseas Territories Minister Stephen Doughty and had been in “ongoing dialogue” with Governor Pruce through Cabinet and the National Security Council (NSC) about the situation.
“I respectfully expressed my disagreement with the decision to move forward with Mr Ullger’s appointment,” the Premier said.
Premier Wheatley revealed that the Police Service Commission (PSC) has already made a recommendation for the appointment of a substantive Police Commissioner, and that this recommendation is expected to reach the NSC shortly. He argued that it “would have been better to conclude that process before appointing an interim Acting Commissioner.”
While acknowledging that the Governor has the constitutional authority to act contrary to the advice of the PSC and NSC — provided he offers reasons showing how their advice would prejudice His Majesty’s service — Dr Wheatley questioned whether that authority had been exercised in good faith.
“I am concerned that the way the Governor’s discretion has been exercised is not in keeping with the modern partnership that the United Kingdom has committed to,” he said. “The process of appointing a Police Commissioner has been poorly handled and does not reflect transparency, good governance, or sensitivity to the legitimate concerns of the people of the Virgin Islands.”
The Premier added that the episode highlights the urgency of negotiating a new constitution that gives the elected government greater democratic control, including over internal security.
“The handling of this matter underscores the importance of devolving more responsibility to the elected government,” he said.
Dr Wheatley is currently participating in Joint Ministerial Council meetings in London, where he said he will continue “respectful dialogue” with UK officials.
Copyright 2025 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Ccontinue “respectful dialogue” with UK officials?????
He has never started to be respectful. He followed on the same path as his disrespectful criminal Fahie, and Wiggo, Cline-Cline, Christopher, Cameron etc.
You just need to watch the COI to see the disrespect or read the news. (I get all the radio I need from the news so so I know the disrespect is there too.)
To continue something you have to start.
Pure old talk
It was as poorly handled because the 13 of you as nd the opposition allowed Daniel Pruce to get comfortable with his bias arrogance. And the people? Hmm.
“The process of appointing a Police Commissioner has been poorly handled and does not reflect transparency, good governance, or sensitivity to the legitimate concerns of the people of the Virgin Islands.”
Many now and have agree with this sentiment of fact.
Not one more word is needed on the odiousness of this matter.
Now, let the powers that be move to correct that injustice before it is to late to reverse itself.
As, this was an “Odious Affair” conducted by the empire of Britian.
They still do not have an ounce of respect for our people or Black people here and no where else on this planet.
“The process of appointing a Police Commissioner has been poorly handled and does not reflect transparency, good governance, or sensitivity to the legitimate concerns of the people of the Virgin Islands.”
While this is all true, we ourselves have failed ourselves for allowing a few mentally historically embecillic infantiles the authority, their opinion being the only one counting, to keep us in abject colonialism even after so called emancipartion.
That is why the colonial expatriates can still take our best jobs they have never earned legally for
themselves, despite us having labor laws and qualified people to hold those jobs.. Ms. Vanterpool’s case is qualifying example.
Who is next, Custroms and Immigration? And when will we fight back?
That is an Odious Affair on the UK’s paert.
We must release ourselves from this British bligfht immediately.
Natalio Wheatley SHUT UP SHUT UP
Natalio Wheatley SHUT UP
Natalio Wheatley POINT YOUR FINGER IN
THE (BIG youth) AND COMPANY IS JUST USING THE LADY AS AS A FRONT , THEY DON’T REALLY CARE ABOUT HER , WHETHER SHE GETS THAT POSITION OR NOT , / ITS NOT GOING TO GOING TO FIX OUR INFRACTURES ETC , IS IT ? AREHOING BTO BLAME THE WHITE COLONIALIST SLAVE MASTERS FOR THAT TOO / SO HOW COME THOSE PRETENDERS WHO IS MAKING ALL THIS NOISE ,AS IF THEY ARE IN PAIN OVER THE LADY’S POSITION , AND CREATING A PUBLICITY STUNT BY TRYING A WANNABE MARCH TO SAY THEY WERE SINCERELY PROTESTING , THE “BIG youth” RAISED HE & OTHERS SALARIES , WHILE THE LOWER CLASS WORKERS ( WHO IS DOING THE REAL WORK IN THE COUNTRY ARE BEING IGNORED , MEANWHILE THEY ARE ENJOYING OUR TAXPAYERS MONEY TRAVELING ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND NO REPORT ON WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISHED OR HOW THE BVI BENIFITED FROM ALL THEIR TRAVELING , WHERE ARE THE VOICES ?, WHERE IS THE PROTESTS ?, FROM THOSE WHO SPEWING OUT RACIST NARRATIVES AS A DISTRACTION , THAT IS NOT GOING TO FIX OUR PROBLEMS , ALL YOU ALL ARE DOING IS DECIEVING THE PEOPLE / BECAUSE THERE’S NO INTEGRITY IN DECEPTION •
Master WEATIE is saying )> just one more thing, ah done tark wid the white boy Doughty about the sh*t pruce doing to us down here ,and when I go up to London ah gine show wah time it Aaa