Those who support UK rule need to be educated
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has said that Virgin Islanders who support the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and direct United Kingdom rule over the territory’s affairs need to be educated about the importance of democracy and national pride.
Speaking recently on the Virgin Islands Voice programme, Dr Wheatley said such views show that there is still a “lot of work to do” to instil a deeper understanding of the territory’s history and progress.
“We have to educate persons from the schools [about] the importance of democracy and protecting democracy. We won’t persuade every single person, but my hope and my goal is that the majority of persons will be able to see that the Virgin Islands is in a much stronger place because we have our own representatives.”
Dr Wheatley compared those calling for UK rule to people in earlier periods of history who opposed self-governance or supported slavery, noting that such attitudes have always existed but must be countered through education and national pride.
“When we had slavery, there were persons saying, well, we should continue being enslaved,” he said. “There were persons saying, we don’t need to have our own representatives – we should just be ruled by the governor or the commissioner. You’re always going to have it.”
The Premier added that the territory’s development and improved standard of living were direct results of local leadership and self-determination. “Our standard of living was very poor before we had our own representatives,” he said. “From the moment we started to have our own representatives, our standard of living just went up. From when my parents were born to now, there couldn’t be a bigger difference between our standard of living, despite the fact that we have lots of complaints. ”
He pointed to leaders such as H Lavity Stoutt, Willard Wheatley, Ralph O’Neal, Cyril Romney, and others as examples of how local governance has strengthened the territory over the decades.
Dr Wheatley said that despite current challenges, Virgin Islanders should take pride in what the territory has achieved and continue building on that legacy.
“We take a lot for granted in the Virgin Islands,” he said. “We believe every other place is better than the Virgin Islands, and we need more national pride. That’s something we have to focus on building.”
Many who believe a UK takeover would be beneficial to the territory often cite a deep lack of trust in local leaders and the political system. They argue that direct UK control could bring stronger accountability and reduce corruption, while some fear that crime, political victimisation, and favouritism could worsen under full local rule.
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this is very obsess with independene boi.trying to brainwash us.
Mr. Premier, the majority of our people are not calling for a “takeover.” They are asking you to articulate a clear, evidence-based case for why independence from the United Kingdom must be pursued now. Many do not see the urgency—particularly when other Overseas Territories, including some with stronger economies, are not treating independence as an immediate priority.
It is also ironic that you catalogue the substantial progress achieved by former leaders under the very “oppression” you have not substantiated with concrete examples. If such oppression exists, please set it out plainly.
A major public inquiry found that principles of good governance were broadly ignored, and that “serious dishonesty” was highly likely among officials.
Disposal of public (Crown) land was handled with such irregularity that the inquiry said it “cries out for further investigation”.
Grants and procurement during the COVID-19 period and other large public contracts were found to have weak oversight, suggesting asset mis-appropriation risk.
Successive governments failed to enforce conflict-of-interest and register-of-interests rules: elected officials repeatedly ignored their statutory obligations.
Lack of trust in local leader? Yes!. Mr. Premier I don’t think it can get any worse than it already is now under your watch
dude you are no different to the very UK you want to condemn, just remember how you became leader in the first place, in an illegal way, and now you are acting like a one-man DICTATOR, so please stop being the pot that calling the kettle black.
Those who support you and the VIP ruling need to have a head examination.
no we support u.k rule because our politicians are c r oo k s
Premier please “Don’t mind them”
May God help us. This is what power does to people who cannot handle it
YES, YES,,,ES AND ES!!!!
Reminder, UK rulership practiices are equally AS corrupt.
wow that is some next level gas lighting right there.
Reading this article is so depressing
Here is a man who was once identified as a man in a tattered suit and slippers who got the least votes in the last election. Has a PhD in African studies with only experience as a substitute teacher. Has not done one thing that the population can recognize as a contribution to the bvi economy.
Let me give you an education. BVIslanders has no faith in you. No one has confidence in you nor your administration to want to invest in the country. Under your leadership the country’s finances has grinded to a halt. You have taxed the people excessively. You have not proposed anything to bring money to the bvi. You have implemented an inflated pay raise for all legislators and try to sell the people on independence while the uk government have never once stood in your way to oppress the people. And imagine you are always talking about slavery when you are the only slave master in the country.
Do you know that if you were to go independent you have to have a lot of money. How will you pay for defense. Right now BvI is bankrupt and can hardly pay government salaries. You may lose access to the US dollar. Because you are not being protected by the uk you may also lose the appeal of being seen as a leading financial center.
We have the least money of the leading overseas territories ( Guernsey, Jersey, Cayman, Bermuda) and non of them are seeking independence as the umbrella of the crown strengthens their presence on the world stage of the financial services markets.
With better relations with the Uk we would have better health care services, international airport proper sidewalks, better banking facilities and more supermarkets etc. Everyone would be able to compete for jobs rather than government focusing on work permit fees as a third pillar rather than getting off of their lazy ass and bring business to the BVI so our people especially our youths can be employed and won’t have to resort to drugs prostitution crime and gun violence in order to survive. Then you wouldn’t need a crime summit. I hope you learned something.
This isn’t talking nothing different.every time is the same thing.independence I don’t know why he is so obsessed with it.
What is it about independence that they actually want?
-Loss of military defence and support from the UK?
– Loss of the US dollar?
– Loss of technical support from the UK?
– Loss of anti-corruption oversight from the UK?
– Loss of tourism?
– Loss of financial services?
– Perhaps just loss of foreign people altogether?
– A return to fishing and farming?
– A return to “bird sanctuary” status?
Or are they saying they really want to retain all the benefits of being an OT, and they don’t like the UK frustrating their corrupt schemes? I personally haven’t seen the UK do anything controversial that wasn’t, at least on the surface, for the greater good. In fact, I have seen them provide support when we need it the most (e.g., during Irma and the pandemic), and we didn’t pay a cent for it. More often than not, we spit their offers of assistance (loan guarantee, navy ship) in their face and then complain about how they never help us later.
Grow up, children. Think before you vote.
So we are back to the VI people are too stupid to understand insults.
They are not.
They understand fully why you want independence.
INDEPENDENCE = CORRPUPTION = MONEY FOR YOU
When you say education you do not mean that you just want people to be made to think. your way. You confuse self determination on purpose. You want it to mean Independence because that is one choice. But the bad choice currentlyy becasue you will not fix the issues shown by COI.
Just look at your commitment to secret reports, no auditted accounts, rewarding Ministers who disappear $5Million, your own $20Million disappearing act.
The VI people are not stupid.
We may argue that 487 of them are and they voted for you. OF those how many even live in the VI? Maybe 100?
It is not that a UK would be better for the VI.
It is that anything but the way things are now, with the present Government and the present style of Government with a GREEDY, SELFISH, SELF SERVING HOA13, anything would be better than you and in power.
You in power with Independence will bring currently before unimagined levels of corruption, self interest, nepotism, racism and total neglect of the rest VI people, their lands, the infrastructure and what was once the natural beauty of the VI.
We do not need educating. We need the referendum so you can be educated and the UN properly informed of the true wishes of the VI people. Not just the desperate wishes of you and your 100 followers.
we had need to be educated that you wasnt ready to be premier.
Trust me we educated
Bank of Asia
Greedy bill
Coi
COVID grants
Bi water
BVI airways
Pier park scheme
Politicians pay raise maxed out
Minimum wage
Selling the country ports to bring in dope then come on the news denouncing crime
Bvi young “business men”
Price control
No running water after 6pm
Clinic in VG closed left somebody dead
Current shutting off like a 3rd world country
2yrs plus to finish one stretch of road
Scholarships given out to people who are not even attend any school
Cash grants given out to salary workers during COVID
Money for party and flights but no money to improve the country infrastructure and man other host of issues
Hospital staff having to ration supplies cuz government soooo slow and resupplying essential stuff
No sex offender list despite news articles on grown men selling sex drugs to students!!!
13 and 16 yr olds with guns….are the UK giving them guns??? It’s our very own criminals supplying kids with weapons of that’s can easily take a life. Kids who brains even fully developed and emotional and irrational!!!
But our main concern is the UK like get real bro seriously???
We had a USA document reveal that Syrians are bringing in guns in trailers via clothing container and not one word on it or action on it from we government
Ain even bother touch base with USA to on more info
But y’all in the news denouncing crimes but your actions could care less
Having friends is very important do not forget that. Do not burn down bridges. Do not break human chains of survival. The UK and Europe and the white race has never been about colonialism.
MYaria Varlyack,y yyou need hyistoorc educating. You and that coment is a ootal disgrace to the Varlck name, especially the great educator from Anegada.
Translation: Education on the topic means brainwashing people! His ‘education’ is to force this down the throats of the population so his CABAL can pillage the HRM Treasury with impunity!
More modern day privateering by this VIPers ilk. Have they no shame anymore?!?! I guess not. Independence would allow them to give BOA rite back to their friends to continue the schemes…..watch and see…
Just a nar****ist, soc***ath. No one is as smart as he is. He just insulted the majority of the population.
Educate us. Start with a certified audit of where the money has gone for the past five years.
We need to be educated as to the cr**k that you are and vote you out next election cycle
JUST ANOTHER EXTENDED VERSION OF UNCLE ANDY’S ” RODEO GAMES ” WITH A LITTLE MODIFICATION AND A L’IL THEATRICS , SO THAT HIS LYRICS WILL BE EASY FOR US TO SWALLOW .
The UK expas here and abroad who hunt the commens daily to punch the thumbs down indicator are some of the most dispicable inverterbrates to ever walk the planet.
Except for their vile racist negative racial tendencies, the behave and demonstrate tendencies equivalent to those deemed uncivilized and of a branless stock.
What makes one when confronted with such great truths and facts thumb them all down in a fit of denial? Do facts and truhs have no meaning to some.
First thing our friend and the rest of the Americans in the VI HOA need to do is renounce their US citizenship before saying anything else.
Wheatley said “Virgin Islanders need to be educated about the importance of democracy”. Democracy works when elected officials represent the will of the people; Wheatley is certainly not doing that. Wheatley is the one that needs educating!
Vip must Gooooooooo.
We are not yet ready for independence. This is a fact. However, sooner or later Virgin Islanders will have to decide our future. The future of our children and grand children.