Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley has announced that the new UK Overseas Territory (OT) Minister, Stephen Doughty, plans to visit the BVI later this year before deciding whether to lift the Order in Council that threatens direct UK rule over the territory.
At a joint press conference with Deputy Premier Lorna Smith on Monday, September 16, Premier Wheatley shared details of their recent trip to the UK, where they met with Minister Doughty to discuss the potential removal of the Order in Council, which remains pending in the British Parliament.
The Premier reported that Minister Doughty did not provide a definitive answer but stated that he needs to visit the BVI to make an informed decision. “I raised the question of lifting the Order in Council, which the UK has linked to implementing the [Commission of Inquiry] governance reforms. However, the Minister wishes to visit the Virgin Islands, as his predecessors did, to make his own assessment and recommendation. The earliest he can visit is November,” Premier Wheatley said.
Additionally, Premier Wheatley said he plans to officially request the removal of the Order once the House of Assembly passes the final government reform bill. He urged the UK to honour its commitments under the new partnership.
Previously, on August 30, Premier Wheatley and Governor Daniel Pruce held a press conference to discuss their planned visit to the UK to address updates on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) recommendations and to argue for the lifting of the Order in Council, which they believe is outdated in a democratic era.
The new OT Minister is part of Britain’s Labour Party which pulled off a landslide victory in the UK general election on July 4, 2024.
Please don’t!!!!
We are at the lowest point currently,attributed to elected Gov mismangemnt,lack of knowledge
,common sense ,expertise,..,
In all fairness
LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE
The downward spiral will only continue.
Just about everyone knew the order would not be lifted but you all needed a fist class holiday at our expense as per usual.
Last hopes for BVI.
Honestly Premier,
In my opinion, a telephone call would have sufficed. I don’t think that you seriously believed the man would have given you a definitive answer then and there? Even when he comes in November, he won’t be able to answer you then either. He’ll have to report to his superiors in the UK and it will be months before he gives an answer. That answer will be ‘ NO ‘.
This small territory is getting worse every day
The blatant lies ,
disinformations,
divisions,
discrimination
Hateful disregard for rach other
Look at Ron Potter asking for his resignation when the CEO and the Administration is responsible for the day to day operations of the health care abd functions of the hospital
Vincent using Ron as the fall guy
How much lower can we get
Bring down the hammer forvtwo years and trach the territory a lesson
Stop blaming the UK
is the new deadline. In less than 2 months the VIP government needs to account for all their spending since April 2022, fix all the roads on all the BVI islands, finish the 7 years of repairs to the CAB on Wickhams Cay I, convict all the criminal politicians, etc. etc.
Can the above be done NO. Will the Order in Council be enforced YES!!