Walwyn rebuked after protesting Premier’s long speech

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has criticised an interruption from Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn as he contributed to a debate on a piece of legislation in the House of Assembly yesterday.

The lawmakers were discussing the National Parks Trust Amendment Bill 2024, which addresses statutory boards’ governance issues in the Territory.

During the debate, Premier Wheatley began by acknowledging the changes in governance in the BVI, highlighting the shift in the UK’s approach since the Labour government took power. He expressed the need for constitutional advancement, stating, “We must advance the conversation about constitutional advancement and more self-autonomy for the people of the Virgin Islands.”

However, Walwyn objected to the direction of Premier Wheatley’s remarks, questioning the relevance to the bill at hand and accusing the Premier of ‘overdoing it’.  “Why is the Premier lecturing to us on something that’s not having to do with the bill? I don’t appreciate that,” Walwyn said.

He urged the Premier to stick to the topic at hand and argued that time was important for other lawmakers. “How much longer do we have to sit here and hear this diatribe?” Walwyn asked.

House Speaker Corine George-Massicote intervened, noting that while the Premier’s comments may have strayed from the immediate topic, she allowed some leeway. “I did give leeway to some members on the Opposition in respect of not necessarily just addressing the bill, but they just went a little off,” she explained.

Despite Walwyn’s continued protests, Premier Wheatley rebuked Walwyn and persisted in his address. He defended his stance, arguing that the bill’s context was tied to broader issues, including the Virgin Islands’ political relationship with the UK.

“I don’t know what side of the bed the member woke up on. I don’t know what he had for breakfast. I don’t know who called him and harassed him, but let him ‘low me, please,” the Premier said in response.

He continued: “The amount of times I’ve stood here, sat here in this seat and listened to all types of nonsense that have not even the faintest relation to a bill being spoken about and I just sit and listen.”

Premier Wheatley continued his speech, highlighting the importance of statutory boards in the territory and their role in executing the government’s mandate. He emphasised that while these boards should maintain some level of independence, they must ultimately align with the government’s objectives.

He also stressed the importance of balancing independence and governmental oversight. “We need to have some accountability measures to ensure that the funds which go to them, our taxpayers’ funds, are well accounted for,” the Premier added