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What is BVI gaining from Premier’s COP28 trip?

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley.

Commentator Walwyn Brewley has criticised Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley for his frequent overseas trips and suggested that there are unlikely to be any perceived gains coming from his recent visit to a climate change summit overseas.

Premier Wheatley recently attended the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), which ended yesterday in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Dr Wheatley promised to advocate for climate justice during COP28 and said the summit presented an excellent opportunity to advocate at an international forum for the needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Premier Wheatley has been a strong advocate for climate justice over the years, particularly for SIDS, which he said are especially vulnerable to the ill effects of climate change and need support to build up climate resilience.

But Brewley suggested that nothing will come of the Premier’s trip, arguing that residents have not seen anything for the volume of travelling that has been done by government officials this year.

“We are travelling like we have endless money and we’re doing all kinds of stuff,” Brewley said on the Hot Seat radio programme last evening.

“They went to this COP thing. What we got out of that?” Brewley questioned while suggesting no one was brave enough to confront the real polluters such as China at the global forum.

“Who telling them that? China ain’t studying you,” he added. “They doing the same thing. They are the industrial nation now. They’re [producing] all the smoke from the coal and the oil and everything in the atmosphere, polluting the whole world.”

According to the commentator, the BVI is also complicit in polluting the atmosphere by burning much of its waste at the Pockwood Pond dumpsite and in Virgin Gorda, which he suggested tourists are being told is a mini volcano.

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23 Comments

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  1. lol says:

    Look on the bright side… at least he got a picture with Mia Mottley. Anything to don’t do no real work smh.

    Like 11
    Dislike 1
    • ??? says:

      I’m gonna go out a limb and say that his trips may pay dividends as it relates to getting funds to help find alternative solutions to destroying the country’s waste. Whether it be garbage or human, additional these meetings may help facilitate a large scale recycling plant/project.

  2. Resident says:

    Don’t be so selfish. It’s only right we share our Premier and Vincent with the leaders of the world. We shouldn’t hog their brilliance.

    The question is, which will be fixed first, the Global Climate Emergency or the BVI road system and water and sewerage!

    Like 17
    Dislike 1
  3. Licher and Sticher Good says:

    Hmmm what are we gaining? Seems like the bill which includes airfare, hotel, food, liquor, entertainment (judging by Mitch’s internet bill on his Egypt trip which he cannot tell us simply what we got out of that trip) is likely to be thousands, some 5 min rambling on his chance to rub elbows with todays who’s who …. Everything except substance. He is our very own Show Wande, leader of the A** Clown Brigade

    Like 10
  4. Anonymous says:

    Madam Mottley wants the region to grow, prosper while throwing off those stiffilng macro economic realites that keep the regions objects of adverse colonial mechanisms.

    Wondering if she tries to get along, laughs out loud or just ignore what appears before her, her ears and supreme knowledge and intellect.

    Like 2
    Dislike 1
  5. Stop the hate says:

    Many of you like crazy Syndee will never reach where he reached in his political career

    Like 1
    Dislike 10
  6. Lodger says:

    Didnt you notice he said we were more than ready to receive funds from the big boys to help us fight pollution? Wonder what happens to the environmental tax we take from all visitors?

    Like 12
  7. The final question says:

    Is this the same trip what the 2nd lady went on???

  8. Maybe says:

    the Premier and his Deputy should move to Guyana to lead their defense against the invading Venezuelans.

  9. How Come says:

    The United Nations currently holding a special meeting on the Gaza situation how come the BVI delegation headed by the premier is not there. They need to be reminded that Jesus is coming soon and if they don’t behave themselves they will go to hell. Yes the world is in need of a sermon from the slave bible as only the well fed slaves in the Virgin Islands can deliver. If ah laugh ah piss up.

    Like 1
    Dislike 0
  10. WEW says:

    Frequent flyer miles.

  11. FACIAL EXPRESSION says:

    Is saying )> mmmmmMMMMMMMM which country should I visit
    next

  12. Unknown says:

    But I thought god sent him to lead how do you lead on the other side of the world.

  13. Question says:

    Was the premier invited to Dubai? Maybe it was missed but BVI is not on the delegate list. If someone can find it please point it out. If it’s not, could it be that missing certain parts of the budget was intentional? QsTNAs.

  14. HE MAY YET says:

    turn out to be the best as being young and educated and given the opportunity of a lifetime to run the country you were born in , is an honor in itself/ and if integrity is his base he will have to learn and get the experience as he go along

  15. AH GO SAY IT AGAIN says:

    he is young and supposed to be educated , and that’s wonderful, but he has to have integrity within , then he will have to learn and gain the nessary experience that it takes to run his country properly as he climbs his way up , he has to
    be prepared for punches thrown at him and be able to roll with the jabs and Should know by now that they will come ( we know some arrived already ) anyway the possibility is there to be the best . With the honor that was placed in his hands and should respect it with pride and take the country to another level with honesty , integrity and transparency with the best interest of the people in His heart ( hopefully

  16. HE MAY YET says:

    turn out to be the best as being young and educated and given the opportunity of a lifetime to run the country you were born in , is an honor in itself/ and if integrity is his base he will have to learn and get the experience as he go along upwards , he also has to educate yhe people on the xenophobia and island people mentality / we are in the 21st century ( for crying out loud ) we are all African DECENTANTS

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