Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Official Ministerial Assignments; Premier holds on to Immigration, Labour & RDA

As of November 2024, Premier Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley will be taking on new responsibilities following changes to ministerial portfolios while holding on to Immigration, Labour and Financial Services. Photo: Office of the Premier
Instruments of appointments signed by Governor Daniel Pruce have resulted in ministerial changes to various ministries including the Premier's Office and the Ministry of Financial Services, Labour, and Trade among others. Photo: Government of the Virgin Islands
Instruments of appointments signed by Governor Daniel Pruce have resulted in ministerial changes to various ministries including the Premier's Office and the Ministry of Financial Services, Labour, and Trade among others. Photo: Government of the Virgin Islands
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has taken on new responsibilities while holding on to Immigration, Labour and Financial Services, following changes to ministerial portfolios.

According to a press release from the Premier’s Office, His Excellency the Governor, Mr Daniel Pruce, has signed instruments of appointment, resulting in changes to ministerial portfolios for the Premier's Office; the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sustainable Development; the Ministry of Financial Services, Labour, and Trade; the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change; and the Ministry of Communications and Works.

Premier’s new responsibilities

The Premier’s Office will now oversee Agriculture; Fisheries; Food Security; and Veterinary previously held by the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change.

Following the changes, Premier Wheatley will be responsible for the Premier’s Office, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sustainable Development, and the Ministry for Financial Services, Economic Development, and Digital Transformation.

He will receive support from the Junior Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr the Honourable Karl Dawson (R1), and the Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism, Honourable Luce D. Hodge-Smith (R4).

Other ministerial changes

Other ministerial changes include the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sustainable Development taking on Statistics from the Ministry of Financial Services, Labour, and Trade, as well as District Councils from the Premier’s Office.

While the Ministry of Financial Services, Labour, and Trade has been renamed the Ministry of Financial Services, Economic Development, and Digital Transformation, it now includes Cooperatives; Industrial Development (including Incentives); Immigration; Registration Apprenticeship Training Employment Development (RATED) Programme; and Weights and Measures.

Premier Wheatley will take on responsibilities for Labour, Immigration and the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA).

Deputy Premier Hon Julian Fraser RA will head the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change. His ministry now covers Building Inspection and Standards; Electrical Inspection; Housing; and Town and Country Planning.

Hon Fraser previously had responsibility for Labour and Immigration.

Meantime, the Ministry of Communications and Works has gained responsibility for Alternative Energy, which has been transferred from the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change.

14 Responses to “Official Ministerial Assignments; Premier holds on to Immigration, Labour & RDA”

  • Citizen (06/11/2024, 10:40) Like (15) Dislike (5) Reply
    But he announced when he fired Lorna that Frazer will get labor and immigration
    • Eagle Eye (06/11/2024, 14:05) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
      Dr Tek it back
    • @citizen (06/11/2024, 20:48) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
      Hopefully Frazer won't sit down and let this child school him
      • @@Citizen (07/11/2024, 16:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        He was schooled from the time he joined. You don't see subjects thst he loves being taken away from him? Schooled and failed the class
      • Yow (09/11/2024, 04:29) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

        For the money Frazer noe getting you think he g8ves a rats#$$ about such small matters?

  • WHAT!!! (06/11/2024, 11:11) Like (20) Dislike (1) Reply
    "Citizen"
    Can not believe a word he says.
  • Blind Man (06/11/2024, 12:07) Like (18) Dislike (3) Reply
    Premier knows exactly what' he's doing the business owners and foreign companies are scared of Frazer he's not flexible and could cause harm .
  • LOL (06/11/2024, 12:55) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    he must think the nEW LABOUR MAnagement system will be a success and will try and take the credit
  • Wisdom. (06/11/2024, 13:20) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    You all think Sowande is fool.
  • Environmental Guy? (06/11/2024, 13:29) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    Frazer for the environment huh? Anyone had a look at the cesspool known as Sea Cows Bay? Is the raw sewage discharge from Slaney also under his perview?
  • god is watching (06/11/2024, 15:55) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
    So Natalio, with all the nonsense you doing you expect that the UK will lift the yoke from off the Virgin Islands head?
  • Well (06/11/2024, 18:04) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    With this new setup the Premier can still do the former Deputy bidding nothing has changed.
  • Lb (07/11/2024, 06:38) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    All ministries belong to the premier
  • good (07/11/2024, 15:09) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    It was a good call. Fraser should not be Minister of Labour and Immigration


Create a comment


Submit comment

Create a comment

Submit comment
Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.