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

Premier Wheatley in Saint Martin as French territory set to join OECS today

- Hon Julian Fraser RA is Acting Premier
The Premier of the Virgin Islands, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), is away from the Territory on official duty, from Tuesday, March 18, 2025, until Thursday, March 20, 2025. Photo: GIS
Headquartered in Castries, Saint Lucia, the OECS has until now brought together 11 States and territories of the Caribbean basin. Photo: OECS
Headquartered in Castries, Saint Lucia, the OECS has until now brought together 11 States and territories of the Caribbean basin. Photo: OECS
MARIGOT, Saint Martin- The Premier of the Virgin Islands, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), is away from the Territory on official duty, from Tuesday, March 18, 2025, until Thursday, March 20, 2025.

According to the Government Information Service (GIS), the Premier has travelled for the purpose of attending the ascension of Saint Martin to the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and the OECS 76th authority meeting.

In his absence, the Deputy Premier, Honourable Julian Fraser, RA (R3) will be Acting Premier.

This is in accordance with Section 55 (1) of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007, which states, "If the Premier is expected to be absent from the Virgin Islands for more than forty-eight hours, the Governor shall authorise the Deputy Premier to perform the functions of the office of Premier; and the Governor shall revoke this authority on the return to the Virgin Islands of the Premier."

Saint Martin to join OECS as Associate Member

The French island of Saint Martin will become an Associate Member of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) when the sub-regional grouping meets in the French island on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

The French side will join existing associate members the Virgin Islands (VI), Anguilla, Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Headquartered in Castries, Saint Lucia, the OECS has until now brought together 11 States and territories of the Caribbean basin. Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have been members since its creation.

The Virgin Islands (1984), Anguilla (1995), Martinique (2015) and Guadeloupe (2019) are associate members. The Collectivité of Saint Martin will therefore become the 12th partner, and the 5th associate member of this international intergovernmental organisation dedicated to regional integration in the Eastern Caribbean.

25 Responses to “Premier Wheatley in Saint Martin as French territory set to join OECS today”

  • pat (19/03/2025, 11:43) Like (2) Dislike (8) Reply
    Good move
  • carry on (19/03/2025, 11:51) Like (23) Dislike (2) Reply
    CARRY ON LOSE ISLAND MONGOOSE, CARRY ON.YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED SITTING AMONG THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE MEETING AFTER YOUR UNPROFESSIONAL AND EMBARRASSING BEHAVIOR AS A LEADER OVER THE WEEKEND. DON’T YOU HAVE ANY TYPE OF CLASS ABOUT YOURSELF?
    • @ carry on (19/03/2025, 18:36) Like (0) Dislike (7) Reply
      Crazy girl you can’t beat him at the polls go from here you mental health case
    • @carry on (20/03/2025, 00:20) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Kartel going Trinidad to perform sometime later as Tdad ppl get on bad and wasn’t buying tkts to his show during carnival

      I guarantee u their Prime Minister will not be joining him on no stage
      He went to sign off his Rum
      In Tdad and no ministers was there either
  • GBM (19/03/2025, 11:53) Like (15) Dislike (2) Reply
    Let me check to see who else (wha she name} is on this trip
  • you go boy (19/03/2025, 11:59) Like (23) Dislike (3) Reply
    Your Travelling Premier - Your government working for you! lmaoooo well sah, what SXM ascension gotta do with him thoooooo! SMH, make the dog sh*t with shame
  • LOL (19/03/2025, 12:18) Like (15) Dislike (1) Reply
    Is he an air marshal? He is always on a plane to somewhere
  • jimmy cliff (19/03/2025, 12:19) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    "Travelling man"
  • I (19/03/2025, 13:04) Like (20) Dislike (0) Reply
    I have no respect for the Premier and will never refer to him as honorable nothing. I have more respect for the strays on the Island.
  • DownWest (19/03/2025, 13:44) Like (3) Dislike (9) Reply
    Andrew comes home soon
    • @down west (19/03/2025, 14:57) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      No he’s not. Stop trying to gas light yourself and others. He will be back in 11 years. The pig in red lipstick and her little piglet is the ones who will be coming home in a couple of days. Go welcome them back at the ferry terminal with balloons and a coconut dump cake. Wondering if the police is going to grab them up before the ferry dock like WB.
  • WHAT!!! (19/03/2025, 14:56) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    This guy spends more time away than he does here.
  • smh (19/03/2025, 15:10) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    He in every country business except his own....what a poppy show! wa rck city say "wan be in ting soooo badddddd" .... band bat behaviour
  • NB (19/03/2025, 15:50) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    He came back just in time for B on B party and he gone again. Bwoi Bee Wee Eye in some serious trouble
    • @NB (19/03/2025, 19:42) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      You are so correct. To the ones who is sucking their teeth, disagreeing with you’ve said or saying shut your mouth you don’t know what you are talking about, facts, we are in serious trouble. This is only the beginning of things to come. 2024, exposer. 2025, pay back time. When I say payback time I am not talking about violence payback.

  • Wellsah (19/03/2025, 16:25) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    partna doesnt even work remotely
  • WOW (19/03/2025, 17:09) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Now tell us why this trip was unavoidable and is super important to us here?
  • …………………………………. (19/03/2025, 18:38) Like (1) Dislike (11) Reply
    We love our premier and we will continue to support him
  • Honestly Y’all (19/03/2025, 19:30) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Was this trip aka mini vacay necessary? After a Weekend filled with drama and suspense, I think we all need a mini vacay. I would love to lay up on a beach in St.Martin at an exclusive beach front hotel and sip on red wine when the heat is on me. and I need to get away for a few days so I can get my head together.


  • I Predict (19/03/2025, 19:55) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    When he crawls back his next trip is going to be the Dominican Republic to talk about wha??.
  • FIRE (20/03/2025, 06:10) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    He made alot of money from his show so he gone to blow some.
  • J Fra czar (20/03/2025, 08:57) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    He left the country in good capable hands
  • Yes (20/03/2025, 09:03) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    A rlling stone will gather no moss.


Create a comment


Create a 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.