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Premier Wheatley off to UK for high-level meetings; Hon Rymer now Acting Premier

Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) is off to London as part of a delegation for high-level talks from 14 – 22 January, 2023, and as such, Deputy Premier and Minister for Communications and Work Hon Kye M. Rymer (R2) is now Acting Premier. Photo: GIS/Facebook
Deputy Premier and Minister for Communications and Work Hon Kye M. Rymer (R2) is now Acting Premier while the Premier is away. Photo: VINO/File
Deputy Premier and Minister for Communications and Work Hon Kye M. Rymer (R2) is now Acting Premier while the Premier is away. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) is off to London as part of a delegation for high-level talks from 14 – 22 January 2023, and as such, Deputy Premier and Minister for Communications and Work Hon Kye M. Rymer (R2) is now Acting Premier.

The Premier during a press conference on Friday, January 6, 2023, said the trip will be seeking to advance the economic, political, and environmental interests of the Virgin Islands.

“On the agenda are financial services, investment, and environmental partnerships. I will also meet with our students and citizens in the United Kingdom to hear their concerns and ideas,” he added.

Hon Wheatley said he will also get the opportunity to meet Minister for Overseas Territories Lord Zach R. Goldsmith as well as engage other BVI groups and UK parliamentarians who have an interest in the VI. 

Meetings with students planned - Hon Wheatley

“I will also meet with our students and citizens in the United Kingdom to hear their concerns and ideas,” he added. 

The visit is his first official opportunity to meet the Minister for the Overseas Territories, Lord Goldsmith for engagement on behalf of the VI. 

Premier Wheatley further stated, “The occasion of my visit will also be an opportunity to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the BVI London Office that was the successful vision of the late Premier and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE.”

The Premier said he will update the public on the outcome of the visit upon his return to the Virgin Islands.

29 Responses to “Premier Wheatley off to UK for high-level meetings; Hon Rymer now Acting Premier”

  • rattie (14/01/2023, 11:28) Like (24) Dislike (17) Reply
    He could go and don’t come back
    • Youth (14/01/2023, 18:21) Like (6) Dislike (4) Reply
      High level meetings? Puleeese!
      • TO YOUTH (14/01/2023, 23:37) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
        He needs to stand firm against dictatorship. You have all the below rejecting the Governor and UK dictatorship moves especially with the Order in Council for direct rule:
        1) The United Nations
        2) CARICOM
        3) USVI GOVERNOR
        4) OECS
        If all these were against actions of our public servants, local and Caribbean people and our politicians’ decisions and all of them kept moving forward regardless, the majority of us would have been hitting the ceiling if they failed to listen to them but we want to give the Governor and his UK Officials a free pass. It is time to end dictatorships of any kind. It is time to end colonialism. It is time to end the two orders in council or any order in council and their attempt at direct rule. It is WRONG! It is anti democratic. We have to come together to stop this wicked act.

    • @rattie (14/01/2023, 23:28) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
      Premier please go and come back with this information where the Governor must be made to make public what did he write in his document to the UK to get the Parliament in UK and the Privy Council to issue the Order in Council. Also ask him the same thing about the financial services with public registry where he has another pending order in council to force down our throats. Those two pieces of information and everything related to them needs to be made public. I am sure that in both it will reveal that the facts were massaged to fit their devious purpose. The people of the BVI need to know what was in those documents sent by the Governor so that they can have a fair and transparent opportunity to defend themselves. In a time of when the Governor and UK is calling for transparency, they have acted under a cloud of secrecy and deceit. This information must be known & known now. They should have no reason to keep this information private while they are using it to act publicly. This is our only hope of trying to put an end to these high handed actions.
  • Judas (14/01/2023, 11:36) Like (11) Dislike (17) Reply
    When is he gonna go up to Miami to look for Fahie?
  • What Next (14/01/2023, 11:42) Like (7) Dislike (5) Reply
    So are gou going to beg to have a elecfion
    • @What next (14/01/2023, 23:32) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      The UK needs to justify to the international world why they need to implement the two Orders of Council and they have full control of the police force by design with a full senior part of it being persons from the UK. This is their so called transparent vehicle being used to drive them towards fulfilling their goal of the take over for the money in financial services and other areas. It is not about we the people like some of us think. We need to rebel as a people against these colonial actions.
  • Agreeable One (14/01/2023, 11:49) Like (11) Dislike (2) Reply
    This is very concerning. Who is accompanying the premier on this trip, who are the persons with the expertise in those areas that will accompany our rookie premier? Before the COI the uk had the handle and we had the blade, after the COI the uk holding the whole bloody knife. Is our Premier compromised because of our position why we the people are not hearing more from him? The uk is an old rat in this game. Not liking the look of this at all.
    • NezRez (14/01/2023, 18:02) Like (8) Dislike (3) Reply
      I hope he is taking Allen Wheatley with him to give him advice so he doesn't look like a Moo Moo when he can't answer all of the questions.
  • 2023 (14/01/2023, 11:56) Like (24) Dislike (1) Reply
    one minute there are issues with Great Britain then another minute we on jet holding talks

    that airplane money) could have done to fix the potholes throughout the territory

    hold the meeting via zoom
  • Delegation (14/01/2023, 12:08) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
    Who are the members of the delegation. Honestly speaking if you are the best that we have to lead the delegation then we know that you have nothing positive to report when you return.
    • Dictator (15/01/2023, 20:21) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Ask Benito Wheatley who he picked to go. All his female informants who keep him one step ahead for his agenda and personal gains.
  • Hmm (14/01/2023, 12:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Let the show begin.
  • DON Q (14/01/2023, 13:01) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    Not impress with that delegation a set of mo mo including the weak premier and FS
    • 2023 (14/01/2023, 15:45) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      Hon Don Q…..
      so the set of them need to be sent home and replaced by another 13/ just asking for two friends
  • 1 man gang (14/01/2023, 14:00) Like (23) Dislike (2) Reply
    ONLY TAKES ADVICE FROM HIS BROTHER....NOW I SEE WHERE ALLEN IS COMING FROM
  • Bring UK here. (14/01/2023, 14:53) Like (17) Dislike (1) Reply
    I would prefer we bring them here and have more people engaged... We are at a very serious stage of our destiny...Have a lot of our caring brightest get a bite at the apple..
  • omg (14/01/2023, 17:22) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    After selling us out what can the slow man tell the uk?
  • Winky (14/01/2023, 21:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Little boys running this place
  • COI recommendations (14/01/2023, 23:43) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    This whole process is totally unreasonable and set up to make us fail. The time frame for implementation is ridiculous. It is intended to dry up our resources under the cloak of good governance but in actuality it really means no more help and progress for the people. The BVI can complete and implement every recommendation from that questionable COI process, and it still will never be enough to satisfy the UK Officials. Also, the BVI cannot afford all these new financial commitments and take care of the real needs of the people. Just wait and see. The reality is the UK Officials want to rule all OTs directly especially financial services, so they can give their friends jobs as the economy in the UK is really bad. If we think we have it bad under elected officials, and our current local public officers, then wait until you are ruled directly by Brits Officials. BVI be careful what you are asking for because you will regret it. The Brits Officials must immediately stop this abuse of power officially in public and private and remove the two Orders in Council FORTHWITH!
  • Racism (14/01/2023, 23:59) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yes, RACISM. The UK Officials and the Governor are persons who are totally Caucasians with a racist origin and mentality to that of any other race other than themselves but they are trained to hide it well. They think all other race are inferior to them and this makes it impossible for them to ever act in any other interest other than theirs. Note their interest and that of our Caribbean race are not in concert and will never be. This is the real problem and this cultural barrier will not be crossed nor eliminated any time soon so expect more dictatorship from them until we decide to untie and fight for our freedom. This is why they can never see the Order in Council or any of their slave mentality actions as wrong and non - democratic. They believe in divide and conquer.
  • time longer dan twine (15/01/2023, 05:37) Like (0) Dislike (8) Reply
    Before these clowns desolve the house he still up and down taking trips.
  • The law verses right & wrong (15/01/2023, 08:13) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    Elected Officials get up and fight for your people. There was a time in America & USA when it was the law that black people could not go certain places in the country and when they were finally allowed to go, there were assigned places for them like in the back of the bus or at the back of the restaurant in a corner. Failure to adhere to these laws they were arrested. This was against the law the whites in authority implemented but it was a crime against mankind & against true democracy. Although some of these laws has changed, the tactics and mentality remains the same. In those days there were blacks telling other blacks not to argue just adhere to the law. Some even said to each other that they (the blacks) caused it on themselves. The Order in Council by the UK Offficials who happen to be all caucasians is saying that no matter what your judiciary, policies, or Constitution says, the UK Officuals has the right to get rid of them and rule the entire country through their Governor in the way they see best by them and claim it is in the best interest of the people but really is in the best interest of them while they attempt to cover up their failures and try to highlight those of everyone else. Just like in the days of old with slavery and segregation, it is legal but against human rights and not democratic. The problem is that they also determine what is democracy and how it should be administered. We agree that there needs to be improvements at all levels but not through dictatorship and fear and the fulfillment of an agenda at the expense of true democracy and the people that can never be in the best interest of the people they want to enslave. As a .after of fact, history has showed that the slave masters were never satisfied with anything those enslaved did as it is hard and down right impossible to negotiate with devil like mentality persons.
  • Research (15/01/2023, 09:26) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Do all of you who have the UK as saviors know that crime is so bad in the UK that in certain areas when crime is committed they do not bother to report it as the police does not have the resources to deal with it. Do you know that many chief of police in the UK are crying out to these same UK officials for money and resources as their budgets are being cut and crime is rising out of control. Why do you all think they have our best interest at heart.
  • resident (15/01/2023, 10:13) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    enjoy these trips on our dime, they will probably be your last
  • We seek balance (15/01/2023, 13:46) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Premier seek balance in the UK and at all times. Any country that has any leader above the law and instead have them being the law is a country under a dictatorship. Currently the President of America and former President have to answer questions about concerns raised about their questionable actions. The system and not "a one man" or "a small group of senior public Officers" will determine the process and outcome. However in the 21st century the Governor of the UK is above the law and will become the law by suspending a constitution and run a country how they see fit through two orders in council. This is dictatorship. In the 21st century when the Governor alone can call a COI & determine the terms of reference and the Commissioner for the COI and the staff is dictatorship. To add insult to injury that no one can call a COI on him or have him looked into as he alone is over the police force and audit and he alone can call a COI. THIS IS DICTATORSHIP!!! In the 21st century when a Governor can fail the police force especially in terms of development of the human capital & fail the public service but have these and more failures and questionable actions covered up by high handed actions geared at showing the apparent failure of others is not democracy but dictatorship. If the president of the USA is allowed to be held accountable by the law and the people then so can the Governor and the those UK senior public Officials over the Governor. Let us stop letting them play games with our minds and our future. It is time for balance. It is time for fairness. It is time to eliminate this kind of double standards. There should not be any discrepancy between how leaders are handled by the law and the judiciary and audit and the overall system.
    • @ We seek balance (16/01/2023, 14:06) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Understood, but even if this was the case and the governor did break the law, it would take our justice system years to bring him to trail. The system is extremely Thirdworld compared to many nations. We need better governing structures, checks and balances, and strategic planning. Examples #2 and 3 our immigration and labour structure are a mess, and we all know it.


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