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Tuesday, October 29, 2024 is Budget Day!

Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), during an interview on JTV on October 14, 2024, said he will present the 2025 Budget Speech on October 29, 2024. Photo: Facebook
The tourism numbers for the 3rd quarter of 2024 are in and it is ‘the second best performance as it pertains to incoming visitors’, Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has said. Photo: Team of Reporters
The tourism numbers for the 3rd quarter of 2024 are in and it is ‘the second best performance as it pertains to incoming visitors’, Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has said. Photo: Team of Reporters
FISH BAY, Tortola, VI- Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) will read his third Budget Address to the nation as Minister of Finance later this month, one of the earliest budget presentations by the government.

This was announced by Premier Wheatley during an interview with JTV’s Cathy O. Richards on October 14, 2024. Dr Wheatley was at the time justifying investing in tourism, including entertainment tourism.

“I will be presenting the budget speech on October 29th and you are going to hear me quote the money that has come in [from tourism], overnight guests are up, day trippers are up, and especially from the first quarter of this year, cruise passengers are up,” Dr Wheatley stated.

The budget figures and theme of his 2025 Budget are unknown at this time.

Tourism success

Dr Wheatley said the tourism numbers for the 3rd quarter of 2024 are in and it is “the second best performance as it pertains to incoming visitors. Through nine months. From January to September, the second-best performance in the history of the Virgin Islands. That is something to be happy about.”

Dr Wheatley said some people may not understand or be able to appreciate how visitors to the Virgin Islands contribute to the economy, “and to the same things that they are concerned about”; however, he is privy to the numbers.

13 Responses to “Tuesday, October 29, 2024 is Budget Day!”

  • Tax deh rich (15/10/2024, 12:34) Like (16) Dislike (1) Reply
    Watch tax money waste on unnecessary non urgent things buddeh
    • Tell us about the Port.. (16/10/2024, 06:27) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Mr. Premier I realized no one talks about the Port income, expenditure and profit...The Port in high peak Tourist season from November 15th to April 15th From Cruise ship alone at 2 ships per day bringing Minimum of 7000 PGRs a day for 5 days minimum some days they are more @ $15 per head. Do the maths we are looking at 100s of millions, to add ships continue coming through out the Yr. Say all this to say this. Port should take on the responsibility of keep the BVI public beaches and public Roads safe, comfortable and clean, they have more than enough money for that..
  • DID YOU FIND IT? (15/10/2024, 13:17) Like (25) Dislike (0) Reply
    The missing $20 million United States Dollars you 'misplaced' or the $220,000 you donated to the Vybz Kartel?

    Meanwhile, the country is falling apart:

    - Potholed roads,
    - Drug killings & crimes
    - Bankrupt NHI
    - Education to lowest levels in years
    - Healthcare not available or not working
    - Infrastructure crumbling
  • He couldn’t look after (15/10/2024, 14:53) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    A Budgie let alone a country’s budget
  • labor dept (15/10/2024, 17:41) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    You should cut the Labor Deptment budget because Mr. Hastings is just wasteing your Money every Day. They cant even manage to answer their phones that we pay for. He shoud be ashamed of his current actions
    • @Labour dept. Fact. (16/10/2024, 06:11) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      Not Just Labour dept. Across the Board. I once work for who some people will consider one of the business man in the BVI. The late great, 'Peter Haycraft' he always preached in every staff meeting, middle management needs to improve, effective middle management is the key to the company success, he holds them accountable,. He always stressed if staff have ideas or suggestion that will make the company better or issues that holding the company back, keep saying it, when you tired talking shoot him a stating the ideas and all who was spoken to about it..Look what he built today..You have to hold managers accountable and managers have to hold supervisors accountable and Supervisors have to hold workers accountable, base on policies and best practices that is how you improve the broken, slow, or inefficient system that the Premier kept referring to.
  • lmao (15/10/2024, 20:26) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Wowwwww, Mr. Premier no joke, no matter who is in your side, who is defending you, looks like you are headed out of office before your term is up. People is pissed and angry with you. I’m still trying to figure out why would anyone in their right mind especially a leader that was hesitant about something and got roped into the exact thing he was hesitant about. Why would you Mr.Premier allow a promoter to bamboozle you out of the taxpayers purse like that.
  • Budget Day (15/10/2024, 22:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    That money isn't spending before next year.
  • Wishful Thinking (16/10/2024, 03:14) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    NOT if the no confidence vote goes through.
  • just (16/10/2024, 08:08) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ask YOLO to return our monies that he hoodwinked you out of. Shame on you Premier
  • joke of the day (16/10/2024, 10:06) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hey Mr.Premier, I just found out that I can purchase the Brooklyn Bridge for one million, move the bridge to the BVI, connect the bridge from the BVI to St.Thomas. You are hesitant but you still went ahead and give me the money out of the taxpayers pockets. Steve got the money and he threw you under the bus. He said on the interview YOU WERE HESITANT BECAUSE YOU WERE AFRAID OF THE PUBLIC BACKLASH. Well you are getting it now on every level from the public. I am going to say it, THAT CONCERT IS NOT GOING TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT IS HYPED UP TO BE.
  • taxpayer (16/10/2024, 11:36) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    How are you still minister of finance after losing/misplacing 20 million dollars?
    How is this possible?
    Why were you not fired immediately?
    Where did that money go?
  • One thing I know (16/10/2024, 12:30) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    I WILL NEVER USE YOLO TO PROMOTE ANY EVENT FOR ME.


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