On Tuesday evening the Leader of Government Business delivered his State of the Territory Address under the theme, “Keep moving forward.”
It was the Premier’s moment to report to the people about his stewardship on their behalf.
The Premier was clear that “progress is a journey,” and we know that BVI had been on that journey since the Legislative Council was restored on 20 November 1950.
The next BVI Constitution Order followed in 1967 after Mary Macdonald Proudfoot filed her Constitutional Commissioner Report subsequent to her 1965 visit to the Territory.
It contained an economic projection that suggested the BVI would never make it as anything greater than a conservation outpost; A bird sanctuary.
We have since proven Ms Proudfoot wrong. For our people have carried an indomitable spirit for progress and success that could never yield to that type of brow beating.
Nevertheless, some things in the Territory must be sacred cows and the constitution is one of them. It should never be subject to partisan politics.
We were told on Tuesday by the event’s Chairman that Chief Minister Smith started the State of the Territory Address.
But many were in the room when Leader of the Opposition, O’Neal, told the British in the context of the 2007 Constitution Negotiations that he was not interested in the State of the Territory Address;
That he wanted the (Legislative) Council to be prorogued and HE the Governor, instead, to bring the Speech from the Throne.
Our shock and disappointment knew no bounds.
We applaud Premier Wheatley for recognizing that a dialogue with his people is imperative and, in fact, is the foundation upon which democracy is built.
We remain concerned that Premier Wheatley is frustrated with ‘a challenging external environment’ that threatens his efforts in laying the foundation for the social and economic advancement of the Virgin Islands.
He never mentions, however, that we have contributed to those challenges but he continues with his, almost clandestine, quest for self-determination by which we know he means independence.
Perhaps he believes that independence alone will resolve all our difficulties.
We wonder if he realizes that we are apprehensive about putting an independent BVI in the hands of the 13?
We lose sleep wondering whether the independence of 60 square miles is the best way forward when, the third largest economy in the world (137,847 square miles) found it necessary to be part of a union.
But the Premier does not discuss the options with us and seems unwilling to lay out the costs, obligations, and responsibilities of independence so that we may hold an informed view.
So, we remain woefully ignorant on a subject that impacts us all, deeply.
Of course, someone for whom we have not voted continues to run around the halls of the UN, in the Special Committee on Decolonization, without our mandate but making demands in our name.
That he is doing some important work makes this callous disregard for the people of the Territory no less scandalous.
For if, as a dependent territory, 28 April 2022 happened with mute response from the 13; And if we are so readily sidelined when other ‘territory defining’ activities are taking place; What can we expect in an independent BVI with no one to call us to account and a frightened electorate?
We must carefully consider our history. History ignored sets the stage for history to be repeated.
So, until Premier Wheatley internalizes that, he will continue to skid on the steep and rugged road of his deepest aspiration.
And like Moses, he may be allowed to see his ‘promised land’ but permission to enter will be denied unless the intent is that an ‘ism’ or ‘schism’ eclipses democracy in the Territory.
And only then will he recall the words spoken by Polonius to his son Laertes (Hamlet);
"This above all—to thine own self be true; / And it must follow, as the night the day, / Thou canst not then be false to any man."
But our hearts swelled with pride to hear that under the masthead of the main economic pillar of the Territory, BVI is experiencing one of the strongest periods of tourism performance in its history.
Over the last three years, visitor arrivals have steadily climbed from just under a million in 2023 to more than 1.2 million in 2025. (Cruise tourism accounts for most of the visits.)
The Premier began to unpack those numbers the very next day as he opened his second tourism summit on Peter Island (10-11 June).
It was important to assemble those from all walks of tourism given that it provides livelihood for more than 2/3 of the workforce.
There are many positives in this story including the vision to create and staff a ministry dedicated to tourism issues and a willingness to gather the practitioners to dialogue, consider the challenges, chart the way forward.
We commend the Premier for such forward thinking. It allows for the opportunity to refine the product and maximize its benefits.
BVI is still a goldmine capable of supporting its residents; Its sons and daughters.
It is the duty of all of us to protect her.
Many civilizations have failed because citizens were afraid to talk to their representatives about the trajectory of their country. We should never make that mistake.
Therefore, we admonish you on our Fridays to embrace the advice that Polonius gave to his son.
“To thine own self be true…….”
Happy Friday