Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn has accused Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley of moving too quickly toward independence without the backing of the people of the Virgin Islands.
Mr. Walwyn expressed concern last week that Mr. Wheatley had not properly consulted voters before recently ratcheting up his rhetoric on the possibility of splitting from the United Kingdom.
The remarks came after Mr. Wheatley used an Oct. 7 address to the United Nations General Assembly’s Fourth Committee to “welcome” a UN mission’s recent call for a “timetable for independence” for the territory.
Mr. Walwyn suggested the premier’s comments amounted to political arrogance.
“Any move toward independence must be rooted in the will of the people, not the personal convictions of a few,” he said last Thursday during an opposition press conference.
Mr. Walwyn also rebuked the premier for not holding wider discussions on the situation before delivering his speech at the UN.
“The premier’s decision to pursue discussions at this level without first addressing and properly consulting the people or seeking a clear mandate is a direct affront to the very principle of self-determination,” he said.
Mr. Walwyn added that Mr. Wheatley’s move “undermines the very principles of representative government.”
Conflating terms
He also accused the premier of confusing voters by using the terms “self-determination” and “independence” interchangeably.
“By conflating the two, the government is misleading the public and undermining the very principle of choice that self-determination stands for,” he said.
Mr. Walwyn warned against the government assuming consent for its actions in such an emotive aspect of policy when it had not been expressly given by the public.
Meanwhile, he urged Virgin Islanders and belongers to “remain vigilant” about the situation.
The opposition leader also called for public education on the future possibilities for the territory’s constitutional arrangements — which he said could include a sovereignty association agreement with London.
“The premier has yet to make a national address on the issue of self-determination,” he added.
UN statement
During the premier’s brief UN statement, he did not explicitly call for independence, but he did discuss the government’s ongoing push for more autonomy in looming constitutional negotiations with the UK.
He also praised the UN’s Special Committee on Decolonisation for sending a fact-finding mission to the territory in August 2024 and subsequently issuing a study on its findings.
“The report made clear the British Virgin Islands is ready for a change of political status to achieve a full measure of self-government,” Mr. Wheatley said at the UN. “My government welcomes the findings and recommendations of the report, which calls for, among other things, an education programme on self-determination, full internal self-government, and a timetable for independence.”
Referendum
The premier also called for a date for a referendum on the way forward.
“The primary constitutional advancement my government is seeking is full internal self-government,” he said. “This will require the UK devolving to the elected arm of government constitutional responsibilities currently held by the UK-appointed governor — including internal security, the public service, administration of the courts, and external affairs. It would also include the premier chairing Cabinet as the head of government, as well as a fixed future date for a referendum on change of political status.”
Press conference coming
Asked to comment on Mr. Walwyn’s recent remarks, the premier said he will address them at his next press conference, which has not yet been scheduled.
