Go independent! We have to stop being cowards — Wheatley

Vincent Wheatley

Health Minister Vincent Wheatley has called on the people of the Virgin Islands to shed their fears and start serious discussions on independence.

Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, Wheatley argued that the territory must stop doubting itself and begin planning for self‑determination.

Wheatley drew comparisons to neighbouring Caribbean nations that achieved independence despite starting with fewer resources.

“If you want what they have, then go there. They’re not Overseas Territories that you compare us to. They’re independent countries,” he argued. “We like comparing ourselves to this person eating our food, that person eating our lunch, but they’re independent countries.”

According to the Health Minister, the conversation on independence needs to be happening right now among residents, with a determination of where they want to be in nine years.

“We should be educating our people so they could understand the need for independence,” Wheatley stated. He added, “We gotta stop being cowards and afraid of our own shadows and do what we’re supposed to do.”

Wheatley said that waiting for perfection before taking the step to independence would mean never achieving it. “Some people say we should not go independent unless everything is perfect. There’s no perfection on this side. If any country took that attitude, no country in the Caribbean today would be independent,” he explained.

He tied his call to the territory’s 191st year of emancipation from slavery, noting that the upcoming 200th anniversary in nine years should be a milestone marked by greater autonomy. “We should be trying right now, having a dialogue about where we should be 200 years after the emancipation of slavery,” he argued.

The debate over independence has been a hot topic in the territory in recent years. The constitutional review process, launched after the 2021 Commission of Inquiry, has kept the subject in the spotlight. The inquiry, which described the governance system as seriously flawed, led to reforms that local leaders argue must be strengthened if the territory is to pursue independence. While some residents fear the challenges, others see independence as a natural next step in the BVI’s political journey.

Wheatley warned that running to the governor instead of trusting local leadership weakens the territory’s resolve. “People want everything, but don’t want give up nothing for it,” he said, urging unity and courage.