Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has come under criticism following remarks that the territory would not accept free movement of Caribbean nationals if granted full membership in the Caribbean Community.
Speaking at the 50th regular CARICOM summit in St Kitts and Nevis, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said the British Virgin Islands “will not allow the free movement of Caribbean nationals if it is accepted as a full member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping”.
He told the Caribbean Media Corporation that the BVI is seeking to advance its application for full membership, noting that “there is a process that has to be undertaken. The process has begun”. He added that discussions with senior CARICOM Secretariat officials have been progressing and that “thus far things have been going very well…and we expect to see a good outcome very soon”.
However, Dr Wheatley made clear that freedom of movement under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy would not form part of the territory’s participation. “Freedom of movement will be one of the areas that we will not sign up to,” he said.
He explained that the BVI’s constitutional position as a British Overseas Territory limits its authority in certain areas. “Because we are not an independent sovereign country, freedom of movement, security, and certain aspects of foreign policy are not within our gift to be able to make decisions on within the Community,” Dr Wheatley said.
The Premier also referenced resource constraints, stating that the territory must ensure it is not overwhelmed. While expressing ideological support for integration, he said the BVI has “finite and limited resources” and noted that over 70 per cent of the workforce is already from outside the territory.
The comments triggered criticism on social media, where several Facebook users questioned the consistency of seeking deeper regional integration while rejecting a core component of the CARICOM framework. Some commenters argued that free movement is central to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, while others contended that the Premier’s position could weaken the territory’s case for full membership.
Dr Wheatley has maintained that full membership for the BVI “will look different than it looks for an independent sovereign country”, citing the territory’s constitutional arrangements with the United Kingdom. He has also indicated that a similar position would apply in relation to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.
The BVI is among several British Overseas Territories seeking to advance their status within CARICOM. Montserrat remains the only Associated State with full membership in the grouping.
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