The political climate in the Virgin Islands is set to intensify as the Leader of the Opposition, Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton, prepares to move a motion of no confidence against Premier Dr. Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley.
The motion, detailed in the Order Paper for the Nineteenth sitting of the House of Assembly scheduled for Tuesday, September 3rd, reflects deep concerns within the Opposition regarding the Premier’s leadership and governance.
The motion criticizes Premier Wheatley’s management since the formation of his government in April 2023, highlighting what the Opposition describes as a “bleak economic outlook” and a “rapidly declining quality of life” for the people of the Virgin Islands. The Order Paper states that there is a significant “lack of public confidence” in the Premier’s leadership, which the Opposition attributes to several missteps and failures in governance.
A central point of contention is the Premier’s recent admission in the House of Assembly of a $20 million underestimation in the cost of salary increases for public officials, a financial oversight that the Opposition argues will place an undue burden on the Territory’s resources. This financial blunder is cited as a critical example of what the Opposition describes as the Premier’s “sheer incompetence” in managing the Territory’s affairs.
Further criticisms include the Premier’s failure to produce an economic plan for the Territory, despite repeated requests from Opposition members. The motion also references a litany of other grievances, including the lack of inward investment, an absent tourism plan, the stalled development of the Prospect Reef Hotel, and what is described as the continuous squandering of public resources.
Additional areas of concern raised by the Opposition encompass underfunding in the education sector, insufficient government support for small and medium businesses, neglect of the agriculture industry, and the failure to implement necessary mechanisms to support a recent minimum wage increase. The motion also condemns the state of public infrastructure, rising crime rates, and the “filthy physical state” of the Territory.
The Opposition also expressed discontent with the Premier’s governance approach, citing his “willful disregard” for the Virgin Islands Festivals and Fairs Committee Act of 2005, his narrative on decolonization, and the lack of public consultation prior to accepting the conditions of the Commission of Inquiry (COI). The motion argues that these actions demonstrate a disregard for the principles of good governance, accountability, and transparency.
In concluding their motion, the Opposition called for the dissolution of the Fifth House of Assembly, urging that the people of the Virgin Islands be allowed to return to the polls to elect a government in which they can place their confidence.