Businessman and social media influencer Lawrence A. Kirton-Wheatley, aka 'Bunchie', has said he will not be running for Ninth District Representative and believes Anegada and Virgin Gorda should have their own Representatives in the House of Assembly (HoA). Photo: Facebook

Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), right, speaking at the public engagement session on constitutional negotiations at the Jost van Dyke Methodist Church on Thursday, May 28, 2026, opined that District Councils would serve the people of Anegada and Jost van Dyke much better than the Sister Islands having their own representatives in the House of Assembly (HoA). Photo: GIS/Facebook

The Committee of Elected Members of the whole House recently agreed with the Lisa E. Penn-Lettsome Constitutional Review Commission to increase the number of Ministers of Government, but agreed this should be achieved by first increasing the number of elected Members of the House of Assembly (HoA). Photo: GIS/File

The longtime Anegada resident, who hosts a podcast that spotlights various issues affecting the Virgin Islands, made his opinion known in a Facebook post today, Friday, May 29, 2026.

He also used the opportunity to answer questions as to whether he will be seeking to contest the Ninth District seat at the 2027 general elections.

"I’m being asked a lot every day if I’m running for the 9th, so I wanna clear the air. I believe VG should have a representative from VG, and Anegada should have a representative from Anegada. Even without Anegada, VG is the largest district by population. It’s not fair to them to have to share already limited resources with us; they deserve their own.

"And without VG, Anegada would be the largest district by land size. Anegada deserves to have its own representative who lives on the island and its own access to resources. So, as it stands, I do not intend to run for the 9th district in the 2027 elections," Mr Kirton-Wheatley stated.

2 more At Large seats to be added to HoA

The Committee of Elected Members of the whole House recently agreed with the Lisa E. Penn-Lettsome Constitutional Review Commission to increase the number of Ministers of Government, but agreed this should be achieved by first increasing the number of elected Members of the House of Assembly (HoA).

Members further expressly supported the addition of two at-large seats, to be effected by direct amendment to the Constitution (rather than through an electoral boundary review), and agreed that commencement arrangements should allow the additional seats to be contested at the next general election, subject to enactment and commencement of the amendment in time.

The addition of two at-large seats would raise the total number of elected Members of the HoA from thirteen to fifteen.

Many residents during the Constitutional Review believed that one of the two seats should have been a district seat, giving Anegada its own district. For over 30 years, the small population on Anegada has felt neglected and removed from the other residents of the Virgin Islands.

District Council is a better fit for Anegada- Premier Wheatley

Meanwhile, Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), speaking at the public engagement session on constitutional negotiations at the Jost van Dyke Methodist Church on Thursday, May 28, 2026, opined that District Councils would serve the people of Anegada and Jost van Dyke much better than the Sister Islands having their own representatives in the House of Assembly (HoA).

“I think District Councils would work particularly well in places like Jost van Dyke and Anegada because of the remoteness…sometimes you feel neglected and forgotten.”