Dr June M. Samuel not among 104 applicants for BVISHA CEO post- Health Minister
During an appearance on Talking Points on Monday, May 11, 2026, on ZBVI 780 AM, the Health Minister stated that negotiations with the selected individual are in their final stages.
Over 100 applicants
Hon Wheatley noted that the BVIHSA received 104 applications for the position; however, the current CEO, Dr June M. Samuel, did not apply for the role. “We had over 104 applicants, but they got it down to about four. Then they started negotiating with those four, and they finally settled on one,” he stated.
Dr June M. Samuel has served as Acting CEO for several years following the departure of former CEO Dr Ronald E. Georges.
Commentator Claude O. Skelton-Cline recently called on the people of the Virgin Islands (VI) to ask the government why Dr Samuel, whom he called “one of ours”, "was not approved for the position even after acting for four years.
Appointment soon
Many residents of the Virgin Islands have questioned the delay in the appointment of the new CEO; however, Minister Wheatley assured that an agreement for the new CEO is nearing completion, and he is hopeful that the individual can come on board as soon as possible.
In March 2026, an article by our news centre indicated that Trinidadian Dr William Dexter James had recently been recommended for the position by the BVIHSA board. Dr James served as CEO of the Dominica China Friendship Hospital from January 2021 until his resignation in July 2022. While the Health Minister did not reveal the identity of the new CEO, he confirmed that a candidate has been selected.
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18 Responses to “Dr June M. Samuel not among 104 applicants for BVISHA CEO post- Health Minister”
, for senior positions in the country? Is this about self-discrimination, self-hatred, etc. Don’t other countries look out for their own? Is the BVI the exception ? Is distrust, disunity, crap in the barrel , etc, Road Town, Belle Vue. Dr- Hon Premier Wheatley this is not a good look? Geh ah fix. Stop the delay, procrastination, etc, in decision making, It projects weakness, although delay sometimes is a solution.
YOU ARE ALL CLOWNS HAHAHAH
DO YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHAT IS A “RED FLAG”?
Competency is DIFFERENT FROM BEING NICE
A person might be polite and kind BUT DOESNT MEAN COMPETENT
Lives are at stake. We need competent NOT NICE
How easy you forget?
Demographic Correlation & Executive Workforce Distribution
The socio-economic dynamics in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) present a mathematically complex scenario. The sentiment that indigenous Virgin Islanders (Belongers) should lead organizations in their own country is a valid aspiration tied to self-determination. However, examining the raw demographics, the size of the BVI’s global economy, and the distribution of the labor force reveals a strict mathematical reality: there are not enough indigenous Virgin Islanders to fill every senior role in the country.
1. The Demographic Snapshot
To understand the imbalance, we must analyze the population statistics of this globally significant financial hub.
Total Population: Approximately 40,000.
Indigenous/Belonger Population: Roughly 30% of the total population (approx. 12,000 people).
Expatriate Population: Roughly 70% of the total population (approx. 28,000 people).
According to labor data, more than 70% of the active labor force in the BVI consists of non-nationals.
2. Sector Distribution: Government vs. Private Sector
The divide between the public and private sectors significantly restricts the available talent pool for private enterprise.
The Government / Public Sector: The BVI Government is the largest single employer of indigenous Virgin Islanders. Statutory boards and government agencies heavily prioritize hiring locals. Consequently, a massive percentage of the educated, highly driven BVIslander workforce is absorbed by the public sector.
The Private Sector: The BVI features an outsized private sector driven by Financial Services and Tourism. Because the government absorbs so much of the local talent pool, the private sector is mathematically forced to import labor to operate at a global scale.
3. Business Ownership Dynamics
Under the BVI Trade Commission Act, protective measures ensure that certain local businesses (retail, transportation) remain wholly or majority-owned by Belongers. However, the BVI is home to over 350,000 registered active offshore companies. The physical firms managing these entities require a global talent pool that far exceeds the local population size.
4. The Mathematical Correlation of Senior Roles
This section demonstrates mathematically why it is statistically unbalanced to expect BVIslanders to run every senior role.
Let’s define the variables for the BVI economy:
Let P be the total population (≈ 40,000).
Let L_total be the active labor force (≈ 25,000).
Let L_local be the indigenous labor force, which is 30% of L_total (≈ 7,500).
In any economy, only a specific percentage of the workforce has the requisite experience and drive to occupy Senior Executive Roles. Let's estimate this highly qualified tier at 15%.
To find the total number of indigenous Virgin Islanders available for senior roles (S_local):
S_local = L_local × 0.15
S_local = 7,500 × 0.15 = 1,125 candidates
Now, let's look at demand. The BVI requires senior leadership for a large government infrastructure, statutory bodies, tourism resorts, and a tier-one financial center. Let D_senior be the total demand for senior roles, conservatively estimated at 3,500.
Subtracting the available local senior talent from the total required roles yields the deficit (Δ):
Δ = D_senior - S_local
Δ = 3,500 - 1,125 = 2,375 vacant senior roles
Summary Conclusion
Even if every single highly driven, qualified Virgin Islander (1,125 people) was placed in a senior role, there would still be 2,375 senior positions left empty. Furthermore, a huge portion of those 1,125 locals are already serving as Permanent Secretaries, Directors, and Ministers in government, leaving an even smaller fraction for the private sector.
The imbalance is purely a result of macroeconomics and population scale. The BVI has built an economic engine the size of a V8 motor, but it operates with the indigenous population size of a motorcycle. To keep the engine running, importing the remaining fuel (expat labor and management) is a mathematical necessity.
With the above being the case or a factor/s....consider the sentiment that people should not come here and take top roles( despite their experience in bigger, more advanced operating theatres etc...or that Virgin Islanders cant go and take up top roles elsewhere ( absolute boofoonery)...how do you suppose these locals will get or have gotten the requisite experience to manage these roles to which their supporters want them to fill? They all have the right mettle and track record and competence and experience gained right here in this little puddle of a place? Please help me here.