Deputy Premier and Minister for Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change, Hon Julian Fraser, RA (R3), has defended Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) from disrespectful comments in the House of Assembly on December 17, 2025. Photo: YouTube/HoA

Opposition Leader Hon Myron V. Walwyn (R6) has been warned against disrespecting Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7). Photo: Youtube/HoA

Premier and Miniser of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) during the December 17, 2025, sitting of the House of Assembly. Photo: YouTube/HoA

During the Continuation of the Twelfth Sitting of the Second Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA) on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, Hon Fraser said, “I sit here, and I watch the Leader of the Opposition disrespect our premier; he belittles him, he says things about him that I don’t think is becoming of this House.”

Hon Fraser added that he keeps warning his colleagues in the HoA to be careful with what they say, as it is a “new dawn” and the ways of the past cannot continue. 

“It’s not the old days, when you get up in this House and say anything we want, because we got so many pieces of legislation governing us since the CoI came into being that you have to be careful.”

The Premier shouldn’t accept disrespect

“You continuously refer to the Premier, Madam Speaker, as a party premier. I don’t know what that means,” Hon Fraser said, continuing, “I don’t know if it means that you’re not supposed to have fun anymore in life, because if you do, you get labelled, and it’s supposed to be a derogatory term.”

He added that the Premier celebrates successes in the Virgin Islands (VI) and he is ridiculed for it, using the celebrations surrounding American Airlines’ and the UberSoca Cruise’s inaugural calls to the country as examples. 

“I want the premier to know that he should not get weary…don’t be afraid to do what you have to do to run the country, you’re the premier for Christ’s sake and don’t have people disrespect you all the time wherever you go, you have to put a stop to it. If it becomes a war, so be it.”

Hon Fraser added that the disrespect towards the Premier is “unnecessary” and “unwarranted” and all that is being asked for is “courtesy” and “common decency”. 

“Don’t get me wrong, Madam Speaker, Julian Fraser of a few years ago would not mind, but this is not becoming of our Territory, not anymore.”

The controversial Hon Walwyn, who wants to be the next Premier of the Virgin Islands despite being rejected by the people in his first bid in 2019, has always had a reputation for being disrespectful to colleagues in the House of Assembly and using his immunity in the House to go after members of the public he had issues with.