Premier Wheatley tells UK House of Lords about VI’s challenges
Premier Wheatley virtually participated in the House of Lords Constitution Committee session on the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) Joint Declaration (2023) on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
Addressing the question, ‘What are the key issues facing your territory?’ Premier Wheatley said the Virgin Islands faces challenges similar to those faced by other Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
No access to important climate change funds
“We have the challenge of climate change. In 2017, we were devastated by two category 5 hurricanes, and as we know, our countries contribute very little to the greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to this challenge, but we are on the frontlines of the impacts, the negative impacts.”
Hurricanes Irma and Maria wiped out two to three times the VI’s GDP, amounting to over $3 billion. That, he said, set the VI back, and recovery is still ongoing.
“We don’t have access to the green funds from the United Nations, we don’t have access to the mitigation fund or the adaptation fund or the loss and damage fund, so we have to depend on loans to be able to rebuild our infrastructure.”
As a UKOT, the Virgin Islands is not recognised as a sovereign state by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is therefore ineligible for major international mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Adaptation Fund.
“We believe that the world can do more, especially those nations which contribute heavily to the challenge of climate change, can do more for those who are in a vulnerable state.”
Trade instability
Premier Wheatley also highlighted the “great trade instability” the world is currently facing with tariffs and threats of tariffs. describing it as
“We import just about everything that we consume, and so when this trade instability takes place, it can create great inflation in the Virgin Islands, causing rising prices, rising costs.”
The Virgin Islands is also facing the challenge of ensuring a stable and prosperous economy is maintained.
He said just like the Turks and Caicos Islands, the VI too is self-sufficient and does not rely on the United Kingdom for aid.
“We have not [been] granted aid from the United Kingdom since about 1978. We’ve been able to build an economy that’s been able to take care of the needs of our people, but of course, we ever have to remain competitive to be able to produce the revenues necessary to be able to take care of the needs of our people.”
Continued growth, development & evolution
Prmeier Wheatley concluded his contribution, reminding the committee that the VI recently underwent governance reform that they are “extremely proud” of.
“It’s the greatest governance reform in the history of the Virgin Islands where we amended laws, policies and of course we have overhauled administrative processes to ensure that we are able to deliver government services for our people in a way that reflects good governance, in a way that’s transparent, in a way that’s accountable, and in a way that shows respect for the rule of law.”
As it relates to constitutional reform, Dr Wheatley said the VI has been on a journey increasing its autonomy since the restoration of the Parliament in 1950.
“We want to continue growing and developing and evolving and becoming an even greater part of the Virgin Islands story and our destiny.”
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