(L-R) Acting Director of Communications, Mr Kareem-Nelson Hull and Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7). Photo: Facebook

The State of the Territory Address is scheduled for 4:00 PM today, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 4:00 PM at the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park. Photo: Government of the Virgin Islands

The extension to the runway at the Terrence D. Lettsome International Airport will be addressed during the State of the Territory Address on June 9, 2026. Photo: VINO/File

Speaking ahead of the address later today, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 4:00 PM at the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park, Dr Wheatley said, “It’s going to be excellent to update the people of the Virgin Islands on all the marvellous progress that we’ve made in recent years. I mean, we’ve had a difficult time; we’ve had COI, we’ve had pandemic; we’ve had hurricane recovery, but despite all of these challenges, we’ve been able to move the Virgin Islands forward in very significant ways, and I’m extremely excited to explain that to the public.”

Territory-wide approach 

The Premier explained that while he has constantly been coming to the public via press conferences and statements, those are very specific and the State of the Territory Address will take on a “holistic, territory-wide approach”.

“Persons want to know what’s this journey about, what’s the vision is, where we’re going. So we’re going to tell them interesting things.”

Among matters to be addressed during the State of the Territory Address are the airport expansion, the Enid Scatcliffe Primary School, Prospect Reef, the Tourism Plan, the Ponce Health Sciences Medical School, and the work being done to bring a sewerage system online in the east of the island. 

“There’s so much things to update persons on,” Premier Wheatley said. 

First-time announcements

The Premier also confirmed that the State of the Territory Address will highlight a few things for the very first time. “We have some stuff, I haven’t mentioned them here, but some exciting things that we’re going to announce in the address as well,” he said to Acting Director of Communications, Mr Kareem-Nelson Hull. 

With that said, he encouraged people to tune in to hear more. 

The State of the Territory Address was written by the Premier himself, explaining, “This speech is so important. I wanted to ensure that I was intricately involved in all the details because I would’t get another opportunity to give this State of the Territory Address in 2026, so we have to ensure it is absolutely right.”

The Premier acknowledged having an “excellent team” supporting him but said when it comes to something “very big, very significant”, he ensures it is his voice, language used to make the points at this particular time. 

A speech that pulls people together

Another major theme in the address will be unity. 

“Unity is extremely important across the territory, and of course we’re engaging in the constitutional negotiations. This is about a generation, this is about a people, this is about one aim, one destiny. So this speech is going to be a speech that pulls persons together, that’s going to unify persons and propel them forward.”