'We have done better when looking after ourselves'- E. Benito Wheatley
In a YouTube post titled “In 2025, Does BVI’s 75 Years of Looking After Itself Matter?”, Wheatley remarks, “We have gone through, I believe, three constitutions to get us from where we were, with no executive authority, to now having agreed upon the responsibilities for our affairs.”
It hasn't always been perfect
He added, “With each step of our constitutional journey, we have made more progress. It hasn’t always been perfect, and there have been some bumps in the road, but on balance, we have done better when looking after ourselves versus previously, when others look after us, and things did not work out so well.
The Special Envoy concluded by stating, “We must strive to be politically, economically, and socially empowered to take care of ourselves.”
Optimism
Despite the challenges, he remains optimistic about the future, saying, “We look forward to another 75 years of progress in our legislature, as well as economically, socially, and politically.”
_04.gif)
_03.gif)
Follow Us On
21 Responses to “'We have done better when looking after ourselves'- E. Benito Wheatley”
Who looking after the people of the VI?
Independence???? Look how well you will do for yourselves when the people do not have the protection of the UK.
The Commission of Inquiry didn’t describe a few bumps in the road – it exposed years of corruption, cronyism, missing audits, abuse of public funds and a political class that treats the state like a private club.
On the ground, people see dangerous roads, broken infrastructure, sky-high groceries, weak law enforcement and a government that still can’t even produce timely audited accounts. That is not “progress” – it is failure.
If you want to talk honestly about political, economic and social empowerment, start by admitting how badly the system has been mismanaged and what concrete steps will fix it. Until then, your anniversary speeches are just that: spin.
Our roads are a disgrace — potholes, collapsing edges, blocked drains, landslides left half-fixed and “repairs” that disappear with the first heavy rain.
The cost of living is out of control, with groceries increasingly unaffordable in a place that advertises itself as a successful financial centre. The budget is constantly described as tight and vulnerable, which is just a polite way of saying there is little control and even less buffer. Meanwhile, corruption, fraud, money laundering, drug trafficking and organised crime remain part of daily reality, not some abstract “reputational risk”.
In that context, talk about moving too slowly toward more autonomy or independence sounds hollow. It looks like changing the label while ignoring failures everyone can see.
If we are serious about increased autonomy, government should first prove it can:
- Produce accurate, audited accounts on time every year.
- Build and maintain safe, durable roads and core infrastructure.
- Reduce cost-of-living pressure with real, measurable results.
- Enforce the law properly and confront corruption and the drug trade.
- Run public finances in a disciplined, transparent, sustainable way.
Until those basics are under control, pushing independence isn’t visionary leadership — it’s avoidance.
Moreover, I don’t subscribe to the theory that government can operate wholly like a business. Businesses can target, select, etc, the customers they want to serve; government, on the other hand, has to serve the whole community, maximizing available resources to deliver the most/best services to the most people. Businesses cycle through a lifecycle of birth, growth, maturity , peak, failure, recovery(?), reorganization, and death. To survive at the peak level , businesses must stay on the leading edge of change and adapt to be competitive. Government similarly, in this instance, resembles and behaves as businesses, ie, anticipating, staying on the leading edge, operating on the tip of the spear, adjusting, adapting nimbly, seamlessly, etc., to change, ie, growth, etc. Further, the next 75 years will require strong leadership and management, effective planning, organizing, directing, controlling, replanning, unity, etc, to chart a new course/ direction. Significant effort, foresight,planning, etc, are needed for businesses, and for government to stay at the peak. Government can let its guard down on change, adapting, etc. Has the VI depleted the dividends earned during the past 75 years?
Dependency and political patronage seems to be a culture in the BVI. Going forward, these practices must be streamlined. What is the trepidation Virgin Islanders have of pursuing independence or other self-determination options, ie, free association, integration, etc. Here is a news flash..There is no perfect economic or political status the BVI have to safely drive it into the next self-determination. Any leapt the BVI take will have inherent risks. If the BVI is waiting for a perfect situation, it will remain forever under the UK’s rule. The BVI must be bold, taking sensible risks. The BVI and its people must commit to good governance, adhering to the rule, smart planning, organizing, etc., and let her tip. It is ride or die. It is time to shed the dependency chains. The conditioning dependency from slavery, colonialism,,etc, seems to a vice grip hold on the BVI people, especially among the older generations. The push forward is for younger, current generations and for generations yet unborn. Let’s be SMART(Specific Measurable, Attainable, Realistic , Timely). Ne Timeas -Latin for not being afraid.