Fraser Urges Anguilla Premier To Travel
Deputy Premier Julian Fraser urged Anguilla’s Premier Cora Richardson-Hodge to use overseas travel to strengthen her country’s international ties, while warning against overexposure. His remarks at Diplomatic Week 2025 defended the value of diplomatic engagement amid local criticism over the frequency and cost of official travel.
Deputy Premier Julian Fraser urged Anguilla’s Premier Cora Richardson-Hodge to seize travel opportunities that build diplomatic and economic ties, during remarks at Diplomatic Week 2025 hosted in the British Virgin Islands. Fraser made the appeal at an event attended by Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley, Premier Richardson-Hodge and other senior officials.
He defended official travel as an indispensable tool for advancing small territories’ interests overseas, saying critics who mock frequent trips misunderestimate their value. "People make fun of us in the House of Assembly regarding travel. And you don’t know the benefits of travelling if you don’t travel," he said to applause. "The things that you accomplish on a trip — you can’t do it anywhere else." Addressing Premier Richardson-Hodge directly, Fraser encouraged proactive outreach while urging prudence. "Every opportunity you get, make that contact, and you can only make that contact by travelling," he advised, then quipped: "Now don’t leave your back exposed by leaving the country too often or getting too comfortable when you travel — unless you have a deputy like me," drawing laughter from the audience.
Fraser also praised Premier Wheatley for taking the BVI’s concerns to international fora, including the United Nations, where Wheatley has argued for greater self-determination for Overseas Territories. "How many other Premiers can boast that they have been to the United Nations making presentations on behalf of their country?
He’s been heard," Fraser said, describing the evening’s discussions as "fantastic." His comments come amid continuing debate in the BVI about the frequency, purpose and cost of government travel. Critics argue some trips have appeared excessive or inadequately justified, while government leaders maintain that face-to-face diplomacy is essential for securing trade, investment, climate finance, disaster aid and stronger bilateral relations that benefit the Territory.
For BVI residents, the exchange highlights the balancing act facing small governments: the tangible benefits of in-person diplomacy versus demands for transparency, value-for-money and clear reporting on outcomes. Diplomatic Week 2025 sought to underscore why engagement on the international stage matters for overseas territories, even as calls grow for tighter oversight and better disclosure of official travel objectives and results.
Primary source: BVI News