Media, Public Share Blame: Premier
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley says both the media and the public carry some responsibility for failures in how government information reaches residents, while acknowledging his administration must improve its communication systems. He made the comments during an appearance on the Honestly Speaking radio programme with host Claude Skelton Cline, pointing to headline-driven consumption and clickbait as obstacles to deeper public understanding.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has suggested that shortcomings in how government information reaches residents are not solely the fault of the administration, but are also linked to media practices and public consumption habits. Speaking recently on the Honestly Speaking radio programme with host Claude Skelton Cline, the Premier said his government has repeatedly tried to explain delays and constraints on major national issues — including setbacks tied to reliance on the Governor's Office for approval of certain decisions. "I have, several times," Dr Wheatley said when asked whether the government had effectively communicated those challenges.
At the same time the Premier conceded that the effectiveness of those messages often depends on how they are relayed through public channels. "We rely on persons like yourselves," he told the program, referring to journalists and commentators. He acknowledged the government must strengthen its own communications and said steps are underway to improve how information is disseminated to the public.
Dr Wheatley warned that modern media consumption can undermine deeper understanding of complex government matters. "A lot of the communication with the public is headlines, and sometimes we rarely read," he said. He added: "We have headlines which are clickbait and those persons who have the mechanisms to communicate with the public, we really have to examine how committed we are to ensuring that the message of the government is getting through in a way that is reflective of the real position, or whether we are just trying to generate hysteria and generate excitement." The Premier's remarks come against a backdrop of longstanding tensions between elected officials and local media in the British Virgin Islands.
Successive governments have complained about misrepresentation in news reports and about defamatory commentary on blogs and social media. At the same time, lawmakers frequently reference media coverage in the House of Assembly and use press reports to gauge public sentiment. That interdependence is complicated further by the fact that some elected officials at times decline to engage with certain media houses, preferring outlets they consider fairer.
For BVI residents, the debate has practical implications: transparent, timely and accurate communication affects public understanding of service delivery, development projects and the reasons behind administrative delays. Dr Wheatley's comments underline a dual challenge for the Territory — strengthening government communication systems while encouraging responsible reporting and more engaged public reading beyond headlines — if clearer public understanding is to be achieved.
Primary source: BVI News