Premier Wheatley Donates $50K to Sda
Premier Wheatley presented a $50,000 cheque to the Road Town Seventh-day Adventist Church to support community outreach, youth programmes and other church initiatives. The gift honours a pledge he made at the church’s reopening in November 2025 after nine years of rebuilding following the 2017 hurricanes.
Premier Wheatley has presented a $50,000 cheque to the Road Town Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, signalling government support for faith-based community work and youth activities in the British Virgin Islands. The contribution, handed to church leaders at a presentation on Saturday, was intended to boost outreach programmes, youth initiatives and other services offered by the congregation.
The announcement was greeted with loud cheers and applause from those in attendance. The donation fulfils a pledge the Premier made at the official reopening of the Road Town SDA Church on Sunday, November 30, 2025. That reopening marked the end of a nine-year rebuilding and remodelling effort following the destruction caused by the 2017 hurricanes.
At the reopening, Wheatley — who holds responsibility for Ecclesiastical and Religious Affairs — said he would offer government support and later remarked, "I won’t say the amount right now, but I hope it makes you smile." At Saturday’s presentation he noted, "I did make a pledge that I would come back shortly.
I was disappointed I didn’t have it at the time with me when you opened [the new church building] but, of course, you have been very graceful and I wanted to follow through on my pledge and my promise and to give a contribution to this church, especially in reflection of the mission and the purpose which was very clearly articulated to me by the leadership of the church." For residents of the BVI, the donation underscores the continuing role of churches and other community organisations in post-hurricane recovery and social support.
Since 2017, faith-based groups have been central to efforts such as youth engagement, counselling, relief distribution and community rebuilding. Funding from government and private donors helps sustain those programmes and expand services for young people and vulnerable families. Church leaders welcomed the Premier’s contribution and highlighted plans to channel the funds into expanded youth activities and outreach across Road Town and surrounding communities.
The reopening of the Road Town SDA Church last November restored a long-awaited community hub, and the new government contribution aims to strengthen its capacity to serve congregants and residents alike. The presentation is the latest example of collaboration between the Government and religious organisations as the Territory continues recovery and community development work nearly a decade after the 2017 storms.
Primary source: VINO