Self-Definition Is Self-Determination, Wheatley
Premier Wheatley told a Diplomatic Week panel on October 22, 2025 that the British Virgin Islands' ability to define itself internationally is the result of decades of struggle and negotiation. He credited local institutions and overseas envoys for building the territory's international profile while noting the VI remains a United Kingdom territory.
Premier Wheatley told an online Diplomatic Week panel on October 22, 2025 that the British Virgin Islands' growing ability to define its place in the world is both an act of self-definition and an act of self-determination. Speaking on the panel discussion titled Our Place in the World: The Evolving Diplomacy of Overseas Territories, Dr Wheatley said the territory did not gain an international identity overnight. "We had many individuals who fought for the right to define ourselves in the international space, because the act of defining ourselves is an act of self-determination," he said.
The Premier reminded listeners that the VI remains a territory of the United Kingdom and recalled a time when the territory "had no international identity or personality, we were simply a part of someone else’s empire." He said the change has come through institutional development — the establishment of local legislators, the shift to a ministerial system, and the evolution from Chief Minister to Premier — all of which transferred responsibilities that were once held by the Governor or the UK. "That’s through negotiation, through sacrifice, through struggle [we] are able to define the functions and responsibilities of a Chief Minister or a Premier to have responsibilities which were formally had by the Governor or the United Kingdom," he said.
Looking ahead, Dr Wheatley said that continued progress could one day allow the territory's government to appoint a Foreign Minister, noting that such a step would indicate a further advance in capability and international standing. The Premier credited diplomats, envoys and local advocates who travel on the territory's behalf to the United Nations, to Asia and Europe, and within regional bodies such as the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). "If it were not for them, we would not be where we are today as a very successful Small Island Developing State, with a very good income per capita and well respected in many quarters in the world," he said.
Premier Wheatley’s comments, joined on the panel by Anguilla Premier Hon Cora Richardson-Hodge, underscore the role of sustained international engagement for the BVI. For residents, the discussion highlights practical stakes: stronger international recognition can improve disaster response cooperation, trade and investment opportunities, climate diplomacy and the territory's ability to protect its interests abroad.
The Premier framed those gains as matters of pride and survival as the BVI continues to define its role on the global stage.
Primary source: VINO