Business Owners Unlikely To Get Guns as
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley said on Oct. 8 that it is unlikely business owners in the BVI will be given broader access to firearms, noting that internal security and gun licensing remain under the governor and are shaped by UK policy. New reporting from Jahphix Television adds that gun licences are tightly controlled by the governor and civilian approvals are rare, a point Wheatley made during an interview with Government Communications Director Karia Christopher on Virgin Islands Voice.
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley addressed growing calls from business owners for permission to carry licensed firearms during an interview on Virgin Islands Voice on Oct. 8. Wheatley acknowledged the fear and frustration many residents and traders feel after a recent rise in gun-related incidents, but said broadening access to guns for business owners is unlikely in the short term.
Wheatley reminded listeners that internal security in the Territory presently falls under the governor and ultimately the responsibility of the United Kingdom. He told the programme that the UK discourages civilian gun ownership outside of law enforcement, making licences difficult to obtain.
That point was reported by Virgin Islands News Online following his appearance and was echoed in additional coverage by Jahphix Television. Jahphix Television reported further that gun licences in the BVI are tightly controlled by the governor and approvals for civilians are rare.
During the interview Wheatley spoke with Government Communications Director Karia Christopher, and pointed out that while residents can apply for licences, it has been very difficult for people to secure them because of the governor and UK stance. The Premier also noted that even local police officers are typically unarmed and rely on an Armed Response Unit when necessary.
He said any change in who controls internal security would require constitutional action, and reiterated his long-held view that responsibility for security is best placed with an elected local government rather than remaining solely under UK authority. Business owners have been calling for broader access to firearms to protect premises from robberies and other offences amid concerns over gun-related crime reported locally over the past two years.
Wheatley said there should be a public conversation about the appropriate level of gun ownership among businesses and private individuals, but cautioned that policy decisions are constrained by the UK's responsibilities and positions on public safety as exercised through the governor.
Wheatley’s comments shift attention back to alternative responses to crime, including strengthening police capacity and armed response, improving licensing and regulation, enhancing community policing, and reviewing non-lethal security measures for commercial premises. Jahphix Television also noted that the remarks came as the National Security Council prepared to review ongoing investigations following recent robberies and a shooting.
For BVI residents and business owners, the combined reporting suggests that while the debate over local control of security continues, practical changes to civilian gun access are unlikely without constitutional amendment and a change in the governor and UK policy. In the meantime, officials and business groups are being urged to focus on bolstering policing, response units, and non-lethal security solutions.
Primary source: VINO