Wheatley Challenges UK Over Territory Status
Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley told the 'Too Inquisitive' podcast that the Virgin Islands is being treated differently from other UK-linked jurisdictions and called for a more substantive partnership with the United Kingdom. He argued current arrangements, which give the UK and its representative control over areas such as the cabinet, public service and security, resemble 'colonial-type behaviour' and need to change.
Natalio Wheatley has publicly questioned why the British Virgin Islands is treated differently from other UK-associated jurisdictions, saying the current relationship with the United Kingdom amounts to "colonial-type behaviour" and requires substantive reform. Kirton-Wheatley’s podcast Too Inquisitive, aired June 12, 2026, the Premier said the Virgin Islands is an outlier among the small number of remaining territories around the world. "We just have a handful of countries in the world, maybe about 17 or so, which are still considered as territories of some other country and quite a lot of these territories fall under the United Kingdom," he said.
Wheatley highlighted powers held by the UK and its local representative, saying they include chairing the Cabinet, oversight of the public service and responsibility for internal security. He contrasted the BVI’s situation with jurisdictions such as the Channel Islands — Crown Dependencies that, he said, exercise greater autonomy over their affairs. "They're responsible for their own public service, they’re responsible for their internal security," the Premier noted. "Why is it that we are being treated differently...
Why is it that some persons are a little bit more equal or a little bit more of a partner than we are?" The Premier called on the UK government to address what he described as an unequal partnership. While acknowledging that a partnership exists in name, Wheatley pressed for it to be more "substantive and functional" rather than nominal. "So, it is colonial.
What we are experiencing is colonial-type behaviour, and I think that the United Kingdom and the people of the Virgin Islands should be willing to have it changed," he added. For residents of the Virgin Islands, Wheatley’s comments speak directly to governance, accountability and who ultimately makes decisions affecting day-to-day life—from public sector appointments to security policy.
His remarks are likely to renew calls for constitutional clarification or renegotiation of the powers exercised by the Governor and the UK, and could prompt fresh discussions between BVI officials, community leaders and the United Kingdom. The Premier’s interview, reported by local media, underscores continuing debates about self-determination, the role of the UK representative, and the pace of constitutional evolution.
Wheatley did not outline a specific roadmap for change in the interview, but his remarks signal a desire for more equal footing in the relationship with the United Kingdom and a push for reforms that would deepen local control over internal affairs.
Primary source: VINO