Wheatley: NDP Infighting Stalled Water Reform
Premier Natalio Wheatley praised former Premier Dr Orlando Smith’s long political record but said internal rivalries within the National Democratic Party blocked meaningful progress on water and sewerage before the 2017 hurricanes. Speaking during debate on the Virgin Islands Energy and Water Corporation Bill, 2026, he argued the proposed merger of utilities provides a fresh opportunity to address long-standing infrastructure gaps.
Premier Natalio Wheatley has publicly praised former Premier Dr Orlando Smith while laying blame for missed progress on water and sewerage projects at the feet of internal National Democratic Party (NDP) rivalries. Speaking during debate on the Virgin Islands Energy and Water Corporation Bill, 2026, the Premier made a clear distinction between Dr Smith’s personal leadership record and what he described as the actions of members of Smith’s administration who refused to follow his direction.
Wheatley called Dr Smith "one of the greatest political careers in the history of the Virgin Islands," noting his 20 years serving as an At-Large representative without ever losing an election. But the Premier said that strong leadership alone could not overcome a government weakened by ambition and infighting. "If he had a more supportive team, if they allowed the man to lead, perhaps maybe there wouldn’t have even been a VIP administration to come after," Wheatley told the House, suggesting some ministers were "so anxious to get in the leadership chair" that they undermined long-term planning and delivery.
Wheatley singled out sewerage reform as a particularly telling example. He said critical investments were delayed or sidelined not for lack of ideas but because funds were redirected elsewhere. Those unfinished projects, he added, were then compounded by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, the COVID-19 pandemic and bouts of political instability — factors that further slowed recovery and infrastructure progress.
The Virgin Islands Energy and Water Corporation Bill, 2026 proposes to merge water, sewerage and electricity services under a single statutory body. Supporters argue such a consolidation could streamline decision-making, pool resources, and improve the ability to finance and execute long-term infrastructure projects that affect public health, tourism and economic development across the Territory.
For residents, delays in sewerage and water upgrades have real consequences: risks to public health, constraints on housing and business development, and reputational effects for a tourism-dependent economy. Wheatley framed the new legislation as an opportunity to break a cycle of stalled initiatives and ensure future governments can follow through on critical utility projects.
The Premier’s remarks underscore both a recognition of Dr Smith’s political standing and a government narrative that organisational reform is needed to resolve longstanding utility challenges in the British Virgin Islands.
Primary source: BVI News