Wheatley Praises OECS Leaders' Resolve, Confirms Talks
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. Natalio Wheatley has returned from an emergency OECS political caucus held on 12 January 2026 and said he left encouraged by the leaders' resolve to work more closely together amid fast-moving regional and international developments. In a Government of the Virgin Islands statement the Premier praised the chairmanship of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday, reaffirmed the Territory's long-standing associate OECS membership of more than 40 years, and confirmed ongoing discussions with the United Kingdom about pursuing full membership in CARICOM and the OECS.
Natalio Wheatley has returned to the Virgin Islands from an emergency political caucus of the Heads of Government of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), saying he left encouraged by the leaders' resolve to work more closely together amid rapidly developing regional and international circumstances.
The caucus was held on 12 January 2026, hosted by Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre of Saint Lucia and chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Vincent and the Grenadines in his inaugural Heads of Government meeting, according to a Government of the Virgin Islands media release. Speaking after closed-door discussions, Premier Wheatley described his participation as both necessary and encouraging given the pace of recent developments. "It was important for me to be there for this somewhat emergency meeting due to all of the developments which have been taking place," he said in the government statement, underlining the significance he places on regional coordination at this time.
The Premier also praised the leadership style of Dr. Friday, telling reporters that the chair was "humble, modest, [and] measured," and that he ensured the caucus remained focused and allowed each head of government an opportunity to share their views. The remarks were included in the Government of the Virgin Islands release summarising Wheatley's reflections after the meeting.
Reflecting on the outcome, Premier Wheatley said he was "very pleased with the resolve of the leaders there, their commitment to work even closer together, in terms of our foreign policy objectives, and even practical areas of functional cooperation." He added that he left the meeting "very encouraged that we would have good follow-up, and we would have very strong cooperation in areas of mutual benefit," signalling expectations of concrete, coordinated action.
The Heads of Government reaffirmed their commitment to collective action, regional solidarity and principled international engagement, and they emphasised the need for enhanced public communication so citizens receive timely and accurate information on proposals and agreements, the government statement said.
For BVI residents, closer OECS coordination could mean more aligned regional responses to security, economic and climate-related threats, improved information-sharing, and cooperative functional initiatives in areas such as health, disaster preparedness and trade facilitation. The Territory has been an associate member of the OECS for more than 40 years.
Premier Wheatley confirmed that the Government of the Virgin Islands has been in discussions with the United Kingdom about pursuing full membership in both CARICOM and the OECS, noting that any such move would require UK sign-off before the Territory could submit an application, as stated in the Premier's comments to the media.
The Government reiterated its commitment to regional engagement, good governance and sustainable development, and said the Premier's Office will continue to coordinate cross-sectoral policies and keep the public informed as follow-up actions and potential membership steps progress.
Residents seeking further updates are advised to follow official Premier's Office and government channels for developments and announcements.
Primary source: BVI Government