Willock Appointed Premier's Political Adviser
Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley has confirmed that former Speaker Julian Willock is his Political Adviser, on a contract paying $120,000 per year that began May 1, 2026. The appointment, confirmed on the Talking Points programme, has prompted questions about transparency, required declarations and potential conflicts of interest as Willock prepares to contest the next election.
Natalio Wheatley has confirmed that Julian Willock has been appointed as his Political Adviser on a contract that began May 1, 2026, and carries an annual salary of $120,000 ($10,000 per month). According to the Premier’s Office, the appointment will run until the end of the current term unless terminated earlier.
The confirmation came during the Premier’s appearance on Talking Points after weeks of public speculation. Willock, the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, had repeatedly declined to confirm the role while referring questions to the Premier. Wheatley dismissed suggestions the appointment had been concealed, saying, “It’s not something that’s been a secret,” and defended Willock’s suitability by citing his public service experience and academic qualifications.
The Premier said the post was created under the Government’s recently adopted Ministerial Staff Policy and described political advisers as standard in Westminster systems. He stopped short, however, of identifying the specific policy areas or projects on which Willock will advise, saying only that the role operates under a comprehensive job description with defined responsibilities and accountability measures.
That lack of detail has focused attention on the Ministerial Staff Policy itself, which requires ministerial staff to comply with safeguards including a Code of Conduct, an Oath of Office, an Oath of Confidentiality, a Declaration of Interest and a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form.
Residents and governance experts have asked whether Willock has completed those declarations, whether any declared interests will be made public, and how the Government will manage actual or perceived conflicts while he prepares to run for elected office. The appointment raises particular scrutiny because Willock has publicly said he intends to contest the Third Electoral District as a candidate for the Virgin Islands Party.
Governance best practice stresses a clear separation between government resources and party political activity, and the Premier did not outline how any potential conflicts would be managed. Willock is a longstanding and sometimes controversial public figure: a former Permanent Secretary, Speaker of the House from 2019 to 2022, and currently subject to several pending legal matters that remain before the courts.
Charges laid in 2024 relating to visa-waiver investigations and allegations of forgery and misuse of office are ongoing; he has been granted bail and is presumed innocent until proven guilty. A separate theft matter is also set for trial later in 2026. With the appointment now confirmed, BVI residents are likely to press the Government for clearer public disclosures — including the adviser’s measurable objectives, performance assessment criteria and the safeguards that will prevent the use of public resources for party campaigning — to ensure the Ministerial Staff Policy’s transparency and accountability goals are met.
Primary source: Guavaberry