Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, May 09, 2025

Opposition will have to work with gov’t — Benito Wheatley

Opposition will have to work with gov’t — Benito Wheatley

Special Envoy to the Premier, Benito Wheatley, said he believes the political opposition will have to work closely with the newly formed government if it wants to achieve its agenda.
While speaking with 284 Media recently, Wheatley said he agreed that a foundation has been established for the BVI to segue towards a new era of political representation.

He further contended that this was an offshoot of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) reform process that is currently being implemented.

According to the Premier’s envoy, two key reforms emerging from the COI process will change ‘politics as we know it’ in the territory — namely the House of Assembly Assistance Grants and Ministerial Assistance Grants, both being shifted to the Department of Social Development.

“Constituents will no longer be able to simply go to their Representative to ask for financial support for whatever reason,” Wheatley explained. “They will be directed directly to Social Development and I think we cannot underestimate how important the assistance grants were to the political process.”

Wheatley said this changes everything for members of the government as well as for the political opposition, whether they were elected as District or Territorial At-Large Representatives.

“You now have to work with the government on an agenda to deliver for your district and your constituents the opposition members will have to work with the government if they want anything done in their ministries. The government will have to work in all the districts via an actual agenda to deliver results,” Wheatley expressed.

In the meantime, Wheatley reasoned that there may be a greater need for advocacy in the legislature than before s things can get accomplished on either side of the political aisle.

He also argued that the electorate will have to adjust to a new dispensation where they look to institutions and not politicians as their source of relief.

“If you are in the House of Assembly, you will have to make your case by advocacy for your constituents,” he argued. “You’re not going to be able to simply get support because you can offer financial assistance [through] an assistance programme. That’s over now.”

He added: “This changes everything and the voter will have to adjust to this new reality. The institutions of government are what will have to support constituents who need help, not politicians directly. That’s a big change for us.”

Wheatley said there is now a need for capacity building at the Social Development Department with all the public assistance now shifted to that agency. He said it was useful that the Department is now the focal point for assistance given there there are specific criteria in place.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Incident Reflection: A Harsh Reality Check
Pakistani migrants to Danish man: “ “We have 5 children while you have 1 or 2. In 10 years, there will be more Pakistanis than Danes here.“
Clashes Erupt in London as Tensions Rise Between Indian and Pakistani Communities
Specialized anti-drone weapons deployed among security personnel Ahead of Papal Funeral
How do you fix this culture?
×