Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Oct 07, 2025

Premier hosts 20th anniversary reception @ BVI House London

Premier hosts 20th anniversary reception @ BVI House London

Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley, hosted a large gathering of dignitaries at a reception to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the BVI London Office.

While speaking at the event, Premier Wheatley stated that the BVI London Office is the outward extension of self-government in the Territory which began in 1950 and continues to develop today. He recalled the vision of the late former Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE when his administration successfully acquired BVI House and established the BVI London Office in 2004.

Premier Wheatley stated, “He and his Government understood that the continued political and economic development of the Virgin Islands, and our emergence as an international finance centre and tourist destination, required the Government to have a permanent political presence in the United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) going forward.” The Premier said that the permanent political presence also provides access to other international partners via the Diplomatic Corps in London, Brussels, and the Commonwealth.

Going forward, Premier Wheatley said, “The BVI London Office will be more engaged with the CARICOM Caucus of High Commissioners and also our African partners represented in the Diplomatic Corps.”

Meanwhile, Acting Director of the BVI London Office, Ms. Tracy Bradshaw, stated that over the past 20 years, the BVI London Office has played an invaluable role to the Government and people of the Virgin Islands as the Territory continues to advance internationally, politically, and economically.

While speaking at the event, Premier Wheatley stated that the BVI London Office is the outward extension of self-government in the Territory which began in 1950 and continues to develop today. He recalled the vision of the late former Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE when his administration successfully acquired BVI House and established the BVI London Office in 2004.

Ms. Bradshaw acknowledged her predecessors and colleagues for their leadership over the years and expressed gratitude to the many friends, supporters, advisors and partners who have helped the Office to fulfill its mission and realise its vision.

“On this auspicious occasion, we turn eagerly to the years that lie ahead and rededicate ourselves as servants of the people of the Territory to support them in their aspirations,” Ms. Bradshaw said. She added, “We look forward to many more progressive and successful years with strong relationships advancing the Territory’s various interests even further.”

Director of the Overseas Territory Directorate at the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, Mr. Paul Candler, in his congratulatory remarks, noted that the London Office provides vital services for the people of the BVI, from supporting students or residents living in the UK, to promoting BVI’s financial services, to advocating for the people of the BVI across the UK Government in London.

Mr. Candler said that working for the best interests to the people of the Overseas Territories is the most important job that they do in the Overseas Territories Directorate.

Premier Wheatley and his delegation are in London as part of his Administration’s deepening engagement with partners in the United Kingdom including the UK Government, UK Parliament, local council government, universities, firms and businesses.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
A Dollar Coin Featuring Trump’s Portrait Expected to Be Issued Next Year
Australia Orders X to Block Murder Videos, Citing Online Safety and Public Exposure
Three Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine for Discovery of Immune Self-Tolerance Mechanism
OpenAI and AMD Forge Landmark AI-Chip Alliance with Equity Option
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
×