Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Wheatley warns of potential cost burdens in liquor license revamp

Wheatley warns of potential cost burdens in liquor license revamp

Ninth District Representative Vincent Wheatley has sounded a warning for lawmakers as they seek to revamp the current Liquor License Act in the House of Assembly (HOA), arguing that burdensome expenses should be avoided where possible.
“The issue of a liquor license cannot be divorced from zoning and from noise. There’s a lot of persons who have property, [and they] believe they should be able to do whatever they want to do on their property,” Wheatley argued before the House recently.

According to the former Labour Minister, persons may find a piece of land right next to an apartment and insist that they want to have entertainment and loud music right next to that apartment building. “And, of course, noise and alcohol often go together and then the persons in the apartment [are faced with] trying to sleep next door to a club,” Wheatley stated.

Wheatley said he commended businesspersons who are conscientious of noise nuisances and go to the expense of sound-proofing their business so patrons inside can enjoy themselves without the neighbours having to be up all night calling district representatives to their rescue.

“We have to be careful that when we bring these laws we don’t bring an extra burden to the businesses. Yes, safety is important. But if you’re asking persons to have security guards and camera systems and certain things, we have to be very careful that we don’t put persons out of business. Particularly, small businesses, and particularly businesses that are rather seasonal,” the Ninth District Representative said.

He pointed to places like Anegada where he said tourists do not tend to visit all year round. “So you’re making a 12-month investment that you may only need for six or seven months,” noted Wheatley who described the tourism market as increasingly volatile.

Balance required

Wheatley said legislators need to draw a line that finds a perfect balance where businesses are safe for their customers while allowing business owners to afford to do what is necessary to protect their investment and also protect their customers.

He also urged lawmakers as they crafted the legislation to look at how certain islands are laid out geographically. He pointed to islands such as Moskito Island and Anegada where businesses are often not located near residential premises. “Can we cut out a specific kind of situation where they don’t have to follow all the same rules and regulations such as a business place in the middle of the town?” Wheatley asked.

“We have islands like Moskito that are full tourist islands. I don’t think they follow the same rules as other places,” Wheatley said. “You’re going to tell somebody they could come and rent this place for $100,000 a night, but when it comes 10 o’clock you send your DJ home that you probably paid $1,000 two hours for?”

Legislators, he said, need to be mindful that the territory is a tourist economy and need to balance the rules and regulations with the reality of how money is made in the territory.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×