London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 11, 2025

Dr The Hon Natalio D. Wheatley tipped to be Deputy Premier

Word reaching our newsroom from sources close to the decision is that Premier of the Virgin Islands and Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP), Hon Andrew A. Fahie has settled on a permanent Deputy Premier in the person of Seventh District Representative and Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley .

Many political and social pundits had believed that the current Deputy Premier, Hon Carvin Malone (AL), the Minister for Health and Social Development, would have secured the second spot in the Fahie-led VIP Administration after serving the longest in the rotation.

Premier Fahie had announced that, as part of his unconventional government, he would rotate all his Ministers in the post of Deputy Premier and at the end of the rotation he would choose a permanent person for the position.

Dr Wheatley In! Hon Malone Out?


It is unclear what led to the Premier’s final decision; however, no one is questioning if Dr Wheatley is capable. He has emerged as a powerful speaker in the House of Assembly (HoA) and, outside of Premier Fahie, has the second-largest ministerial portfolio.

Hon Wheatley, who defeated another Deputy Premier- Dr Kedrick D. Pickering- in the 2019 general election as one of the biggest upsets in that poll, also served as the immediate past President of the VIP and was a long time lecturer at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC).

Despite opening a District Office, which was not done by his predecessor, and announcing and implementing various initiatives to promote his constituents, including businesses, his critics’ have claimed he is not on “the ground in his district” and that many of his Seventh District residents feel neglected.

They have also claimed he has not made a move to clean up the Ministry of Education with many of the former controversial Minister Myron V. Walwyn’s “holdovers” that continue to undermine him and cause havoc to the local education system.

Those who defend Dr Wheatley; however, have noted that his critics in the Seventh District seem to “want him to do in 20 weeks what the former representative, Dr Pickering, did not do in 20 years.”

Political pedigree


His supporters have noted that Dr Wheatley, whose grandfather was a Chief Minister, remains humble and easy to access, and is a sincere politician.

Dr Wheatley is an educator by profession and holds a PhD in Languages and Cultures of Africa from the University of London.

The Virgin Islands Constitution makes provision for a Deputy Premier in Section 52 (2).

At the time of publication, neither Premier Fahie, Hon Malone nor Dr Wheatley had responded to our request for comments.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
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
×