Natalio Wheatley

Wheatley is from one of the main political families in the British Virgin Islands.{{Cite news |last=Stott |first=Michael |date=2022-05-01 |title=British Virgin Islands premier rejects direct rule from London |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/dbed9bda-8ceb-4d02-b668-1d5fef90dd6a |access-date=2022-05-02}}

He first ran for election in the 2011 general election for the People's Patriotic Alliance (PPA) as an at-large candidate. He finished 10th in the voting with 798 votes (2.3%).{{cite web|url=http://www.bvi.gov.vg/sites/default/files/resources/2011_general_elections_report.pdf |title=2011 General Elections Report |author=Juliette Penn |publisher=Government of the Virgin Islands|date=31 July 2012|accessdate=3 May 2022}} He subsequently ran in the 2015 general election for the People's Empowerment Party (PEP), also as an at large candidate. He finished 11th in the voting with 470 votes (1.3%).{{cite web|url=http://www.bvi.gov.vg/sites/default/files/resources/2015%20TERRITORIAL%20DISTRICT%20RESULTS.pdf |title=VIRGIN ISLANDS 2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS – TERRITORIAL DISTRICT RESULTS|publisher=Government of the Virgin Islands|author=|date=|accessdate=}} He then ran in the 2019 general election for the Virgin Islands Party for the seventh district, and was elected after defeating incumbent Kedrick Pickering with 44.76% of the vote.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bvi.gov.vg/media-centre/official-final-results-2019-general-election-held-monday-february-25 |title=Official Final Results Of The 2019 General Election Held On Monday, February 25. |publisher=Government of the Virgin Islands |date=26 February 2019 |accessdate=3 May 2022}}

He was appointed Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture from 2019.{{Cite web |date=2019-03-06 |title=Dr. The Honourable Natalio Wheatley Is Deputy Premier |url=https://bvi.org.uk/493-2/ |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=British Virgin Islands London Office |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley, MHA {{!}} Government of the Virgin Islands |url=http://www.bvi.gov.vg/bios/dr-honourable-natalio-d-wheatley-mha |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=www.bvi.gov.vg}} He was the acting Premier during the arrest of Andrew Fahie in April 2022 on drug trafficking and money laundering charges in Miami, United States. A Commission of Inquiry into corruption in the British Virgin Islands found that there were "appalling" failures in the islands' governance and a "high likelihood" of serious corruption, with the inquiry recommending the partial suspension of the islands’ constitution and the imposition of direct British rule of the islands for up to two years. He opposes direct rule from London during the crisis.{{Cite news |date=2022-05-01 |title=British Virgin Islands: UK minister dispatched for governance talks |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61280587 |access-date=2022-05-01}}{{Cite web |date=2022-04-30 |title=Plan for direct UK rule of British Virgin Islands opposed by acting premier |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/30/call-for-direct-rule-of-british-virgin-islands-resisted-by-acting-premier |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} On 5 May 2022, he brought a motion of no confidence against his own government for the removal of Andrew Fahie as Premier.{{cite web |title=UPDATE: HoA unanimously passes Resolution to remove Hon Fahie as VI Premier |url=https://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/update-hoa-unanimously-passes-resolution-to-remove-hon-fahie-as-vi-premier |website=Virgin Islands News Online |access-date=6 May 2022 |date=6 May 2022}} The motion was passed unanimously. Wheatley was sworn in as Premier on the same day.{{cite web |title=Dr Wheatley sworn in as Premier! New cross-party gov't also installed |url=https://bvinews.com/just-in-dr-wheatley-sworn-in-as-premier-new-govt-also-installed/ |website=BVINews |access-date=5 May 2022 |date=5 May 2022}}

In February 2025, Wheatley found himself at the center of a growing trade dispute with the U.S. Virgin Islands over substantial fee hikes on USVI-based charter boats operating in BVI waters. The proposed increases, which would raise annual fees by thousands of percent, have sparked backlash from USVI officials, with Governor Albert Bryan Jr. threatening retaliatory tariffs and suggesting he may seek support from U.S. President Donald Trump. Wheatley has rejected these threats, stating that the BVI “will not be bullied” and emphasizing the need for fair economic contributions from foreign charter operators. {{Cite web |date=2025-02-28 |title=Updated {{!}} Wheatley: BVI Won’t Be Bullied by ‘Trump-Style’ Tariff Threats |url=https://stthomassource.com/content/2025/02/28/wheatley-bvi-wont-be-bullied-by-trump-style-tariff-threats/ |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=St. Thomas Source |language=en-US}}

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{{s-bef|before=Kedrick Pickering}}

{{s-ttl|title=House of Assembly Member, 7th District|years=2019–present}}

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{{s-bef|before=Andrew Fahie}}

{{s-ttl|title=Premier of the British Virgin Islands|years=2022–present}}

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Category:1980 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of SOAS University of London

Category:British Virgin Islands politicians

Category:Clark Atlanta University alumni

Category:Members of the House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands

Category:Premiers of the British Virgin Islands

Category:Purdue University alumni