Cabinet reshuffle won’t solve governance problems

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has dismissed suggestions that a cabinet reshuffle would improve his government’s performance, arguing instead that the British Virgin Islands’ governance structure is the real obstacle to delivering on the administration’s agenda.

Earlier this week on the Talking Points programme, host Damion Grange asked whether the Premier had considered reshuffling his cabinet to improve the execution of government policies. Dr Wheatley said his ministers are making “best efforts” and insisted that changing ministerial portfolios would not address what he described as a deeper implementation problem within the public service.

“Generally, I don’t think it is ministers where we have the challenge,” Premier Wheatley said. “In terms of movement of portfolio… we discuss the issues and challenges among ourselves, and we work together against them.”

Instead, Dr Wheatley pointed to what he called an “implementation challenge” that he said must be addressed through governance reform and changes to the territory’s constitutional framework. He said he recently raised the issue during a meeting with permanent secretaries and the Financial Secretary, noting that he had also discussed it with Governor Daniel Pruce.