Wheatley unveils 559M budget, urges Virgin Islanders to back his vision

Premier Natalio D. Wheatley presented a 559.1 million dollar budget for 2027 on October 27 at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in Paraquita Bay, asking Virgin Islanders to support his government's plan to build on recent gains.

The budget address, titled "Turning Progress into Prosperity", outlined achievements the administration says it has already secured: pension relief for seniors, improved student performance, removal of regulatory barriers, and progress on key infrastructure projects.

"We have laid foundations that give us the opportunity to deliver those changes," Wheatley told the territory. "Let 2027 be the year more Virgin Islanders can say: 'I can see the progress, and I can feel the difference'."

The Premier anchored his fiscal plan to Vision 2036, the National Sustainable Development Plan, which he emphasised extends beyond a single election cycle. He stressed that "our children's future goes beyond one term of office" and called for a long-term approach to nation-building.

Wheatley set out three priorities for citizens: young people should envision staying in the islands for their futures, families should see realistic paths to property ownership, and communities awaiting completion of projects should see them finished.

He appealed to all Virgin Islanders, both those living in the territory and those abroad, to participate in the work ahead. The Premier said the government must proceed "with steady leadership and an urgency equal to our people's expectations" as it moves forward.