Ninth District Representative Hon. Vincent Wheatley has come out firmly against any arrangement that would restrict public access to The Baths and Devil’s Bay National Parks for the benefit of a cruise operator, declaring that the iconic Virgin Gorda (VG) attraction is a national treasure and a birthright of the people of the Virgin Islands.
Wheatley, in a statement issued today, August 20, said he has been following with “growing concern” the controversy surrounding proposed reserved access arrangements at The Baths, making it clear that his position has not changed since 2021 when, as Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, he intervened to reverse a similar decision.
“The Baths has never been a commercial product. They are a birthright,” the Minister of Health and Social Development declared.
He recalled that in July 2021 he directed the National Parks Trust to immediately reverse a decision that would have closed The Baths to residents and non-cruise visitors during designated hours.
Wheatley stopped short of attacking the National Parks Trust leadership, acknowledging its difficult financial circumstances and stating that he does not question the good faith of its Board or Executive Director in seeking additional resources.
However, he drew a firm line at restricting public access.
“What I cannot support is a solution that turns, even in part, on the exclusion of the very people the National Parks Trust exists to serve,” Wheatley said.
Wheatley said his position then was that all beaches are public and accessible to everyone, adding that neither the passage of time nor the financial pressures facing the National Parks Trust has changed that principle.
He added that The Baths predates the cruise tourism industry and must remain in the hands of the people.
“The Baths belonged to us before the first cruise ship ever called at our shores, and they will belong to us long after, and I intend to see that they remain that way,” Wheatley declared.
The strong intervention comes after the National Parks Trust confirmed on August 14 that it was in advanced negotiations with an international luxury cruise operator for reserved access to The Baths and Devil’s Bay on nine mornings during the peak tourism season. Under the proposed arrangement, access by the general public would be withheld during those periods.
While acknowledging the financial challenges facing the Trust and its investment in the Greater Baths National Park, Wheatley rejected restricted public access as a solution.
“The solution to a funding shortfall cannot be the alienation, even for a matter of hours, of a national treasure that belongs to the people of these Islands,” he stated.
Wheatley also threw his support behind growing public concern on Virgin Gorda, including a petition which, at the time of his statement, had attracted more than 600 signatures towards a target of 800.
He noted concerns that Virgin Gorda residents were not consulted before the Trust entered advanced negotiations and backed calls for relevant legislation and policies governing access to beaches and national parks to be reviewed.
Of particular concern to the Ninth District Representative is the precedent that could be established if the proposed arrangement is allowed to proceed.
Wheatley warned that what begins with nine reserved mornings for one operator could eventually be expanded to other periods, operators, parks and beaches. He said The Baths and Devil’s Bay must remain accessible to the public “without exclusion or preference to any single commercial interest.”
The Ninth District Representative also aligned himself with concerns raised by Trustees of the National Parks Trust, who said they had no prior knowledge of the proposed arrangement and were not consulted.
Among the issues raised by the Trustees is whether granting access to a National Park based on the ability to pay a premium could amount to economic discrimination. They have instead suggested alternatives including reviewing ordinary entrance fees, offering premium experiences during the slower tourism season and seeking direct conservation investment from operators benefiting commercially from the parks. Wheatley said he associates himself with those proposals.
Further dialogue is expected between the Government, National Parks Trust Board and its Executive Director. Wheatley is also encouraging residents to participate in the Trust’s virtual public meeting scheduled for August 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., where residents will be able to hear directly from the Trust and raise their concerns.
Wheatley, in a statement issued today, August 20, said he has been following with “growing concern” the controversy surrounding proposed reserved access arrangements at The Baths, making it clear that his position has not changed since 2021 when, as Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, he intervened to reverse a similar decision.
“The Baths has never been a commercial product. They are a birthright,” the Minister of Health and Social Development declared.
He recalled that in July 2021 he directed the National Parks Trust to immediately reverse a decision that would have closed The Baths to residents and non-cruise visitors during designated hours.
Wheatley stopped short of attacking the National Parks Trust leadership, acknowledging its difficult financial circumstances and stating that he does not question the good faith of its Board or Executive Director in seeking additional resources.
However, he drew a firm line at restricting public access.
“What I cannot support is a solution that turns, even in part, on the exclusion of the very people the National Parks Trust exists to serve,” Wheatley said.
Wheatley said his position then was that all beaches are public and accessible to everyone, adding that neither the passage of time nor the financial pressures facing the National Parks Trust has changed that principle.
He added that The Baths predates the cruise tourism industry and must remain in the hands of the people.
“The Baths belonged to us before the first cruise ship ever called at our shores, and they will belong to us long after, and I intend to see that they remain that way,” Wheatley declared.
The strong intervention comes after the National Parks Trust confirmed on August 14 that it was in advanced negotiations with an international luxury cruise operator for reserved access to The Baths and Devil’s Bay on nine mornings during the peak tourism season. Under the proposed arrangement, access by the general public would be withheld during those periods.
While acknowledging the financial challenges facing the Trust and its investment in the Greater Baths National Park, Wheatley rejected restricted public access as a solution.
“The solution to a funding shortfall cannot be the alienation, even for a matter of hours, of a national treasure that belongs to the people of these Islands,” he stated.
Wheatley also threw his support behind growing public concern on Virgin Gorda, including a petition which, at the time of his statement, had attracted more than 600 signatures towards a target of 800.
He noted concerns that Virgin Gorda residents were not consulted before the Trust entered advanced negotiations and backed calls for relevant legislation and policies governing access to beaches and national parks to be reviewed.
Of particular concern to the Ninth District Representative is the precedent that could be established if the proposed arrangement is allowed to proceed.
Wheatley warned that what begins with nine reserved mornings for one operator could eventually be expanded to other periods, operators, parks and beaches. He said The Baths and Devil’s Bay must remain accessible to the public “without exclusion or preference to any single commercial interest.”
The Ninth District Representative also aligned himself with concerns raised by Trustees of the National Parks Trust, who said they had no prior knowledge of the proposed arrangement and were not consulted.
Among the issues raised by the Trustees is whether granting access to a National Park based on the ability to pay a premium could amount to economic discrimination. They have instead suggested alternatives including reviewing ordinary entrance fees, offering premium experiences during the slower tourism season and seeking direct conservation investment from operators benefiting commercially from the parks. Wheatley said he associates himself with those proposals.
Further dialogue is expected between the Government, National Parks Trust Board and its Executive Director. Wheatley is also encouraging residents to participate in the Trust’s virtual public meeting scheduled for August 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., where residents will be able to hear directly from the Trust and raise their concerns.
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