in All News / By: BVI News on October 27, 2025 at 6:22 AM /
Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn has criticised the Department of Trade’s reported policy requiring business owners to hold degrees or specialised training before obtaining certain trade licences, calling it “ridiculous” and harmful to entrepreneurship in the Virgin Islands.
Speaking at a recent press conference, Walwyn said the new requirement would make it harder for small business owners to operate and would undermine economic growth.
“Now we are hearing that the Trade Department wants people to have degrees or specialised training before getting a trade licence in certain fields. That is ridiculous,” he stated. “Not every entrepreneur has formal qualifications. What matters is their drive and their ability to hire the right people,” he argued.
He said the move reflects a government out of touch with ordinary Virgin Islanders and accused the administration of discouraging people from starting businesses instead of supporting them. “It feels like this government is actively discouraging entrepreneurship instead of empowering it,” Walwyn insisted.
The Opposition Leader linked the issue to what he described as a broader failure of economic leadership. He said small businesses were “fighting to survive, with little access to financing,” and that government support had been limited to “a few token grants after being pressured by the opposition.” Walwyn added, “That is not a plan. That is reaction”.
Walwyn further accused the government of neglecting the business environment at a time when neighbouring Caribbean nations were forging ahead with major tourism and development projects. “The sad truth is that while our Caribbean neighbours are moving boldly to expand their economies, attract investment and create jobs, the Virgin Islands remain stagnant, adrift without vision, without strategy and without meaningful progress,” he stated.
Business owners across the Virgin Islands have also expressed frustration with licensing delays and unclear requirements in recent months. BVI News has highlighted growing concerns about bureaucracy in the Department of Trade, with entrepreneurs saying the application process has become increasingly burdensome since new guidelines were introduced.
The Department of Trade has yet to disclose details of its official policy. However, Walwyn’s remarks have intensified calls for the government to review the policy and make it easier for Virgin Islanders to start and sustain businesses.
Copyright 2025 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
