In a press conference held yesterday 22 March 2024, the media attempted to get an update from Premier Natalio Wheatley on the situation surrounding negotiations with the Thomas family regarding the Ellis Thomas Downs in Sea Cows Bay. 

The Premier commented that he “doesn’t want to comment as negotiations are ongoing.”

Information reaching Guavaberry Media today Saturday 23 March however, indicates that no negotiations are ongoing with the family. The family had apparently requested a meeting to bring a resolution to the matter, however, the Premier went ahead and cancelled the meeting with no update to the family, and no attempts at rescheduling the meeting. 

It has also come to our attention that allegedly Premier Natalio Wheatley had initially offered the family an annual payment of $2 million dollars to lease the property. The public has been made to believe that the $2 million dollars was a request from the family. However, confirmation from insiders have debunked this and argued that the Premier was the one that initiated the exorbitant offer to the family. 

The family member and insider has also made it clear to our newsroom that the family are being made out to be the ‘bad guy’, however, the family has been trying to bring the matter to a close with no reasonable timely responses or meetings with the Premier, and have not made any financial demands. 

It is understood that the family have now gone ahead and had the land valued recently and are hoping to bring the matter to a swift close. 

The entire horse racing fraternity, present and past elected Representatives and the public have been pleading with the family and Premier, and are hoping for a resolution to the matter in time for the August Tuesday races, which has been a long standing part of Virgin Islands culture and heritage.  

The saga continues in this vexing issue.