Will legislators take a pay cut?
BVI News Staff - Thursday, December 15th, 2011 at 8:09 AM
Legislators at the recent House of Assembly sitting. Will they take a pay cut? * Photo credit: John Black
A radio talk show host has said the increase in legislators’ salaries to include housing allowance should have been addressed in the recent Throne Speech delivered by Governor Boyd McCleary at the sitting of the Second House of Assembly.
Doug Wheatley, one of the hosts of the radio programme, ‘On the Hot Seat’, said last evening the house allowance issue was of significant concern, especially during the 2011 general elections campaigns.
“I had hoped somewhere along the line that there would have been a reference to that $2,000 that was placed on everybody’s pay cheques per month because it was such an issue over the last several years, typically during the campaign season,” Wheatley said.
“People talked about it a lot and I would have thought that would have been a goodwill gesture on the part of the present government, if they had said that this is one of the things that they would address,” Wheatley added.
The Throne Speech by the Governor outlined government’s agenda for the next four years, and last evening’s Hot Seat programme looked at certain aspects of the Throne Speech and austerity measures.
“I am not suggesting that they should have gone further to talk about any personal cuts in their pay but I think that one that had caused much of a problem I thought they would have addressed that in their speech,” Wheatley said.
In March this year a caller to the Virgin Islands Party Programme ‘Let’s Talk’ on ZBVI radio, told then Premier Ralph T. O’Neal that considering the poor economic climate it was not the best time to give legislators an additional $2,000 per month to live in their own homes.
In response, O’Neal admitted that legislators are being given housing allowances however he said that this was not unique. He said there are some civil servants, some female civil servants, getting up to $3,500 a month, and the elected members had not received an increase since 1995.
He told the caller he was not ashamed to say as Premier that his basic salary was way less than that of a permanent secretary and various other civil servants and his house is used almost as much as the office he sits in.
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35 Comments
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Politics is a labour of love. Serving as an elected member is an honour and a privilege and should be about service to the territory, not about pay and perks. Serving requires a strong commitment to sacrificing one’s personal and family interest and personal conveniences for the greater good—to provide for a higher standard of living and better quality of life for current and future Virgin Islanders.
On the other hand, elected officials need to make a living to take of they and their families. Clearly, ministers should be paid more than back benchers. The level of pay should be commensurate with position responsibilities and the market, Further, the compensation should be attractive enough to attract all citizens to stand for election, not just the wealthy. Members of the HOA should represent a cross section of the community. Moreover, one’s wealth should not be a de facto criteria for standing for election.
If PSs make more than ministers, the pay scale need to be revamped. There should be pay compression( a certain %) between the compensation of PSs and ministers. The top of the PS’s scale should be the floor for ministers. This system will ensure that ministers’ pay will always be higher than PS’
In regards to allowances, elected officials employer ( the people, voters) should determine what allowances, if any, and what level. The territory’s value system and political pulse should tell elected leaders what the right action is.
How de hell you all expect them to take a pay cut when they just created a job for cline for 96.0000 dollars and he did not even win his seat …… de back bencher who took down Dancia was more deserving of that figure………a wonder what he firgures sound like…a tell all you it got thing to tell de king,,,,,,,,,, enough said
Please, why are we getting the bowells over this pay cut when our Legislators are awaiting the arrival of a new set of top of the line vehicles for all Ministers. There goes another half a million dollars just like that. Can you understand why the UK will not budge on the White Paper or the loan request. Face it, we are our worst enemy.
Housing Allowance is for employees brought from overseas who have to relocate to do the job here they are hired for sometimes having two households their household back home and the one here, so I don’t see a reason why people should get a housing allowance living in their own house
LMAO! smh
If government wants to save and make money
move those outside offices paying redickulious rent, while space is empty in Admin Bldg. Freeze foreign contracts add them up problem solved.Its not rocket science.
That complex is filled with mold and is a health hazzard for all employees working in that building. So until that mold problem is fixed I am not in agreement of putting anybody’s health at risk by putting them back in that building.
Why are u people behind these people to reduce their salaries? Give them a d-m chance to earn their salaries.Y’all voted them in,see if you made a good decision.
This is where transparency is neccessary. We the public should have access to the pay scales for all public servants. All jobs and levels should be coded with corresponding pay levels and any increments clearly set out. From top to bottom. Any and all allowances received by anyone should be recorded and made public. I pay tax. I live a meager life. I drive an old car. I and you all, deserve to know EXACTLY what ALL public servants, including the politicians are making. Mr. A makes $200k/yr plus $36k/housing allowance plus a Land Rover and all it’s costs then I WANT TO KNOW AND SHOULD KNOW. This should be public information and should be posted in the newspapers annually. As for home offices, I ask the politicians to explain how they serve me or the public well from their homes. All these politicians should be in town in an office avaialble for the consituents and for the necessary departments to speak with when required to do their job. Lastly, the Premier shouldn’t be paid less than the PS. How did everything get so messed up. Someone needs to clean house and sort this mess up. Yes, some will get hurt but it is for the best of ALL the country and for the future of the BVI.
You too lie! THe man isn’t making $200k, he’s making just over $100K which includes allowances!! How the * you all people sleep after lying so bold faced? My god man!!!
All or most of them could take a pay cut cause all or most of them have apartment complexes that could hold them up finacially, all or most of them have busniesses that are florishing and to add to that a heafty salary reguarless of how much them getting … they making alot… all a dem just want more money to spend on there selfish ways… if u care so much about your country taking a pay cut is the least u can do .. especially if your well off already… some people have this saying … i love you so much i would take a bullet for you… well lets see how far the love for your country will go….. just saying
You guys sound ignorant and foolish, they did not have to put it in the throne speech, to do it, give the guys a chance, my inside sources tell me it will be done and early.
and to that genius, Claude Cline was not elected.
well he still making more money than alvin
Legislators need to be paid well. They do not have to cut their salaries, just do a good job. As a professional that makes more than they are paid I don’t see how voters expect to get competent persons to run for politics if the pay isn’t good. I know several persons who I think would contribute well as politicians but are not willing to take a pay cut. If BVIlanders want to pay legislators as if they are hiring secretaries, be careful, you get what you pay for!!
I thought i was the only one that was of that view. For the responsibility and harrassment at every hour the pay is hardly attractive. I certainly would have no interest at that price.
You have a point….in order to attract talent the compensation has to be good….I mean some crooks mught slip in here and there but overall the pay must be good or else only boobs wouldbe interested in politics.
Yea right…wait on it.
Where was Doug Wheatley mouth all the time when Ralph was in power. He never echoed his disagreement then now all of a sudden he got a voice to speak.
ayo try keep off my dad because onething, he does call a spade a spade
If The government is really serious about tackling the economic troubles of the territory they will start by taking a drastic pay cut – 35% and suspending all allowances. They will then cut the salaries of the the top 3 grades of the civil service by 20% with the suspension of most allowances. Then will sell off all the fancy cars and restrict the use of gvt cars to official business. Last but not least the will suspend all non-essential travel. Only then can the government ask the people to make the sacrifices that are absolutely necessary if the BVI is to dig itself out of the hole.
Ok so you cut 20% for the top guys, now they can no longer pay their mortgages, can no longer afford to pay for the gardener, the maid etc. They dont have as much disposable income so now will buy smaller cars meaning the gas stations sell less fuel etc. etc. etc.
The real question should be does John Doe give value for money, does he work and accomplish what he should for that salary? If not then somebody more suitable should be hired at the same level.
I’m not holding my breath awaiting any legislator to take a pay cut. That’s just not the way the cookie normally crumbles. If I did hold my breath, in all likelihood, I would suffocate before they do. Instead, I will settle on always holding their feet to the fire until their toes curve north as necessary for the benefit of us all.
we are not taking a pay cut until those consultants salaries are lowered…cline not suppose to be making more money than us…..signed A. A. fahie
claude cline wil never agree on this because he’s the latest fat cat on the block
neither kedric because he said and i quote “this was long awaiting”
Hmm
People be considerate. Legislators have to make a living like us too. it is unacceptable when a civil servant’s salary outguns that of the Premier yet he does not complain. Have some mercy!
No one is disputing the need for civil servants to make a decent living, but the salaries in the BVI public sector are ridiculously high. The allowances are laughable and the cost of the cars that the tax payer has to foot the bill for borders on negligently criminal. $200,000/year for a permanent secretary when the average BVIslander makes just about $20,000. A PS is not worth 10 regular BVIslanders.
Well it depends on which block you find those 10 hanging out on
NO PS in Government making $200K!! What foolishness you talking? I work in the Private sector and those salaries of civil servants is GARBAGE!! People with a Bachelors Degree plus experience jumping up over $3k per month? That’s money? Only the PS get big money and it’s mostly close to $100k or just above and includes the allowances. You all just make s*** up as you go along and pretend it’s all fact!!
The average salary in the BVI is not $20,000. It’s actually extremely high. Nobody in Government makes $200k. And I don’t know about you, but when a legislator is making the same Salary as a legal secretary we have a problem. When you add up the housing allowance of 2k per month they’re just at 60,000 a year. That’s the salary of a first or 2nd year lawyer. If we take away the housing allowance and pay them like they run a country we can hold them accountable if they don’t run it well.
Thank you Doug for highlighting this. I was wondering the same thing.
Goverment is obviously not serious about cutting costs. Cutting costs starts with themselves to lead by example.
Take wat? Now we are getting to release NDP was no different from NDP. I thought this wouldve been the first order of the day.
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