$120K Question: What do the Premier’s advisors actually do?
Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn pressed public officials during the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) budget session late last year over the purpose and need for some of the consultants and special advisors within the Office of the Premier.
Permanent Secretary (PS) within the Premier’s Office, Carolyn Stoutt-Igwe, revealed that Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley currently has two special advisors out of an allotment of three and noted that he has seven consultants.
She further shared that the special advisors — identified as Kevin Smith and Sunil Ramjitsingh — were each compensated at a rate of $120,000 per year and that the two men are on a four-year contract.
Stoutt-Igwe told lawmakers that she was unable to provide information about any of the work that the special advisors do and pointed out that they only report to the premier.
The Permanent Secretary noted that copies of reports that they issue are usually provided to her as these need to be submitted for them to be paid.
However, Walwyn queried if that is the way the system was supposed to work given that the Permanent Secretary as the accounting officer should ideally have an input to account for the government’s money.
The PS told lawmakers that a Cabinet decision that governs special advisors provides for an oversight committee, which is supposed to be the body in charge of the special advisors. However, the oversight committee is yet to be activated.
That committee is supposed to be chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s office and co-chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Deputy Governor’s Office.
Meanwhile, Third District Representative Julian Fraser questioned the PS over the services provided by Benito Wheatley, the Premier’s brother, as the Special Envoy to the Premier.
Stoutt-Igwe indicated that they have specific duties outlined in their contracts, which she did not have in her possession at the time.
She further shared that the Premier’s brother has done a lot of work for the territory with the UN in terms of getting the BVI aid assistance through the UN, ECLAC and UNDP.
“He has also been sort of an ambassador to the UN, working on a number of those areas, and he has been engaging with the UK as well,” Stoutt-Igwe added.
Premier Wheatley has repeatedly dismissed concerns over the hiring of special advisors and consultants, arguing that this is nothing new in government and that previous governments did the same thing.
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THE ONE ADVISOR FROM HOG CITY DOES DRIVE AROUND ALL DAY BAR-HOPPING AND SITTING WITH SPANISH WOMEN IN HIS LAP
is who the Trini consultant consulting with and honorable Walyn seems to know this and this is why Dr Wheatley doing so much sh$$t because the dvil dont help no body
Jesus help Dr Wheatley please he is a good man and can be a better prime minister
bvi news may i ask
who chooses the photos for the articles because it looks like natalio does the selection
I take offense to that. I don’t have Spanish women in my lap. I only go for the best Caribbean can offer. These are hard working women and I gladly support them with flush cash to help their families. My car is constantly washed daily so I employ locals. My suits are purchased local and I therefore support their business.
Your money to me in the form of salary is spent locally. Thank you for helping me help you
ISNT THAT CALLED NEPOTISM?
Premier’s brother was working with the BVI government for years and his tenure predates his brother’s premiership.
He worked under both NDP and VIP governments. I personally met up with him at the BVI London House, and I found him to be quite impressive.
Now, if the Premier after election had hired his brother, one can make a case for nepotism, but even then one has to consider the persons qualifications.
Not because a person is related to an elected official means they should never hold a job in government. They have to live and eat like every other person.
There are lots of Virgin Islanders who are ‘impressive’ who have been removed, snubbed and ill treated by successive governments who have never been given the chance to serve. Some are more talented than the ‘Envoy to the Premier.’ No one is entitled to the taxpayer’s purse more than the next.
“No one is entitled to the taxpayer’s purse more than the next.”
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You clearly believe the premiers brother consultancy is one of nepotism. I disagree for the reason I stated above.
As I said he has worked for both NDP and VIP governments.
Was it nepotism when he worked for the previous NDP government? Was it nepotism when he worked for the previous VIP governments?
In this small society, to exclude one from employment because they may be related to someone in government is wrong in my view.
You speak of some people “never been given the chance to serve.” What were these people’s qualifications?
Jobs in government is not about giving one a chance to serve. You have to come to the table with qualification in order to earn that chance. Nothing is free. Life does not work that way.
As you stated: “No one is entitled to the taxpayer’s purse more than the next.” and that includes those who think they were not given a chance to serve.
Some of you wrongly think that you deserve a chance at a job. No…you have to earn your chance. It’s called competition.
You have the requisite background for a job? You apply for it and compete will all the others candidates who have applied for that job. This seems like a foreign concept for some of you to wrap your heads around because your sense of entitlement is out of control.
If I was to hire a person without the requisite background for a job just to give them a chance, I am to blame if my business failed because I hired people for the wrong reasons.
The Premier’s brother is highly qualified for the work he does. His resume speaks for itself. He has earned his chance, and no it was not given to him by his brother.
There are Virgin Islanders with more qualifications, experience and knowledge than the ‘Envoy to the Premier” that is without question or debate. Sometimes in the Virgin Islands in particular the public service hires are done based on nepotism, cronyism etc. and not qualifications, competency or knowledge.
Sometimes in the Virgin Islands in particular the public service hires are done based on nepotism, cronyism etc. and not qualifications, competency or knowledge.
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The operative word here is “sometimes”.
The question is is he qualified to do his current job. My answer is yes.
Furthermore, your saving there are more qualified persons is relative without facts. Show me other qualified persons, and allow me to judge for myself.
Why don’t you go do your job and examine and investigate your HR departments, units and staff? The taxpayer wants transparency that is one way of demonstrating good governance.
That was not the imply given for the answer you just gave.
No that called being Tolan
No it’s not nepotism because he didn’t hire him and his brother had the job donkeys years before he got into politics. And in a small populace like ours you can’t just fire the few qualified and experienced people you have just b/c some people will be related. The next premier will be elected and if they have sense his brother will still have that job because he is very good at it.
First, let’s get this straight. When it comes to government funds, there should always be transparency relative to spending regardless of the political party in office.
I find it interesting that these questions were being posed by members of the Opposition.
If memory serves me best, when those legislators who are now posing those questions were part of the ruling government (NDP, and VIP) in past times, they too had paid consultants.
What was right then and wrong now? Why do they now have a problem with it? Why are they questioning their purpose now?
IMO, it’s politically expedient now for them to ask questions about these consultancies.
Why did they not ask those same questions when they were a part of ruling government?
Answer is obvious: Political Hypocrisy.
myron not going stop until the spin doctor gone ,
just because previous administrations did the same thing does not make it right.
Since we talking about wasteful government spending, where is our loudmouth man o de cloth Claude be hiding these days?
But ok… previous Governments did it. by my question to the Premier is “why do you continue the practice?” Do you want us to continue down the same old road to damnation?
We dont want the same. we want a higher level of transparency and productivity. Please!
these are the blatant things that go on and people turn a blind eye. yet we spew the stupid rhetoric about the white man this and that blah blah blah. I am starting to believe more and more that majority of the people are bewitched. We condone wrong when its people we like. Special advisors and the PS can’t say what they do…stupppes Special advisors and keeps making these dumb decisions…strruppes
It would be interesting to learn what their specific purpose is and what are their measurable objectives. Are these full-time roles or based on deliverables and paid regardless?
Other questions can include;
How better is the country with these advisors?
How has the economy of the BVI benefitted from having these advisors?
If they don’t submit a report, are they paid?
Is this a monthly, quarterly, mid year report?
Welllll sah.
In BVI Advisor/Consultant mean big job to do nothing for your friends/ party members that didn’t get elected.
So we have about 9-10 people ALL leading the Premier astray with their bogus “advice”. I was busy blaming you Hon. Premier, but I see where the blame lies now.
He is not easily lead because he knows it all with his PHD.
Who are the 7 consultants buddy and what are they doing? Transparency, good governance and accountability were words we heard repeatedly during the election. Where are they now? If anyone has info on the 7 consultants, please share the info here buddy.
@7consultants
1. Friend
2. Friend
3. Owed a favour
4. Bought set of famiy votes
5. Friend
6. Friend
7. Fahies Friend
You won’t find much consulting going on to benefit the VI.
the soon to come “relationship manager” – LMAO
Questions
1 why does one person need seven consultants.
2 who are they,
3 special advisors – 2
4 special envoy – 1
4 no oversight of the staff listed above which means they are free agents.
When will information be tabled about the jobs and salaries listed
Do we get value for monies?
Here is one of them…
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-y-ramjitsingh/details/experience/
I always thought that the adviser scratched S!0w W@nde’s crotch all day. Because they are not hired for their ideas.
Nobody questions who works in the Governor’s Office. We won’t be satisfied until all Senior Govt. Officials are white UK Citizens. Black locals only have energy for their peers and nobody else. White is right, black is whack! This post will be disliked by many but that won’t change the fact that it is the sad truth.
1. We don’t pay for The Governors staff, the UK does.
2. “Typical lacks” would actually be like you, trying to find racist response.
This is pure Bull SH**. This man make an A** of himself daily and the people are paying 240,000 a year for that?
We need to stop singing that Independ song and open our eyes. We are not READY.
He just doing the samething Fahie did with Claude Skelton-Crime.
This position should be changed to informer. They do nothing other than inform. Leave the advising out because Sl**ande don’t take no one’s advice but his brother.
The Permanant Secretary said, ‘she was unable to provide information about any of the work that the special advisors do and pointed out that they only report to the premier.’ In other words, they are paid $120,000 a year and are answerable to nobody except the person who chose them, who apparently does not feel the need to make their workload public. Co++uption and nepotism at its finest.
But wait the Permanent Secretary signing off on the payment for this consultant? Can’t be. But we want independence. They are closer to another COI. This place is a joke. Those PS weak sah.
He has very capable permanent secretaries and deputy permanent secretaries in his office. He needs to utilise them and slow down on the travelling and sit at his desk and get on with the COI recommendations.
If his PS and staff are doing such a good job, why are the COI recommendations not completed?
So the Premier is acting like Oprah- EVERYONE (in his circle that is..) gets a NEW CAR (consultancy wuk/job)…
Lmfbao!!! Nepotism- point blank!
Three advisors paid more than 120k each. Wow. The PS who is the accounting officers signing off on the payments cannot say exactly what they do and the Premier who they report to appears not to have given the committee the information either.
Wasn’t this the basis of some of the COI investigations and recommendation and are the same mistakes being repeated?
I see another CoI happening. This is craziness
Was Cantwin Alone getting advisor money as well? School chirren did say he was collecting as well.
Give us a list of all the names of the
consultants and ]
advisers
tell us what they are paid
what work do they do
if you have some many consultants and advisers why the need to hire more people
this is foolishness and it must be stopped this minute
One thing I can promise you government workers. Raise delayed until 2027? Boss you all NEVER seeing that raise. Book it.
Wake up, shower, dress up, jump in their car, stop to get bfast, drive to work. Head to the office, read emails, answer email, get good pay.
Just milking the public purse for as long as he can get away with it!
People of the BVI take that no leadership what so ever ,seven advisers and this boi talks shit does shit on our nickel and dime more to come
How on earth the premier need 2 Special advisors and 7 consultants??? Hon Lavity had none of this Only his PS who was Hon. Lorna at that time. And he ran the country so well. Just wondering
YOU SOUND SO STUPID / PERHAPS YOU SHIULD CONSUDER CHANGING YOU NAME TO RETARDED / WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS , IF THE ADVISORS TELL HIM THAT IT WOULD BE IN HIS BEST INTEREST TO JUMP OVER A CLIFF AND IT WILL HELP THE COUNTRY TO GET BACK ON TRACK , DO YOU THINK HE WILL ASK WHERE HE CAN FIND A HIGH CLIFF AND JUMP OVER IT ? / ISN’T HIS BRAIN FUNCTIONING PROPERLY ? THEN AGAIN LOOK WHO HE HAS JOINED FORCES WITH TO GO TO WAR AGAINST , THE GOVERNOR / THE SAME DUDE WHO SAID THAT THE COI IS CAUSING RETARDATION / THE SAME DUDE WHO COULDN’T UNITE TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT IN THE LAST ELECTION , AND ITS THE SAME PEOPLE WHO NAT-ALL -ELO SAID WAS JEALOUS OF HIM BECAUSE HE WAS THE PREMIER ( NOW THAT IS REAL MADNESS
Truly speaking