$2.6M being paid to non-working politicians
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has revealed that more than $2.5 million is expected to be paid to politicians — under the controversial Retiring Allowances law passed in 2021 — who were not returned to office at the last election.
Premier Wheatley was questioned over the amount of money that must be paid to lawmakers who passed the Retiring Allowances (Legislative Services) Amendment Act, 2021 during the Fourth House of Assembly under the Andrew Fahie-led Virgin Islands Party, who were not returned to the Fifth House of Assembly.
He responded that the total amount to be paid to legislators who will not be returning to the House of Assembly is $2,698,004.97. Premier Wheatley said this included gratuity and pension for those who would be paid for doing no work under the controversial law.
Commonly referred to as the Greedy Bill, the controversial law was met with strong resistance from the public but lawmakers, who were largely indifferent at the time about whether the Bill should be repealed or amended, seemed largely opposed to any changes.
An amendment to the law was ultimately put before the HOA last year, but this did not prevent lawmakers who benefited from the law’s passage from accessing hundreds of thousands of dollars due to them as a result.
During his election campaign, Dr Wheatley pledged to forego any payments owed to him as a result of the controversial law. He stated, “I’m going to take responsibility and admit that it was a mistake. Furthermore, I will not accept any payments as per the current form of the Retirement Act. If given the opportunity, I intend, God willing, to repeal the entire bill.”
The Premier also argued that legislators’ salaries should be determined by an independent third party, a proposal he plans to bring before his Cabinet for consideration.
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Robbery of the people by a few. crooks.
The said they would do so if elected and they are doing just so. And, that is only the tid bit they are allowing to seep out for public consumption.
One of the heads got cut off. The other stepped up and is in position to continue.
In what industry can one not be employed and still be paid hundreds of thousands?
Now we the current and retirees are seeing why they refuse to pay us our increments.
This is a travesty of humongous proportions
Does Head Coach get this still?
Based on what is written: The amount is expected to be paid to politicians who were not returned to office at the last election.
He was returned to office at the last election but removed himself by his own actions and not the actions of the people.
So, the answer is No.
These people robbed the taxpayers in broad daylight. They are worse than armed jewelry store robbers.
You might be surprised
Didn’t every politician say they were going to repeal it?
They spit in peoples faces with no repercussion.
2.7M paid… Infrastructure still in shambles with many more issues.
That’s a lot of Nacos
I guess being a politician on the island is the easiest snatch and grab.
If it is indeed true that past politicians from yesteryears are not beneficiaries of this bill, then that would be a great disservice to those persons.
Increase the number of retired ineffective politicians (who probably stole 100,000s of dollars from the people in their time) that receive huge payments, just to even things out!
What a joke! Idiot!
How much ch f**ny man got?
Disgraceful!! The country in shambles and what do they do with the money ??!!
At lease you ain’t have to pay Fahie own but wait he resigned before he was found guilty and his charges aren’t in the bvi… Ag office need jump on this quick quick
Shameful and for what?
Speaking twaddle.
Serves us right for voting for friends, family and popular persons instead of choosing wisely. Hurting our pockets big time now, but time longer than twine.
How do they sleep at night? No conscience at all.
Ladies and gentlemen of the international community, welcome to the British Virgin Islands. This is how we operate. (Seriously, no joke.)
Welcome to the British virgin islands, where only the polition getting rich while we the others have to work very hard to make ends meet ,but clown soup is your government is the one who pass those law .am sure in sit is fat a** up in uncle Sam jail get is big cheque every month SMH
Stop the crying island people done pay that bill already at western union with the tax
This is exactly why every form of debauchery has taken root in these islands.
now this is something to march for
This Premier going make good people be held liable for his wicked and injustice deeds towards the good citizens of this territory. Since the beginning of time( seems like ) increments due for government employees and all you hearing is cotton bull stories. Why members of this council or HOA not fighting on behalf of the Civil Servants.
This is institutionalized theft. Why are we surprised at the Aladdin robbery when this is the example set by those at the top? Everybody wants the easy money.
they don’t deserve so much, many of them left us worse off than when they came in
Repeal it and give them 97 cents.
This is really marching about.
and govt reluctance to fix a govt road that impact school children lives whenever rain falls 36 yards of concrete that all it takes
Alvera getting all that money and securing catering jobs… BVI what can I tell you. Some people will just cut your little bread so they could get more bread instead of being satisfied.
This shit is just sickening, and if it don’t get fix…we will get people to fix it!!