Delusions! Walwyn slams Premier over disappointing budget
Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn sharply criticised Premier and Finance Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley’s recently presented 2025 budget.
In an interview on ZBVI radio, Walwyn expressed disappointment, describing the budget presentation as a missed opportunity to address the pressing issues facing the people of the Virgin Islands. According to Walwyn, the budget failed to deliver practical solutions to everyday problems, focusing instead on what he termed “delusions of grandeur.”
Walwyn shared that he expected a budget that would inspire and uplift the people, especially considering the economic challenges many residents face.
“Budgets should engender hope and inspire people of a country for a better year ahead, but what the BVI got…was an attempt to correct the bad performance of [Dr Wheatley’s] government,” he said.
He expressed dismay that the Premier’s two-hour presentation lacked tangible initiatives to improve living conditions, characterising it as “two-and-a-half-hours of word salads.”
The Sixth District Representative outlined several issues he believed should have been central to the budget, particularly the need to raise the untaxed salary ceiling from $10,000 to $15,000. He said this would “give people more disposable income and more money in their pockets,” something he viewed as essential in a time when high costs are impacting household budgets.
Cost of living
Cost of living was another concern Walwyn felt needed to be addressed. “People cannot continue to go to the supermarket with $200 and come out with half of a plastic bag of groceries,” Walwyn said. He also pointed out that small businesses are struggling, with limited budget support to help them stabilise and provide job security to employees.
Walwyn also expressed scepticism over promises in the budget, noting that many items listed for completion in the previous year remained unfulfilled. “Less than 50% of the things that [Premier Wheatley] said in that budget address for last year have been accomplished,” Walwyn stated while questioning if unmet goals from last year would be achieved this time.
Yet another issue Walwyn highlighted was the need to improve social services and support for vulnerable residents. He called for restructuring the Social Development Department to ensure financial assistance reaches those needy residents more promptly. He further mentioned increasing allowances for the most vulnerable and reviewing pensions to improve support for senior citizens.
Reflecting on the budget’s infrastructure plans, Walwyn acknowledged the proposed $100 million loan for road repairs and other projects. However, he slammed the government’s decision to secure the loan at an interest rate of 6.5%. “You could have gotten money far cheaper than that,” he commented.
The District Representative voiced cautious optimism, hoping the government could successfully execute its projects, especially after recent heavy rains highlighted the territory’s fragile infrastructure.
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Stay on them Walwyn. All good points here. This was the longest budget speech I ever heard in the BVI and it really didn’t say anything. The BVI is in a mess. It is the worse that I have ever seen it.
The untaxable amount on salaries is 10k. I believe he said to raise to 15k or 20k. This would help the people who are the less fortunate in the work force.
5,000 x 8% = $400
10,000 x 8% = $800
We’re talking about a half a month’s rent in the whole year. You can barely get 1-2 month’s worth of groceries with that if you have kids.
Gov can come up with better relief than that.
Myron the hypocrite who opposed the minimum wage for poor people? …over public funds better go take many many seats
I did not hear Myron or anyone opposing the minimum wage. What I heard them say is that the things to reduce cost of living should have been before so that the minimum actually helps people. Stop lying!
Talking just to talk.
VIP all the way
I love the brother, his mind and thinking.
Anyone that looks out for the weak,down trodden, poor, broke and hungry will always be a friend of mine. Unfortunately my once friend in the 9th has let me down.
However, i think, in an effort to highlight an inept leader and government, he might be showing to much of his hand, to soon.
Now, i was not one of his supporters for a while, after depending on him for twelve years, his team still refused to give us teachers a raise or increments, of which we still await now almost a quarter of a century later.
This type of government response to its now professinals, active and retired, is heartless!
Yet, the waste of funds on frolicking is grievious and heart breaking, when people are scrunting to save enough for medicine and other.
Truth is were it not for foriegn ties, a vast amount of our people would be dead or horribly sick.
Hence, i long for and hope that, by what ever means necessary, the people soon get a bunch of leaders that have the people at heart, and not have a big ole hole where it should be.
That’s the wannabe judge wigo , he just love to throw in his low blow at WALWYN & CINDY AND ESPECIALLY THE UK & THE GOVERNOR . USING DIFFERENT
NAMES . he wants to boss bvi news like how he does on his yello site , of which he writes and bloggs to his broken down news with a Ton load of racist narratives . he is called the black trump on the streets
I do agree that the untaxed ceiling should be raised to $15k or $20k