Gov’t needs expertise outside public service
Deputy Premier, Dr Natalio Wheatley has come out against criticism of the government’s use of consultants to move their agenda forward.
According to Dr Wheatley, who also serves as the territory’s Education Minister, the public needs to be educated on the fact that government needs expertise outside of the public service.
“Let them know that there are certain types of expertise that you have to go outside the public service to get. Nothing against our wonderful public servants,” the Deputy Premier said at a recent House of Assembly sitting.
Dr Wheatley’s comments come in the wake of severe criticism received by government after it was revealed that they intend to hire a slate of ministerial political advisers – with each government minister being assigned at least one.
Premier Andrew Fahie is the lone exception and will be allocated up to three advisers in the governments proposed efforts at enhancing productivity.
The Premier has disputed concerns that the advisers will cost government more than $1 million and said they will be paid out of consultancy funds already budgeted.
Meanwhile, Dr Wheatley argued that there was no difference between the two major political parties in the BVI – the National Democratic Party (NDP) and now governing Virgin Islands Party (VIP) – using consultants.
He described the type of criticism received as ‘political games’ and said it should not be allowed to continue simply because it might be felt as something that plays well in the public domain.
Dr Wheatley warned that this could prove dangerous to the territory in the long run.
The Education Minister alluded to the statesman-like behaviour of veteran legislators, Mark Vanterpool and Julian Fraser, who he said have been able to support the government’s positions whether they appear to be politically expedient or not.
“They’ve been here in the House of Assembly long enough, they’ve won enough elections. They want to see a change in the institutions. They want to see growth and development and they take those types of positions. And I can appreciate them for taking those positions,” Dr Wheatley said.
He argued that the public should not be given a particular impression that is incorrect nor should they be manipulated into getting upset at a particular position that is taken by the government.
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We need you and the rest of the misfits out of government so that we could elect people with expertise. All if you are a waste of time exotically you Natalio.
People of the BVI do not concern yourselves with this rhetoric from these incompetent elected officials. Sir Gary shall see to remove them all in short order and they WILL be replaced with outside consultants that will be working for the Governor. May this day come soon and Bless the BVI.
I cannot believe that this is the person who we traded Myron for. I don’t care what anybody says Myron was a good education minister. We would not have the mess we have now. No leadership. No direction. No plan.
BS – The private sector has given lots of advice. You threw it all back in their face and ignored them.
Someone explain to me exactly what expertise Skelton Crime has.
Fr**d, emb***lement. Look at his Detroit history
The biggest mistake the BVI has made in years is to put the Virgin Islands Party in power all we have seen so far is spending and more spending on the wrong things while the BVI is in this state. You would think that they would take it easy while the COI is going on but every week you hear about more spending. Natalio Wheatley, you are a joke, the people elected you all to do a job now you are telling us that you can’t do it so you are going to spend the taxpayer’s money over a million dollars to do the work for you. None of you know about running a government, I don’t think that you can run a candy shop you guys are an
embarrassment to the BVI. Good luck when the COI returns and tell your buddy JW and NS they can’t beat the UK those
attorneys will be in the BVI come October
Indeed the poverty of intellectual calibre of this administration is appalling. Outsourcing your brain is the option for the mentally-challenged. It also means they can shift blame when inevitably required. So maybe not so stupid, just cynical.
Outsourcing your brain is for the intellectually challenged? So, when you feel sick, you apply to medical school, spend years going through it to wualify, then diagnose yourself? No one knows everything.
I hardly agree with you on anything Mr deputy essential. But I will accent to this one under one condition. The three that the premier is asking for should be given to you. You really need help in this rudderless ministry. MYRON HELP.
According to Dr Wheatley, who also serves as the territory’s Education Minister, the public needs to be educated on the fact that government needs expertise outside of the public service? You guys are losers, if you knew that you didn’t have the expertise to run a government you shouldn’t have put yourself in the positions you are in now. You guys need to go because there is not one in the VIP will stand up and say this is wrong.
Maybe they should just all resign and let the consultants run the country.
you need to go siding sowande … biggest disappointment ever . Give us back Walwyn, please .
Education is in a whole heap of dung and all you doing is paying with our children’s future, move aside and let someone else do the work.
What have you done to move education forward
what have you done that is constructive,
@ 7th district voter
Natalio is a disappointment. Maybe that’s why he hires consultants at over $70,000 per year to sit in the office with nothing to do. Mr. Wheatley I know what’s ethical and what is not or I would ask you for one of those high paying consultant jobs. It’s ok I don’t want to be a part of no corruption inquiry. You are a big disappointment and embarrassment.
Unless you opening your mouth to ask Myron to help you fix education, I don’t want to hear your mouth period.
What the BVI needs to do is to stop electing cor**pt and inept ministers
But the gentleman is correct. My people’s way of thinking is stifling progress. I pray you all commenters don’t force my forefather’s homeland into 3rd world status with your thinking. You will only hurt yourselves in long run. This is why I firmly beleive a great majority of you need more education on how governments run efficiently and effectively. Hold your leaders accountable at the voting box and for the present write them letters/emails to hold them accountable. However, in the mean time pull back on destroying your own and your country, unless the commenters are divisive Expat bloggers with a goal of reaking havoc and taking over the BVIs.
Firstly, if you are going to tell people to get more educated, check your own spelling first. Secondly, the COI has shown that this Government is incapable of keeping any meaningful records, do you seriously thing a critical letter or email would end up anywhere other than the bin.
You are in line to become a future Premier: and like the rest of you, you all are willing to allow a deceitful AF to destroy your futures? How foolish!
He not letting Af destroy his future he doing it to himself
We would need licks to make Natalio our Premier when we done see that can’t do nothing. Pure licks we would need and we probably should give back our voting rights because we clearly don’t how to properly use them.
Future Premier???
Like Richard Rowe in the CoI!
is it not better to hire locals to help advise on a yearly salary basis with no extras than hire a consultant for this that and the next thing, if they are paid from consultants buget then I think this is a win.
When you all were campaigning you all said you all had all the knowledge and know how to take the country forward. U all said you all were the solution and will fix the problems…Now this what you saying. This what we getting. Things worst.. Time for a change..
@Natalio Doesn’t remind you of Trump and the Republicans no one stood up to him no matter what he did.
Consultants cannot give you integrity,sense of responsibility,fairness,decency,a strong sense of duty etc.
Consultants cannot give you a soul.
No matter how much you pay them.
This is nothing but a continued attempt to legitimize payment of taxpayers money to political cronies and people who believe they are too good to work in the public service but see tax payers money as a pot of gold for the taking via politicians who seem to have no clue about the devastating economic other long term consequences of the decisions they are making.
Expertise to assist governments are done all over the world but properly so through tendering and competitive processes so that you get value for money.
That’ll be any belonged with a smart phone and a FB account.
This guy is an waste of time, the people of east end thought they was getting someone who would help them all they got is an big joke can’t wait till the COI return
BIG IDEA – Hire Walwyn as one of the advisors to the Hon. Natalio on education etc better yet just let him do the work and send Natalio back to do Tokyoing.
he is not good for the department of education please! out!!
Natalio, if the current public service, with the huge percentage of the BVI workforce that it has, does not have the expertise, would not the solution be much better recruiting and hiring, or better management to place the capable workers in the right positions? Or are you saying that BVIslanders simply can’t do the job? I hope not!
The people and country interest was never paramount when some stated publicly they are gong in to fill their pockets.
Over 60yrs and have been voting since H.L STOUTT, the elected members are a disgrace to the party. The Primer from the 1st should be named and shamed in the deplorable district. THIS IS NOT WHAT H.L. STOOD FOR!!
Mr. Wheatley… the first appointed ‘advisor’ whose job role is to advise and write speeches for the premier is someone who previously ran for government and failed….please justify WHY this man was hired and what expertise he brings.
it’s called RRVERSED PSYCHOLOGY /\\_ YEP , THESE GUYS FLEXING THEIR SKILLS AGAIN