Gov’t wants to spend $2.7M to travel in 2024 — Walwyn
The government has reportedly set aside more than $2 million in the 2024 budget for travel expenses, Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn has disclosed.
Walwyn, while debating the budget in the House of Assembly recently, blasted government members for travelling all across the globe, even as the territory continues to suffer neglect in major areas.
According to Walwyn, he looked at an earlier version of the budget and saw just over $20,000 put towards the return of the Small Business Bureau. The legislator said after he raised the issue, the government bumped this up to $112,000. But Walwyn said this was still not enough.
“What can you do with $112,000 in the Business Bureau for the amount of businesses that have been having a difficult time going through Irma, going through COVID, going through all the conflicts and increasing prices?” he asked.
In contrast, Walwyn suggested that the government is spending millions to travel the globe to attend conferences and stay at fancy hotels.
“When you look through the travel section, for instance… you look through the budget, the schedule of expenditure – [do] you know what the travel for the government is for 2024? The travel for the government for 2024 is $2,737,636,” Walwyn said.
He accused the government of being uncaring and of having mixed priorities.
“The businesses in this country, the people who have taken a chance on the economy of this country, who are asking the government to assist us, give us a little hand up so that we can get ourselves together [get] $112,000” Walwyn added. “Does that sound like a government who understands or even cares about the needs of the business community? I say not. I say not.”
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has repeatedly defended the government’s need to travel to attend conferences and meet with United Kingdom officials and others around the world and has argued that opposition critics are being hypocritical, especially since they travelled while serving in government previously.
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Where exactly are they going and for what purpose? I blame the people for re-electing this mostly incompetent self serving group of people.
Ghana??
I just wish that these people will do the work that they ALL were selected to do. So tired of all the back and forth thrashing of members of the HOA while there is NOTHING actually being done for the betterment of the Territory and It’s Citizens. Lack of support to your own Citizens and traveling in the name of gaining favorably interest from outside influence is becoming the norm. Talk,talk,talk, and more talk is beyond ridiculous. Beyond time to stop taking the Citizens for granted. It’s rather unfortunate how the HOA Members are conducting the People’s Business. A clean sweep is needed.
Watch me work baby in 2024 we 6 private jet style and 6star hotels. $2.8 million and counting….might make it past $4 mill. and need a SAP next November also!
with their own money not the BVI Treasury’s money. These HOA members may submit their travel expenses to the Accountant General for payment. The AG will only approve payment AFTER the member’s journey has produced the funds to justify the travel expenses. No profit no pay!
Wrong is wrong is wrong.
The people, party die-hard, business and bourgeoisie community are the ones partly responsible for the state of politics; the state of the country development or lack thereof; the low to slave wages, and they are the ones who deliberately keep wages low.
The elected just follow their dictates if they want to be reelected. You do not get reelected if a majority from each of those groups does not support your candidacy.
Some, who are now elected officials and Premier, stated what their personal self-enrichment policy would be once elected.
It is now being played out each day and each budget for the territory for all to see.
It was a policy for self-first, country and all other after. They said it and they are representing it.
Whether this is posted or not, as this site has become truly anti-free speech, the BVI is now ruled by a political class that is completely ruinous to the future of this country and the regular folk.
Who travel more than the NDP when they were in power- they are all the same. This man was a prodigious globe trotter with another Dr. He needs to simply zip it and allow us to suffer in silence.
At least they can travel as no police have their passports until criminal case is over!!
Britain has different plans.
SO, WHAT DID HE DO WHEN HE WAS IN POWER? I WILL NEVER TRUST THAT MAN. HE IS A DIVIDER- BUT HE ENDED UP DIVIDING HIMSELF LOL
He didn’t have an issue spending government money when he was the one traveling.. Pure Hypocrits. Opposition has an issue everything government does that they can’t benefit.
@Concern
So you are saying that it is right for this government or any government to spend over $2.5 million on travels, when we have raw sewage running in the streets, hospital don’t have every day basic necessities for patients, deficiencies in schools, unsafe road conditions and I can go on. When they travel what do they bring back to improve the territory? Do you see improvements from their luxury travels. People like you because of your selective hatred are blind to what is happening in our beloved Virgin Islands. God help us.
Well, you got what you voted for. Over 2 million to travel, well well well. East End roads are a disgusting disaster. The schools are in dire need of repairs but here they are first class tickets and 5 star hotels…. We wonder why the UK has their noses wide open lol