Health Minister urges employers to pay social security contributions
The Joshua J Smith Building that house the Social Security Board (SSB) and National Health Insurance (NHI) offices.
Health Minister Vincent Wheatley has urged employers across the BVI to pay social security contributions on time, warning that late or inconsistent payments threaten the sustainability of the territory’s social protection system.
Speaking in the House of Assembly recently, the minister said Social Security was a cornerstone of national welfare, providing essential benefits for workers and their families during periods of illness, injury and retirement. He stressed that employers played a central role in maintaining that system through regular and accurate contributions.
“I call upon all employers to pay contributions on time, keep payments geared towards contributions rather than penalties, and engage proactively with Social Security and National Health Insurance,” he stated.
The minister said timely payments benefited both workers and businesses. He told legislators that employers who remained current strengthened their workforce by ensuring access to pensions and medical care, improved staff retention, and maintained good standing with public agencies and business partners.
“Paying contributions is not only a statutory obligation, it is a moral commitment to the well-being of our people and the resilience of our economy,” he added.
He noted that employers also benefitted financially by avoiding penalties and aligning cash flow with scheduled contributions.
“Most importantly, when payments are geared towards contributions rather than penalties, every dollar is directed toward protecting employees’ coverage and securing the benefits they have earned,” he stated.
The minister noted that the territory’s social security framework was deliberately inclusive, allowing self-employed and informal workers to access full benefits once they registered and paid contributions.
He said this approach reflected a commitment to fairness and equity across sectors.
“Life is unpredictable. Illness, accidents, and incapacity can occur without warning,” he stated, adding that without regular payments, families could be left without pensions or medical support during times of vulnerability.
Acknowledging that some employers faced financial difficulty, the minister said those challenges should not prevent engagement with the authorities. He said the Social Security Board and National Health Insurance were prepared to work with employers to establish practical payment arrangements suited to their circumstances.
He encouraged employers to meet with officials, review payroll records, agree on instalment plans where necessary, and use online payment portals to ensure timely remittances. He also urged employers to communicate openly with employees about coverage status to maintain trust.
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Until you start taking them to court or to the “court of public opinion” via social media, holding them up to public scorn, you will get no where. Every delinquent employer knows you have no teeth or even the will power to do anything. One of my employees took the pay stubs from a previous employer in to show you the funds were taken from him but never paid to SS, and was told SS could / would do nothing.
Start enforcing!!!
Urges smh nonsense how bout PENALIZE THEM with a number that hurts. Can’t get nothing done correctly with black people.
Charge huge penalties and interest for late/missing payments. Employers taking the money, failure to remit once is a mistake, twice is theft.
Don’t penalize employees who had deductions taken by employers who fail to remit.
Make examples out of some of these employers and things will change, for the better!
Employers not paying for the contributions of their employee should be penalized…Send them all to jail with no bail. Employees are being deducted their Social Security contribution from their salaries every month .. It is so inhuman .. No conscience.. They need to pay them back
It’s ironic that the minister and his wife have, for years, been adamant about paying contributions for their own employees, yet he now claims to be so concerned. Perhaps that concern is easier to express when one can afford it—especially with double pay and a generous retirement package waiting upon leaving office.
Meanwhile, many businesses are barely surviving. Some can hardly afford to keep the lights on and continue operating only out of pride. Owners are forced to juggle impossible choices: paying mandatory fees, shutting down entirely, or laying off staff.
Struggling businesses do not have the same luxuries. When we seek financial assistance, we are met with a slap in the face in the form of so-called $100,000 programs—schemes that are nothing more than gimmicks. Anyone who believes otherwise clearly has no understanding of what it truly takes to run a business.
Governor, if you are listening, this greedy bill must be repealed. If it is not, then none of these elected officials should receive their payouts until they reach 65—just like the rest of us. That is what the people of this territory want: fairness, equal rights, and justice.
We will not vote for any politician who does not support the repeal of this bill.
How many EMPLOYERS in the HOA OWE
Employees… Severance pay
SS:NHI/PAYE
Government of the BVI is not in good standing either but thy honor the workers claims. Yes, ask treasury dept
‘Urging’ not enforcing.
People in the position to make this kind of change should not just be ‘urging’ but doing. Make the necessary adjustments so that non-payers are penalized for cheating their people.
Until we stop ‘urging’ and ‘encouraging’ and start ‘doing’ and ‘enforcing’ this place is not going to change.
If I do not pay, then what? It’s funny that you cannot get a contract with Government if your trade licence, NHI, SSB etc are not up to date. BUT, you can continue to get your trade licence renewed every year and you have not paid Social Security, etc for years! Why isnt the same energy applied?
I urge Government to pay vendors within 30 days of receiving service, so they too can pay what they have to pay! I love to hear this Ministers speak, let’s just ignore the realities on the ground regarding the economy and sound our trumpet like big bad wolves. All the best with that! I think if a business deducts monies from someone’s wage they should pay it to the respective agencies however, if a small business is facing a situation where they pay SS/NHI or remain open a little longer to catch themselves then who knows. The employee is at risk either way, no? But who cares? JUST PAY!
Use the law.
Prosecute and fine or jail cheaters.
Take away Trade Licence so they cannot continue to rob people and the country.
District Rep. give the young people of district 9 their due land, and stop trying to short change them.
And please stop consulting with well to do expats about what they think would be best for us…
You have aided in setting back generations.
“URGE” nonsense , take the thieves to court, urging going to do nothing.
People should pay a
Seroius penalty for failure to pay ito peoples NHI and SS
This is dishonest y ans stealing
You people have little principles and integrity
Shame on the administration
what about that business guy from the supermarket? is he paying now???
I very much doubt it, Virgin Islands no consequences for stealing from staff and government.
Why don’t you ask him since you love mind people’s business? Just make sure yours is up to date!
ITS THE GOVERNMENT’S JOB / BUT THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ALLOWED TO GO ON ,THEY EVEN HAD IT ON TV ‘ WHERE THE GIRL AT THE DESK WAS SAYING TO THE EMPLOYEES WHO WAS AND STILL BEING RIPPED OFF BY THEIR EMPLOYERS THAT ” AM SORRY, BUT YOUR EMPLOYER HASN’T BEEN PAYING YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY -ETC , AND AFTER THE GOVERNMENT REALISED HOW ( WISE ) IT MADE THEM LOOK (DO THEY TOOK IT OFF THE TV / BUT THE PEOPLE HAD ALREADY SEEN IT AND REALISED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WASN’T DOING THEIR HOMEWORK, ( WHEN THEY REVEALED THEIR HIDDEN SECRET ON LIVE TELEVISIÓN * THE LORD MOVES IN MISTERIOS WAYS * SO NOW THIS CHICKENHAWK HOLLERING OUT THE WORD ” URGES ” LIKE HE JUST DISCOVERED WORD / THATS REAL FUNNY HE HAS NO SHAME , JUST LIKE THE REST OF THEM •SADLY .