Nonsense! Premier should not step down — Vincent Wheatley
Ninth District Representative Vincent Wheatley has firmly rejected calls for Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley to resign as Minister of Finance following a $20 million error in the budget for public sector salaries.
The discrepancy, which came to light during a recent House of Assembly sitting, sparked intense debate and led some, including Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn, to demand the Premier’s resignation.
The controversy began when Premier Wheatley, who also serves as the Minister of Finance, disclosed that the government had miscalculated the funds needed for a new public sector salary structure. Initially, the budget included $11.7 million for salary increases, but the actual cost was revealed to be over $25 million, leading to a shortfall of $13.3 million. Opposition lawmakers, however, argue that the actual deficit could be closer to $20 million.
Walwyn criticised the Premier’s handling of the situation, describing the error as a “monumental blunder” and calling for Dr Wheatley to step down. Walwyn emphasised that such a significant financial miscalculation would typically lead to resignations in other jurisdictions, and he suggested that Deputy Premier Lorna Smith or another capable government member should take over as Minister of Finance.
However, Vincent Wheatley came to the Premier’s defence, dismissing the calls for resignation as unfounded and counterproductive. “This nonsense about the Premier should step down and do the honourable thing—that’s nonsense, that’s stupidness,” Wheatley said. He argued that the Premier has shown bold leadership in addressing the budgetary issues and should be commended for tackling the problem head-on.
Wheatley also highlighted the complexities of managing the territory’s finances, especially in the face of unexpected challenges. He acknowledged the difficulties faced by the Premier. He urged the public to focus on resolving the issues rather than casting blame. “Every single Minister of Finance has been challenged since 2017,” Wheatley pointed out.
To address the budget deficit, the government has taken steps to reduce spending by halting new hires, limiting government travel, and accelerating pension reforms. A special committee is also expected to be formed to find new ways to increase government revenue and cut costs.
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Just take one good look at Larry the Lobster from VG face. NUFF SAID!!!!
Cousin Vinny going the distance for his boy, S!0w W@nde. How they making up the revenue to cover this difference is what I want to know. It would be unconscionable to tax the population more
That is to funny. Can’t wait to see what other names you guys is going to come up with for the Politicians. Let’s see, Larry the Lobster, Rowboat shoes.
Let Walwyn resign for being arrested and * over government monies on a high school wall which the auditor general and hickinbottom said cleanly was CORRUPTION
Use Artificial intelligence to find ways to make more revenue, it will give better and more fine tune results lol
is at it again , trying to be relevant ,HOPEFULLY THEY WON’T ALLOW HIM TO PERFORM ANY OPERATIONS AT PEEBLES
Mr Wheatley would be better served paying attention to his own ministry and ensuring that a similar fate does not come for him.
Schoolchildren say that all is far from well in our health services and the minister is not well equipped to deal with the major issues.
Exactly, despite promises of action on the incinerator, it’s taken him 9 months to issue a ‘request for proposals’ for a new one. Incredible considering smoke continues to drift westward almost every day.
YOU IN ALL SHOULD STEP DOWN
In the midst of everything, I hope they remember that they still owe two increments and other people whom they have not been paying their correct salaries. These people need to be more mindful of spending. They rushed the salary restructuring for political points but what starts wrong will always end wrong. That salary restructure needed more time and Consideration. Who pays all workers regardless of experience the same salary. These leaders need a dose of intelligence. They operate so dumb and uncaring at most.They spend foolishly. If the money was coming out of their pockets, they would have never squandered it the way they do. It’s sad to see politicians throw away tax payers dollars over wreckless spending.This country needs help like yesterday.
you right innno
i believe all yall should step down yall doing pure nonsense for decades both parties
can’t believe power still cutting off in 2024
run them thing underground.
fix the roads every time it rain hard the road broke up like a puzzle strpz
I almost throw out my wheel on that stretch going pass bouncer bar east end.
The people should get together and sue the pants off the government
bviec mashing up your electronics
the roads mashing up yuh car suspension and tires
and every lil thing imported have hefty tax
yall killin your own country instead of investing in it and making future proof
party members should all step down!
I BET HE GET 4 MORE YEARS – UNLESS UK STEP IN
Only in the BVI because we are really stupid and forgiving people. Yea Wheatley once he fix the problem all well right. In the real world that MF would be fired. If he don’t resign God soon remove him. He is a disaster to happen over and over again.
We have issues in VG you can’t come and tell what the hell is going on at NIOClinic but can insult us to go to fire station with bags to get Sugar Cane restaurant left overs.We have dengue outbreak nothing from you,issue with garbage,realsing these man made mosquitoes.Because the opposition doing their job you wanna be heard,God don’t like ugly…
VG people ayo come for Hon. Vincent please. Poor he
Up to now he can’t comment on why heath services can’t pay its bills or can’t afford to pay doctors and nurses what they deserve despite us creating a whole mandatory NHI scheme to support health services in the BVI. He can’t comment on when we going to have a working incinerator. But he going to comment on this what don’t have nothing to do with his ministry.
Yes running our Finances is too complex for this dude. He never ran the finances of a business. Never had a mortgage. Never ran a household budget but you expect him to understand and handle half a billion dollars budget????
Why these so called members of government call a spade a ♠️ and let this incompetent Premier knows that he needs to be corrected at times. All they are doing is siding with him no matter the circumstances. This is simply not good governance. Education mouth piece said she doesn’t like the way in which the opposition brings issues to the house,but yet support the Premier 100% even though he is stubborn and set in his ways( paraphrased and not word to word quoted). How can she call for unity in discussions within the HOA when they can’t perform such within the Administration. Stop with the political gimmicks and put the Government in Order. If one is not perform to the benefit of the Territory, then certainly they need to be replaced. Let the actions begin portrayed presently be corrected immediately or the replacement of the whole administration needs to be replaced. I am and have always been a strong VIP supporter,but this present VIP is has caused it’s ‘manifesto’and ‘platform’s crumble to shame and pieces.
If you got a Lobster running the Health services, you may as well hire a stray cat and a stray dog to run the other Government services.
All of them must be voted out.
They are fulfilling their personal manifesto just as one with a slip of tongue indicated during a discussion efore electio aboutcorruption
“Shout your mouth, all before did they same thing, so we gong in to do the same also.”
That was the mentality of that current party. The head is gone to Florida, but the political philosophy remains with the top head and the rest of the party.
No oneseems to be observing their political agenda and the bills that were passed from the first. A great red flag was introduced, but none noticed.
The so called farmers and fisheries bill. Did they see anyof that money? Nope!!!
Then they worked out and immediately brought the “Greedy Bill and passed it. All conjured up and prepared long before they were elected.
To day, not one has spsoken out against ,as they will all bennefit.that clearly atrocious and despicable piece of legislation..
And there are more. It is therefore hoped that the people will fire allof them forthwith.
It also hoped that the people are now seeing the weak, greedy, thievery and frivilous mentalities that have been elected and are now fulling their elected goals and accounts, while running the country to Haiti Ghetto type status..
We cannot allow this to go on. We must save our beauiful country from the crooks and diaster..
Vinny won’t rock the boat cause they all over there fighting amongst each other. The absentee Educstuon minister don’t like the premier cause she bad-talk him all the time non-stop. Luarna dozing off cause of the infighting. Kye just there trying to keep his suit and tie neat while the infrastructure collapsing around him. Natalee just trying to find somewhere to travel to get away from ayo ungrateful ingrates. Karl and Luce just lost and grateful to have a salary for doing even less work than they ever had to do in their work lives.
It is all sunshine and skittles over on the government side while the country circles the drain…..sad days.
We talking about the guy that don’t even have to pay for gas and still stall out on the road with no gas… that’s the person who ultimately responsible for our national budget so I not surprised it didn’t get do properly.
Electing this government was a grave mistake.
you have enlightened a lot of people my friend , and I must say it was gently put, and I wish byou can give us a little background on those (3) holy men from CGB especially the Quiet one who said yhat there’s NO
CORRUPTION HERE with a TRUMP SMILE on his dirty face
The whole salary issues reeks of serious corruption, can you imagine the , MOF THE deputy Governors office. Why did not let internal audit should have vet before paying. No what you have is an annual expenditure that is not even tied to performance.
On another, the next boat to sink will be the BVI tourist board, Andrew used the tourist board to pay out well over three million dollars in bush cutting, the boy so want to be director he did not say word so premier wheatly is following in his former boss track using the tourist board to have pass through Project, hence to move of festival and fairs, they are using the tourist board to get around the procurement act. Hiring D as a member of staff and still paying him for side jobs. Please shine a light in by tourist board.
Shouldn’t the minister of finance for a country have some degrees in finance and accounting.
20-million dollars!
$20,000,000.00US
Thats one hell of a mistake and I for one am tired of this inept government squandering the taxpayer’s hard-earned money.
This is the government that is responsible for the affordable housing that’s washing down the Gut.
Good thing no one lives in them.
Too right….imagine making a mistake like that in the private sector…
At $20,000,000 deficit each one of those 487 votes costing us $41,000. Maybe we can get those 487 people to stump up $41000 each to make up for their mistake.
The money was not wasted or squandered it was just a miscalculation. Public service still deserve the pay raise regardless. Now they just have to .. charge financial services $1.00 for each account , raise the tourism levy to $12.00..cruise ship fee for national parks add $1.00 charge $1.00 to cross the Beed Island bridge something….find little ways to make it back, but please do not put more Burden on the people of the BVI for Christ sake.
Tourists pay $ 10 upon arrival, $ 20 upon departure. They pay to go to National Parks, and they pay a daily cruising tax if they come on boats. Nothing is cheap here. But sure, let’s charge them more. No need to expect and demand competency from our own govt. Just squeeze the tourist for more when they screw things up.
If he can call a rapist a good man and think he should be considered for belongership because he went school with him then I not surprised that he doesn’t think the finance minister should resign over screwing up the budget for salaries by $20 million.
It doesn’t matter what happens, politicians never get jailed in the BVI except by foreign forces. Everyone of them are related one way or the other, give this issue nine days and we will hear nothing about this again. Never ever.