OP-ED: Sin to be a senior!

The elderly in the Virgin Islands face serious challenges in accessing the support they need from the very institutions meant to protect and assist them.

After decades of building this territory, paying taxes, and contributing to community life, many seniors now struggle to navigate a system that often feels unnecessarily complex and burdensome.

When water shortages reached a crisis point earlier this year, strong public pressure pushed the government to declare water a national priority and announce a relief plan. It is worth asking: should a similar approach be taken for senior care?

Since the Commission of Inquiry highlighted concerns about politically distributed grants, reforms have made it harder — not easier — for seniors to access help. Assistance now requires repeated applications, submission of bank statements and medical reports, and other paperwork that can be difficult for elderly residents to manage. Broadcasters and commentators have described the process as humiliating, forcing seniors to “prove poverty” to qualify for basic support. Meanwhile, pensioners still await promised increases, which would reduce their reliance on grants in the first place.

Community programmes for seniors also appear underfunded and under-prioritised. While the government continues to engage in international outreach, local investment in elderly care has not kept pace. The Governor’s Office, which plays a key role in overseeing COI-inspired reforms, has not publicly addressed whether the current rules are creating unintended hardships for seniors. It is also unclear whether Premier Natalio Wheatley and Health Minister Vincent Wheatley have formally raised these concerns with the Governor. Greater transparency is needed to ensure that oversight does not come at the expense of the territory’s most vulnerable.”

Opposition members have spoken on this issue but their voices remain scattered. Myron Walwyn has called for greater investment in senior care; Ronnie Skelton has warned that seniors are being left to “fend for themselves”; and Melvin “Mitch” Turnbull has argued that public assistance must not undermine dignity. Their isolated sentiments on the issue is clearly overshadowed by broader political disputes of their own making. As a result, there has been no unified push in the House of Assembly to elevate elder care as a national priority. Stronger collaboration across political lines — from both men and women in the House — could help drive meaningful change.

The public also has a role to play. While debates often centre on political controversy, the everyday struggles of seniors rarely get the same attention. Media houses and community advocates should keep this issue visible, ensuring it does not slip to the margins of public debate.

Our seniors are not a burden — they are the backbone of our communities. If urgent action was justified for water infrastructure, then elder care deserves the same level of priority. Practical steps could include:

• Reviewing and easing requirements that make assistance unnecessarily difficult for seniors.

• Fully funding and implementing promised senior programmes without further delay.

• Launching an inquiry into senior welfare, similar to the water-relief plan, and publishing a roadmap based on the concerns of the elderly themselves.

• Ensuring the Governor’s Office uses its oversight role to help bring about meaningful improvements.

Seniors have given much to this territory. They should not have to fight so hard for dignity and support in their later years. It is time to make their welfare a national priority.

Government acted when residents demanded water relief. Perhaps it will take similar public pressure for senior care to receive the same attention. Until then, one lesson rings clear: in the Virgin Islands, don’t get old.