Politician pensions protected while seniors suffer
Territorial At-Large Representative Ronnie Skelton has blasted a disturbing double standard in the BVI’s treatment of retirees, pointing out that elected leaders have secured hefty pension benefits for themselves while ordinary seniors continue to struggle on meagre stipends.
“It’s our very own lives we’re trying to save because many in here are only about 20 years away from being seniors,” Skelton said recently in the House of Assembly. “We’re talking like seniors are an appendage that nobody cares about. I think we need to understand that we have to do more for them.”
Skelton compared the millions budgeted for politicians’ pensions with the limited support offered to the wider community of retirees, many of whom are struggling to keep up with rising living costs.
“And here it is, we have given ourselves a raise — if they send us home today, the government will have to find some seven million to give us,” he declared. “What seniors don’t have is time. Time is what they don’t have. Help the seniors. The pensioners need their increase and I doubt it’s a lot of money. We’ve done it before and I’m sure we can do it again.”
Skelton’s remarks follow public criticism of the Retiring Allowances (Legislative Services) (Amendment) Act, 2021 — infamously dubbed the “Greedy Bill” — which guarantees generous retirement packages for legislators, including lump-sum gratuities and full pensions even for one-term members. That law, paired with the recent public sector compensation review, ensured that lawmakers and retired elected leaders benefited from pay and pension adjustments.
In contrast, amid rising inflation, the community has been bemoaning the sad state of many retired civil servants who continue to wait for word on whether their own pensions will be reviewed or increased.
Critics have noted the irony of legislators moving swiftly to safeguard their own post-service income while pensioners, some living below the poverty line, are still forced to stretch inadequate monthly payments.
Skelton warned that how the territory treats its retirees is a reflection of its values.
“You measure a country by the way we treat the very young and the very old,” he said. “If I see you not taking care of your mother, what will I think? … We need to do better. We must do better,” the veteran legislator said.
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These comments were made by Hon. Skelton after he refused to support the vote of no confidence and did not debate it and abstained from voting for it because he was in his feelings since he was removed as leader of the opposition. If he cared about the people he would have put his personal feelings aside and debate the concerns of the seniors and all the other concerns that was in the exact vote of no confidence that he failed to bring successfully two times. This is nothing but an attempt to appear as if he cares for people after the fact. I am not buying it. Sorry.
if you knew mr. skelton your comment would not have been made. Mr. Skelton is one of the most compassionate common-sense leaders in the house of assembly. if you do not know him, get to know him from on here talking for political mileage. well we already realise that not everyone who can talk or have doctors degree can lead. Stop bringing down others, especially if you do not know them.
He was the same one saying to send the money to social development that was being used to help seniors and many other people. The hypocrisy of these people is mind boggling.
but it should go there, to take away the abuse experienced when it was at the house of assembly only people who voted for a party were being helped like it was their money, not all our money. the territory has to fix and that is one aspect of fixing.
LOOK MR. ENTITLEMENT!
Where does the Alliance stand on the greedy bill? Do they stand with the people or will they stand in line at the bank monthly to withdraw their haul for life? I notice this is the one thing none of them are talking about which leads me to believe all of thosee guys are holding one head behind the scenes and taking the people for a ride.
THE ALLIANCE LEADER {MW} WANTED TO KNOW IF HIS CHECK WAS READY YET
All the alliance leader (MW) wanted to know was if his check was ready yet
Didn’t Ronnie receive the same money like everyone else or you conveniently forgot that part?
If my memory serves me well it was Myron who raised the alarm about the part of the greedy bill where past members were being paid monthly when they didn’t work. It was when he raised it was when everybody else come in and say they will repeal it after he asked for it to be repealed.
It brings great pleasure to know that one politician/political leader is aware, concerned and cares about the economic plight and weel-being of the again retired segment of the population.
This issue have been raised for decades through comments and other, but have not rceived the attention it so desperately deserves until this article.
It hoped, therefore, that movement will finally be forthcoming and our seniors will finally get a modicum of relief they deserve.
He speaks as though he is not an elected offical participating in the said behaviour that he is critizing wtf??
he cannot do anything but talk while he sits on the side of the opposition. it is for the ruling government to do.
You call what Ronnie does talking? Where could we send him to represent us? The man cannot even string two sentences together to save his life. Give us a break. Chupes
🙂
How did the greedy bill ever get through the HOA?
Now we will vote on wether or not we should be maassively over-compensated for our low value performance in the HoA.
The AYES have it!!
The accidental premier says you all must go look work.
And when we get independence the same politicians will laugh and bury the ignorant minority who feels our own can do no wrong against us. Yes the UK dont do much but at least they can scare them straight unlike we the people who complain about things when is time to march for rights no ones shows upppp.
Is Andrew Fahie still receiving money from the BVI government? If he is please ask the Premier to explain. Inquiring minds want to know. Was the Greedy Bill passed under his administration and was it insurance knowing what was going down. Why do we prefer to go down a dark and slippery hole instead of searching for the light. This is what says it all about us and intelligent people can recognize the truth about how and why things are structured the way they are. Its just a deadly demonic game where tricksters and con artists run things while the majority get lost in the maze.
See the ignorance. We always shoot our guns at the messenger. The politicians take care of themselves first and leave us to deal with it. This is why the talk of independence scares some and makes others laugh out loud. We are not a society that thinks of solutions very quickly because we get stuck in the angry venting state then the overlords come and say see we have the structure you crave (like a prisoner in prison) and the vicious cycle remains in place. We have to break the wheel because what we have now is not working for us.
Look who is talking ,,, waste of time ,, do something about it and shut your mouth.. you are a snake in the grass ,, ANACONDA ..
Well Ronnie want his own trumpet, why didn’t Ronnie vote at the no confidence motion to stop that hefty pension he speak ️ of to politicians, no he want attention for himself only.