Premier rejects claims that BVI politicians are self-serving

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has dismissed claims that elected officials in the Virgin Islands are primarily motivated by self-interest, describing the allegation as a political narrative that does not reflect reality.

Speaking on the Talking Points show recently, Dr Wheatley responded to concerns raised by host Damion Grange, who said public distrust of government had been fuelled by perceptions that politicians were placing their own financial interests ahead of the public’s. 

Grange argued that recent salary increases for elected officials, alongside industrial action threats from healthcare workers, had contributed to a perception that “politicians are more concerned about their own wealth than the wealth of the country” and that such concerns could undermine confidence in discussions about self-determination. 

Rejecting that characterisation, Premier Wheatley said: “Well, I would say this whole concept that politicians are looking after themselves rather than the people, it’s a political talking point. And that’s really what it is. It doesn’t really reflect reality,” Premier Wheatley stated. 

Fair compensation

The Premier said public attention had centred on the recent salary adjustments for elected officials while overlooking their previous remuneration.

“Let’s take a look at what happened to elected officials before that,” Dr Wheatley said.

He noted that elected officials had previously received a salary of $36,000 and that pensions had been calculated on that amount. He argued that all public servants, including elected representatives, should receive fair compensation for the responsibilities they carry.

“And the only thing we ask ourselves for when it comes to anyone’s salaries… is that you’re paid a fair compensation for the work that you do,” he argued. 

“So, I’m not sure why elected officials are being focused on alone, because you have a number of persons in the system who are [paid] salaries in excess of what elected officials were making,” Dr Wheatley added. “If you are the Premier, right and if you are at the top of the totem pole, so to speak, you should have a salary which reflects your position.”

Small fraction

In the meantime, the Premier maintained that elected officials had received only a small fraction of the government’s recent public sector salary package. 

“This government gave what ended up being a $30 million increase to public officers… elected officials got less than one percent of that,” Wheatley said. “The majority of that went to persons on the lower scale.” 

The Premier added that the government had also increased the minimum wage and was pursuing other measures to ease cost-of-living pressures. However, he said such policies had to be implemented cautiously to avoid unintended consequences for businesses and employment.

Premier Wheatley rejected suggestions that the minimum wage should have been raised to an even higher amount. “I can’t afford to do things that recklessly because I understand the impact it would have on small businesses and the cost of living if you put the minimum wage to a way that’s out of whack.” 

The government approved its largest-ever salary increase for public officers in 2024 and later announced a phased increase in the territory’s minimum wage as part of broader efforts to improve worker compensation while balancing fiscal sustainability. 

Even as he defended the government’s record, Premier Wheatley acknowledged that public confidence remained important. “Persons need to have confidence that you’re looking out for them, but we also have to be fair,” Dr Wheatley added.