Premier’s Office nears $1M in consultancies — Walwyn
Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn has raised concerns about consultancy expenses in the Premier’s Office, saying that costs are nearing $1 million this year.
Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, Walwyn questioned the purpose and necessity of these expenses, pointing out that additional funds are being requested to cover more consultancy costs.
“And then in the Premier’s Office… can you imagine that the Premier has $935,000 in consultancies… and now he’s asking for another $70,000… which will take him over a million dollars in the Premier’s office alone for this year,” Walwyn said while highlighting what he considers excessive spending.
“Now, if you said to the people, ‘Hire me… I have all the skills and I can do it,’ and then you’ve got to hire every single person to do the same job for you,” he added.
Walwyn further questioned the consultants’ identities, asking why specific individuals, including a former Speaker of the House, were awarded contracts. Referring to one consultant as a “Trinidad man,” Walwyn said the person seems to be a permanent fixture, stating, “He ain’t going nowhere, leave that man at all… He’s like his Visa. He won’t leave home without him.”
He also questioned the purpose behind the move to hire the former Speaker. “Well, Premier, what is he going to do?” Walwwyn asked. “Up to now, he cannot say what he’s taking on the former Speaker of the House to do. He can’t say it. So maybe when he gets up in his response, he can probably tell the public.”
Party priority?
In addition to consultancy fees, Walwyn commented on a $60,000 allocation for a Christmas party, suggesting that the Premier prioritises celebrations. “If everything was a party, the country would be in good shape. He don’t play with them parties at all,” Walwyn quipped, implying that funds could be more effectively allocated.
In response, the Premier defended using consultants, pointing out that consultancy is standard practice across governments. “Every single government… uses consultancy,” he said, addressing Opposition members. The Premier highlighted that Opposition members had also used consultants when in government and called for a fair perspective, saying, “So let’s not point at consultancy and make it seem as though consultancy is something new.”
Regarding the Christmas party expenses, the Premier did not directly address the matter but urged the Opposition to consider their own practices. Additionally, he deflected criticism of travel expenses by mentioning an upcoming trip to Australia by Opposition members.
“If I were a member of the Opposition, I wouldn’t mention travel… right on the eve of travel, you want to come talking about travel?” he remarked.
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Yes everyone and every government used consultants but not to the tune of $1 million dollars for one Minister alone! That is insane. Especially when the people being hired are unqualified to advise or consult on anything.
Opposition take one trip with a limited budget while you travel every single month with nothing to show for it! At least Lorna bright back strengthened ties with GT.
They took millions of pensioners money .prices of food (basic commodities) going through the roof and he cannot give us a revised or an increase on our own money?
What kind of compassionate and for the people Government is this ?
This is crazy
Every government uses consultants but few are the places where consultants solicitations and work products are so opaque. How many consultants’s reports has the BVI ever released? So much for the alleged fiar perspective consultants bring…
For reference, $ 1,000,000 is equivalent to two years of full time work (4,000 hours) at $250/hour. That’s a lot of consulting. If you need that much help, more cost effective to hire someone. One million pays 28 people $ 35k/year…Could have hired a consultant for $ 500 K, and given him a staff of 14 , and potentially got a lot more done.
Bottom line: cronyism as usual and a $ 60k for a fete after.
wow and people still feel this government don’t need uk governance and oversight? these greedy ms and their family, friends and associates are parasites.
Why don’t we just elect the consultants? It seems like we are paying them to do his job anyway. What do we need him for?
Consultancy is the umbrella governments use to give frends and croonies high paying jobs to do nothing. The number of consultants walking around town and are in bars limimg making thousands of dollars a month is surreal. They don’t have job descriptions because the post is not a real job, it is just putting momey in some one’s pocket. So what Natalio is doing is natural practice.
What consultancy is the former Speaker of the House providing? What is his specialism? How much is he getting paid and why?
Criminals employing other criminals who like pictures of other criminals to hang in their support in the House of Disgrace.
Just a million on consultancies for this id**t is a bargain actually. Could you imagine what it would be if CSC and sl**ande were playing footsie?
MAN LOOK LIKE MR BEAN
Hmm this is what you get when you have a gr**dy person in power, just wait soon he will be dipping in the finical service money. I hope they do a full investigation into where all this money is going, as we all know He and A* is still running this country the whole lot of them deserve to be in a jail even JW.
It’s time the UK take over this place is not getting any better, and he knows they not voting him back in so take as much as you can get and to h**l with everyone in the BVI, he don’t care about none of you. That’s the reality so let that sink in.
Good luck yes.
Consultants and recommendations are the easy part. The real investment needs to go into the implementation of those recommendations. They have zero value if they sit on the shelf collecting dust. Check that the resources are in place to implement whatever the outcome is, or don’t bother.
Government should be managed like businesses, every three months they should go through an appraisal system and if found delinquent or woefully out of touch with his or her portfolio must be replaced. It’s unfair for money to thrown to incompetent people.
I would like to know why any government official needs to go to Australia!!!!!!
have they heard of the internet. Online Meetings????
Really? and you still think this place can manage on its own?
Corruption and Crime are part of the BVI DNA and this proves it.
After the Premier was arrested in the USA, the whole puppet-show continues in the BVI like nothing ever happened!