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Shameful! Premier slams untruths about public service increments

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has condemned the misinformation he said was being spread on billboards during the election campaign.

Dr Wheatley made the comment while speaking on the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Let’s Talk radio programme recently where he promised to set the record straight about the misleading signs which were telling residents that his VIP government had not paid public service increments.

“I’m going to set the record clear because I saw a billboard, a shameful billboard speaking about not paying increments,” Premier Wheatley said. “And I got from good sources, the National Democratic Party put up that billboard, that’s talking about the VIP is a government of mistakes…”

Premier Wheatley promised to address the issue at his party’s closing rally. “You don’t miss that closing rally because I’m going to be talking about ten glass houses at that closing VIP rally… you don’t want to miss it, it’s going to be fire,” he said.

According to the premier, the previous National Democratic Party (NDP) administration had not paid increments for three successive years from 2016 to 2018. He argued that it was his government that had to pay the increments for those years that the NDP was in power.

Dr Wheatley said his government has already budgeted the money for increments to be paid to public servants and has also made the Cabinet decision to pay increments for five years.

“When persons come to you with nonsense telling you that there has been no increments paid, you tell them that the Virgin Islands Party in this administration made sure that increments will be paid for one, two, three, four, five, six, seven years – two of the years with arrears – 2018 and 2019 with arrears,” the premier said. “So, don’t listen to the misinformation. Listen to the facts and these things are facts. You can look for it. It was a Cabinet decision. It was made public.”

Meanwhile, Education Minister Sharie de Castro shared that the ongoing salary review, expected to be completed in August, will also ensure that workers receive equitable pay. She explained that this is one of the reasons it was important for the government to bring increments for public servants up to date.

“Our people would be at their correct salary range going into that review so that they wouldn’t even be considered at a lower scale than where they should be,” she stated.

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14 Comments

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  1. we pushing P says:

    He gone!….That’s it for he….VOTE FOR PERLINE, PVIM and NDP

    Like 18
    Dislike 8
  2. Rubber Duck says:

    Soon he will sink into the obscurity he so richly deserves.

    There is only one outstanding candidate, Lorna Smith.

    Lets get Lorna in our Corner.

    Like 23
    Dislike 8
  3. Talk Dat says:

    And God forbid, come Monday April, 24th,if he is not reelected, will be getting pay for two (2) years, not working.”how Sweet It Is”

    Like 4
    Dislike 4
  4. The truth says:

    NDP failed to pay the public servants any of their increments due to them for years. The VIP came in office in 2019 and paid a few of them then covid came and caused a delay. Since then, they have already approved to have the rest paid but it is the same higher up senior public officers who are now holding up the progress. This is the full and whole truth.

    Like 10
    Dislike 9
  5. Do the right thing says:

    Yall please try and remove this simpleton from leading our country this election.

    Like 11
    Dislike 4
  6. Seasalt says:

    Which one you want the increment or your job says Andrew Fahie and the VIP government.

    Now we asking this, which one you want the boss we the voters firing you or the greedy bill staying in place without paying increments????

    Like for greedy bill and no increment (VIP in)

    Dislike for increment and no greedy bill (VIP out)

    Like 4
    Dislike 7
  7. @Talk Dat says:

    And how sad, wrong and distasteful that will be. Lose you job but still get a huge windfall. This was legislation well thought out and put together long before they got into office. It was designed as a legal approach to syphon off government and the people into their pockets.

    They said they would do so before they got elected, and they got elected and kept their word.. The people got what they bought, but are still broke, hungry and desperately financially one paycheck and one catastrophic illness away from stricken poverty.

    They said they would. And, the politically immature and lacking political foresight, who only votes a name and or party, but never use rational and political investigative analysis elected them. Have they woken up and become politically sensible and or astute yet/ The land will see in a few days..

    They went in and proceeded to extortionate the people’s purse and pay themselves with large and generous salaries before, during and after service has ended and they are no longer elected officials.

    That was a calculated maneuver thought about, designed, crafted, and legislated from the moment they step foot into office. And, the people now must pay them those outlandish scheming monies while the people face the continuing high and rising formidable cost of every aspect of consumer goods and service. They expect them to turn the misery index and rock stones into paper money and coins. Heartless.

    Now they are blogging lies such as “Since then, they have already approved to have the rest paid but it is the same higher up senior public officers who are now holding up the progress. This is the full and whole truth,” trying to dissuade, put a blind fold on and otherwise fool the people/voters..

    They have no intension of paying the retired and active civil servants their earned due. They just put those words out there at this late hour, and after seeing all of the dissatisfaction filled blogs

    None sense it is. If the Hon. Premier, Governor and Deputy Governor, among others had the interest of the people at heart, the people would have received what they have worked for and are owed a long time ago. But they are worthless and selfish people only taking all they can get for themselves.

    Yet the politically immature and lacking political foresight people will continue to fall for their deceit and greed.

    Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The people have no clue of this. Hence, they neither look deeply or rationally and they do not demand transparency, nor do they demand political hygiene from their elected officials. For example, how can a toilet cost a half a million plus and no one publicly questions it?

    Political hygiene and and active service for the people is dead in B.V.I.’s political halls.

    Like 6
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  8. Angry says:

    It was his leader who also say that public servants have a choice of getting incriments and going home so make that your 11 glass house

    Like 3
    Dislike 3
  9. Scruge says:

    People in the BVI dunce as h**l. The Man aint going collect one red cent if he not reelected. Read the Bill. You all memory short. It got people how already benefited from this bill yet you want to put them in. You can have both ways. by the way, the VIP PAID TWO INCREMENTS AND THAT A FACT.

    Like 4
    Dislike 7
  10. WEW says:

    NOW you’re worried about the TRUTH ? To late. BYE BYE

    Like 3
    Dislike 1
  11. FOOT in Mouth disease. says:

    I’m still voting for this dude. (but not the VIP)
    He did teriffic work for us, sticking his finger in the dike of UK takeover until he embraced the utter idiocy of his party during election and changed his tune…
    I am aware I sound stupid & naive but no one else has done as much for the Territory since HLS and early RTO.

    Wheatley just needs to get his head out of the VIP bum steer- we need him to grow up and away from the old ways that no longer serve us.

    Like 1
    Dislike 9
  12. @FOOT in Mouth disease. says:

    You like many others and Black folk in general will learn to late and the hard way. Time will tell all .

    Like 2
    Dislike 1
  13. @scruge says:

    Before you call people dunce, YOU should read the bill. The Greedy bill does NOT apply to anyone who has already retired or previously elected out of office. Only those who will leave office after THIS term – INCLUDING first term legislators.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  14. HMM says:

    You all better believe that, that’s facts right there. If you all want you all increments you all better put who already have it to give. See I warning all of you? Hmm!

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