Value for money key with gov’t consultants, says Premier
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has addressed concerns regarding the government’s use of consultancy contracts, emphasising the importance of flexibility and value for taxpayers.
He noted that private sector consultants deliver certain services more effectively, especially for short-term assignments or specialised tasks that do not require full-time staff.
“Certain types of services are best delivered by persons who are private or in the private sector,” Dr Wheatley explained during a recent press conference. He highlighted that the distinction between consultants and permanent employees should not overshadow the primary goal: delivering value to the people of the Virgin Islands.
Terminating underperforming consultants
The Premier also pointed out that terminating underperforming consultants is more straightforward than removing permanent employees, allowing for greater accountability.
“If persons are not giving value and they’re consultants, let’s end that contract,” he asserted. He further advocated for performance reviews to ensure that all government personnel, whether consultants or permanent staff, fulfil their duties effectively.
Addressing the structure of government operations, Dr Wheatley explained the necessity for flexibility in engaging various types of workers. He mentioned that the government employs different structures, including statutory bodies and consultants, to adapt to dynamic needs.
Utilising all available tools to serve public
According to the Premier, this approach enables the government to utilise all available tools to serve the public efficiently.
The Premier cited the example of beautification projects, where the government might choose between expanding the Public Works Department or hiring private sector teams for specific periods.
“We could have Public Works having 500 employees, or we can have private sector persons do a blitz around key times of the year,” he explained while underscoring the need for flexibility in government operations.
Premier’s consultancy expenditures
This discussion comes amid scrutiny of consultancy expenditures within the Premier’s Office. In November 2024, Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn raised concerns about consultancy expenses nearing $1 million for the year. He questioned the necessity of these costs and the roles of specific consultants, including a former Speaker of the House and an advisor referred to as a “Trinidad man.”
In response, Premier Wheatley defended using consultants, stating that consultancy is standard practice across governments. “Every single government… uses consultancy,” he remarked while urging a fair perspective.
During a Standing Finance Committee budget session late last year, Permanent Secretary Carolyn Stoutt-Igwe revealed that the Premier had two special advisors — each compensated at $120,000 per year — and seven consultants. However, she was unable to provide detailed information about their work, as they reported directly to the Premier.
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And you only get value for money if you actually execute the guidance instead of having endless consultants and putting their recommendations on the bookshelf to gather dust.
As long as we got CSC & the mighty
WIGO here you ain’t need anybody else / 2 mouth pieces who love the spotlight
Your consultants don’t worth a penny judging from your behavior.
Heard the money to small for the esteemed so he did not take the work
small mercies for the rest of the bee wee eye.
A lot of people play politics with everything but unfortunately the Premier is right. Our Civil Service system is set up to fail our elected officials because they are forced to deal with officers who can do as they please simply because they are BVIslanders. How does a Government deal with unproductive Civil Servants? I would bet my last that most people don’t even understand what’s involved.
If the public is paying for the consultants, make their reports public. We will judge whether or not we are getting value for money.
See this is the problem, you have all this energy now but our taxpayer money pays for over 2000 government workers. Where are their reports? How are they performing? Well, we don’t care because they are ‘us’, our cousins, friends, husbands, wives. All the consultant chatter is jealousy and political nonsense because some people are collecting a certain sum of money, that’s all this is. If we really cared about government performance, we would be begging for measures to be put in place to monitor the performance of ALL government workers.
Does this mean you finally got the reports for Claude.
Too much secrecy here. W
hat are the jobs of these 9 people that work for the Premier?
Where were the jobs advertised in the VI so people could apply?
What were the job descriptions sent to people applying for the positions?
No bodyguards?
What are the 2000 plus civil servants doing? Our tax dollars fund them to the tune of over 100mil annually. We are here bickering over consultants that cost 1mil. Let us stop with the fake outrage please!!!!!! If the service functioned properly we wouldn’t need consultants. Funny how we had an entire COI and nothing came up about the civil service disfunction. Why? Because it falls under the Gov Office. You all are so blinded and conditioned you cannot see beyond your nose bridge.
What are the 2000 plus civil servants doing? I agree it is sometimes hard to say.
Our tax dollars fund them to the tune of over 100mil annually. It would be good to get that number down and lose some people who are just pushing paper and use the money on actual infrastructure.
9 Consultants Cost over $1,000,000 – $111,000 each
2000 Plus Civil Servants Cost 100,000,000. $50,000 each.
I think now you may see the problem with Consultants that produce no results even when contracted to do so, operate in secrecy and are employed secretly.
i think it is you that is blinded and are demonstrating fake outrage. Secret consultants and the huge cost is the problem that you seem not to see, but are outraged that we pay regular Government workers.
You inflate your outrage by relating it to the COI, which was to look at corruption, abuse of office and serious dihonesty. All of these are clearly still evident and Secret consultants are just one example of how this Government is ignoring the recommendations of the COI.
The terms of reference of the COI were clearly laid out and they did not include looking at Civil Service dysfunction.
You are right and a COI into waste in the public service and overstaffing would be a great thing and should focus on the causes of that. Is it the Governor or the Government that perpetuates a situation where people are employed when not needed or simply unproductive.
Not blinded here. Seeing all that is not secret.
Well said brother. Most just protecting a high salary for high retirement and social security retirement benefits. This goes for the higher ups in the civil service as well. They do not care as long as they have no issues on the 15th, 30th and get their required years accumulated.
They want to act without impunity and unquestioned by anyone. You would think that these consultants produce reports that create a mandate for civil servants to follow. Thereby making the processes better. It may not always go as we like but if you walk into a government office someone is there doing something. But what of these consultants?
What has the BVI truly gotten for all these educated folks? Except the right to brag that “one ah we, is head of so and so”. Please don’t mention financial services.
Look at the state of this country. It needs to be more than that.
Who do you think runs this Territory. Not the Politicians. It is the Technocrats that Run this Territory. Case in Point: Who do you think write the Answers to the Questions asked in the HOA by the Members of the Opposition? Do you ever listen to why sometimes it is difficult for the Individual to answer follow-up Questions? Because they won’t have a written Answer for those Questions. The Technocrats call the Shots!!! Secondly, If the Premier is too busy doing other things to read the Blogs, I wish someone will pass on this important Message. No, I wont call because I will have to tell someone else what Am calling about then I would be told either his Line is Busy or he just stepped out. (1) An Injustice was done to the Retired Civil Servants by not including them in the Salary Review Process, Please Fix It. (2) The Former Deputy Premier was single Handedly allowed to suspend the Trade Commission which was previously passed in the HOA, which was also the Vehicle to help the Population of this territory through the Consumer Protection Bill. Hon. Premier please do right by your People by putting this High on your List to correct. Thanking you in advance. Lastly, for now the Budget has already been Read. But Please Hon. Premier As soon as possible in the New Year, Let this also be High on Your Agenda. The Payroll Tax Exemption amount should be increased to 15K in the first instance for at least 3 to 5 years after which it must continue to be revised. Hon. Premier Do Right by your People. Hon, Premier, Do Right by your People.
Ok so you are saying consultants don’t help? Read the posts again, if people really care about value for money, why isn’t anyone asking if we are really getting value for the over 2,000 civil servants that we have employed and that are a burden financially on the Territory. I know why, you know why, we all know why nobody asks those questions. Let’s stop pretending to care and call it what it is, politics!
Thanks that is what we voted for. A lu**tic who can’t deliver, a child and nothing else
Firstly, let us define “CONSULTANT”: a failed politician.
The reason an elected official may need consultants is that he is most likely clueless about what he is doing. He got elected by an uninformed and sometimes uneducated electorate, to do a job (set policy) that he has zero knowledge or experience about.
A consultant’s salary is on par with that of an elected official. So, technically the taxpayer is being fleeced/shafted both ways.
It is politically expedient to perpetuate the electorate in a state of ignorance; that way the status quo can be maintained. Ultimately we are retrogressing, but who cares really?
What is the value in your brother mouthing off at the UN, pi**ing off the UK, and making your and our relationship with the UK more difficult??
-inquiring minds want to know.