VIP slammed over alleged Belongership handouts to party spouses
Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn has accused the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government of handing out Belongership status to spouses and associates of party affiliates without proper procedure, describing the move as a clear case of political favouritism.
Speaking during the House of Assembly’s debate on the Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Bill 2025, Walwyn said the previous VIP-led administration gave out 1,400 Belongerships without clear criteria.
“Spouses of this and boyfriends of that, who don’t do nothing for the BVI, got Belongers,” Walwyn asserted. “All manner of things happen under the same Virgin Islands Party government.”
Walwyn argued that the BVI does not belong to any party member and emphasised the importance of following procedure.
“I’m so elated, very elated, Premier, and I congratulate you for understanding the importance of procedure, that things must be done in the right way… You can’t take up Belongers and give to your friends and your family and the spouses of party members. You can’t do that sort of thing,” he argued.
The Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Bill 2025 was introduced to correct errors in the 2024 amendment, which had inadvertently extended the qualifying period for Belongership to 30 years. Clause 5 of the bill reduces that period back to 10 years, aligning with the original framework under the 2013 Principal Act.
Premier Natalio Wheatley, who tabled the bill, defended the reforms as necessary to foster a more inclusive yet safeguarded system of national belonging. “You have to demonstrate a certain level of patriotism in order to get those privileges and those benefits,” Dr Wheatley stated.
The bill also clarifies terms like “ordinarily resident” and facilitates smoother transitions for spouses of Belongers.
Though Walwyn supported the bill’s correction of legislative oversights, he raised concerns about the uneven distribution of benefits across law enforcement agencies. He urged the government to enact a single law to ensure all risk-bearing officers receive equal benefits.
The broader immigration reform effort, prompted in part by the Commission of Inquiry’s recommendations, aims to build a more robust and fair immigration system in the BVI. However, Walwyn made clear that political interference in status grants remains a contentious issue.
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This shows why the UK SHOULD be involved as corruption is part of the BVI DNA!
There’s corruption everywhere, so getting the UK more involved will just SHIFT the corruption, not get rid of it completely.
If the people here long enough then it was there right however where members of the A$$C!0wn Brigade benefited unjustly it’s inline with their leader in spirit, Head Coach aka the Big Whale whose picture hangs over their heads in HoA
I am glad that Hon. Walwyn is holding them to account. When I listen to the Premier speak he acts like he is just born and that things just happened like that. He is conveniently forgetting the major role that both him and his colleagues played in getting us here at this point. Yes, they did give out belongers to spouses and significant others. The short, Guyanese Rasta man got his belongers and it had people here long before him. I doubt he was here for 20 years. That’s the same one who got our grant money to pay his bills.
All the mess that we are in was caused by the VIP government. The giving out of those 1,400 belongers without any proper criteria or procedure was flagged by the COI and is reason why we now have to be changing up the laws. They have us in the mess we are in.
From Sharie? , I think I did!
Meanwhile here i am sitting 24 years waitin for a call back.
It’s sad that you’re not the only one. Many of us will be surprised to know how many are still waiting on a lil residency status.