Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

A number of employers are stealing from the gov’t

A number of employers are stealing from the gov’t

Investigations by the Department of Labour & Workforce Development have revealed that a number of employees and employers across the territory are understating earnings in an effort to withhold taxes from the government.

That’s the revelation made by Labour Minister Vincent Wheatley who was speaking in the House of Assembly on April 15. He said the investigations show that much of these unscrupulous activities were done in 2019 — before COVID-19 began affecting the economy.

The minister said officials noticed the illegal trends in the labour market after examining documents that business owners must submit for work permit applications to be processed.

The documents include Certificates of Good Standing from the Social Security Board, Certificates of Earnings on behalf of the employees, and paperwork from the National Health Insurance and the Inland Revenue Department.

“After conducting thorough investigations, the department found that in 2019, which is even before COVID-19 affected our shores, many employees were making less than the mandatory minimum Gross Income of $12,040.00 per annum. In fact, many persons were not even remitting the 52 weeks contributions prescribed by the Social Security Board,” Minister Wheatley explained.

He continued: “It was further noted that in 2019 gross earnings for some permit holders were even listed to be as low as $960.00 for the entire year.”

Illegal workers and employers pardoned


Additionally, Minister Wheatley said officials have noticed a trend where some employees’ w `ork permits were found to be held by one employer but their statutory contributions were being paid in under another employer.

This means that these employees were not working with the companies identified on their work permits.

But instead of denying these work permits, Minister Wheatley said officials took a proactive stance and approved the renewals for these workers for six months as a means to ensure that the employers and the employees would meet the established protocols.

“This is what we call extending mercy; particularly during these times that we are faced with,” Minister Wheatley expressed.

Employers refusing to pay contributions


The minister further said the government knows that some cash-strapped businesses choose to take the monies from their employees’ paychecks under the guise of “borrowing” the money to pay it back later.

“Others simply take the money with no plan to repay it,” Wheatley expressed.

“As such, we are reminding employers that once they withhold the requisite payments from their employees’ paychecks, along with their required out-of-pocket portions, the monies deducted must be reported and paid directly to these agencies on a monthly basis. Failure to ensure that these measures are taken will result in work permit applications not being processed efficiently,” the Minister further stated.

He added that some businesses involved in ‘pyramiding’ may also try to start a new business under a different name.

“Whatever the reason, not making these payments is one of the worst things an employer can do. Failure to pay constitutes stealing from their employees. Employers who engage in this practice are subject to penalties assessed by the relevant agencies. It is important to understand that these contributions or payments are part of government’s revenue.”

“Therefore, when payments are not made, the government loses money that is beneficial to the running of this territory, especially during these adverse economic times. The government does not take this lightly and will not relent in its efforts to collect the amounts owed,” Wheatley expressed.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×