Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Lawmakers shouldn’t determine their own salaries — Premier

Lawmakers shouldn’t determine their own salaries — Premier

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has argued that lawmakers should not be allowed to come up with how much they are being paid, suggesting that an independent body should be created to make such a determination instead.
Dr Wheatley gave that indication at a recent public service forum where he was responding to a question about pension reform.

“Right now we are having a compensation review for all public servants, and of course, it is fitting that an independent body must be able to look at not only public servants’ salaries but [also] legislators’ salaries,’ the premier said.

“The first problem is legislators shouldn’t be determining their own salaries,” he added. “It should be done by an independent body, and you should be paid based on your roles and your responsibilities; something that’s commensurate to your roles and your responsibilities.”

Additionally, Premier Wheatley proposed that pensions for lawmakers and public servants should be calculated based on formula and their salary, and not on allowances, as has been done in the past for lawmakers.

Dr Wheatley emphasised the need for contributory pension schemes that will not leave the government bankrupt as it tries to find ways of ensuring that both public officers and legislators have a pension they can live on. He further indicated that a proper actuarial study will be necessary to ensure any decisions made regarding pension reform are sustainable in the long term.

Greedy bill regret

Meanwhile, Premier Wheatley also acknowledged the great disparity between retirement benefits for legislators and public officers, expressing regret for his support of the much maligned ‘greedy bill’ for legislators and reiterating that it was a mistake to pass the law.

The ‘greedy bill’ is a reference to the Retiring Allowances (Legislative Services) Amendment Act, 2021, a law passed by the Premier’s Virgin Islands Party (VIP) that has received intense backlash from the public over its excesses doled out to lawmakers even when they are voted out of office.

But even as he acknowledged making mistakes in that regard, Premier Wheatley said he saw this as an opportunity to learn and to become a stronger leader in the future.

The Premier shared his view on the importance of a comprehensive social safety net which he said will ensure all seniors in the territory can survive after retirement.

Dr Wheatley expressed support for allowing public officers to leave the public service with a pension earlier than the current 25-year mark, arguing that this can be done as long as their pension reflects the amount of years they have served.

“We must allow persons to go on into the private sector and even give them incentives,” Dr Wheatley said. “Persons who have come and they’ve saved their money, they want to open a business; let’s help them open that business. Let’s free up space for other persons who have that passion and zeal in the public service.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
×