Premier blasts Walwyn over HOA retirement package hypocrisy
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has hit back at claims that the introduction of a retirement pension law for legislators which was introduced by the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) was the ‘height of political wickedness’.
Sixth District candidate and former Education Minister Myron Walwyn made that accusation at the weekend and promised that his National Democratic Party (NDP) will partially repeal the Retiring Allowances (Legislative Services) Amendment Act, 2021 once elected.
But Premier Wheatley, while speaking at a rally for Eighth District candidate Allen Wheatley last evening, pounced on Walwyn’s comments, accusing NDP members of being duplicitous and urging Walwyn not to throw stones while living in a proverbial glass house.
“The first former member that Cabinet made a decision on when it came to collecting their retirement allowance, was Mr Myron Walwyn,” Dr Wheatley said. “And trust me, he was ringing down my phone — ’It gone Cabinet yet? Has it gone to Cabinet yet?’”
According to Premier Wheatley, “Mr Walwyn took home $276,274.50. That’s why he could tell you how much, because in one lump sum, he took that home. And every month on top of that $276,274.50 … he is paid $5,525.50. And he will be paid that for the rest of his life.”
“So, he didn’t know that when he was talking about all the struggling people not making any money?” the Premier said. “So, if I were Mr Myron Walwyn, I would leave that alone.”
In the meantime, Premier Wheatley also accused current Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn of promising to repeal the law only after he sought legal advice and determined that his own pension would not be affected. “The only time he went and ran to the public to say he’s going to repeal it [was] after he heard me saying that I’m going to repeal it,” Premier Wheatley added.
Walwyn’s former HOA colleagues — Mark Vanterpool and Penn — Dr Wheatley claimed, are among those who stand the most to benefit from the law that residents have since dubbed the ‘greedy bill’. The premier included other current lawmakers such as Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull, Julian Fraser as well as former Premier Andrew Fahie, whom he listed as beneficiaries as well.
The only current VIP member who qualifies for any sort of pension for life, Dr Wheatley argued, is former NDP member Alvera Maduro-Caines, who crossed the political aisle after the last elections to join the VIP.
But Premier Wheatley, while speaking at a rally for Eighth District candidate Allen Wheatley last evening, pounced on Walwyn’s comments, accusing NDP members of being duplicitous and urging Walwyn not to throw stones while living in a proverbial glass house.
Walwyn was first beneficiary
“The first former member that Cabinet made a decision on when it came to collecting their retirement allowance, was Mr Myron Walwyn,” Dr Wheatley said. “And trust me, he was ringing down my phone — ’It gone Cabinet yet? Has it gone to Cabinet yet?’”
According to Premier Wheatley, “Mr Walwyn took home $276,274.50. That’s why he could tell you how much, because in one lump sum, he took that home. And every month on top of that $276,274.50 … he is paid $5,525.50. And he will be paid that for the rest of his life.”
“So, he didn’t know that when he was talking about all the struggling people not making any money?” the Premier said. “So, if I were Mr Myron Walwyn, I would leave that alone.”
In the meantime, Premier Wheatley also accused current Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn of promising to repeal the law only after he sought legal advice and determined that his own pension would not be affected. “The only time he went and ran to the public to say he’s going to repeal it [was] after he heard me saying that I’m going to repeal it,” Premier Wheatley added.
Walwyn’s former HOA colleagues — Mark Vanterpool and Penn — Dr Wheatley claimed, are among those who stand the most to benefit from the law that residents have since dubbed the ‘greedy bill’. The premier included other current lawmakers such as Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull, Julian Fraser as well as former Premier Andrew Fahie, whom he listed as beneficiaries as well.
The only current VIP member who qualifies for any sort of pension for life, Dr Wheatley argued, is former NDP member Alvera Maduro-Caines, who crossed the political aisle after the last elections to join the VIP.
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