Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jun 05, 2025

Walwyn refutes Premier’s ‘Greedy Bill’ narrative

Walwyn refutes Premier’s ‘Greedy Bill’ narrative

Former Education Minister, Myron Walwyn, has once again refuted claims by Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley that he (Walwyn) was being deceitful over comments about a partial repeal of the Pension Act instituted by lawmakers two years ago.
Walwyn explained in a recent interview with the Cut Deep show that a report on the emoluments of legislators was commissioned during his time in government with the National Democratic Party (NDP). However, he said the recommendation from that report for lawmakers to receive a pension on both their salary and allowances was not implemented before he left office.

Under the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government led by former Premier Andrew Fahie, however, Walwyn said a number of different measures were added to that recommendation and taken to the House of Assembly (HOA) before being passed into law as new provisions in the Retiring Allowances (Legislative Services) Amendment Act, 2021 — more commonly referred to as the Greedy Bill.

Walwyn said the money he received as part of his pension after the new Act was passed, was the same received by every other legislator that had served two terms in office.

They want to ring my tail

According to Walwyn, lawmakers who serve for a single term were previously eligible for a gratuity payment, which he said is equivalent to one year’s salary. However, he explained that, with the provisions of the new Act, first term lawmakers are now expected to be paid a full two-year salary, even if they are no longer in office.

He further explained that two-term lawmakers get a gratuity and pension upon retirement, in addition to two years of salary, even if they are not re-elected.

“If you serve three terms, you get that same figure he call out for me [$276,274.50], and your pension, plus your salary every month for three years. If you serve four or five terms, you get that same money he call out for me, plus your pension, plus your salary every month for four years, as if you’re working,” Walwyn said.

“That is why I have a problem with the second part of the [law]. You shouldn’t be getting no money when you are not working,” the former Education Minister said. “It is wrong. And because I call it out and I explained it in a way that people could understand, they want to ring my tail, but my tail hard to ring. I don’t understand.”

Walwyn argued that it was nefarious for the premier to suggest that Walwyn received money that he had no role in deciding upon.

“You [Dr Wheatley] were the one who brought the bill. When the bill came to the House, I was not a member of the House,” he argued. “So, it’s almost like you pass a law to benefit other people and you turn around and cuss the same people who benefit from the law, ’tis you pass it.”

Walwyn said the changes to the law offends his conscience and argued that the mere fact that the premier said he will repeal the bill, suggests that the premier knows that the government did something wrong by passing the law.

He added that, even with the premier’s promise of a repeal, any lawmaker who is currently serving remains eligible for a provision that will see them being paid a salary for another two years, even if they are never elected to another term in office.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
Hungary Partners with China to Boost Electric Vehicle Production
‘Vibe Coding’ Emerges as the New DIY Trend
AI Pioneer Yoshua Bengio Warns Models Can Deceive Users
Big Four Firms Rush to Create AI Auditing Systems
Musk’s xAI Pursues $113 Billion Valuation in New Share Sale
Walmart Increases Revenue Despite Shrinking Workforce
Hims & Hers Plans UK and EU Launch of Replica Obesity Drugs
Toyota to Acquire Supplier in $33 Billion Buyout
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
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
×