Hon Vanterpool wants elected Reps to stop assisting persons financially
Vanterpool argued that when politicians personally hand out money to people in need, they become ‘beholden’ to the politician.
“I hope we can find a time, it may not be in this budget, maybe in future budgets, to pay more attention to the Social Development Department and the Ministry of Health for where they can identify the needs of these people more and better and for us to be able to address them through the budgetary process and not through our handouts,” Hon Vanterpool said during the Budget Debate on Friday, December 13, 2019.
“I strongly recommend that we discontinue that practice, and we find a way to fund the Social Development Department to assist those who really need help. That [monetary assistance] shouldn’t come from us because once you have to help that person financially like that, it leaves that person beholden to you! It’s not right. They should be beholden to the country who should have a structure in place to support the social fabric of the country,” he proclaimed.
Legislators over the years have complained of persons approaching them for assistance for anything, including for monies to buy groceries, pay phone bills as well as for rental of apartment.
‘I want to focus on the people’
Meanwhile, Hon Vanterpool said this term he intends to focus on the people of his Fourth District in a significant way.
“This term if I fail to deliver some big project in the city of Road Town and the Fourth District, fine, but if I fail to take care of the social fabric of my community this term, I will feel like a failure,” he said.
“I want to pay attention to the social fabric, and I want to encourage all of us to do that,” Hon Vanterpool urged.
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25 Responses to “Hon Vanterpool wants elected Reps to stop assisting persons financially”
During Slavery, slaves were totally dependent upon the plantation owner/“masa” for their every need, ie, rags, slop, rickety shelter......etc. However, though Emancipation occurred on 01 August 1834, a new type of dependency has emerge——political patronage. Political patronage is rampant in the VI and up and down the region. Residents are totally dependent on government and politicians for everything.
Moreover, VI politicians directly disbursing cash ($10,000 per month)to constituents is corruptible, vote buying........etc. Further, it is not healthy for the political process. Constituents receiving cash feel beholden to the politicians whether they performed effectively or poorly. Some constituents have become dependent and addictive to the cash disbursement from politicians. On the other hand, politicians are tagged as useless and losers if they cannot come through on every request(s).
Further, agree with the Hon Vanterpool that the monthly $10K allocation to elected members for direct disbursement to constituents be stopped. And that public assistance requests for the TRULY NEEDY be processed through the Social Development Department. Moreover, dependency is in the DNA and altering the DNA to eradicate or lessen it will be a huge challenge. It will take courage to effect this change but politicians depend heavily on political patronage so we should we hold our collective breaths? The reality is one is quicker to look out the window and see a green mule flying. Are there any mules still in the VI?
Good morning, good morning, ah come for me guava berry.
In the good old days money was not plentyful, but the peolpe saved for the proverbial rainy days. With the change in lifestyle, there are additional commitments on the people. We should teach everyone to catch a fish rather than giving a fish to them. Even if the Social Development has the responsability to disberse the money it will not be adequate because the list of benificery is too long.
If the government desides to give the Social Development the responsibility to disberse the payment, then I would suggest that a needs assessment survey be done to determine who are qualified for the assistance. Once that is done the a voucher book for six month interval and another issue when it is finish.