More housing allowance requested for Att. Gen. - Hons. Skelton & Vanterpool
During the 2012 House of Assembly Standing Finance Committee (SFC) hearing of the Deputy Governor’s Office to defend their 2013 budget allocation, Permanent Secretary within the Deputy Governor’s Office David D. Archer was quizzed by members about the housing allowance of the Attorney General, a Jamaican national on contract.
The Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool enquired regarding the amount of housing allowance paid to the Attorney General (AG). The Permanent Secretary-Archer told the SFC that the AG receives a housing allowance of just under two thousand dollars ($2,000) per month. Hon. Vanterpool requested that a report be submitted regarding the allowances paid to the AG.
The Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton stated that the country’s highest legal advisor “should receive a more attractive housing allowance.” Minister Skelton claimed that the current allowance did not provide for the level of accommodation and security required for an AG.
However, Mr. Archer fired back and told the Minister that allowances were approved by Cabinet and if Cabinet felt that the allowances should be increased the allowances should then be revised.
Minister Skelton responded by saying, he was not aware that the allowances that were approved by Cabinet included the AG because he was of the view that the Attorney General was accommodated in a Government building.
Mr. Archer told the SFC in his testimony that he preferred that all senior officers were comfortable and if they could be accommodated in Government buildings they would be. However, the Deputy Governor‘s Office was unable to accommodate everyone.
The Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Vanterpool stated that the Government needed to take the responsibility of housing the Attorney General more seriously. He stated that the allowance needed to be reviewed.
The member for the third district, Honourable Julian Fraser RA, waded in by telling the SFC that during the time that the Minister for Health and Social Development referred to, the AGs were well accommodated at McNamara. Hon. Fraser added that the two former AGs opted to stay in their own accommodation.
The member for the fifth district, Honourable Delores Christopher, enquired whether the AG’s post was not as significant as the Judge’s position. Mr. Archer stated that the office did not have a suitable accommodation to place the AG and he had to be paid an allowance.
Permanent Secretary-Archer added that his office “did not have an obligation to provide housing for the Attorney General or the Director of Public Prosecution.”
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34 Responses to “More housing allowance requested for Att. Gen. - Hons. Skelton & Vanterpool ”
Is this AG securing our country?
Dr. M is a cutie with no he@die. Who really is advising our Government? It must be the friends in high places like the Judicial & Legal Service Committee at the time who did this to us. How come the Office of the AG is always plagued with some drama. Believe us, this AG has drama in his karma. Didn't he go to the Caribbean on a contract and was dismissed shortly after. We don't investigate these people enough. It is a shame that a country like the BVI leading in Financial Services cannot attract the best and qualified minds to advise our Government. Dr. M does not cut it from private and public circles. We cannot afford to pay big money for people to delegate their authority and lay blame on those to whom he has delegated the work. Some of our bright minds barristers and Q.C., should have a say in helping to choose our future AG.'s. We do not want to see this mistake again. We have schools to build, roads to repair and other infrastructural work. We can't afford to spend more to gain less.
The A.G. is given allowances proposed by the Government. What he is now doing is saying it is not enough. Didn't he sign to this package in a contract? Now he is asking for an amendment to his contract? I wonder if the Government is now going to vary the terms of his contract which must include his remuneration package. What are we doing when a contracted worker after contract is asking for additional monies? The Government has not been able to invest in building its own asset-base because its recurrent expenditure continues to rise. Now, it must be that this AG looking at the Hon. Rajbansie who is living in a Government house and now he wants house too like his friend. He came here for better; don't let their A$$ pull wool over our eyes. If he was working for the money, one wouldn't mind. I listened to those around Government and the word on him is that his personal advice is not trusted and they do not rely on his advice. What does this tell you? Better they ask the African to return because at least he gave the Government good advice and was hands-on and hard working in his biddings for the Government. Every month this man out of the country, travelling, travelling. Where is he going and on what business. We must not be hood-winked with these foreigners.