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HoA repeals 'offending sections' of controversial 'Greedy Bill'

After promises on the 2023 campaign trail to revisit the "offending sections" of the Retiring Allowances (Legislative Services) Amendment Bill 2021, legislators in the House of Assembly today, September 19, 2023, successfully made amendments to the bill, which is now renamed Retiring Allowances (Legislative Services) Amendment Bill 2021. Photo: VINO/File
Calling on legislators to not return to the rhetorics of the 2023 campaign trail in the VI, Virgin Islands Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has called for the full support of those House of Assembly (HoA) to repeal amendments to the Retiring Allowing Service Amendment bill 2023. Photo: HoA/Youtube
Calling on legislators to not return to the rhetorics of the 2023 campaign trail in the VI, Virgin Islands Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) has called for the full support of those House of Assembly (HoA) to repeal amendments to the Retiring Allowing Service Amendment bill 2023. Photo: HoA/Youtube
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- After promises on the 2023 campaign trail to revisit the "offending sections" of the Retiring Allowances (Legislative Services) Amendment Bill 2021, legislators in the House of Assembly today, September 19, 2023, successfully made amendments to the bill, which is now renamed Retiring Allowances (Legislative Services) Amendment Bill 2021.

The bill was referred to as the 'Greedy Bill' as it granted lawmakers questionable lump sum payments, gratuity, and guaranteed salaries for an extended period, leading to widespread public criticism.

At the Continuation of the Third Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA) Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) called on legislators to not return to the rhetorics of the 2023 campaign trail in the VI, as he called for the full support of those in the HoA towards repealing amendments to the Act. 

“The reality is the amendments made during the last House of Assembly were excessive. And I went on the public record and apologised.... Madam Speaker, I apologise for supporting that bill, those amendments,” he added while noting that a promise was made to the people of the VI.

“What we have done here, Madam Speaker, is we have repealed those sections of the bill which were problematic. These are the sections of the bill where depending on your tenure or service, you get additional salaries,” he noted. 

The Premier went on to detail some of the additional sections of the bill which he considered excessive.

Eligible members given the opportunity to forgo benefits – Primer

“Madam Speaker, it was excessive and so we have repealed those sections. And, Madam Speaker, we have given everyone the Members of the House who are eligible, the opportunity to forgo those benefits which became eligible for, the last House and now this House,” he went on to say.

The Premier added, “And Madeam speak I know it will come up, so I’ll just say here…  It's important that you do not take away the rights that you have given. From a legal standpoint, that is problematic. So what we have done here is provide individuals with the option of forgoing”

Dr Wheatley said he has already pledged to forgo certain benefits and will be satisfied with just receiving a lump sum payment under the Act.

More details to follow.

18 Responses to “HoA repeals 'offending sections' of controversial 'Greedy Bill'”

  • … (19/09/2023, 16:21) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    So what ?
  • THINGS REMAIN THE SAME (19/09/2023, 17:04) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    PURE TRICKS
  • Inquiring Minds (19/09/2023, 17:16) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Will Malone, Smith, Willock and Flax still be paid?
    • @inquiring minds (19/09/2023, 19:14) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
      The answer is yes because you cannot pass a new law or ammendments that can take back what someone had legal rights to based on the content of the law prior for which they were eligible and approved to receive benefits. It would be like passing or amending a new Immigration Act now that have new procedures for belongership and then informing all who recently got status under the content of the old law would now have to give it back. This action is illegal and cannot stand in any court of law. This situation is no different.
    • To: Inquiring Minds (19/09/2023, 19:17) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      It is not only who loss last election but all who served before this new ammendment was passed today including all the way back to Lavity Stoutt, including Fraser, Marlon, Mitch, Kye, and others who were in the last House.
  • Criminals (19/09/2023, 17:23) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    I am a bit confused. Did the premier go to the house and made it optional for members of the house to decide whether to keep the benefits or to honor wishes of the taxpayers? Strupes, I am sick of all of them. I wonder how many agreed to give up some benefits?
  • WHAT!!! (19/09/2023, 18:00) Like (10) Dislike (4) Reply
    Taking us for fools again
    He promised pre election to repeal the greedy bill NOT parts of it and not to amend it.
    Poor us.
    • @WHAT!!! (19/09/2023, 20:16) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      I agree the Premier said so during the campaign but he spoke out of turn. The bill was not a new bill in the last House. All happen was ammendments were made. All he could do legal is further ammend the bill which is what he is doing now in this House. He definitely used the wrong language in terms of "repeal" as he does not have the legal authority to do what he was saying on the campaign trail. However this Premier seems to always put his foot in his mouth. He does not think before he speaks in the public. He just say what he thinks the public wants to hear.
  • please (19/09/2023, 18:59) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Let us get legislation to help poor people deal with these banks.
  • WOW (19/09/2023, 19:00) Like (4) Dislike (9) Reply
    Let us see if Myron is going to give back money he received already.
    • @wow (20/09/2023, 05:59) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      He didn't promise not to receive a dime from the greedy bill but others did.
  • vg youth (19/09/2023, 19:02) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    To most on the street this is much to do about nothing. They need to do the real business of the people to stimulate this economy.
  • games (19/09/2023, 19:08) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Most of who passed the ammendments the last time are still elected. The House records show all members voted yes for the ammendments so how could it be a mistake made. Marlon, Mitch, Fraser, Sharie, Kye, and the rest all voted yes. Now they think doing this will make us believe in their ability to lead the BVI out of the economic & social dilemma? All of them including the Governor think we the people are a set of jokes. It is going to take a revolution to resolve this bondage from all of them.
  • @ Inquiring Minds (19/09/2023, 19:41) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    They been collecting for months now, as the premier said, he cant force them not to take their entitlement. Pure tricks, what certain benefits did he pledge to forego. We need to know.
  • Repeal means (19/09/2023, 20:07) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    Those who got should stop getting. Its a new start with new rules. Then again. They are not productive workers why do they need this large amt one time they do not deserve..Ronnie talks about mid term elections for non performing ministers. It should be midterm elections for all ministers Back benchers and Premier exempted they remain at 4yrs. We need to put performance measurement in place..
  • Legal advice (19/09/2023, 20:18) Like (6) Dislike (9) Reply
    I post a few weeks ago telling everyone the Premier did not have the legal authority to repeal the bill. Most of you ridiculed me but all I was doing was educating all on what the law allows and does not allow. Legally he did the only thing he could have done.
  • Manjack (19/09/2023, 20:45) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    I’m confused. Were the egregious portions of the bill repealed and did beneficiaries agree to forego the compensation or it is still an option? Bills are passed all the time which take away potential benefits of employees. So what is the big deal here? Greed. If financial situations required reducing the percentage compensation for the rank and rile civil servants, it would have been done with speed and no humming and heaving. But now it is now the self-anointing special elites, the politicians, they searching for make believe legal reasoning not to make changes. I can bet that when this “Greedy Bill” was proposed both government and opposition were singing melodiously from the same hymnal holding hands and singing kumbaya. Probably the rare time this happen. But the electorate deserve what they get, ie, pissed upon and fooled it is raining. Vote and go in hibernation until the next election based on the same empty promises.
    • Bush Lawyer (20/09/2023, 09:35) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
      It is a flawed legal theory that if a benefit is passed for legislators, the prima donnas, that it cannot be taken away. It is simple HOA passed legislation giving legislators egregious benefits and the HOA can pass legislation to undo the “Greedy Bill.” The real reason is that some, if not most, greedy legislators are reluctant to do it. Greedy bastards. Greedy Mother s..unts. Greedy SoBs. If action were needed to take away a benefit from rank and file peasants, proletariats, etc, action would have been taken in supersonic speed. The whole greedy bill needs to be revamped and the electorate need to put pressure on their greedy reps to act. And if they refuse kick them to curb. Pressure burst pipe and pressure, relentless pressure make parasite politicians take notice. These MSs take us for granted, ie, passing the bill in the first place. Thinking they (some) were going to lose, it was the fear of losing that drove the Hail Mary attempt to buy. It’s, fooling us. Election over, now hold the bastards feet to fire. Attack them like an enraged rattler until they the do the right thing, not just doing things right. There is a difference.


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