Legislators need to have public conversation on fair HoA benefits – Hon Penn
Mr Penn in a debate of the bill said moving forward, legislators should not be afraid to address the topic and have conversations with the public on the benefits package.
The bill was originally referred to as the 'Greedy Bill' and sparked public controversy as amendments granted legislators questionable lump sum payments, gratuity, and guaranteed salaries for an extended period.
Hon Penn said at the same time, legislators must receive fair benefits and not just the House making a decision for the sake of bringing peace, “So that's what I recommend… we also have to quickly look at the comprehensive solution moving forward and have a proper conversation with the public in terms of what is fair,” he said.
Benefits must match global standards - Hon Penn
Hon Penn said what is fair must be comparable to legislators in the United Kingdom and legislators around the globe, including those in the region.
He added that a comparative analysis will ensure, “we're making sure that we're transparent with this process to the public and we're putting forward a fair recommendation in terms of how we move forward."
"So you have my support and us doing that Premier and us as a body looking at how we can get this done,” he added.
Meanwhile, Hon Penn said the elements of the bill left to address, still needs to be addressed comprehensively and in a more strategic way.
He agreed with the Premier that it was time to move forward, and that the label given to legislators from the 4th HoA as 'greedy' is far from the truth.
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26 Responses to “Legislators need to have public conversation on fair HoA benefits – Hon Penn”
1) Building a new major revenue generator with shipping registry
2)Built a sound Financial Service Industty
3) Save the economy & many lives during the worse pandemic in the last 100yrs
4) Continue to rebound from the worse category 5 hurricane in 2017 (Irma then Maria)
5) Build a strong economy that was a blessing to many locals and Caribbean people to build themselves and their family and their homes where they were from in the Caribbean and locally.
6) Built a modern hospital
7)Health care system is fully accredited and the only one in the Caribbean to achieve such.
8) Built a college that has benefited thousands
9) College was accredited
10) Give status to 1000s of Caribbean people who helped to build the BVI
11) Build homes for many needy people
12) Educated 1000s of people with free education from primary to secondary to HLSCC.
13) Build their people with 1000s of scholarships to study abroad who now have all kinds of qualification like Associates, Bachelors, Masters, Doctorates & other certifications.
14) Build public schools on all islands and roads(these need fixing now)
15) Free Shuttle bus service throughout the town
16) Traffic turn around to help traffic in town of Tortola
17) Put an extension of the college on VG
18) Built a four lane highway in the town of Tortola
19) Achieved direct flights from USA
20) Always pass budgets on time and balanced
21) Build the public service which was neglected by the Governor for years although it was his responsibility
22)Build airports and seaports on all main islands
23) Built and developed the tourism industry for which most people are employed
24) Tax break for 1st time land and home owners
25) Built & develop spotting facilities and persons
26) Support with subsections NGOs and churches & other community minded social organizations.
I will stop there for now but there is plenty more this young, up & coming BVI country has done on its own through ots people and our leaders and we need to celebrate the many good and not just be programmed by the few high powered evil ones as of late to name the few bad areas which all countries have. For me the next step is independence but the UK is trying to play with our minds to not trust ourselves and leaders so we would not be bold enough to take that step but it is the step to take. Long Live BVI & ITS PEOPLE & OUR LEADERS!!! HOLD OUR HEAD UP!!! OUR GOOD FAR OUTWEIGH OUR BAD!!!
Thry can pay into their own retirement scheme and get SS payouts like everyone else.
That would also hopefully stop them trying to get kickbacks.