Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

'Nobody wants to go to Social Development' for assistance– Hon Vincent O. Wheatley

- says there's more accountability with funds previously used as district allocations but limited access to help
Ninth District Representative and Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), says being back in the Ministry and Government in a post-Commission of Inquiry (CoI) era is now much different that it was before. Photo: VINO/File
The Minister was at the time a guest on the Monday, September 18, 2023, edition of ‘Da Morning Braff’ radio show alongside co-host Floyd P. Burnett aka Heritage, and Cindy Rosan while noting that the CoI has changed a lot about how government operates, particularly as it relates to persons accessing funding. Photo: Facebook/File
The Minister was at the time a guest on the Monday, September 18, 2023, edition of ‘Da Morning Braff’ radio show alongside co-host Floyd P. Burnett aka Heritage, and Cindy Rosan while noting that the CoI has changed a lot about how government operates, particularly as it relates to persons accessing funding. Photo: Facebook/File
FAT HOGS BAY, Tortola, VI– Ninth District Representative and Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), says being back in the Ministry and Government in a post-Commission of Inquiry (CoI) era is now much different.

The Minister was at the time a guest on the Monday, September 18, 2023, edition of ‘Da Morning Braff’ radio show alongside co-host Floyd P. Burnett aka Heritage and Rosemary Cindy Rosan when he noted that the CoI has changed a lot how government operates, particularly as it related to persons accessing funding.

Gary R. Hickenbottom came to verify reports - Hon Wheatley 

“When [Gary] Hickenbottom came here, he didn't come here to discover things, you know, he already had a report what people send to him. What he came to do was to verify these things,” Hon Wheatley said.

He said, for example, persons called for district fund allocations to be taken away from district representatives over various issues.

“Yet when it's removed, every person still going to who? The elected representative… The same person who you say take it from, you still coming back… well the money isn't there, it’s at Social Development,” he said.

He added that since the change, nobody wants to go to the Social Development Board for funding for various reasons, while warning that people must be careful about what they ask for. 

Accountability now weaponised - Dr Wheatley 

“And then a lot of the public officers…I use the word, they've kind of weaponised accountability to the point where we have excellent accountability, excellent transparency, excellent governance, but no real help,” he said.

Tola radio VI host Mr Burnett added that for example, there are a lot of mothers reaching out to him for help, over not being able to access help.

“The system down to if [you] have a scratch on your fingernail, it’s now accounted for... But like you say, access to any level of funding that could really help, it becomes discouraging because Social Development [want] to wring me out and need to know what inside me look like to give me $2.00,” he said. 

Hon Wheatley said in some cases, seniors who really need funding and help are not getting it for various reasons, “it really pains my heart,” the Minister said.

28 Responses to “'Nobody wants to go to Social Development' for assistance– Hon Vincent O. Wheatley”

  • Is it the coi? (20/09/2023, 08:12) Like (8) Dislike (5) Reply
    I never would have thought so many people are poor and suffering in the bvi what has gone wrong???
    • NDP supporter (20/09/2023, 11:08) Like (9) Dislike (13) Reply
      To put the entire assistance grant under Social Development was one of the 48 recommendations from the COI and it was an ill advised move. Not all assistance are socilal needs. Some are education. Some are health, etc. I keep saying those 48 preauthored COI recommendations needs to be discussed with the public because they sound & look good on paper but most of them are not good for the people of the BVI nor the economy as they do not fit our culture nor way of life. I am 100% for transparency but no law or policy should be put in place that does not take into account the realities on the ground. All 13 of our elected officials are failing us because none of them are respectfully challenging the lack of foresight of most of these 48 recommendations. They are implementing them wholesale and selling out the people of the BVI wholesale. These are contributing to the free fall of the economy and rise in crime but that just may be what the hidden intent of the UK to try to aid the justification of their plans. They send our leaders to destroy their people while their hands are clean and they can come in & look like saviors when in fact they will try to come in and enslave us but most will not realize what happened until it happens & it is too late. SMDH
    • People (20/09/2023, 17:17) Like (15) Dislike (3) Reply
      Priorities just mixed up. They will find $200 for hair but can’t find $20.00 for school lunch
      • @People (20/09/2023, 19:48) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
        You obviously are an evil person. You cannot paint everyone with the same evil, badminded brush of yours. There are people genuinely hurting the BVI and it is growing.
  • Lb (20/09/2023, 08:23) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    But he is the minister so we have to look at it as a collaborative effort
  • cry cry baby (20/09/2023, 08:32) Like (51) Dislike (3) Reply
    Just improve the social development department and train the staff. Have proper guidelines in there on what someone can get or not. If they too proud to ask for help the help not really needed. Just try to fix the system and stop whining.
  • Comment (20/09/2023, 08:38) Like (9) Dislike (10) Reply
    Y’all are allowing these euros who did nothing for us but enslave us and build us prisons to dictate how we distribute social service funds. People who would rather see their pets eat than to see us!

    Africans are taken charge of their destiny….but our people are wimps and our government officials are euros puppets!
  • Truth (20/09/2023, 08:48) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yes Vincent if the system doing sh.t even someone in your department speak out and informs the people that's why you were elected. We need some ghuts and fire in the house, on the government side.
  • LIES!! (20/09/2023, 08:58) Like (25) Dislike (6) Reply
    Liar liar. People going to social development for assistance and are being told that the only assistance available is from the housing allowance scheme, which may be no more. Stop it!! You all turning the people away then telling the governor no one wants to go to them. GOVERNOR, DO NOT LISTEN TO THE LIES!
  • Lb (20/09/2023, 09:02) Like (26) Dislike (1) Reply
    Yes I knew instantly that this would be a huge mistake! There is no confidentiality and many of these issues are private and personal and embarrassing. So persons will not trust going to a government department where some of the e same people in there will put your business on the street before you walk out the door! Or the process to get aid is so onerous and not timely, that persons prefer to suffer in silence or do things they don’t want to instead. Our small community is not like London or the UK. It is a huge mistake to slap their processes and systems on the BVI like a one plaster fits all sores kind of dea. It will not work and will hurt us instead. That small sore will emerge as a cancer elsewhere on us! This recommendation from the COI needs to be repealed. Just put more measures of accountability with the elected representatives in terms of them reporting how they spent the allotment but leave them with that discretionary funding.

    The most inefficient and ineffective arm of our society is any and I mean ANY government department!

    Perhaps create a detailed register where only a select committee or the Attorney General can have access to actual names of aid recipients and purpose of said aid and quantity. Ensuring accountability but reserving some privacy for aid recipients.
  • Things rough (20/09/2023, 09:07) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    THE DOG DEAD
  • smh (20/09/2023, 09:16) Like (25) Dislike (4) Reply
    People aren't going to Social Development because now they actually have to show what the money is needed for oppose to when the Elected officials were the ones giving the money all persons had to say is that times hard and they need money for this or that with no real proof. So now that they really have to show for it they don't want to. If they really needed the help they would go and get the help, let's not make it seem like it's impossible.
    • faith (20/09/2023, 11:15) Like (8) Dislike (4) Reply
      Stop talking nonsense out of your asinine. When you ask the representatives for assistance, you must accompany that request with proof of what you need the money for.
  • sheer nonsense (20/09/2023, 09:18) Like (24) Dislike (3) Reply
    People like the D9 representative and his colleagues should be the last ones to make any comments about the social assistance program in this country. They are the ones who mash it up by giving excessive grants and large sums of money to their family, friends, cronies and supporters without any sort of justification at the expense of the taxpayers. There is a vast difference between NEED and WANT and it was quite obvious that this cabal and their associates did not recognize this. The money is at Social Development for those who are in NEED; not for the greedy or for political favors. All of the representatives should encourage their constituents who need assistance to complete the application form and submit it to the relevant department. At the end of the day if they qualify, they will get help. Gone are the days when the treasury was treated as a personal piggy bank.
  • vg youth (20/09/2023, 09:43) Like (7) Dislike (12) Reply
    Putting all the money under Social Development was a trick the government fall for from the UK. They are slow poisoning us under the cloak of good governance. Not all problems requiring assistance are social problems.
  • Hmmmm (20/09/2023, 09:47) Like (8) Dislike (4) Reply
    Our elected officials are sitting down doing nothing and allowing the UK to get away with a bloodless take over scheme. They do not care about us. All they want is our land without the people. They want all senior public post like Commissioner of Police, AG, DPP, Prison, Head of Customs, then the PS posts. Next Financial Services. They want the money BVI generates. BVI needs to wake up.
  • Pfffff (20/09/2023, 10:13) Like (12) Dislike (7) Reply
    waste of time social development ? the only thing you gain going there is your business on the street.
    • @pfffff (20/09/2023, 14:46) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
      You are so correct about the lack of confidentiality & professionalism of the staff at Social Development. Added to that most of them are so rude and insulting.
  • Sweat (20/09/2023, 13:01) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    By the sweat of a man brow he shall eat bread! Stop depending on Government. Some of you all have the latest iPhone, nails and hair on fleak. Prioritize and work for your money instead of looking hand out. VIP have you all SPOIL.
  • Excellent (20/09/2023, 13:30) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
    Sounds like things are getting better then. "they've kind of weaponised accountability to the point where we have excellent accountability, excellent transparency, excellent governance" lol a minister trying to make out that's a bad thing
  • Yes to UK (20/09/2023, 15:57) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    @ Comment And you are stupid.
  • Yes to UK (20/09/2023, 16:11) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    @Hmmmm The BVI government has no power over the UK, the bvi government has been getting away with the tax payers money for a very long time I am hglad the UK put a stop to it. You fools who are talking bad about the UK most likely you are the ones who were getting the handouts. Our government is the ones who have us in the position we are in so STFU.
    • @Yes to UK (20/09/2023, 18:16) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      You just hate the BVI and also do not look at the news in the uk or you will know they have serious corruption and crime that the people in UK continue to speak out against that is being swept under the rug. You need to go sit down. BVI handles its affair far better than the UK.
  • lid (20/09/2023, 18:05) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
    has been tightly screwed on the BVI cookie jar. Stop complaining and move one.

    Breach of trust charges coming to those elected politicians who gave away taxpayer's money for the last 40 years.
  • Ajic (21/09/2023, 08:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    They don't want to go Social Development because most of them have no compassion and behave like pigs. With the right leadership Sovial Development can take care of people's needs. The system just needs to be set up properly
  • social assistance = buy your Vote (21/09/2023, 09:50) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is such nonsense!
    Politicians (all of them) use this money to buy votes around elections. Watch these boys deliver the checks by hand. This is all so WRONG.
    We need to start over on this process. Get all these Politicians out of the loop. It has just become a giant cookie jar to buy votes and stay in power.
    There are some real people that need help. We need to fix this!
  • too much (21/09/2023, 14:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Too much uncalled for information!
    Time we to get all that paperwork
    We decided to just work hand to mouth !
  • Honestly (21/09/2023, 20:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This country isnt being run by people who live here important decisions are made overseas with bias and that is the problem why people cant get help and the system isnt working to advance normal people & generations to come. We've gone from one extreme to another.

    Good governance all around but how about protecting the will of the people isnt there a bill titled cannabis act 2020 sitting in limbo to no ones benefit?



Create a comment


Submit comment

Create a comment

Submit comment
Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.