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Recreational Trust staff complains over late payments & returned cheques

- The public is again outraged over $1M wasted on a small wall around ESHS by Hon Myron V. Walwyn now that funds are urgently needed
Chairman of the Virgin Islands Recreational Trust, Mr Roy E. Barry (left) said he had no comment on the issue of late payments and bounced cheques to staff while our call to the Executive Director of the Trust, Mr Stephen Payne (right), was cut while we were making our queries to him. Photo: VINO/File
Multi-Purpose Sports Complex, one of the facilities under the responsibility of the Virgin Islands Recreational Trust. Photo: VINO/File
Multi-Purpose Sports Complex, one of the facilities under the responsibility of the Virgin Islands Recreational Trust. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The Virgin Islands Recreational Trust, a statutory agency under the Ministry of Education and Culture, is in an uproar again over late payments.

Many staff members and even contractors, both on Tortola and other sister islands, have flooded our newsroom over the past few months with complains of late salaries, cheques reportedly being returned from the bank and no one to give answers.

This is another of Minister for Education and Culture, the controversial Hon Myron V. Walwyn’s portfolio that has seen complains of late payments.  First it was the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, now it’s the Recreational Trust.

Late Payments & Bounced cheques?

The Trust employees claimed that last year, from October to December 2016, they received their payments late and others have claimed that when they took their cheques to the bank they were turned away for insufficient funds.

Many have told our newsroom that they have not uplifted their January 2017 pay cheques because of the lack of funds, another result of the National Democratic Party raiding the treasury to win the 2015 snap election, leaving the country broke, according to the Opposition, civil society and the media.

It is unclear when the January payments will be made. This is due for most senior officers in the Recreational Trust on the 15 and 30 of each month. Others are due once a month, in some cases workers responsible for the upkeep. 

Wasted money on wall now needed

The public has again raised the issue that many of the Departments and statutory bodies under Hon Walwyn’s portfolio have struggled to survive because of the lack of funding while he took a million United States Dollars from the Treasury before the 2015 snap election and wasted on a small wall around the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS).

Many of the state-owned public recreational facilities throughout the British Overseas Territory have been run down, and in a dilapidated condition. When ask about why the situation exists many are told there is “no money” for the upkeep.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Virgin Islands Recreational Trust, Mr Roy E. Barry said he had no comment while our call to the Executive Director of the Trust, Mr Stephen Payne, was cut while we were making our queries to him.

19 Responses to “Recreational Trust staff complains over late payments & returned cheques”

  • Just saying (31/01/2017, 17:00) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hummmm whatelse is new?
  • obsever (31/01/2017, 17:01) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    I wonder why the staff don't complain to the news media and let them know that they only come to work the middle and the end I g of the month to collect there salary

  • Lb (31/01/2017, 17:40) Like (8) Dislike (17) Reply
    At least the wall around ESHS protects the children....what about that enferno of a wall that Fraser built in Sea Cows Bay that protects private property and is no benefit to the general public? Talk that!
    • @ LB (31/01/2017, 19:20) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
      oh hush funny man at least JF got no kick backs
      • The rock says! (01/02/2017, 05:43) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
        no kick backs u gotta to be crazy, why u think it cost so much to build, $900,000.00 I stand to be corrected, now compare the 2 walls!
  • Wall Police (31/01/2017, 17:57) Like (6) Dislike (5) Reply
    What did the Sea Cow Bay wall cost?
  • rattie (31/01/2017, 19:34) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    roy is so wishy-washy and believe in them ndp crooks
  • Help me. (31/01/2017, 19:47) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    What is their job. What do they do.?
  • stop (31/01/2017, 23:14) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    The money for all these things right there to spend. Ask the FS why he running the country like his household.
  • Common Sense (01/02/2017, 05:58) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is what happens when government spend more than they are making, then they expect their workers and the public to flip their bill and get them out of the hole they dig for themselves by raising and creating new taxes and fees, but this is a stupid and flawed plan, because the government gets more money, yes, but they never stop their outrageous spending, which just leads to a repetition on raising and creating new taxes and fees. Then they forget this plan only works if they pay and take from their workers, so what happens when those people you are expecting to pay your new taxes and fees have no money? They won't be able to pay them. This Government has no humanity or sympathy, your workers have lives to live, children to take care of, rent and loans to pay, they need food to eat and a place to sleep, some have medical bills and student fees to pay, and you all just sit there in Government thinking about yourself and how you can get a raise or steal the tax payers money. I can't see how they can afford to give the junior ministers raise for doing their jobs and they not paying the people that actually do all the work. Tell me how that make sense?
  • team (01/02/2017, 06:48) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    This should be the last departmebt too complain about salary... first thing is why should the government continue to pay ppl to sit on there ass for days... do you need ppl in a empty gym everyday to work?? The news media need to just pop up by that gym and take a photo and post it let the entire BVI see what the government paying for... look at the condition of greenland and look at the bunch of guys who sits in the A.O Shirley daily... but I guess brcause its not an all local gang its unnoticeable
  • Stupidity (01/02/2017, 07:46) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    All ayo talkin bout government dont need to pay staff who dont come work. What the hell does the contract on pay say?!? If u dont come work we ain payin ayo?! Please gtfoh with that mess, had who ever in charge been dissatisfied with the performance of said staff they shoulda let them go n hire somebody else. Government need to show some back bone and hold up their end of the deal and stop hangin meat over people head on a treadmill.
  • Training Division (01/02/2017, 07:49) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Same problem in training division when time come they can't pay my money. I so sick and tired of Government. Private sector better mehson.


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