SSB under the microscope @ HoA sitting today, June 11, 2020
According to the Order Paper for the 9th Sitting of the 2nd Session of the 4th House of Assembly, as released by HoA spokesman, Mr Linton V. Leonard, Leader of the Opposition and Member for the Eighth District Hon Marlon A. Penn is set to ask the Honourable Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) the following questions:
“Mister Speaker, could the Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration please tell this Honourable House, who are the current members of the Social Security Board?”
Study
The second question from Hon Penn is: “Mister Speaker, could the Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration please provide this Honourable House, with the details of all actuary studies conducted by the Social Security Board within the past five years?”
According to Premier and Minister for Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1), an actuary study conducted by Canada-based firm Morneau Shepell Inc. stated that the $40 million grant would not affect the future sustainability of the SSB.
Premier Fahie said: “Will it be around for us when we retire? Well, the answer is ‘yes’ because we also had, thanks to the Social Security, been doing an actuary study to assess the life and the feasibility of if we take this money for the unemployment grant and other grants if it will still be sustainable. It is important to highlight that the study found that the SSB has the financial strength to support our well-designed targeted income support programme to workers.”
SSB $$
The third SSB related question from Hon Penn is: “Could the Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration please provide this Honourable House, with the account balances of all accounts held by the Social Security Board as of 1st November 2019 and 3rd June 2020 respectively?”
The Opposition Leader is also seeking a detailed breakdown of the account balances of all unencumbered accounts held by the SSB whether investments, Certificate of Deposits or traditional bank accounts that could be accessed as of 1st November 2019 and 3rd June 2020 respectively without penalty.
And lastly, Hon Penn is to ask Hon Wheatley: "(a) If his Ministry and the Social Security Board have engaged any new, or renewed any consultant, consultancy or service provider, formally or in principle to provide services to the Government of the Virgin Islands since taking office? and (b) If the answer is yes, please provide the details of all contracts inclusive of the duration, amounts and purpose, as well provide a copy of all contracts, agreements, inclusive of a payment schedule, purchase orders and terms of reference and deliverables for each engagement, contract or agreement."
While a wide cross-section of the public is happy for the economic stimulus, critics have argued the $40 million should have been given to the government as a loan.
Stream & Watch Live
Today's sitting, scheduled to start at 10:00 am, will be aired Live on the House of Assembly's YouTube page, ZBVI (780 AM), CBN 90.9 FM and FLOW TV Channel 101.
6 Responses to “SSB under the microscope @ HoA sitting today, June 11, 2020”
Why would a minister ask about an actuarys study he would not have any hope to comprehend? My IQ is 142 and math my favourite subject and an actuary would make me look like a 2nd grader in the subject
You want an audit from the SSB when they are trying to help the country?
This guy is just wasting time he must be a member of the BVIEC who want letters of good standing from the SSB before the 15th when they are dealing with unemplyment payments during this exact time.
This Government was elected to assist the population to have a better standard of living. In this COVID-19 pandemic no one wanted to be a part of it, but we had no choice. Everyone is entitled to get assistance, $6m can go a mighty long way for BVI population. Don't let it become a reality that the Government is just spouting vain words.
On another note, the practice of submitting questions ahead of time is a waste of time. The responses are canned, sanitized and self-serving. Every minister should be able to answer basic questions about issues under his/her purview. Additional supporting information, if needed, can be provided later. The current practice does not move the needle. Another thing, bellowing Mr. Speaker every other word is annoying, sounding like scratching finger nails across a chalk board.