‘The budget doesn’t touch the lives of the people’- Hon Walwyn
The budget was presented by Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheately (R7) on November 6, 2025, to the tune of five hundred and fifty million, five hundred and ninety-one thousand dollars ($550,591,000.00).
The budget was presented under the theme, ‘Pillars of Progress – Building a Sustainable Nation’ and is the largest budget in the Virgin Islands’ (VI) history.
Are people feeling the impact?
The budget debate proceeded on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, during the Continuation of the Twelfth Sitting of the Second Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA).
During his contribution to the debate, Hon Walwyn said, “We say we have the largest budget, Madam Speaker, of 550 [million], but are people feeling the impact of the budget? Are people feeling the impact, Madam Speaker? A large budget doesn’t mean it’s people-focused.”
He added that while the budget pays for the government’s wages, pensions and systems, with some allocated for capital, none goes directly to “bread and butter issues without more”.
The government, Hon Walwyn said, needs to do more.
“It doesn’t touch the lives of the people; the budget doesn’t touch the lives of the people.”
A different reality for the people
Hon Walwyn added that there is consistent talk of increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but the people of the Virgin Islands live a different reality.
“We hear talk, Madam Speaker, about increased GDP every time the Premier gets up with his speech. You could eat GDP? The GDP big, and people having difficulties…But this is what the reality is for people on the ground, that this budget doesn’t begin to touch.”
Hon Walwyn said prices of basic goods are constantly being increased.
“That is what people deal with every single day. And if you want to eat healthy in the BVI, you have a problem, because it’s going to cost you money…and then electricity, water, rent.”
The Opposition Leader went a step further and stated that people are “broke” by the middle of the month and are just waiting for the month to come to an end.
“But by the time the end of the month comes, the house rent gone with it. That, Madam Speaker, is the reality of what we are dealing with. So you have the biggest budget, but it doesn’t touch, Madam Speaker, the lives of the people of the country. And so we got to take it more seriously.”
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18 Responses to “‘The budget doesn’t touch the lives of the people’- Hon Walwyn”
his group had back to back terms in the administration of this territory and in the position to fix our country
all now after almost 10 million tax payers money was dish out for an aircraft the residence or citizens have not seen it yet
The million dollars wall when you in that neighborhood watch it good
Pier park 40 million overrun still not done when you in that neighborhood simply take a look
some of us wants such issues swept under the carpet but the truth will always be an offense
we elected the 13 of them to develop this place for a brighter future for our children but look around
rather than bickering against each other why cant the 13 elected sit with some cane rum and put ideas together for the future & betterment of the country
The only time you don’t hear old talk for hours during a sitting of House Of Assembly is when there is an agenda for the 13 members to get another raise of pay
2027 all 13 need to go where dem liv
St. Vincent was 14.1. St. Lucia was 16.1.
What would be the results for the BVI?
The Hon Myron Walwyn describes what is wrong with the O&M and capital budget but fail to prescribe what should be eliminated or reduced and what should be added. Out of government, members are omniexpert in budget and all other things. However, when in government when they have to deliver with available resources is another story.
Under NDP public servants was years behind with the increments, and if it was not for Andrew pushing the issue some of the increments we got from that government probably would not have come. This government not only give the increments owed for many years, but the salaries was increased through the review that took place in 2023.
They have given assistance with electricity bill for December last year I think and this year.
They even increase the minimum wages, that's how much they tried to health to make life better.
They have to be careful with how they go about increasing the minimum wage though. Because increasing the minimum wage mean cost of things going up.
And the roads are not they fault, we had 3 floods last year which greatly damaged the roads, and many are not aware, but when the government make a budget for the up coming year, they have allotted money to different things, so if a nature disaster comes and causes destruction to anything that the government general covers, they don't have money to just throw at unplanned occurances. The money was already allotted.
So in my opinion it will be very hard to get a government that will be an upgrade to this government.
I think it would have been nice if the government was to give jobs to real professionals for stuff like the roads. But they care so much about helping the people on the island that they give contracts to some companies that are not really qualified to do the job.