‘They are set for life’ following salary increase- Bishop John I. Cline
Bishop Cline, during a live Facebook video on September 23, 2025, gave his views on the 2024 audit report, which revealed the major salary increase for members of the Virgin Islands (VI) House of Assembly.
The report showed that members of the HoA benefited from the compensation review of the public service. This was delegated to senior public officials who had care and control of the process at all times.
They’re set for life
“They have given themselves raises,” Bishop John I. Cline said, “Approximately 1.1 million dollars, which is an increase of over 800,000 million dollars in raises given.”
He continued that, added to the retirement compensation package commonly referred to as the greedy bill, the auditor general’s concerns are valid.
“The cost implication going forward will be great because they are always paid on their highest salary. The retirement package is calculated on the highest salary. So now they are making sure they max out their payment package so that when they retire, they are set for life. After two terms, they are set for life.”
Gov’t will be remembered for what it did to the country
Bishop Cline continued that the government sadly will not be remembered for what they did for the country, but for what they did to the country. He said he understands that a raise may have been needed, but not at that magnitude.
“Because what they’re doing to the country, in raping the coffers in such a manner…how do you give yourself a raise between 120 and 145 per cent? How do you, in good conscience, with the financial constraint on the country, with the long-term implications of such, how do you, as leaders of this country, bring yourself to doing such a thing??
He said it is like these people won the “BVI Lottery” upon taking up office, although the territory does not have a lottery.
“So they set up the game, they played the game, and they won the game; it’s rigged. And it’s wrong, I believe it’s wrong.”
While there has been public outcry about the increase in members' salaries, the HoA, in a statement on September 22, 2025, said that before the adjustment, the base salary for an ordinary Member of the House of Assembly was among the lowest in the region at $36,000 per year.
“Bringing compensation in line with regional benchmarks was thus considered essential to sustaining a strong, representative legislature," the HoA statement added.
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5 Responses to “‘They are set for life’ following salary increase- Bishop John I. Cline”
Greedy self-interest is the one and only thing which both government and opposition share a common collective responsibility on, willing to lock arms and sing kumbya. These greedy bas***** don’t give a rat’s @#$ about the people. All their a$$e$ need to be kick to curb. The people demand the pimp slap they are getting onnnoth dudes of their faces and kicks in the @#$ they are getting, for they are seeing clearly what is going but pretend to be blind, failing to act.