Bishop Cline blasts lawmakers over huge pay
Bishop Cline blasts lawmakers over huge pay
Bishop John Cline Bishop John Cline has criticised members of the House of Assembly for quietly awarding themselves salary increases that more than doubled their pay, saying the decision has caused “legitimate outrage and anger and disappointment all wrapped into one”. Speaking after the Auditor General’s report revealed the details of the salary hikes, Cline said he accepted that increases were needed but condemned the scale of the raise. “From the previous salaries, it is obvious that an increase was needed.
No one, I believe, who understands the cost of living can argue with the fact that an increase was needed,” he stated. He explained that the government appeared to have taken the maximum recommendation from a consultancy review and applied it across the board. “The maximum recommendation more than doubled just about everyone’s salary.
Because more than double, saw the Minister of Finance and the Premier’s salary went up 145%, from $72,000 a year to $176,000 a year,” he said. The Bishop pointed to the struggles of ordinary residents, many of whom have not seen comparable increases. “While we agree that you should have gotten an increase, to max it out while there are other statutory bodies, civil servants, and persons working in government who have not themselves gotten an increase of even 30%… When there are persons in this community who cannot make ends meet… Why could you do the same thing for yourselves?” he asked.
Cline warned that the raises would have a lasting impact, particularly on retirement benefits tied to salaries. “What you will see is how these raises will impact the greedy bill, the retirement package. Because as their salaries are increased, along with allowances and all the other attachments they have, then their retirement package will increase.
So that has gone up quite a bit also,” he explained. The Auditor General’s report confirmed that the new salaries came into effect from January 2024. Public backlash has been widespread, with residents voicing frustration over the lack of transparency. Critics have linked the decision to earlier concerns about poor financial management and the controversial retirement package passed in 2021, widely known as the “greedy bill”.
Cline said the issue should not fade away. “We should not let it die. It should not be a nine-day talk because we are to hold our elected representatives responsible for delivering for the good of the people of this country and the country at large. Let’s hold them responsible,” he urged.
The controversy has left many Virgin Islanders demanding stronger accountability from their leaders as the territory continues to struggle with budgetary constraints and unfinished projects.
Primary source: BVI News