Premier Apologises to Retirees Left Out
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has apologised to retired public servants who were left out of this year’s public-sector salary increases and pledged that pension benefits will be boosted in the upcoming budget. He said officials are assessing whether any adjustment can be made retroactive to the pay rises, but any retroactivity will depend on the territory’s financial position.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has apologised to retired public servants who were omitted from the recent salary increases given to active government employees, and pledged the government will correct the oversight in the upcoming budget. Speaking on the government’s Virgin Islands Voice programme, Dr Wheatley said the exclusion was an unintended oversight and promised pensioners would be brought up to date. "I sincerely apologise to the pensioners who did not get that increase along with the public officers," he said, adding that practice in previous adjustments typically included retirees.
Earlier this year the government spent roughly $30 million to implement pay rises for public officers, with some workers receiving increases approaching 100 percent. Those increases, however, were applied only to active staff, prompting criticism from members of the public and advocacy groups who argue retirees should be treated equitably.
Dr Wheatley told listeners his administration intends to raise pension benefits in the coming fiscal year and that officials are weighing whether the adjustment can be applied retroactively. "I’ll have to check with the financial secretary to see whether we can afford to make it retroactive, but certainly moving forward," he said, noting any retroactivity will depend on the territory’s financial position.
As part of measures to prevent future gaps between active and retired employees, the Premier outlined plans for more regular reviews of pension payments. He suggested tying increases to a benchmark such as the Consumer Price Index so pensions keep pace with inflation and the rising cost of living.
The question of pension reform has been a longstanding concern in the Virgin Islands. Local advocacy groups and former public officers have repeatedly called for a structured mechanism to review benefits and ensure fairness between serving staff and retirees, particularly as costs for essentials continue to rise.
Dr Wheatley described the episode as a "learning experience" and reiterated the government’s commitment to those who spent their careers in public service. The next steps will involve consultation between the Office of the Premier, the financial secretary and relevant departments ahead of the budgetary process to determine the scale and timing of any increases.
Retirees and representatives will be watching the budget closely for concrete measures and timelines for payment adjustments and any retroactive compensation that may be approved.
Primary source: BVI News