Premier Not Ready to Relinquish Perks
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley says individual lawmakers must decide whether to accept payments under the controversial Retiring Allowances amendment, known as the “Greedy Bill,” and that he will not write to relinquish his own entitlements until he retires. Wheatley, who is also Minister of Finance, defended reforms as correcting low past salaries while acknowledging some provisions were excessive and have been revoked for future Houses.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has told the public that decisions about accepting or surrendering benefits under the Retiring Allowances (Legislative Services) Amendment Act — widely dubbed the “Greedy Bill” — must be made by individual legislators when they leave office. Speaking at a press conference last week, Dr Wheatley, who also serves as Minister of Finance, said he would not adopt the pejorative label for the legislation and framed the measures as an attempt to address years of inadequate compensation for elected officials.
He noted that until recently, lawmakers received a base salary of $36,000, which he described as insufficient for those serving in senior government posts. “At the end of their lives in a very dire situation” was how he characterised the plight of some former legislators, and he said reforms were intended to correct that imbalance.
At the same time, Dr Wheatley acknowledged that portions of the 2021 amendment went too far and that his government had acted in the House of Assembly to revoke certain excessive payouts so that future Houses would not benefit from those provisions. Public criticism of the pension changes resurfaced after an Auditor General report disclosed details of lawmakers’ salary increases and post-office payments.
The 2021 amendment had allowed former lawmakers to receive full salary payments for up to two years after leaving office, along with other benefits. That measure was later repealed amid widespread backlash, but a number of former members of the Fourth House of Assembly remain eligible for payments under the original terms.
Pressed about prior public assurances that he would not collect any payouts, Dr Wheatley said any letter formally renouncing entitlements would be appropriate only when a politician retires or has already retired. “I’m not ready to retire right now, and I have no intention of writing any letters,” he said, adding that he plans to contest the next general election.
On the question of cost to taxpayers, Dr Wheatley confirmed that the government will release information on the total financial impact once consultations with relevant departments are completed. The decision is likely to remain a contentious issue locally as residents await detailed figures and clear timelines for any further legislative action.
Primary source: BVI News