Premier Questions Ministers' Pay Fairness
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has defended recent pay adjustments, saying ministers should not earn less than the senior public officers they oversee. He cited figures showing some senior civil servants now earn more than lawmakers and said the government allocated about $30 million to address low wages among public servants.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has pushed back on criticism of recent public service pay adjustments, arguing that ministers and members of the House of Assembly should not be paid less than the senior public officers they supervise. Speaking at a government press conference, Dr Wheatley addressed growing frustration among civil servants following a public service pay review conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
The review led to salary increases across the public sector, while lawmakers’ pay and allowances were also adjusted earlier this year. "The new salary scales that we have, even with allowances, would have ministers and members of the House of Assembly still making below the maximum of what several public officers can make," the Premier said.
He noted that the deputy governor, classified at Grade 21, can earn up to $238,136 per year, while other senior officers such as permanent secretaries and the financial secretary earn between $196,000 and $214,000. Dr Wheatley argued that compensation should reflect seniority and responsibility rather than public perception. "When you are a member of the House of Assembly or a member of the Executive, you should be at the top of the scale.
That's not how it works here," he said, adding that without the recent adjustments legislators — even with allowances — would have been paid less than some officers at Grade 12 or 13. The Premier also responded to concerns raised in the Auditor General's report about "unfair raises" and procedural deficiencies.
He said the administration set aside roughly $30 million to implement the public service increases, recognising that many employees were being paid below a living wage. The government intends to manage the cost through revenue growth and future performance-based reviews. Some public officers experienced only modest changes depending on grade and step, and the Auditor General highlighted areas where the process lacked clarity.
Dr Wheatley said the report provided useful detail for Cabinet and the House of Assembly on the fiscal implications of the salary adjustments. For BVI residents, the debate touches on public-sector morale, fiscal sustainability and transparency in how pay decisions are made. The government has pledged to continue reviewing compensation to reduce disparities while balancing the territory's finances, but the issue is likely to remain politically sensitive as calls for clearer justification and accountability continue.
Primary source: BVI News