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by pltm
(PLTM) - Months after Premier and Minister for Finance Hon. Andrew Fahie hired his first of three political advisers in the person of Mr. Kevin ‘OJ’ Smith, there have been no further political adviser appointments.
“To my knowledge, no additional persons have been hired since the last reported appointment,” Acting Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley told BVI Platinum News on Sunday, November 14, in an invited comment.
When asked if he had eyed any suitable candidates for the post in his ministerial portfolio, he replied: “I have not identified anyone.”
Notably, when BVI Platinum News spoke to several government ministers on the controversial issue on August 16, a number of them indicated that they were in the process of identifying areas of most need to utilize the political advisors they are now able to have.
Minister for Health and Social Development Hon. Carvin Malone said the political adviser would come in handy in the area of providing advice on certain laws in his ministry that requires updating.
He said they also require advice on how to get programmes structured for the development of the senior homes, development for housing for the mentally challenged and the indigents among other areas.
When asked if the process of hiring a political adviser has started, he said: “Not for me, the Premier has already started, and we will be following suit.”
In the meantime, Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Hon. Vincent Wheatley said he is still in the process of identifying the area of most impact for the Adviser.
At the time he said he was aiming for the adviser to take up the job “hopefully by September or so,” however that individual would more than likely be working with him in his district.
At that time, Premier Fahie confirmed that he had hired Mr. Smith.
“We have Kevin (OJ) Smith now, we are working on everybody else. He is focusing on helping with messaging, financial areas, and also to get certain programmes going to help the people,” he remarked but withheld information on the exact type of programmes Mr. Smith was working on.
He said he plans on utilising the three political advisers “in three different areas.”
The country’s leader also made it clear that the advisers would not be engaged in lobbying, and party politics as claimed by the Opposition, and no new funding would be needed as the funds have always had a budget allocation under consultancies.
Remuneration
The Cabinet of the Virgin Islands approved the hiring of one political advisor per minister and junior minister and three for the Premier and Minister for Finance.
The remuneration package is in two bands; (1) for the Adviser to the Premier, the remuneration range is between $79,440 and $120,000 per annum; and (2) for the Adviser to the other Ministers and Junior Ministers, the remuneration range is $60,408 to $84,408 per annum.
The former National Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Smith has been hired at the highest level for political advisors in the Premier’s Office, with a salary scale of $120,000 per annum or $10,000 per month.
