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by pltm
(PLTM) - There were attempts made to have the retirement package bill for law makers repealed under the Government for National Unity, but there was no support from members of the House of Assembly (HoA) outside the Virgin Islands Party (VIP).
This was revealed by Hon. Carvin Malone, the VIP’s At-Large candidate in response to the National Democratic Party’s (NDP) indication that they will repeal some of the benefits in the package, especially the section that relates to legislators who would have served at least three terms.
“Since the government changed and you have the National Unity Government, the Premier [Dr. Natalio Wheatley] has been behind each of the members to have parts of it repealed. Let’s go back to the house,” Hon. Malone said via the VIP Let’s Talk radio programme on Tuesday, March 22.
The Bill was tabled and piloted to passage by former Premier and Minister of Finance, Andrew Fahie who is currently in bail in Miami, United States awaiting trial on drug trafficking and money-laundering charges.
Hon. Malone stated that when the Bill was brought to the House, the NDP seconded it and there were no ‘nays’ when the Bill was passed. According to Hon. Malone, the NDP legislators were the first to benefit from the passage of the Bill, pointing out that most of the VIP legislators were first-termers.
“I am wondering now whether or not they will be prepared to pay back the monies,” Hon. Malone stated.
He noted that Legislators representing the NDP, Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) and the Progressives United (PU) did not support the Premier Wheatley in having the Bill repealed.
“NDP, leave it alone; PVIM, leave it alone. PU, leave it alone. And now you go talking as if this is the first time you heard this. It is amazing, but the record is there. Leave what alone? Leave the retirement bill alone. We don’t want to hear it. The people don’t want to hear it. Leave it alone,” Malone stated.
NDP’s Sixth District Candidate, Myron Walwyn was not part of the House of Assembly that passed the Bill, but he has labelled its passage as the height of political wickedness and greed during a pandemic.
On Saturday, March 19, Walwyn indicated that a three-term legislator will receive a gratuity in the amount of about $250,00 to $300,000 immediately upon retirement if they are 50 years or older.
He said in addition to this, a three-term legislator will receive his or her current salary every single month for the next three years just as if they were working.
“After those three years of receiving a salary for doing absolutely nothing he or she will receive half of their current salary for the rest of their life. So, a three-term legislator would receive in excess of 600,000 in cash by the end of three years after retiring and half of his or her monthly salary until death,” Walwyn pointed out.
According to Walwyn, the people of the country for a minimum of two years will be paying the salaries for two governments at the same time – one that is working and one that is not working.
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Put pay in the constitution. That's the end of it.
