Why are 4 UK nationals making top $$$$ from home with RDA?
It was also a place to build local technical capacity to help the Virgin Islands years after the Hurricanes, and after the term of the RDA comes to an end.
However, the first item of business, with the reported backing of former controversial Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert aka ‘Gus’, was to hire a Caucasian expat, Paul D. Bayly, with a price tag of $300,000 a year plus room, boarding and airline tickets.
His tenure ended in failure and he abruptly resigned because there were questions from local residents and some elected members of the HoA on performance.
Race matters?
A local, Anthony S. McMaster, a former Permanent Secretary, replaced Mr Bayly; however, was not paid the same salary as Mr Bayly. Many public commentators labelled it as downright racism and double standards.
In the past years, there have been issues of the United Kingdom (UK) funding coming to an end, and their lack of honouring their original commitment on the amount of funds promised to the RDA.
Additionally, word reaching our News Centre from two RDA board members familiar with the day to day operations of the organisation is that there are now four British nationals on the payroll working from the UK.
Their average salaries are between $120,000 to $200,000 per year, plus benefits for the four UK Nationals.
Is it right for them to work remotely knowing their titles?
The Board Members who spoke to our newsroom, on condition of anonymity, described it as an abuse and could be seen by some as bordering on unfair to the Territory and taxpayers.
The four officers working from home in the UK are; Denise Stabler, a Project Coordinator and is assigned to the Caribbean Development Bank road works; Christopher Coulson, whose title is an Infrastructure planner; Charlie Peschardt, a project manager; and Tom Lilleyman, a chief technical advisor and a pal of the controversial former Governor Jaspert.
One Board Member claimed, “with them making so much money it’s clear that they are not on the ground to address projects, but have to rely on an email from the staff in the BVI.....this is an abuse of office, in my opinion.”
The Board Member asked, “how can they verify projects from the UK?”
Locals Out! UK Nationals In!
Many locals and other Caribbean national contracts have expired and were not renewed at the RDA; however, the four UK nationals are still raking in huge wages with Mr Lilleyman, a close ally of the former Governor Jaspert, earning some $200,000 a year plus benefits.
There are also unconfirmed reports that the UK nationals working at the RDA have no respect for the CEO, Mr McMaster, who did not respond to our request for a comment on the matter.
Many residents also said this is another reason why the British are anxious to take over the Virgin Islands and impose direct rule under the false pretends of ‘corruption.’ If this happens, it will open the way to lay off locals and hire British nationals.
The British will also move to cut the public service leaving many locals out of jobs, hungry and homeless. Many residents also stated that the example of what is going on in the RDA is yet another form of slavery and exploitation of the people and resources.
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63 Responses to “Why are 4 UK nationals making top $$$$ from home with RDA?”
I think the RDA will be shut down before years end anyway.
They are w**** he is afraid to touch them
They out of brexit so they need work for their people in the islands
Jamaica Culture Minister seeking UN support for reparations
The United Nations, having declared the International Decade for People of African Descent, must leverage its global influence to create instruments that will encourage States to develop actions and activities focused on reparatory justice,” Minister Grange said.
Emancipate yourself from mental slavery. We all must take a stand throughout the world. This has been going on far too long!
Let us see what is the former Governor's real motive. Transparency is welcome for everyone.
Are the worth that salary
Do they work fir that salary
If you are not in the ground what use are you and are you really earning that salary
Why the disparity in what they are paid and what those in the ground are
Are they doing any work that’s benefiting the BVI
so why are UK to blame. Can someone please explain.
I dont blame them I blame the RDA board and poor management. "Boarders open you have up until such a time to report to office otherwise you can not meet your full obligations as stated in your contracted and you will be OUT!"
Please investigate the same going on at the governor’s office. Why no jobs there advertised to us? We know they employ people on local contracts, why are they all white and no belongers???
Where’s the transparency and accountability in the governor’s office???
And why they on the board of RDA and that too another white woman?? Why no blacks from governors office on board??
Please investigate and report.
Yes, we agree, full transparency and investigation required.
Also the alleged violence towards the Premier by gus. Unacceptable and gus should have been charged. Why wasn’t he? Is it as he appointed another friend as commissioner?? Why isn’t the commissioner of police charging gus with assault?
Payment in most places in the world is based on experience, so are these people being paid in accordance with their qualifications? If there are BVIslanders QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED to the same level, name them, and when they applied for the job.
Racial inequality is engrained into the way we think. It is propogated by the media, often completely unintentionally and innocently, but it is damaging nonetheless. We won't beat it until we start looking at things rationally. To suggest that these people are only employed because they are white, could be accurate, but it's more likely that its because we all have bias and prejudice.
The questions are simple:
- Who actually oversees employment at the RDA? I would bet not the UK
- Were there BVIslanders of equal or similar relevant qualifications and experience that applied for the job? This factors into capacity building, some of our capacity is limited, it's the fact of being a small community and why we sometimes have to bring people in from outside.
- Was the compensation for people with these skills and experience in line with international and local trends?
- ONLY if the answers to these questions are all out of line should we start to consider that this may be about race. Don't let your prejudice cloud your judgment. We all have it, but that's ok if we acknowledge and mitigate it.
Thanks vino we will never hear about this in the British press
These devils are too courupt so they put it on we
Obvious that gus was propping them up.
Now he’s gone hopefully they’ll be some accountability and transparency and they’ll get fired.
What a waste of money on them.
Aren’t quangos not allowed??!!
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-governor-of-anguilla
It’s clear Gu**** was a crook