Governor’s Office receives big $$ for more staff- SFC Report
With taxpayers footing the bill of the Governor and his office over the years, this opportunity cost has resulted in key areas of the VI public service having to forego funding to support the Governor's high-maintenance lifestyle.
Over the years, taxpayers have been funding the upkeep of the Governor's home, including the bills covering his food, phone service & internet, security, transportation, office supplies, and more line items like social entertainment and travel.
Despite this already huge financial burden, the 2023 Budget shows an increase in the staff at the Governor’s Office according to the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) report to examine the estimates of that budget.
Governor gets new staff
As detailed in the SFC Report, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly and Territorial Member Hon Neville A. Smith (AL) had inquired about the budget increase of some $47,100 for 2023 and more questions about whether the budget increase was for new staff.
Testifying before the committee in December 2023, Mrs. Geraldine Ritter-Freeman Chief of Staff, Governor’s Office (COS) confirmed it was indeed “for a new Senior Executive Officer’s position which contributed to the increase”.
It should be noted, this development comes as several government departments in the VI have cried out for additional staff amidst labor shortages which have impacted the day-to-day operation in offices like Labour Department, Immigration, Customs, Trade, and even the Premier’s Office.
However, sources indicated that some departments were not fulfilled with their requests for new staff.
The Junior Minister for Trade and Economic Development, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Territorial Member Hon. Shereen D. Flax-Charles then asked who is responsible for the Civil Service in terms of the day-to-day operation and how the government department operated on a daily basis.
The Permanent Secretary in the Deputy Governor’s Office (PSDGO) Mrs. Sharleen Dabreo-Lettsome replied that constitutionally, while the Governor has the authority over the public service, he has informally devolved those responsibilities to the Deputy Governor, and the Deputy Governor takes charge of the day to day administration of matters that affect the Public Service.
Service in shambles- Hon Flax-Charles
Hon Flax-Charles then asked why the Public Service was in such shambles having received many complaints about the sector.
She further queried whether there was a financial situation that prohibited someone to be employed on the Sister Islands and whether a simial situation prevents new officers from being employed on the sister islands.
Hon Flax-Chales also asked why there was a major backlog in the Passport Office.
Don’t ask me, ask who is in charge!- Ms Dabreo-Lettsome
The PSDGO replied that there were quite a number of questions that she responded to because the member is speaking about the wider Public Service and therefore she “should direct such questions to the Governor and Deputy Governor."
The Civil Service, which is the portfolio of the Governor, now in the person of Mr. John J. Ranking, CMG, has failed in leadership for years, yet had not been a subject of the hastily called Commission of Inquiry (CoI).
Many residents and talk show hosts have said publicly that this is unfair as the Governor has been given a free pass for his own failures which has resulted in many residents losing confidence in the legitimacy of the CoI report.
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45 Responses to “Governor’s Office receives big $$ for more staff- SFC Report”
not one those we placed in political office have enough balls/cat to question movement at government house our issues of the many unsolved crimes under the commissioner of police from London
set ah jive turkeys
1) The United Nations
2) CARICOM
3) USVI GOVERNOR
4) OECS
If all these were against actions of our public servants, local and Caribbean people and our politicians’ decisions and all of them kept moving forward regardless, the majority of us would have been hitting the ceiling if they failed to listen to them but we want to give the Governor and his UK Officials a free pass. It is time to end dictatorships of any kind. It is time to end colonialism. It is time to end the two orders in council or any order in council and their attempt at direct rule. It is WRONG! It is anti democratic. We have to come together to stop this wicked act. Do not fund dictatorship.
I'm still laughing at the notion that you think our government is a dictatorship.
Our government withered on the vine for decades, as politicians elected by and (theoretically) trusted by the BVI electorate pillaged and took advantage.
Do you think that the former Premier, or the esteemed one, or perhaps Mr. Walwyn would be the ones to buck the system, and clean it all up on their own?
Kleptocracy is a better description.
Out of order anyone he don’t like that’s trouble they must not eat
The Premier arrested on drug dealing, money laundering and racketeering…sounds kind of like a Narco State to me!
Leave the poor guy alone. Who would want that job!? All these people pissed off at you for scolding them when they caught red handed cheating, lying, stealing. Anyone of you want to DO THIS (actually do this, and not just look the other way or try to sweep it under the carpet).
Let him do his job. We should all benefit (at least those of us that don’t have our hand in the cookie jar!)
We are in the process of reviewing the constitution right now. Get yourself a copy. Read it. Then suggest changes.
Having the governor enforce violations of the constitution that you get to write is a pretty good deal. Otherwise YOU need to take the government officials to court. YOU get to pay the lawyer $500 an hour. And when you loose, you get to pay the winners legal fees!
That's the system. It's not a conspiracy.
the same so called dirty money is good to be spent on His excellency month to month expenditure
We in a mess and the mess is US. The UK doesn’t want us anything but GONE but we can’t take care of we self.
We are trapped in outdated colonialist structures and perceptions. We can’t even honor the laws designed to protect and enfranchise us and instead call ‘bahn heah’ and refuse to demand education for and hire our fellow VIslanders.
Open your eyes.
The problem is US.
WAKE UP!