Health Minister slams outdated ‘Social Security System’
He made the announcement during his contribution to the Twenty-First Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA) during the 2025 Budget Debate on December 18, 2024.
Addressing members of the House of Assembly (HoA), Hon. Wheatley reminded of his administration’s commitment to modernising critical legislation such as the Social Protection Act and the Housing Assistance Policy.
“We want to develop, implement, and revise key health, social assistance, and environmental policies to ensure alignment with Vision 2036; Housing is a significant challenge, and we must assist policies, not just in building social homes but in providing support for basic necessities, like a roof or a floor, to help people overcome small but critical hurdles.”
NHI Reform
The Minister used the occasion to also respond to criticisms of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, asserting that it must be viewed as part of a broader social protection framework.
“One member said that NHI isn’t working. It’s not something I would say; NHI is part of a bigger system, and the whole system must be considered together,” Hon Wheatley said, and reminded of the establishment of a Contracts Committee last year, to ensure proper coordination between NHI and Social Security.
“These yearly reports provide excellent suggestions for improving services; The issue is that we spend money on these reports only to shelve them. We have a very good system that simply needs tweaking. We intend to bring these recommendations to life, and we’re not going to kick the can down the road anymore.”
Financial Inefficiencies
Hon. Wheatley also expressed concern about unused social development funds, particularly in light of ongoing public needs, telling members “...it was mentioned earlier that every year, money is being returned from social development while persons are still hungry and needy. They are only following the law. The law has been amended, and we’re still evaluating the regulations.”
Additionally, the Minister revealed plans to increase the remuneration for beneficiaries of Social Development, with a proposal expected to reach Cabinet imminently.
“For those who currently receive Social Development payments, their monthly amount will increase as soon as Cabinet approves it. We hope to see this come into effect as early as January.”
Social Security
Recognising the inadequacy of current provisions, Hon Wheatley also outlined a directive to modernise Social Security legislation.
“You cannot live on $200 a month anymore. Medication alone costs more than that, despite efforts to lower prices.”
The Minister proposed a review of investment practices by the Social Security Board, saying “...when people’s contributions are invested and generate returns, the gains are not shared back with those whose money is being used. I intend to send a directive to explore ways to return a portion of these profits to contributors,” he said.
.png)
Follow Us On
14 Responses to “Health Minister slams outdated ‘Social Security System’”
This project, ostensibly aimed at providing housing, has instead become a financial quagmire. It involved appropriating pensioners' funds to purchase land and construct houses, yet has failed to generate any returns. The exorbitant construction costs have rendered these homes unaffordable, even for well-compensated individuals.
Furthermore, it appears he is unaware of the annual pension increases based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a fundamental aspect of maintaining the value of pensions over time. This lack of basic knowledge is concerning for someone in a position of authority over such matters.
If this mismanagement continues unchecked, there's a real risk of the pension system becoming insolvent. The consequences could be dire, potentially leaving future generations without access to the pension benefits they've contributed towards throughout their working lives.
This situation underscores the importance of having knowledgeable, competent individuals in charge of crucial systems like SSB, which affect the financial security of countless citizens in their retirement years.
The project's issues are numerous:
Poor sales performance: Only 7 out of 52 homes sold after two years on the market.
Infrastructure problems: Recent flooding caused landslides and a collapsed parking lot, indicating subpar construction and planning. ( The pictures were on the net)
Financial losses: With at least $27 million invested, the Social Security Board (SSB) is unlikely to see returns.
Regardless of which administration started the project, the current one has had ample time to address these issues. The lack of progress in recovering pensioners' investments is indeed alarming, .......the focus now should be on finding solutions and preventing further losses.
poor sales- If there is no demand or price to high - how does that become his fault. the can come up with a pan to sell them but would you not leave on the market for a fewyears to get asking price?
Infrastructure- again developed under a different administration, until the flooding how could they predict that the construction was sub par?
Financial losses - so how do they get back the funds already invested - they can lower the price and have a loss and put some funds back but STILL the genesis of this , the ROOT CAUSE was as not this Ministers. Until this territory learns to hold the correct people accountable , the rip offs will continue , the poor service will continue and someone is laughing all the way to the bank. Unfortunately this Minister is a good man and thinks that people are good by nature. If oit was a real son a a b!tch in there nobody would say jack.
THIS SH*T AIN'T JUST HAPPNING / IT BRINGS UO MIND OF A ( TING ) THAT USED YO BE ON TV WITH WHEN PEOPLE WHO'S MONEY WAS TAKEN OUT BY THEIR BOSS AND NOT BEING PAID IN TO SOCIAL SECURITY ,WERE TOLD BY THE GIRL AT THE DESK , " AM VERY SORRY BUT YOUR EMPLOYER HAVE MOT BEEN PAYING IN YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY , SO THERE BIN NOTHING WE CAN DO , AND WAS TOLD YOU EILL HSVE TO TAKE IT UP WITH YOUR EMPLOYER , / THAT HAD SOUND SO STUPID AND DUMB , AND STMFTER THEY GOT SOME RESPONCE FROM THE PUBLIC , THEY REALIZED THAT IT EXPOSED THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS BEHAVIOR , AND THEY REMOVED THE VIDEO / BUT THE PRACTICE IS STILL CONTINUING UP TO THIS DAY , THAT ADVANTAGE IS
BEING ALLOWED / BUTTHE NERD WHO LOVE YO WEAR WIG , ONLY KNOW HOW TO SHOUT OUT , THE WHITE SLAVE MASTERS THIS , THE WHITE SLAVE MASTERS THAT FROM HIS THRONE
Thank you Hon. Vincent Wheatley for bringing the piece of corrupted information to the general public attention. It smelled like a rotten egg. What a big shame for a people, some of them that seeks independence, but treats some of its people like outcast. Some dogs owners spend up to and more than $200.00 a Month taking care of one (1) dog m, and more, if than have more plus a cat with kittens.
The Topic Issue plus the Hon. Minister concerned is like a ticking time bomb very close to explosions time or like a volcano close to catastrophic explosions.
In the BVI violent crimes and others undesirable lawless behavior are on the rise annually. How else can crimes be curbs when our youths know that high cost of basic needs are unreachable because money is been deliberately held back in the Social Security and added to the following year budjet?
What a thing.
Jeremiah 17: 5-6, and Jeremiah 17: 9- 11
The heart of man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: Who can know it?
I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
As a partridge sits on eggs, and hatch the not; so is he that gets riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.
The Lord says; curse is the man that trust in man, and makes flesh his arms (security), and whose departs from the Lord.
For he shall be as the heat in the desert, and shall not see when good comes; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land, and not inherited.
Benefit should not base on position because off your salary