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'Stop misleading the public'- Hon. Sharie B. de Castro

-Hon de Castro says Cabinet was unaware of discrepancies with compensation review for public officers
Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Honourable Sharie B. de Castro (AL) has called on naysayers to stop “misleading” the public when it comes to the matters arising from the compensation review for public officers. Photo YouTube
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Honourable Sharie B. de Castro (AL) has called on the government's critics to stop “misleading” the public when it comes to the matters arising from the compensation review for public officers.

Hon. de Castro was giving a contribution during the continuation of the Seventeenth Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA) on Friday, August 16, 2024.

It was revealed upon review of the compensation for public officers by the Ministry of Finance in April 2024, that twenty-five million, fifty-six thousand, five hundred and eighteen dollars was needed and not 11.7 million dollars as budgeted. 

“A lot is being said about funds, this twenty million dollars…[What] we refuse to acknowledge is that public officers have been working extremely hard for a long time without a salary increase. And I am not going to be a part of a campaign that completely eradicates the success of that process,” she said.

While acknowledging there were challenges with the process and that she may not be “completely pleased” with the result of the compensation review, Hon. de Castro said when looked at as a whole picture, the hardworking public officers are now better compensated.

Cabinet did not know of $20M deficit- Hon. de Castro

“I sit in Cabinet, I’m a minister and a member of the House of Assembly and I can unequivocally state that I was not aware of any twenty million dollar deficit and I am not aware of any of my colleagues being aware of it either,” Hon. de Castro said.

She also added her support for the investigation launched to find out what, when, and where the issues with the compensation review arose.

“I pray that we would quickly reach to the bottom of it too, so that it does not happen again,” Hon. de Castro stated.

Meanwhile, she commended Premier the Honourable Dr. Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) for his leadership in bringing these discrepancies with the public officers’ salary adjustments forward and for addressing them.

“It’s not something that you could hide from, the disappointing part is that even as we seek to address it, it is being manipulated in the public sphere in a very negative way, and it’s irresponsible…I believe an investigation is ongoing and I believe the public and this House will receive an answer regarding what’s taken place,” Hon. de Castro said.

19 Responses to “'Stop misleading the public'- Hon. Sharie B. de Castro”

  • resident (20/08/2024, 11:22) Like (33) Dislike (2) Reply
    The other thing they refuse to acknowledge is that the public service needs to be trimmed down, particularly at the higher levels.
  • Maam (20/08/2024, 11:29) Like (24) Dislike (9) Reply
    That does not mean the Minister of Finance did not know and if he did not know it does not look good on him because he should know. If he did not know and was not told he should discipline those who gave him an incorrect budget to take to the house.
  • Lb (20/08/2024, 11:41) Like (39) Dislike (3) Reply
    Does she not understand that the Minister of Finance and Cabinet to be unaware of a $20 million discrepancy points directly to the incompetency of the Minister of Finance????

    This is exactly what Myron is pointing out. The Minister of Finances is supposed to be fully aware!
  • Native Senior Citizen of the British Virgin Islands (20/08/2024, 11:59) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hon. Minister, sherie, De Castro, money handling or managing is the most sensitive thing of concern expected by the general public of government leaders, especially the Cabinet leader our current Premier. As I understand it, the problem is that a huge sum of money (millions of dollars) misrepresented in the budget that was presented.
    It is the Premier, Hon. Dr. Natalio Sujande Wheatley, Minister Of Finance, first and foremost responsible more than to respond to this issue in the way that would clear the ears and eyes readers readers of suspicious hearers of the discrepancies in reference to the Topic Issue. The general public need to know for sure, if we are to believe our political Leaders explanation on this matter of humongous proportion.
  • Artist (20/08/2024, 12:05) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    When you have some artist around who think they can fool everybody. We have a brain that is still sound and in all our getting get wisdom it is still sharing in todays era
    We just have to ask for it if we are lacking . Hang tight wisdom is the príncipe thing lets use it.
  • Very Disturbing (20/08/2024, 12:44) Like (35) Dislike (5) Reply
    This is very disturbing regardless of how they try to spin it. I don't understand why people are not outraged. These people are absolutely clueless, criminals or both!! They are raping the taxpayers.
  • Finally (20/08/2024, 12:49) Like (23) Dislike (16) Reply
    Finally! Admissions from the Premier and Finance Minister, and now the Minister for Education, that they have no idea how much money they are spending. UK please help us out.
  • hmm (20/08/2024, 13:48) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    if cabinet didn't know...the FS and PS knew and hid the information. that's fraud
  • yes man (20/08/2024, 14:02) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    government ministers need to grow some B a lls and stop being yes men n women
  • lord o. (20/08/2024, 14:06) Like (77) Dislike (3) Reply
    Working hard waay..Most of them tbe hardest part of there work is getting to work driving and walking up those stairs...30% do a lot. Another 30% do enough the other 40% filling seats and frustrating the public....Get real.....Now you all see why we need a short Britain take over to put things in proper order.
  • jack@$$ (20/08/2024, 14:10) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    Some of you are missing the detail here, that the FS made a grave error that might cost him his post. The premier is accountable for the mishap but the FS is where the culpability lies. Did he inform the Premier? it doesn't sound like it. And why did the Governor's office not know the correct figure? All the COI they're working on while basic communication and fact checking is lacking...tisk tisk tisk ngl
  • enough (20/08/2024, 14:45) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply

    This should be very insulting to Lorna as she was part/parcel then again to let this lil girl to come talking piss,this girl is the one misleading the people cause we don't hear nor see she Vincent.addressing any issues in their ministry now want to make sloman feel it's o.kPeople of the BVI we have a individual on 11 years vacation on our taxes you ever heard any pf the lunatics made a comment going forward?That's why we all going to hell in a basket listening to these $%#^&*%$

  • help us (20/08/2024, 15:47) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    When the Premier found out in April he should have let the public know exactly what the situation was. Don’t wait to bring in in a SAP and have Myron announce it
  • Investigate this thing! (20/08/2024, 16:22) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    So how it is between Deputy Gowernor an FS them ain tell the man it was a wrong dollar figure. I sorry. That sound like sabotage. Them embarrasing they bosses the Gowernor an Minister of Finance and mislead Cabinet and House. Let the investigation come. Strupes.
  • FACIAL EXPRESSION (20/08/2024, 21:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    IS SAYING )> COME TO THINK OF IT , AH KINDA GEH- IN SOM SECON TAUTS BOUT IT ????
  • Mark (21/08/2024, 07:54) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I agree mistakes are made but how could you make a 20mil mistake? Did we not just came out from a COI? I would want to believe that everything we do should be crossed checked and ensure everything is legit.
  • Oh Please (21/08/2024, 08:16) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    @ “the hard working part” MOST of the public officers have lazy and bad attitudes at the work place and make things difficult for the public..
  • hmm (21/08/2024, 10:10) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Slow down.

    As someone mentioned sabotage, can it be ruled out? The minister does not make the calculations himself but he approves what is brought before him.
    If he was given the wrong numbers with all the trickery going on does this not seem to convenient to come out right before the COI finale?

    They said putin blew up the Nord stream pipeline, now Germany arrested a Ukrainian for it. We came out of slavery, and they now say we sold ourself into slavery out of greed not because they had killed the tribal leaders. The COI was announced on Martin Luther King jr day, Andrew Fahie was sentenced on emancipation festival parade day after many delays.

    you see how these things go? Im not saying fahie was a good boy all Im saying is the racist theme runs very deep and some would rather attack the premier over this political sabotage right before the COI finale.
  • smh (22/08/2024, 08:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Since April 2024. WOW! How can they have not been aware? Effective (sarcasm) Leadership with misfits for followers.


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