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Gov’t to tackle low wages as teacher resignations shakeup education system

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By MERRICK ANDREWS
Online News Editor


In light of the “alarming number of resignations” since the start of this school year, Education Minister Sharie de Castro said she is committed to “firmly” representing the views of teachers in relation to the payment of their outstanding increments and the review of their salary packages.

Speaking at Friday’s House of Assembly of sitting, Minister de Castro revealed details surrounding Thursday’s meeting and how she plans to move forward with the feedback she obtained from the educators from that meeting.

“Madam Speaker, on Friday 3rd, February 2022, I received a letter for the BVI Teacher’s Union
regarding the payment of outstanding increments. Upon receiving the letter, I immediately
contacted the union to request a meeting with the intention to hear directly from teachers so that their concerns could be effectively articulated and represented.

“The meeting was held on Thursday, 9th February 2023 and was very productive in achieving the expected outcome and I have committed firmly to representing the views of teachers in relation to both the payment of outstanding increments as well as prioritization of teachers in the compensation review process that is currently ongoing,” she disclosed.

She further stated that the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports met with the consultants spearheading this compensation and reclassification project last Wednesday and articulated the Ministry’s position of firm reconsideration of salaries for educators in the territory as a matter of urgency. On that same day, the minister said she also met with the consultants in her role as a legislator and supported the position of the Ministry in relation to educators.

She said that due consideration must be given to the cries of teachers and the value of
education to the economy of the Virgin Islands, adding that education is arguably the most important profession in our society.

The Ministry aims to build teachers that are highly qualified and adequately compensated, de Castro noted.

At present, she said the territory is losing teachers to other countries and industries due to low rate of pay, the increased cost of living, compensation offered in other countries, insufficient and outdated resources, and a challenging work environment, “just to name
a few”.

She explained: “Case in point, Madam Speaker, in the neighbouring United States Virgin Islands, Governor Albert Bryan recently announced that the entry level teacher salary would be raised to $50,000.00, commencing in August, 2023; our starting salary for a Teacher Grade IV is about $34,600.00.

“Madam Speaker, I implore us all to think carefully about the potential ramifications and impact of such a decision on our education system and, more specifically, our current teacher complement. Consideration for varying approaches to facilitate teacher retention is absolutely critical at this time.

“Madam Speaker, I referenced the change in salary in the USVI; however, in Texas, the largest
state in the US, the starting salary is now set at $61,500.00 per annum, with the entry level
requirements being as simple as the possession of a Bachelor’s degree in any subject area, with
the allowance of one or two years to achieve certification. According to the University of Texas at Arlington, in 2020-2021 academic year, Texas hired a high of about 376,000 teachers, and about 12% left that same year. In addition, more than 8,500 teachers retired in 2021, about 1,000 more than in 2020. This is just a brief example to show where the Virgin Islands has no intention of going.”

The minister revealed that the Ministry has already received an alarming number of resignations since the start of this school year. She said if teachers continue to leave the profession, the immediate and long-term impacts would be gravely felt throughout the territory.

“I ask this Honourable House to recall with me, the impact of the devastating hurricanes of 2017 on the education system of these Virgin Islands. Although our schools were greatly damaged, arrangements were made to ensure the continuity of learning. Even though we all experienced the trauma of the devastation, our teachers were able to deal with their own challenges and those of their students and teaching and learning continued.

“Madam Speaker, in 2020, we experienced the impact of a global pandemic through which our
teachers had to be rapidly trained to use the online platform to continue the instruction of our
students. In addition to that, Madam Speaker, our teachers had to monitor the learning of their own children, while providing instruction to their students, simultaneously.

“Madam Speaker, it would be remiss of me to not speak to higher salaries for teachers when
speaking about the value of education to our Virgin Islands’ economy. The demands on the
educator have increased significantly with regard to professional development, monitoring and evaluation, the initiation of Professional Learning Communities and the implementation of S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education as mechanisms of upgrading the system and making it more innovative and competitive.

“Madam Speaker, at this juncture, I must emphatically emphasize that, based on these demands, and more, there must be a thrust for higher pay for our teachers. Research indicates that there are several benefits of providing higher salaries for teachers. Increasing the pay of teachers strengthens the pipeline. It is understandable that low compensation for teachers discourages our own from entering the profession. It is my firm belief, Madam Speaker, that raising teacher salaries will improve the quality of our future workforce.

“In addition to strengthening the pipeline, higher teacher pay will keep our teachers in the classroom and decrease turnover. Madam Speaker, the low rate of pay for teachers has led and continues to lead them to consider second and third jobs in order to make ends meet. Madam Speaker, we need our teachers to focus on teaching, on building our future,” she explained.

Local News

Myron Walwyn Sworn in as Leader of the Opposition in the British Virgin Islands

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Sixth District Representative Honourable Myron V. Walwyn has officially been sworn in as Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition by Governor Daniel Pruce. The ceremony, which took place ahead of the House of Assembly (HoA) sitting on Monday, March 24, marks a significant shift in the political landscape of the British Virgin Islands.

Walwyn’s appointment follows a formal request submitted to the Governor on Friday, March 21, by members of the recently formed opposition faction known as “The Alliance.” The letter, signed by Walwyn, Second District Representative Honourable Melvin M. Turnbull, and Honourable Stacy R. Mather, called for Walwyn to replace Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton as Opposition Leader. The Governor accepted the request in accordance with Section 70(5) of the British Virgin Islands Constitution, which allows opposition members to determine their leader by majority vote.

With The Alliance holding a majority within the Opposition, surpassing Skelton of the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) and Eighth District Representative Honourable Marlon A. Penn of the National Democratic Party (NDP), the transition was all but assured. This realignment comes in the wake of internal disagreements within PVIM, particularly over a recent attempt by Skelton and Penn to dissolve PVIM and integrate its members into the NDP. That effort led to a rift within the Opposition, prompting Mather and Turnbull to shift their support away from Skelton.

The political maneuvering has raised speculation about potential challenges from Skelton or Penn in response to the change in leadership. However, for now, Walwyn assumes his role as Opposition Leader, with the responsibility of unifying the bloc amid ongoing internal divisions.

Meanwhile, the ruling Virgin Islands Party (VIP), led by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. Natalio D. Wheatley, continues to maintain its eight-seat majority in the HoA. With the Opposition now under new leadership, political analysts will be watching closely to see how Walwyn steers his faction in the months ahead.

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`Alliance’ Moves to Unseat Skelton as Opposition Leader Ahead of HoA Sitting

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Yet another political shift about to take effect in the British Virgin Islands as the recently formed “Alliance” has made moves to have Sixth District representative Honourable Myron V. Walwyn unseat and replace Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton as Leader of the Opposition, just days before the House of Assembly (HoA) convenes on Monday, March 24.

On Friday, March 21, Alliance members Walwyn, Second District Representative Melvin M. Turnbull and Stacy R. Mather, submitted a letter to Governor Daniel Pruce requesting Walwyn’s appointment as Opposition Leader. It is our information that the Governor has accepted the request in accordance with Section 70 subsection 5 of the British Virgin Islands Constitution, which permits opposition members to elect their leader by majority vote.

PVIM At-Large Candidate Stacy 'Buddha' Mather

Hon. Stacy R. Mather,

The Alliance, holds a majority within the Opposition, surpassing the two remaining members—Skelton of the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) and Eighth District Representative Marlon A. Penn (R8) of the National Democratic Party (NDP). With this shift in alignment, Walwyn is expected to be sworn in as the new Opposition Leader during Monday’s HoA sitting, alongside the appointment of a new Deputy Speaker.

The leadership change follows recent attempts by Skelton and Penn to dissolve PVIM and integrate its members into the NDP. This move has deepened divisions within the Opposition, with Skelton losing the support of Mather and Turnbull, who were previously aligned with him under PVIM.

The development raises key questions: will Skelton and or Penn seek to challenge move of unseating Skelton?

The ruling Virgin Islands Party (VIP), led by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. Natalio D. Wheatley, currently holds a solid eight-seat majority in the HoA. The new opposition bloc, now to be under Walwyn’s leadership, will need to address internal divisions and work to redefine its role in the territory’s governance.

The developments will be closely monitored when the HoA sits on Monday, as Walwyn is likely to assumes his new role amid a rapidly changing political landscape.

Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Melvin 'Mitch' Turnbull

Hon. Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull

 

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Local News

BVI Premier Seeks Constitutional Amendment to Establish Minister of State Position

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Premier Hon. Natalio D. Wheatley has announced plans to pursue a constitutional amendment to formalise the appointment of a Minister of State, a position currently not recognised under the British Virgin Islands’ constitutional framework. The revelation came during an interview on The Big Story with JTV’s Cathy Richards on March 11, where the Premier addressed recent shifts within his administration, including the return of Hon. Lorna G. Smith to government and the reassignment of Hon. Karl Dawson.

The changes, announced earlier in the day, saw Dawson’s removal as Junior Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, while Smith was designated as Minister of State. However, Wheatley acknowledged that the position does not yet legally exist, requiring approval from the United Kingdom to be formally established.

“In the Westminster system, there are different types of junior ministers, including Ministers of State and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries,” Wheatley explained. “While our current constitution allows for junior ministers, we would need an amendment to introduce the Minister of State designation.”

The Premier confirmed that he has informally raised the matter with the Governor and intends to discuss it further in an upcoming meeting with UK Minister for Overseas Territories, Steven Doughty. If successful, the amendment would provide the BVI government with additional flexibility in ministerial appointments.

Wheatley defended his decision to publicly designate Smith as Minister of State ahead of securing the constitutional amendment, stating that she was passionate about the role, particularly in relation to financial services—one of the territory’s key economic sectors. He emphasised that the move signals his administration’s commitment to expanding the governance framework to better reflect the needs of the territory.

“My point in communicating it is to let persons know that this is something we want to get done as quickly as possible,” he said.

While Smith is not a member of Cabinet, the Premier noted that she will be invited to Cabinet meetings as needed to discuss matters related to her portfolio. Under the current system, only five ministers can be full Cabinet members. Any expansion would require additional constitutional reforms, including a potential increase in the number of elected officials in the House of Assembly.

Should the UK approve the amendment, Smith’s position would become official, leaving a junior ministerial post open. Wheatley also indicated that his government may request an increase in the number of junior ministerial positions beyond the current limit of two.

“We would be asking for the ability to have different levels of junior ministers, and I believe it would be prudent for us to request more than just two,” he said.

As negotiations with the UK progress, the government’s ability to restructure its ministerial framework remains uncertain. However, Wheatley remains optimistic that changes can be implemented in a timely manner.

“We will see how quickly we can get it done,” he said, underscoring his administration’s push for constitutional reform.

The proposed changes come at a time when the BVI is preparing for broader constitutional negotiations with the UK. The discussions will not only address the Minister of State position but could also lead to wider governance reforms.

For now, Smith will continue to serve in one of the two existing junior ministerial roles until a formal decision is made.

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