The House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands has confirmed that the Auditor General’s special report on the financing of the 2024 public service salary increases, presented to the House on Sept. 16, will be subject to a detailed review, formal debate, and an official response in line with parliamentary procedures. In a press release issued on Sept. 17, the House reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and due process, and assured the public that a comprehensive response will be provided in due course.

“An official response, inclusive of comprehensive information for the public, will be issued in due course,” the release stated. “The House appeals for the patience of the people of the Virgin Islands as the matter proceeds through the appropriate parliamentary channels and assures that the concerns raised will be addressed.”

The report, dated May 27, 2025, was prepared by Auditor General Sonia Webster under section 20 of the Audit Act, 2003, which authorises the Auditor General to submit reports to the Governor for presentation to the House. It outlined how Members of the House of Assembly voted during an informal meeting on Dec. 19, 2023, to more than double their collective salaries—two days after passing the national budget.

According to the findings, legislators rejected the minimum salary range recommended by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which would have represented a 68 percent increase, and instead chose the maximum level. This decision raised the total salary allocation from $681,000 to $1.49 million, a 119 percent increase, requiring an additional $809,652 in the 2024 budget.

The largest single increase went to the Premier, whose salary rose from $72,000 to $176,243, a 145 percent jump. Other salary adjustments included the Deputy Premier, from $65,000 to $152,015; ministers, from $60,000 to $127,788; the Speaker, Opposition Leader, and Junior Ministers, from $45,000 to $103,560; the Deputy Speaker, from $40,000 to $79,870; and regular members, from $36,000 to $71,230.

Webster’s report also noted that 93 percent of civil servants were placed at the bottom of their new salary scales, while legislators placed themselves at the top. She cautioned that the increases “will have major implications for retirement benefits and long-term public finances,” particularly since retirement benefits for legislators had already been expanded in 2021.

The report further highlighted transparency concerns, stating that the decision was not publicly disclosed and was not clearly flagged in Cabinet papers. It recommended that the Deputy Governor’s Office and the Ministry of Finance explain why Cabinet and the House were not informed of the potential costs, and urged full disclosure of the raises and their pension implications.

The House of Assembly said its formal response will be issued after Members complete their review of the Auditor General’s findings.