Lettsome vows to tackle ‘greedy bill’ if elected

Territorial At-Large candidate Levor Lettsome has pledged to tackle the controversial law governing retirement benefits for legislators if elected to the House of Assembly. Lettsome, chairman of the Virgin Islands Innovative Association (VIIA), criticised provisions that allow legislators to receive pensions at age 50 and payments after leaving office while other residents must wait until 65 to collect their pensions. The legislation, formally known as the Retiring Allowances (Legislative Service) (Amendment) Act, 2021, became widely known as the “greedy bill” after attracting public criticism over the benefits available to former legislators. Before the 2023 general election, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley had promised to repeal the law. The House of Assembly subsequently passed further amendments to the territory’s legislative retirement allowances framework in 2023.

Lettsome raised the issue while expressing support for recall legislation during an appearance on the Talking Points radio programme. “I’m very much in support of it,” Lettsome stated when asked whether he supported a system for recalling elected representatives. He then criticised the difference between the pension arrangements for legislators and the retirement age applying to other residents. “I see that they have this thing where they’re receiving their pension at 50, have us working until 65 to get a pension, then they’re working three years, getting paid for doing nothing,” Lettsome said. Asked how he would repeal the provisions if elected, Lettsome said the VIIA had discussed the issue with its legal team and had been advised that changing the law could prove difficult. “They’re saying, oh, it might be a hard battle to fight because of legal this and that,” Lettsome stated. However, he said the…