$250K For Community Programme To Fill Members’ Grants Gap

A new Community Empowerment Grant Programme will receive $250,000 to support local initiatives and help fill the void left by the removal of elected representatives’ assistance grants.

Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. Natalio Wheatley announced the allocation during his 2027 Budget Address last week, saying residents, churches, non-profit organisations, community groups and social-purpose organisations would be partners in addressing local needs.

“Government does not have a monopoly on good ideas, and Government does not have to do everything itself,” he stated.

Wheatley said people across the Territory understood the needs within their communities and were ready to help address them. That partnership, he explained, was central to the new programme.

“This grant programme is partly aimed at filling the void left by the removal of the Members Assistance Grant,” he said.

The initiative will allow communities to put forward projects that respond to genuine local needs, strengthen neighbourhoods and improve residents’ lives.

Wheatley said the policy encouraged local solutions, community leadership and measurable public benefit, supported by a robust framework for transparency and accountability.

“We have allocated $250,000 to get the programme up and running. Through community empowerment and engagement, we will build a stronger Virgin Islands,” he stated.

CoI Reforms

The former assistance grant system came under scrutiny during the 2022 Commission of Inquiry (CoI), which identified inadequate guidance, broad discretion for elected representatives, poor record-keeping and insufficient safeguards against abuse.

The CoI recommended ending House of Assembly Members’ and ministries’ assistance grants in their existing form and transferring the funding to the Social Development Department for distribution against established criteria. It also called for a transparent, coordinated benefits system with published rules and fewer discretionary powers.

Recent House Debate

The announcement follows disagreement in the House of Assembly over the separate constituency policy introduced after representatives lost access to assistance grants.

Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn argued that the policy covered office rent and staffing but left representatives unable to respond effectively to urgent personal needs or support community programmes. He called for practical changes and said representatives were having to use their own money.

Deputy Premier Julian Fraser defended the arrangement as a means of allowing representatives to continue serving their districts following the reforms. While saying he would not obstruct colleagues seeking changes, he made clear that he wanted no involvement in additional funding under the policy.