VIP accused of using $100M loan funds as election bait

Opposition Leader Myron Walwyn has accused the government of diverting funds from a $100 million loan facility into politically motivated projects instead of solving the territory’s most urgent infrastructure issue — the lack of a consistent supply of potable water.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Opposition members Melvin Turnbull and Stacy Mather, Walwyn said the government had earmarked only about $8 million of the loan for water infrastructure, an amount he called “woefully insufficient” to address the problem.

“The biggest problem facing this country now is access to a supply of portable running water,” Walwyn stated. “You can’t borrow $100 million and then after all of that, you still don’t have the problem fixed. Because you earmarked some of the money for pork projects, hoping to use the $100 million to win an election, and people can’t get water to bathe. That is unacceptable,” he said.

The Virgin Islands has faced chronic water shortages for years, with frequent supply interruptions reported across multiple districts. Earlier this year, government officials said repairs and upgrades were underway, but admitted that a complete overhaul of the water distribution system would require extensive funding and time.

Walwyn’s comments echo earlier criticism from the Opposition when the loan was first debated in the House of Assembly. They argued that the resolution lacked detailed project breakdowns and prioritised expenditure in areas that could deliver political gain rather than public necessity.

He stressed that the role of the Opposition was to ensure the public is aware of how their money is being spent.

“Our job as the opposition is being done to bring the information to the public about things that are happening in the country. And once people are armed with the information, then they access their representatives to say this cannot happen,” he said.

The $100 million loan, secured to fund infrastructure works, has been positioned by the government as a major investment in the territory’s development. However, the Opposition contends that without a greater share of the funds allocated to essential services such as water, residents will see little improvement in their daily lives.