The government will introduce stepped salary increases for staff at the BVI Health Services Authority starting in 2027, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said in his budget address on October 27.
Dr Wheatley told legislators that medical professionals have waited long enough for improved compensation. "For far too long, our healthcare workers have gone without an uplift to their compensation package. In 2027, we will correct that with a phased, financially sustainable salary adjustment that will support the recruitment and retention of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals," he said. He added: "We must give those who care for us stronger reasons to build their future in the Virgin Islands."
The Premier did not reveal how much the increases would be, when they would take effect or how long each phase would run. Health Minister Vincent Wheatley later disclosed that rolling out all the recommendations from a compensation review would cost roughly $10.3 million per year.
The salary commitment stems from work done by Ernst & Young Cayman Ltd, which looked at up to 100 positions and benchmarked pay against five to eight comparable healthcare systems. Officials received the report on December 19, 2025, and have been working through how to fund the adjustments in a way that does not strain the budget.
Alongside the pay plan, the government is reshaping how the BVIHSA finances itself. The authority will shift from receiving a single annual budget to billing the National Health Insurance directly for each service it provides. Dr Wheatley said this arrangement would ensure the authority receives "proper compensation for the services provided to its customers through direct billing to the National Health Insurance, allowing for a viable means of financing their operations."
The government also intends to launch a National Health Strategic Plan spanning 2027 to 2036, designed to improve coordination among the Ministry of Health, the BVIHSA and National Health Insurance.
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