A town hall meeting scheduled for Friday afternoon at the University of the Virgin Islands, Albert A. Sheen Campus, intended for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to hear the concerns of Virgin Islanders, was missing a key participant—the USPS itself. Initially local postmasters in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico intended to attend, but had to cancel, resulting in no USPS representatives at the meeting. A similar town hall was held a day prior on St. Thomas and USPS was a no-show there as well.
According to Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett’s district director, Nellie Varlack, no representatives from the USPS—neither locally nor nationally—were in attendance. The USPS cited financial constraints and operational concerns, stating that allowing postal workers to participate would impede normal operations, despite the town hall being scheduled outside of post office hours.
Although the USPS declined to attend, the town hall proceeded as a working session to document and track complaints. “The more documentation that we receive, the better we can justify our cases,” Varlack said.
Plaskett revealed that they later received an email from the USPS office in Washington, D.C., informing them that the agency was no longer participating in town halls across the country. According to Plaskett, this contradicts past practices, as the Virgin Islands has hosted six town halls over the past decade, with a deputy postmaster general even attending one.
Plaskett stated that the USPS government liaison pointed to internal data indicating strong service performance in the Virgin Islands. Using ZIP code 00824 as an example, the most recent data showed that 90.80% of incoming first-class mail was delivered within the applicable service standard, while 96.83% arrived within one day of the service standards.
“This is very strong performance, so further understanding of the types of delays you are reporting from these processing plants would be helpful,” the USPS representative wrote, directing people to file complaints at spm.usps.com.
Despite the USPS absence, Plaskett emphasized the importance of gathering as many complaints as possible in the coming weeks. “Instead of canceling the town hall, we are using this time to spread the word and collect complaints. We hope to compile these complaints and request a formal sit-down to address the issues,” she said.
Plaskett also noted that the cancellation of USPS town halls is a nationwide trend, urging the community to continue voicing concerns.
In addition to postal service issues, the town hall addressed concerns over Social Security. Attendees were encouraged to sign a petition advocating for the program’s strength and sustainability. “I have paid into Social Security my entire working life with the promise that it will be there when I need it. Lately, I have seen too many reports of long wait times and concerns about Social Security’s future,” Plaskett said. She emphasized the importance of protecting the 22,254 Virgin Islanders who receive $34 million in monthly benefits, stating, “This is what they rely on to make ends meet.”
Plaskett also highlighted a recent $3 million federal funding cut to the Virgin Islands Department of Health, expressing concern over its impact.
“We are continuing to make phone calls to local agencies that rely heavily on federal funding. We are concerned about the reconciliation process,” she said.
Plaskett warned that the largest federal cuts will affect the Committee on Energy and Commerce, with Medicaid expected to take a significant hit. “The only thing they can cut to meet the required $880 billion reduction is Medicaid, so we are expecting major cuts,” she said.
Lastly, Plaskett reminded residents to know their right when it comes to immigration and how to keep their loved ones safe. She also provided written handouts for those present.
As the town hall concluded, Plaskett reaffirmed her commitment to advocating for the Virgin Islands and ensuring that residents’ voices are heard on critical issues impacting their daily lives. She also took the time to speak to those present at the town hall.
Anyone who would like to report issues with postal delays can contact Plaskett’s office directly at 340-778-5900 on St. Croix or 340-774-4408 on St. Thomas/St. John. People are encouraged to share their concerns or complaints in this way rather than posting them on social media.
