At Monday’s press briefing, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. enthusiastically shared details of the weekend activities he engaged in and provided an update on government operations, including the upcoming appointment of a new director.
“Boy it was a hot weekend but it was a busy one for me and the lieutenant governor, it has been an essential horse race. No pun intended,” the governor joked.
Bryan promised that this week would be “one packed with celebration, commemoration, and a concentration on making this the best place in the world.”
With the opening of St. John Village over the weekend, which the governor expressed was a festive occasion, Bryan urged the community to walk with a form of identification when riding the ferry, as it is a federal government operation, to ensure the safety of all passengers.
As Pride Month came to an end over the weekend, the governor thanked the LGBTQ+ community for raising awareness in the community through the Pride March, which he participated in on Saturday.
“As you know June is Pride Month. You’ve been seeing the Pride flag displayed here at Government House as well as the Legislature and various other places. It was a nice little jog from Emancipation Garden to Havensight. Much love goes out to the LGBTQ family and bringing awareness around this issue in the Virgin Islands,” Bryan said.
Lt. Gov. Trengenza Roach represented the administration at a farewell event for outgoing University of the Virgin Islands President David Hall on St. Croix, Bryan added. Hall is stepping down after 15 years with the University of the Virgin Islands and he is being replaced by Sophia George, he said.
This weekend, Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral Church celebrated its 250th anniversary. The governor and lieutenant governor attended the celebration. Bryan expressed that he was born into the church and it was an important milestone for him to celebrate.
Bryan praised the success of the horse races on St. Thomas, saying, “I know the Crucians are still grimacing at the fact that we have horse races in St. Thomas but we’ve done everything we can to do the horse races in St. Croix and I trust you, I got something else coming that’s going to bring horse racing closer to the island of St. Croix.”
Bryan expressed sympathy for the island nations that will be impacted by Category 4 Hurricane Beryl this week, as that part of the Caribbean has not had a hurricane in decades. He added that even though the hurricane will pass more than 200 miles south of the territory, this is a warning for the community to be prepared for the season. “The stronger we are and more prepared we as individuals, the stronger we are as a territory,” he said.
The governor encouraged the community to reflect during Freedom Week activities and the meaning of celebrating Emancipation Day on July 3. “Each year from June 26 to July 3, we celebrate Virgin Islands Freedom Week. Freedom Week includes Emancipation Day, which is July 3, and it reminds us that our Caribbean ancestors fought for their freedom from the time they were captured and never stopped planning, organizing, and fighting,” he explained. Bryan said that as festivities are being celebrated on St. John, Virgin Islands should take a moment to reflect on the “heroic efforts of our ancestors.”
Bryan announced a new government agency and position—the Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance—to manage rebuilding the schools destroyed in the 2017 hurricanes. The new director will also oversee maintenance of the facilities, as parents and the public frequently decry the care of the schools.
Craig Benjamin, originally from St. Thomas, has returned to the territory with extensive stateside experience to take the position.The new bureau will be under the V.I. Education Department and Government House.
“At the end of the day, the community should be thankful for what we’ve produced,” Benjamin predicted, Monday.
The governor added that $850 million in school contracts are currently being negotiated, with up to $200 million “already on the way” for the bureau to process.
Bryan also plugged the V.I. Housing Finance Authority’s zero percent loan—the VI First-Time Home Buyers Program—to develop single-family homes. The land should be vacant at the time of the loan, and the owner must occupy the house for five years after purchase.
The governor added a few comments about the loan program. One problem, according to the governor, is that there aren’t enough homes available and contractors’ prices are prohibitive, even when they are asked to build multiple dwellings.
For more information on the program, click here.
He added that in the near future, residents will see road work on St. Croix, including repaving the Christiansted backstreets and eventually King Street and Northside Road.
The governor also discussed late payments to vendors, unpaid tax refunds, and retroactive pay to government employees. He added that he would ensure the government’s up-to-date status on the St. Croix Animal Welfare allotment.
“We kinda want to slow down the spending of the General Fund so we can catch up,” he said.
He added that all vendors with invoices 90 days or older would be paid this week. He said that those who are not paid did not submit invoices.
Bryan said next year’s budget discloses a reduction in many allocations, especially to non-profit organizations. He said it is easier to grow the budget than cut it in real-time.
“We’ve got a lot of things going on. We just want to take a conservative approach to next year,” he said.
