Leadership from the V.I. Property and Procurement Department appeared before the Senate Budget, Appropriations and Finance Committee Tuesday to defend their 2026 budget requests.
Commissioner Lisa Alejandro led testimony in support of a $14,616,564 General Fund appropriation for 2026, part of the department’s recommended $24 million operating budget. Alejandro said the appropriation represents a 7.36% increase over the current year and attributed the increase to costs associated with repairs and maintenance at DPP facilities.
Testifiers generally earned plaudits from lawmakers for successfully implementing the government’s e-procurement system, GVIBUY, and for exploring a three-way partnership with the National Association of State Procurement Officials and the University of the Virgin Islands to foster local talent.
The hearing’s more sour notes came amid questions about the department’s management of the government’s fleet.
Lawmakers were frustrated to learn during a Finance Committee hearing last year that 40 cars earmarked for V.I. Police Department patrol units were sitting idle at Property and Procurement because they lacked specialized communication equipment. Sen. Novelle Francis Jr., who chairs the Finance Committee, asked DPP for an update Tuesday.
“Tell me all of them are gone where they need to be,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner Khalid Pickering said there are still seven cars parked at the department.
“No fault of DPP’s,” he added, saying the department has been in contact with VIPD and that the vehicles still haven’t been retrofitted with everything they need to be deployed. “So there are conversations and there is a plan — I know some funding conversations have taken place as well.”
Francis called the delays “unacceptable.”
“These vehicles need to be out on the street doing police work and protecting this community. They serve no good purpose sitting at P and P,” he said. “And this has been close to two years. By the time these vehicles hit the street, they’re going to be out of contract and they’ll be useless. It’s been way too long.”
Sen. Carla Joseph asked the testifiers to make it a priority to give law enforcement the tools and equipment they need.
“And also we want to assure that whatever is needed, it is urgently needed,” she said. “Crime is up, we’re having a lot of people who are being victims of gun violence, and we need to have our police presence very strong in our community.”
Lawmakers later took aim at rampant misuse of government vehicles, after testifiers said the government has spent $2.7 million on gas this year alone. Senate Majority Leader Kurt Vialet said he sees government vehicles on the road “24/7 — to include P and P — every single day.”
“What austerity measures are being put in place? Is it that every individual that has access to a vehicle in government is allowed to drive it on weekends, holidays, every single day? What are the austerity measures?”
Alejandro said the department has been working with other agencies to curtail the problem.
“It ain’t working,” he said. “OK, the holiday weekend coming and I’ll see them out 24/7. That ain’t working.”
