The family of Alma ‘Grete’ Parsons Dawson regret to announce her passing on March 21, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. She was born on Tortola on Jan. 18, 1954. She was a resident of St. Thomas, then relocated to St. John, before moving to Florida in 2020.
Alma Parsons Dawson
She was the youngest daughter of Emmaline Nibbs Parsons of Sea Cows Bay and Nehemiah Parsons of Brewers Bay, Tortola.
She is survived by her three sons Craig, Avery, and Kimo Dawson and two daughters Khania Dawson Burroughs and Shania Dawson; daughters in law Shennice Joseph, Elaine Leslie Dawson and son in law Jeff Burroughs.
She was preceded in death by two grandchildren: K’Emani and Cairo Dawson.
She also leaves behind nine great grandchildren: DeMauni Chitole, Melaney Joseph, Caylee Dawson; Amara Brown; Shakimo, Ohana, Solana, Soleia Dawson and Tashawn Hudson Jr.
Alma’s siblings are Stanley, Rudelle, Glandwell “Skip”, Kenneth and Doris Parsons, Bernice Monsanto and Clarence Dawson. She was preceded in death by her brothers Reginald and Carl Parsons and sister, Annetta Parsons McClean.
She is survived by her former husband E. ‘Bionic’ Dawson and numerous extended close family members of the Nibbs, Parsons and Dawson families and friends.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing at 9 a.m. and funeral service will follow at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 9 at the Wesley Methodist Church on St. Thomas; followed by a Memorial Service on Friday, April 10 at 11:30 a.m. in the chapel of Majestic Funeral Home on Tortola, and interment at the Methodist Cemetery in Road Town, Tortola.
Arrangements Entrusted to Turnbull’s Funeral Home & Crematory Services and Majestic Life Funeral Home.
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Claudet V. Hamilton on March 15, 2026 in Houston, Texas.Claudet was born April 6, 1950 on the Island of Montserrat and lived on the Island of St. Croix for more than 40 years.
Claudet V. Hamilton
She was proceeded in death by her ex-husband James Hamilton and her daughter Ruthlyn Hamilton.
She is survived by her children, Inez, James Jr. Stedmond and Gloria Hamilton, brothers Samuel, Rolston, Kingsley and Franklyn Jones and her sister Barbra Jones and numerous other friends and relatives on St. Croix and the USA.
She lived a life dedicated to faith and family. A farewell ceremony will be held on Saturday April 4 at Truth Church 910 Old Atascocita Rd., Huffman, TX 77336
Carlos Sterling, born to Carlos Sterling Berten and Julia Pizarro Rivera on May 12, 1942, passed away on March 15, two months shy of completing his 84th trip around the sun.
Carlos Sterling
He was closely preceded in death on Oct. 7, 2025, by his wife of 59 years, Ellen Francisca Sterling, and his brother-in-law, Antonio Brown, on March 8, 2026.
He is survived by siblings, Angela Sterling Pizarro, Priscilla Rivera, Milagros Rivera, Maria de los Angeles Rivera, Carlos Juan Sterling, Jorge “Georgie” Sterling, Fidel Sterling; children and stepchildren, Aaron Sterling, Angela Sterling, Ricky Brown, Aubon Brown, Victor Brown; grandchildren, Melissa Hendel, Anthony Maceo Sterling, Alycia Fewins, Shawday Fewins, Latricia Rounds, Chetoya Brown Walcott, Nagid Brown, Leron Brown, Levon Brown, Victor Brown, Jr., Lelaunie Brown, Linzey Brown; great-grandchildren, Omari Iles, Kaden Walcott, Saiya Brown, Kaih Marrero; son-in-law, Raymond Garcia; daughter-in-law, Tami Fewins Sterling; sisters-in-law, Carmen Walters, Elvira Assent Henry; cousins, Margarita Sterling, Victor Sterling, Myrna Sterling, Leticia “Letty” Bryant, Ronald “Ronnie” Bryant, Esteban Iturbe Sterling, Ivan Martinez, Awilda Sterling, Victor Manuel Sterling, Rafael Rosa Sterling, Pedro L Sterling, Luis A. Larregui, Selma Ithier, Ingracia Karlo; nieces and nephews, Caroline Sterling, Jessica Sterling, Janet Sterling, Lyneisha Sterling; Cesar Sterling, Luis Rosario, Benjamin Rosario; other extended family, Shiela Springette, Natalie Richards, Delores Brown, Yvonne Walters, Carol Howell, Lorraine Cavanaugh, June Gordon, Velma Assent Johnson, June B. Brown, Ann Marie Brown, Molly Brown, Nicole Brown, Jean Brown, Khadijah Muhammad, Marcia Maccow – Simmons, Wendy Brown, Genelle A. Walters Richards, Crystal George – Thomas, Delores ‘Kate’ Scavetta, Sally Brown, Khalia Brown; nephews-in-law, John ‘Billy’ Brown, Keith Brown, Eversley ‘Laffy’ Brown, Earl ‘Kenya’ Brown, Ron Brown, Stevie Brown, David Brown, Jr., Hugh Brown, David Brown, Mark Walters, Michael Maccow, Malcolm Maccow, Antonio Brown, Jr., Conrad Brown, Dwight Brown, Keith Brown, Glen Herbert; special friends, Irma St. Val, Lera James, Christina Rudinsky, The Nico family, Clarissa Chapman, JoAnn George, Roy Johnson, Dr. Rhoda Zione Alale, The Cherubin Family, Pastor Bernard and Family, May Joseph Family, Joyce Abrahamson, Victor Rojas Family, Carlos J. Alvarado, Dr Cesar Detres, Elena Azcona, Elba Bristol, Brother Clarke & Mrs. Clarke, George and Sandra Cannon, Farrington Cannon, Jerry and Betty Weninger, Enid De Freites, The Bahai Faith Communities of St. Croix and St. Thomas, Mona Bastien, Virginia Johnson, Murali Alagudu and his Hovensa family; other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
Funeral service will be held on Friday, April 10, at James Memorial Chapel, Christiansted, St. Croix, USVI. Viewing will begin at 10 a.m. with service beginning at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Kingshill Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to James Memorial Funeral Home, Inc.
As we conclude the first quarter of 2026, the global energy crisis driven in part by ongoing conflict in the Middle East is expected to further strain affordability across the Virgin Islands. Rising fuel costs will continue to ripple through our economy, increasing the price of electricity, food, transportation, and everyday living. For many families, the pressure is already real.
And yet, I am still hopeful. Virgin Islanders have never been defined by crisis. We have always been defined by how we respond to it. We have faced hardship before. And time and again, we have risen to the occasion.
Reflecting on our past is not an exercise in nostalgia; it is a reminder of what we are capable of. My own story, rooted right here in the Virgin Islands, shapes my belief in who we are and what we can achieve together.
I remember growing up in Hospital Ground (round-deh-field) on St. Thomas, spending afternoons at my father’s auto mechanic garage. The sounds of engines, the smell of oil and metal, and the constant movement of people left a lasting impression. My siblings and I ran a small shop nearby, selling snacks to help cover basic needs like school uniforms. We were young, but we understood responsibility. We understood hustle. We understood that if we wanted something, we had to work for it.
Later, in the Donoe Housing Community, I saw that same resilience in my mother. She worked tirelessly at Tropical Shipping and the University of the Virgin Islands to provide for our family. But we were never alone. Neighbors looked out for us. The community stepped in where needed. There was an unspoken understanding that we take care of each other. That was the Virgin Islands I knew. And while times were not easy, there was something powerful that carried us through, trust in one another and confidence that together, we could overcome anything.
Today, that confidence is being tested. We are experiencing a period of slow recovery from the hurricanes of 2017, burdened by failing infrastructure, poor fiscal management, and, at times, a lack of clear priorities. Our energy system is unreliable and expensive. Our healthcare system is fragile. Schools are under-resourced. The cost of living continues to rise faster than we can keep up with.
And most concerning, public trust has eroded. When systems don’t work, when leadership lacks focus, and when progress feels stalled, people begin to lose faith. Our community begins to look elsewhere for opportunity, not because we want to leave, but because we feel we have no choice.
But I refuse to accept that as our future. Because the truth is we are not without solutions. What we have lacked is alignment, discipline, and the willingness to make tough decisions. If we are serious about improving quality of life in this territory, we must start with clear priorities and bold, decisive action.
We must confront our energy crisis head-on. Fixing our energy system is not optional; it is foundational. Reliable and affordable energy will reduce the cost of living, strengthen businesses, stabilize government operations, and restore confidence across every sector of our economy.
We must also commit to responsible fiscal management, spending wisely, planning strategically, and ensuring that every dollar delivers value to the people. We must rebuild our institutions, not just structurally, but ethically, restoring integrity, transparency, and accountability in how we govern. And we must invest intentionally in our people, through quality education, accessible healthcare, and pathways to economic opportunity.
None of this will be easy. It will require discipline. It will require sacrifice. And it will require leadership that is willing to make hard choices, not popular ones, but necessary ones.
But I remain hopeful because I see the spirit of the Virgin Islands alive every day. I see it when neighbors check on elders during power outages. I see it when teachers go beyond their classrooms to support our children. I see it when community organizations come together to lift others in times of need.
That spirit has never left us. It is our foundation and it is our path forward. We can build a Virgin Islands defined by reliability, opportunity, and integrity. A Virgin Islands where systems work, where families can afford to live, and where future generations can thrive without having to leave home.
But hope alone will not get us there. Hope must be matched with action. Vision must be backed by execution. And leadership must be rooted in accountability and results.
As we move through this year, I invite all of us to recommit—not just to believing in a better Virgin Islands, but to building it together. Because our history has already shown us what is possible. Now it is up to us to deliver.
Donna Frett Gregory,
—Donna Frett-Gregory served as Senator in the 33rd, 34th, and 35th Legislatures of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Beyond public service, Frett-Gregory is the Chief Operating Officer of PivotPoint Strategies and executive director of DFG Community Impact Foundation of the Virgin Islands, a Non-profit organization.
In my previous Op-Ed, published on Dec. 27, 2023 in the Source and on February 8, 2024 in the Daily News, I proposed for the Government Employee Retirement System (GERS) to transition from a Defined Benefit system to a Defined Contribution system. This transition would shift ownership of risk from GERS to the individual, but I believe it is risk most of us, especially young professionals, would prefer to own as the benefits outweigh the risk by far.
To illustrate this point, I’ve outlined the policy and two different scenarios – a current Tier 2 government employee (like myself), and a younger, potentially Tier 3 (based on my policy proposal), government employee (like a GVI Fellow). Us two government employees meet at a bar. BRAM is playing loudly in the background, but we were still able to have an intelligible conversation.
I begin the conversation by revealing that I, as a Tier 2 government employee, currently contribute $840 per month into GERS. That’s the statutorily required 11.5% of my income (annual salary of $95,000, although deductions only occur up to $65,000 of annual salary). Based on the current structure of the GVI’s pension system, my retirement income from GERS will be $42,088 per year before taxes and deductions. I also shared that I won’t be able to retire until I’m 65 years old (approximately 37 years of service), which is the year I’d be able to claim my pension benefits.
The younger, Tier 3 government employee’s eyes opened widely in apparent shock. They then proceeded to explain their retirement outlook to me as a Tier 3 Government employee.
As a GVI Fellow (fresh out of college), they told me that they currently earn $55,000 per year. As a Tier 3 government employee, they are contributing $423 per month to the GERS’s defined contribution plan (403b investment account with positions in a low-cost S&P 500 index fund). Including the Government’s match contributions, the total monthly contribution is $846.
Assuming the GVI Fellow has a retirement outlook of 40 years (approximately 62-63 years old), their total contributions of $406,080 would be worth $4,695,594 before taxes and deductions! My eyes opened widely in apparent, disgusted shock! I felt cheated and misled as I was consistently told that the GVI pension system was “generous.” They further shared that this account balance would safely provide retirement income of $187,800 per year for the rest of their lives without affecting principal.
This scenario assumes they never increase their income, which is unlikely, and it also assumes the average annual nominal return of the S&P500, which is 10%.
As the BRAM continued to play in the background, I told them I am going to GERS to request an immediate change from a Tier 2 employee to a Tier 3 employee first thing Monday morning!
*As a quick aside, if the GVI Fellow wanted to retire at 52 years old (30 years of service), their investments would be worth $1,745,165, allowing them an annual retirement income of $69,807 before taxes and deductions. With periodic salary increases, they could retire at 52 years old with even more income. If the Government offered a Roth 403b option, that income would be tax free.
After hearing about this amazing employment benefit, I realized that if I was a Tier 3 employee, 10% of my income would be $731 per month. Including the employer’s matching 10% contribution, that would be $1,462 per month being contributed to the 403b investment account with the same financial securities exposure as the GVI Fellow.
With a retirement outlook of 35 years, the total contributions of $614,040 would be worth $2,502,087 at the time of my retirement. This account balance would enable me to safely live off of $100,084 per year for the rest of my life without affecting principal and running out of money.
This assumes I never increased my income, and it also assumes a conservative, nominal annualized return of 7%. Again, the S&P 500 has an average nominal annualized rate of return of approximately 10%.
An annualized nominal return at 10% would be $4,969,032.47, allowing me an annual retirement income of $198,761!
We finished our drink and whined the night away while looking forward to our dignified retirement years after decades of public service.
*Another aside, based on conversations with many current retirees (retired between 10 and 30 years), GERS does not make cost of living adjustments (COLA).
The issues of unfunded pension liabilities is not unique to the Virgin Islands nor the United States; and I continue to believe and know that the Virgin Islands can be a leader in politics, the arts, and general human development as we continue to solve the problems of the day.
This is why I continue to advocate for the GVI to transition our retirement system from a Defined Benefit plan to a Defined Contribution plan as I am proposing. For the people of the Virgin Islands, the greatest benefit of the policy I’m proposing is the potential for the transfer of wealth that can occur once a retiree passes away.
Under our current system, there is no transfer of pension benefits to descendants or a spouse (unless a joint/survivor annuity contract is signed, which comes at a cost and is probably not the common option). Under a Defined Contribution plan, descendants will be able to inherit the retiree’s assets after death.
The GVI is currently the largest employer in the Territory, this would have a vast and lasting impact on the financial health of our society.
The benefit to GERS is administrative. Managing a pension system is extremely difficult. With this policy proposal, risk would transfer to the individual. Although this might scare some people, the benefits far outweigh the risks.
In financial markets, risk is inversely related to time. Additionally, the risk of an unfunded liability would progressively become non-existent. The benefit to the Government is also extremely impactful.
With a 2023 published Full Time Equivalent of 7,254 employees and an average salary of $44,065, the Government could save approximately $49,545,842 per year.
These savings can be used to increase teacher salaries, fix roads, pay brokerage and fund fees, or stabilize the pension system.
Community, what are the goals of this policy initiative?
1) Financial Benefits (Decreasing Government Debt while Increasing Employee Take Home and Retirement Income)
2) Promotion of Long-Term Civic Service
3) Promotion of Local, Generational Wealth-Building
4) Avoiding Economic Collapse due to Government Default on Pension Liabilities
5) Attracting and Retaining Quality and Competitive Human Talent
6) Investment in the Virgin Islands
Time is the greatest factor in building wealth, and this is why we need to act now.
—Malachi Thomas is a community advocate living in the Virgin Islands.
Editor’s Note: Opinion articles do not represent the views of the Virgin Islands Source newsroom and are the sole expressed opinion of the writer. Submissions can be made to visource@gmail.com.
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. urged residents to “bear with us” as outages continued across St. Thomas and St. John Monday, with repairs underway and a major contract tied to stabilizing the territory’s power system still pending.
Speaking at his weekly press briefing Monday, Bryan acknowledged the strain of the repeated blackouts and rotations, calling the past two weeks “absolutely hell” for residents, but said ongoing questions about declaring a state of emergency miss the core issue. He said such a declaration is typically used to unlock funding or bypass procurement, neither of which he believes is limiting the response at this stage.
Instead, Bryan said he directed WAPA to move forward with repairs and not delay work over cost concerns, telling officials to “give me the bill” and focus on fixing the system, with the government determining how to cover the cost as work progresses. He also indicated a preference to manage the response locally rather than triggering broader emergency mechanisms, particularly given uncertainty around federal response and timelines.
WAPA officials have said pressure has been building for months at the Randolph Harley Power Plant on St. Thomas, where multiple units have been offline, leaving the system with little room to absorb additional failures. Two of the plant’s largest legacy units — Unit 23 and Unit 27 — have been offline since May and December 2025, respectively, while Unit 15, installed in 1980 and well beyond its expected lifespan, had been carrying much of the load before its recent failure.
Over the past week, WAPA Chief Executive Officer Karl Knight shared Unit 15 had been running continuously since September, unable to come offline for routine maintenance without risking broader outages. When it failed earlier this month due to an electrical fault, it removed a key stabilizing component from the grid, leaving the system short of capacity and forcing rotational outages.
Knight said crews were able to bring the unit back online temporarily last week, but it failed again within roughly 24 hours due to a separate issue involving its automated voltage regulator. He noted that some of the components required to complete repairs are no longer manufactured, complicating efforts to source replacements and extending repair timelines.
He added in a call with the Source after the presser that parts for Unit 27 have already been ordered and are expected on island in early April, with installation projected to take about a week. Unit 23 remains in a longer repair cycle, with critical components sent off-island for specialized work.
Meanwhile, Bryan’s comments Monday also prompted questions about where that money would come from, particularly after he said the government would foot the cost for repairs. Asked how the bill would be covered, Bryan said he would not use funds tied to the Epstein settlements, instead pointing to existing funding sources and other options available to the government.
Interestingly, he also noted that WAPA is in a stronger financial position now than in previous years, suggesting the authority could be able to manage the costs itself, while leaving open the possibility of working with the Legislature if additional support is needed.
At the same time, Bryan emphasized that the situation does not rise to the level of an emergency requiring special funding mechanisms, reiterating that resources exist and that the focus is on getting the work done.
When asked after the briefing why the outages persist if WAPA has the money, Knight said one of the primary constraints is time. He noted that parts for key units have already been ordered and are in process, but must be fabricated, shipped, and installed before they can bring additional capacity back online.
Knight said restoring the system is not immediate, even once parts arrive. When units trip, the grid must be brought back in stages, with generators restarted in sequence — a process that can take hours and is further complicated when other units fail to come online as expected.
He added that while the authority is addressing immediate repairs, it is also looking more broadly at system needs, including deferred maintenance across multiple units, which the government’s money could be used to address instead — or expedited shipping costs. Knight said WAPA is compiling cost estimates for that wider scope of work, which he expects to have within 24 to 48 hours, to also include the cost of a “new generator off the shelf.”
Running parallel to those repairs is the long-anticipated replacement of WAPA’s aging generation, a process that formally began in December when the V.I. Public Finance Authority selected Puerto Rico-based RG Engineering to lead design and pre-construction work for the territory’s power plants.
At the time, officials described the effort as a FEMA-funded “prudent replacement” of both the Randolph Harley Plant on St. Thomas and the Richmond Plant on St. Croix — a project expected to total more than $300 million. RG Engineering’s initial contracts for design and pre-construction services were valued at just under $7 million for each site, part of a progressive design-build approach intended to move the projects forward while final scopes and costs are refined.
According to the Office of Disaster Recovery, the solicitation drew multiple bids, but RG Engineering was selected in part for its familiarity with the territory and its ability to navigate permitting and construction challenges unique to the islands. Officials said the approach would allow work to advance in phases, rather than waiting for full design completion before mobilizing.
But while that selection marked a key step forward, the broader contract needed to move the project into execution — including the installation of temporary generation — has not yet been finalized.
At last week’s press briefing, Knight said WAPA and the Public Finance Authority are “tantalizingly close” to executing the next phase of the agreement, which would allow the Authority to begin deploying temporary generation while longer-term replacements are built. However, as of Monday, the Source was unable to determine a firm timeline for when the contract would be signed or what the holdup is at this point.
The delay is significant because temporary generation is built into that larger agreement. Knight said WAPA could pursue temporary power separately, but doing so would require launching a new procurement process — something the authority has opted not to do given how close negotiations are to completion.
That leaves WAPA managing outages while waiting on two parallel tracks: the arrival of parts needed to restore existing units, and the execution of a contract that would bring additional generation online. Asked Monday if this means residents are waiting another three months for a more stable grid, Bryan said he is hoping to see improvements as soon as Tuesday, but more realistically by the end of the week — adding, “this is just ridiculous now.”
Bryan also added that the situation reflects years of deferred maintenance now converging at once, requiring the territory to address multiple failures simultaneously. He pointed to broader investments already underway — including solar projects, battery storage, and the replacement of aging infrastructure — but acknowledged those efforts are also part of a longer timeline.
Addressing questions about whether a presidential disaster declaration or local emergency order could provide relief to residents affected by the outages, including those who have lost groceries or rely on power for medical needs, Bryan added that such mechanisms would offer limited direct assistance in this case. He noted that federal disaster declarations are typically tied to large-scale natural disasters and may not result in immediate or guaranteed support.
At the local level, he said some assistance is already being explored. The Human Services Department is working to provide relief through existing programs, including the potential reissuance of food assistance benefits for eligible residents affected by extended outages. But Bryan said broader compensation for losses, such as spoiled food, is not something a state of emergency would automatically provide.
Meanwhile, an extended outage that began around 8 p.m. Sunday lasted through early Monday afternoon before power was restored, only to go out again briefly around 3:30 p.m. WAPA said service was fully restored by about 5:15 p.m., attributing the disruptions in part to two Wartsila units that had gone offline within the previous 24 hours.
V.I. Labor Commissioner Gary Molloy shares an update on the territory’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund during a Government House press briefing Monday on St. Thomas. (Screenshot from V.I. Government House livestream)
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. spent much of Monday’s Government House press briefing addressing the ongoing power outages afflicting residents and businesses on St. Thomas and St. John, but he and V.I. Labor Commissioner Gary Molloy also took time to announce that the territory’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund is “back in the black” for the first time in 15 years.
Bryan noted that “in a small part, I created this problem because when I was commissioner of Labor we had the ‘Great Recession.’ We were under so much pressure, we borrowed like $80 million from the federal government, and because of that, we’ve been paying extra taxes.”
Molloy took to the podium to announce that the fund held a net positive balance of more than $4 million as of March 20.
“To put this in perspective, as recently as 2022 the Virgin Islands carried nearly $100 million in federal debt tied to the unemployment insurance system. This debt accumulated over time as a result of major economic shocks,” he said. Those include the Great Recession of 2008, Hovensa’s closure in 2012, hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, “all of which placed significant strain on the economy and workforce.”
In 2016, former V.I. Attorney General Claude Walker and former Labor Commissioner Catherine Hendry announced that more than 3,000 of the territory’s businesses collectively owed upward of $32 million in contributions to the fund. Hendry said at the time that the fund contained $1.7 million but needed an approximately $8 million reserve to serve Virgin Islands workers. The joint statement prompted Bryan to respond in a lengthy op-ed published in local media outlets.
“The Legislature systematically began to lower the tax rate, eliminate penalties and increase the amount that was being paid out to unemployed individuals. This helped to decrease the tax fund, but it still would not go down significantly,” he wrote at the time. “The Legislature finally eliminated the tax rate by lowering it to zero in 2001. This meant that for more than 10 years, businesses did not have to pay any local Unemployment Tax.”
“It was only after much research and deliberation that we went to the Legislature in 2012 and got them to raise that minimum tax rate to 1.5 percent,” he added.
Molloy went before the 33rd Legislature in 2019 with proposed legislation that based employers’ tax rate on their payroll and contributions into the system instead of a flat rate and said the change was necessary to bring the territory into compliance with federal law.
“The results are clear,” he said during Monday’s briefing. “We have moved from deficit to surplus, from borrowing to stability, and from uncertainty to confidence. So what does this mean for you, the people of the Virgin Islands? First, it means greater economic stability — a solvent trust fund ensures that we can support workers during periods of unemployment without relying on federal emergency borrowing.
“Second, it means relief for employers,” he said. “As we approach full repayment of the federal loan, employers will begin transitioning back to standard federal unemployment tax rates, rather than the higher penalty rates associated with the outstanding debt. Third, it reflects stronger fiscal stewardship for the territory.”
Molloy said the Labor Department is on track to make its final loan payment in May.
On Monday, Bryan also announced his nomination of V.I. Internal Revenue Director Joel Lee to chair the V.I. Casino Control Commission and a recent effort to collect the stories of Virgin Islands residents and business owners who have been impacted by the Trump administration’s elimination of the “de minimis” exemption for packages from outside the U.S. Customs Zone.
“All we need is an execution by the president and the White House, and we’re just putting that together and sending that on,” he said, adding that he didn’t know offhand how many responses Government House had received. “You know, I thought for them to request it was kind of crazy anyway, but we just do what is requested to show the change on that.”
Bryan noted that he intends to follow up on the issue during a visit to Washington, D.C., scheduled for June.
A man died Monday night after a shooting near a gas station in the Sunny Isles area on St. Croix, the Virgin Islands Police Department reported.
Police said the 911 Emergency Call Center received alerts from the ShotSpotter detection system around 7:05 p.m., followed by calls from residents reporting shots fired and a man down near the Gas for Less gas station in Estate Diamond.
Responding officers found a Black male lying on the western side of the gas station, bleeding from his body, according to the police report. Emergency Medical Technicians transported the victim to the Juan F. Luis Hospital, where he later died.
He was identified by next of kin as 41-year-old Emmett Bramble Jr., police said.
Bramble’s death marks the fourth homicide reported this year on St. Croix and the seventh in the territory, with three recorded on St. Thomas and none on St. John, according to the Source Homicide List*.
The Criminal Investigation Bureau is investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call 911, the bureau at 340-778-2211, or Crime Stoppers VI at 800-222-8477.
*The Source Homicide List is a chronological log of homicides recorded in 2026 in the U.S. Virgin Islands based on reports from the Virgin Islands Police Department. The listing does not include suicides or vehicular homicides, which are sometimes counted in police statistics and by other media outlets, creating occasional discrepancies in totals.
During an ongoing cascade of electrical outages in St. Thomas and St. John, Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority governing board members expressed concern in their Thursday meeting about funding delays from the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority. Board members said the delay impacted operations, vendor payments, and service reliability. Housing Finance Authority Executive Director Eugene Jones, Jr. wrote to the Source Monday with a rebuttal:
To Whom It May Concern:
Through this open letter, the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority (VIHFA) directly
addresses statements made by officials of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority
(WAPA) during its March 19, 2026, Governing Board meeting, as reported by the Virgin
Islands Source on March 27, 2026, regarding alleged delays in funding for infrastructure
projects.
The assertions being made grossly misrepresent the circumstances, facts, and status of
infrastructure projects and VIHFA’ s involvement, particularly with respect to their progress,
required processes, and associated payments. Moreover, claims that HUD funds administered through VIHFA have not been forthcoming due to bureaucratic delays are categorically false and reflect a last-ditch and disingenuous effort by the leadership of the utility, to deflect its responsibility by attempting to position the Authority as a scapegoat for its ongoing systemic shortcomings and deficiencies, including the inability to provide consistent power to the people of the Virgin Islands.
It is important to note that, to date, the Authority has disbursed more than $247 million to WAPA through its CDBG-DR and CDBG-MIT programs. This includes $78,642,284 for the Randolph Harley Power Plant Expansion Project, directly supporting power generation stability across the Territory. Additionally, the Authority is prepared to allocate a further $36 million to advance critical grid resiliency initiatives.
As of this communication, the following represents the factual status of processes, procedures, and payments associated with infrastructure projects funded by HUD through the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority and administered in coordination with the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority and the Office of Disaster Recovery.
There are no outstanding or pending payment requests in VIHFA’ s grant management system related to Wärtsilä or West Peak.
On February 27, 2026, VIHFA program leads and leadership met with WAPA’s team and confirmed that there were no outstanding payments pending within our system.
Six consultations with the Department of Planning and Natural Resources remain outstanding and are directly tied to key projects, including the Feeder 11 and 12 Rebuild, St. Thomas Substation BESS, Transformer Replacement Project, and Distribution Automated Devices. Completion of these consultations is required before VIHFA can finalize its environmental review and proceed with requesting authorization to use the Electrical Grid grant funds for project commencement.
On August 8, 2025, VIHFA directed the Office of Disaster Recovery, which has programmatic oversight, to reassess West Peak Energy’s proposed amendment, align the budget with available line items, and revise the project scope so that the project is not deemed ineligible under HUD requirements. The Authority remains prepared to review the amendment upon receipt of the requested revisions.
The leadership and team at the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority fully recognize the urgency and importance of administering grant funds in a timely, efficient, and compliant manner. Moreover, we understand that behind every project, payment, and process are real people who rely on these investments for safe, reliable, and resilient infrastructure. We are deeply committed to advancing projects that directly impact the well-being and quality of life of the people of the Territory.
Defense and aerospace giant Lockheed Martin Corporation sought another trial postponement last week in suits by former St. Croix employees claiming health problems after carcinogen exposure on the job. Some of the suits were more than 18 years old. One 1967 employee suggested Monday the proposed delay was foot-dragging.
Milton Burt worked maintenance at the St. Croix alumina refining plant for 26 years with little or no protection from bauxite dust, asbestos, and other lung irritants, according to his 2021 lawsuit. In 2019, his chronic breathing trouble was diagnosed as pneumoconiosis, sometimes called black lung, usually caused by exposure to intense dust.
Similar suits against Lockheed Martin — a company recently valued at more than $20 billion with stock selling as high as $692 a share — go back to at least 2007, alleging aluminum refining companies now under Lockheed ownership were negligent in protecting their employees. Many of the original claimants died awaiting trial.
Augustin Clarke Sr. was just 65 when he died in 2023. Clarke had worked at an alumina plant owned by Martin Marietta Properties, Virgin Islands Alumina, and St. Croix Alumina on and off from 1977 to 2000, according to court records.
In his suit, Clarke claimed the companies had negligently exposed him to silica, alumina dust, and asbestos dust and fibers. He said, among other allegations, that plant owners had failed to monitor the amount of dust, provide protective clothing and apparatus, provide changing rooms so workers didn’t carry carcinogenic fibers home to their families, post warning signs, or even warn employees of the risks.
Since his death, Clarke’s family has continued to seek a trial. The case remains open, according to court records.
Gorgonius Jones died in 2011, awaiting a decision in his suit against a company turning bauxite into alumina on St. Croix. (Source file photo)Rudolph Christopher, known as Chris or Sonny, died at 69 in 2010, awaiting a trial date for his suit against his former alumina plant employers. (Source file photo)
In the case of Milton Burt, Lockheed attorneys asked in February that the trial be moved to April 13, then asked that it be pushed back from April 27 to resolve technical legal issues like pending motions. After receiving permission to move the trial date, Lockheed’s attorney told the court on March 4 that their expert witnesses would not be available on April 27 and asked the judge to move the trial to an unspecified later date — maybe in October.
Attorneys for Burt wrote the court Monday crying foul.
“Lockheed created the very scheduling conflict of which it now complains,” Burt’s attorneys wrote to the Superior Court, according to court records. “Lockheed has now sought to delay this trial three times. Each time, it has recycled the same arguments, added new ones, and asked this court to make Mr. Burt wait. Mr. Burt — who is in his eighties and has been litigating this case since 2021 — has been patient, cooperative, and ready at every turn. He deserves his day in court.”
Burt’s lawyers offered four alternatives: Move the trial back to April 13. Or, keep the April 27 trial date and allow the expert witnesses to appear remotely, by deposition, or out of order with two day’s notice of their availability.
“Whether Lockheed knew and did not disclose that its experts would be unavailable for six months or whether Lockheed asked for a continuance without bothering to ask, the result is the same: the fault falls to Lockheed. If Lockheed had been candid with the court that either its experts would be unavailable for six months or that they had not been consulted at all, that information likely would have affected the result. And it is unfair to allow Lockheed to obtain the relief it requested and, then, use the circumstance to insist on a full six months,” Burt’s attorneys wrote.
In July 2024, attorneys for Lockheed Martin argued 17 years was not enough time to resolve legal questions about the complaint, and a trial was premature. Lockheed’s local attorney directed the Source to a 6,673-page document detailing the legacy of Burt’s case as well as reams of ancillary and seemingly unrelated Lockheed Martin business.
A sooner-rather-than-later court date may help Burt avoid the fate of others who died awaiting trial.
Ferdinand Treasure was working for a Jamaican bauxite plant before relocating to St. Croix in 1966, a year before Burt started working in bauxite. Like Burt, he later developed pneumoconiosis. Unlike Burt, Treasure moved to St. Croix to work for the island’s massive oil refinery. He sued Hess Corporation and associated entities in 2020 for allegedly exposing him to carcinogens but died in 2025. The suit remains open, according to court records.
Ferdinand Treasure, who also worked in bauxite, died awaiting trial in his suit against Hess Corporation. (Source file photo)
Treasure wasn’t the only one to sue the refinery. Hundreds of civil suits remain open against former St. Croix refinery owners and related companies dating back to 1991, according to court records.
Even people who didn’t work with bauxite have complained or filed suit against the alumina plant that closed in January 2001. Before the company closed and long after, a mountain of red dust near the plant — a byproduct of the chemical processing of bauxite — plagued residents, blowing into their homes and infiltrating their drinking water.
A mediator assigned to help Burt and Lockheed Martin resolve their dispute outside of a courtroom filed a report Monday saying, “The parties have reached a total impasse, all issues require court action.”
It was not yet clear when that court action might take place.
As we conclude the first quarter of 2026, the global energy crisis driven in part by ongoing conflict in the Middle East is expected to further strain affordability across the Virgin Islands. Rising fuel costs will continue to ripple through our economy, increasing the price of electricity, food, transportation, and everyday living. For many families, the pressure is already real.
