The Committee on Culture, Youth, Aging, Sports, and Parks will meet on Friday, July 17, 2026, at 12:00 P.M. in the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands to consider the following official agenda:

BLOCK I                                                                                                                    12:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M.

“Aging with Dignity: Oversight of Nursing Homes and CMS Certification Readiness in the Virgin Islands”

The Committee will receive detailed testimony regarding the operational conditions of all government and privately operated nursing homes and long-term care facilities in the Virgin Islands. The review will examine quality of care, staffing adequacy, facility infrastructure, occupancy rates, financial sustainability, and compliance with territorial licensing and regulatory standards, with particular focus on identifying systemic gaps and risks affecting the health, safety, and dignity of the Territory’s elderly population.

The Committee will also assess each facility’s status toward CMS certification and readiness to meet federal Conditions of Participation, including barriers to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, infrastructure deficiencies, and corrective actions necessary to secure sustainable federal funding.

This block is intended to provide a comprehensive oversight evaluation of the Territory’s long-term care system and to outline strategic policy measures to strengthen accountability, elevate care standards, and safeguard the financial and personal well-being of the Virgin Islands aging community.

Invited Testifiers:

Honorable Averil E. George, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Human Services

Honorable Justa Encarnacion, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Health

Dwayne Alexander, Executive Director, Virgin Islands Housing Authority

Ms. Junia John-Straker, Chief Executive Officer, Lutheran Social Services of the Virgin Islands

Ms. Ramona Leonce, Director, Flamboyant Gardens

Pastor Mona Barnes, Administrator, New Life Senior Resort

Andrew L. Turner, Founder, Sun Healthcare Group

LUNCH                                                                                                                                3:00 P.M. – 3:30 P.M.

BLOCK II                                                                                                                             3:30 P.M. – 4:30 P.M.

Bill No. 36-0192                    The Senior Financial Protection and Promissory Note Abuse Prevention Act of 2025, strengthening safeguards against financial exploitation of seniors.

Invited Testifiers:

Honorable Averil E. George, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Human Services

Honorable Gordon Rhea, Esq., Attorney General of the Virgin Islands, Department of Justice

Ms. Glendina Matthew, Director, Division of Banking and Insurance, Office of the Lieutenant Governor

Troy de Chabert-Schuster, Executive Director, AARP Virgin Islands

Honorable Mario Brooks, Commissioner, Virgin Islands Police Department

BLOCK III                                                                                                                           4:30 P.M. – 5:30 P.M.

Bill No. 36-0247                    An act establishing the Territorial Park Naming Program, creating a uniform process for naming and renaming parks, recreational areas, and facilities owned by the Government of                                                the Virgin Islands.

Invited Testifiers:

Honorable Vincent Roberts, Commissioner, VI Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation

Ms. Kristina Edwards, Director of Territorial Parks and Protected Areas, VI DPNR

Honorable Lisa Alejandro, Commissioner, Department of Property and Procurement