VIRGIN ISLANDS LEGISLATURE ADVANCES KEY MEASURES FOR THE GOVERNOR’S CONSIDERATION

ST. THOMAS- The 35th Legislature of the Virgin Islands, under the leadership of Senate President Novelle E. Francis, Jr., convened in Legislative Session at the Capitol Building. Legislators voted in the affirmative for several nominations, lease agreements, zoning requests, resolutions, and bills. All approved items on the agenda will be forwarded to the Governor of the Virgin Islands for further consideration and action.

Senators voted in favor of the nominees to serve on the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands on St. Croix and the Virgin Islands Conservation District on St. John, in Block I of the agenda. Governor Albert Bryan sent the nominations to the Legislature, citing Section 16 of the Revised Organic Act of 1954 and Title 3, Section 65a, of the Virgin Islands Code.

Senator Francis stated, “I have had the privilege of knowing Morris; he was a Chief Counsel at the Legislature.” The court’s accumulation of cases will be alleviated with the approval of his nomination. Wickerma is a progressive member who is committed to conservation and environmental protection. He will have a well-balanced voice on the board.

• Magistrate Ernest E. Morris, Jr. Judge Nominee, Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, District of St. Croix                                                                                                                 
• Harith Wickrema Nominee, Virgin Islands Virgin Islands Conservation District, St. John

Subsequently, lawmakers dissolved out of the Legislative Session and into the Committee of the Whole to review the following rezoning requests:

• Bill No. 35-0259 An Act amending the Official Zoning Map No. STZ-4 for the island of St. Thomas to change the zoning designation of Plots No. 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, and 109 Estate Nisky (Subbase), St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, from C (Commercial) to P (Public) zoning. Leia LaPlace-Matthew, Territorial Planner for the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) indicated no opposition or concerns were expressed with the proposal. Ultimately, DPNR recommends the rezoning.
• Bill No. 35-0281 An Act amending the Official Zoning Map No. SJZ-1 for the island of St. John to change the zoning designation of Parcel Nos. 17F-2 and 17F-Remainder Estate Adrian, No. 18 Cruz Bay Quarter, St. John, Virgin Islands, from R-1 (Residential-Low Density) to R-4 (Residential-Medium Density). LaPlace-Matthew mentioned that there was no public opposition. DPNR supports the rezoning.
• Bill No. 35-0308 An Act amending Official Zoning Map No. SJZ-7, St. John, Virgin Islands, to rezone Parcel No. 294 Estate Contant and Enighed, Cruz Bay Quarter, St. John from R-4 (Residential-Medium Density) to B-2 (Business-Secondary/Neighborhood). LaPlace Matthew noted that there was no public opposition. DPNR supports the rezoning.

Upon completion of the Committee of the Whole, the 35^th Legislature reconvened into Legislative Session. Lawmakers voted in the affirmative for the following in Block II:

• Bill No. 35-0195 A Resolution honoring and commending Mr. Willard John for his many contributions to the youth and the culture of the Virgin Islands
• Bill No. 35-0239 An Act honoring and commending Mrs. Claire Lorraine Brown Roker for her dedicated service to the Virgin Islands community by naming the visitors center at the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, the “Claire L. Roker Visitors Center”
• Bill No. 35-0242 A Resolution honoring and commending Miguel Santos, Jr., aka “DJ Poppy Pops” for his contributions in the field of music and radio broadcasting of musical events and local social musical events and specifically contributing to the art of deejaying and the teaching of deejaying
• Bill No. 35-0259 An Act amending the Official Zoning Map No. STZ-4 for the island of St. Thomas to change the zoning designation of Plots No. 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, and 109 Estate Nisky (Subbase), St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, from C (Commercial) to P (Public) zoning
• Bill No. 35-0281 An Act amending the Official Zoning Map No. SJZ-1 for the island of St. John to change the zoning designation of Parcel Nos. 17F-2 and 17F-Remainder Estate Adrian, No. 18 Cruz Bay Quarter, St. John, Virgin Islands, from R-1 (Residential-Low Density) to R-4 (Residential-Medium Density)
• Bill No. 35-0284 An Act approving the lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands, acting through its Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement and Role Enterprises, Inc., d/b/a Best Car Rental, Parcel No. 294 Estate Contant and Enighed, Cruz Bay Quarter, St. John, Virgin Islands for the continued operation of a car and jeep rental business, and for other related purposes
• Bill No. 35-0294 An Act approving the lease agreement between the Government of the Virgin Islands and Banco Popular de Puerto Rico for a portion of Lot No. 48b Norre Gade, Kings Quarter, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
• Bill No. 35-0308 An Act amending Official Zoning Map No. SJZ-7, St. John, Virgin Islands, to rezone Parcel No. 294 Estate Contant and Enighed, Cruz Bay Quarter, St. John from R-4 (Residential-Medium Density) to B-2 (Business-Secondary/Neighborhood)

Lastly, senators voted in the affirmative for the following measures in Block III:

• Bill No. 35-0229 An Act honoring and commending the Eighth elected Governor of the Virgin Islands, Kenneth Ezra Mapp for his years of service to the people of the Virgin Islands and naming Route 75 on the island of St. Croix from Bassin Triangle intersection at Route 70, Estate Richmond and ending at Krausse’s Lagune the “Gov. Kenneth E. Mapp Highway” appropriating $45,000 from the General Fund of the Treasury of the Government of the Virgin Islands to the Department of Public Works to implement the mandates of this Act, to bestow the Virgin Islands Medal of Honor on Kenneth Ezra Mapp and for other related purposes
• Bill No. 35-0240 An Act transferring the administration of the Government Insurance Fund from the Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Finance to the Commissioner of Virgin Islands Department of Labor and amending various sections of title 24 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 11 to facilitate better recovery for injury or disease that arises out of and in the course of employment in the Virgin Islands under the Workers’ Compensation Administration, and to ensure that workers entitled to Workers’ Compensation benefits receive medical, rehabilitation services, and disability compensation without undue delay by merging the benefits and payment components of the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Program
• Bill No. 35-0269 An Act amending Title 2 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 1 by adding a section 10 providing a penalty for the commission of perjury in proceedings before the Legislature of the Virgin Islands
• Bill No. 35-0311 An Act to ensure that the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (“WAPA”) seeks technical assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and relevant federal government agencies to modernize its electrical grid and water system, improve reliability, enhance efficiency, and incorporate advanced technologies
• Bill No. 35-0312 An Act providing an appropriation from the School Maintenance and Construction Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Education for the resurfacing, repairs, restoration, construction, and maintenance of the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School track and field facilities
• Bill No. 35-0301 An Act amending Title 34 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 8, section 206(a) by requiring the Government of the Virgin Islands to bear the cost of forensic medical exams for victims of rape, or unlawful sexual contact, in any degree, regardless of whether the victim cooperates with law enforcement or has health insurance
• Bill No. 35-0310 An Act appropriating the sum of $250,000 from the St. Croix Capital Improvement Fund to the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority for the emergency restoration of electrical services in the Bugby Hole and Spring Garden/Spring Gut areas on the island of St. Croix
• Bill No. 35-0313 An Act appropriating $300,000 to the Virgin Islands Department of Human Services to provide emergency funding for the Medicaid and the Meals on Wheels programs
• Bill No. 35-0314 An Act amending Acts Nos. 8759 and 8617 reprogramming $100,000 previously appropriated to the Elmo Plasket Little League West on St. Croix and the Alvin   McBean Little League on St. Thomas to the Virgin Islands Little League District – Girls Softball St. Croix and St. Thomas/St. John
• Bill No. 35-0262 An Act appropriating $1,434,950 in Fiscal Year 2024 from the Community Facilities Trust Fund for the pre-construction soft cost funding to prepare the Charlotte Amalie Harbor for dredging
• Bill No. 35-0305 An Act appropriating the sum of $1,000,000 from the St. Croix Capital Improvement Fund to the Virgin Islands Department of Public Works for emergency grass and bush cutting on the island of St. Croix

Senators present at the Legislative Session were Novelle E. Francis, Jr., Marvin A. Blyden, Angel L. Bolques, Jr., Samuel Carrión, Dwayne M. DeGraff, Alma Francis Heyliger, Donna A. Frett-Gregory, Kenneth L. Gittens, Marise C. James, Javan E. James, Sr., Milton E. Potter, Diane T. Capehart, Ray Fonseca, and Franklin D. Johnson. Carla J. Joseph was excused.

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