Sen. Roach To Mapp: Resubmit Nominees At Salary Levels Previously Budgeted

ST. THOMAS — Independent Senator Tregenza A. Roach issued a press release this afternoon commenting on his decision to vote against salary increases for Governor Kenneth Mapp cabinet nominees, and suggested to the governor that he should resubmit the nominees to the 31st Legislature with salaries at levels previously budgeted.

The senator also took issue with Mapp’s assertion that senators were not valuing locals who have the skills and expertise to do their jobs.

“The issue was never the qualifications of the nominees or their value from the point of salary, Roach said. “The position clearly stated by me was that I did not believe that in the fiscal landscape outlined by the Governor in his State of the Territory address in bleak and dismal terms, that any salary increases could be justified.”

In an article published on The Consortium on Saturday, May 23, Roach rejected the idea that the salaries of cabinet members are to be determined by a sitting governor. Instead, Roach has called on the senate to take serious its advice and consent role with regard to Mapp’s nominees.

“These appointments by law require our advice and consent. That is an important and critical responsibility, and it should not be taken lightly,” Roach said.

Roach said the Virgin Islands Organic Act requires that the salaries of government officials be paid in accordance with an appropriation bill, a measure which was passed by the 30th Legislature in September of 2014, according to the senator.

“The salaries should be kept at the levels presented then, and on which the FY 2015 budget was premised,” he said.

While the legislator said he had no interest in prolonging what has seemingly become a power struggle between the two branches of government, he would not support raising the salaries of cabinet members in the territory’s current fiscal condition.

“In the political setting it is easy to think of such an action in terms of battle or war or winning and losing. But I do not believe that this is either,” Roach said.

“The Legislature’s position to reject the salary increases had merit in light of our fiscal condition, but we all have an interest in bringing closure to these nominations and getting on with the work of government.”