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ST. THOMAS — In a protracted Senate session that went into the wee hours of Thursday morning, senators of the 31st Legislature passed a myriad of important bills — the largest of them being the Fiscal Year 2016 budget of over $661 million, with $561 million being appropriated to the various government departments and agencies.

It was a long night indeed, and the lawmakers took turns highlighting the work that they’ve done over the last nine months.

To quell criminal activity, the legislators highlighted the budget increases of the Bureau of Corrections so that it could hire more officers; Department of Justice to better equip the beleaguered department in its investigations; the Superior Court as it strives to better prosecute perpetrators of crime, and the Virgin Islands Police Department for overall improvements at the government’s main law enforcement arm.

“We want to see our boots on the ground taking action, reducing crime in the territory and prosecuting the individuals that caused the crime,” Senator Clifford Graham, chairman of the powerful Committee on Finance, said. “We want to send a message to the criminal elements here in this community.”

Senator Kurt Vialet mentioned some $4 million being taking from the $250 million federal Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles, (GARVEE) bonds, to add to the $7 million already available to purchase a ferryboat in an effort to speed up the process of restarting inter-island travel by sea between St. Croix and this island that came to a halt years ago.

Also included in the the budget was $30 million for the UVI medical school.

“I am for the development of the university system, I am for the development of the St. Croix campus, and this is going to go perfect with the BSN program that we’re starting on St. Croix — the simulation center — and I’m just looking forward to all the positive things that we have in the coffers,” Sen. Vialet said.

The lawmakers spoke of the funds allocated to help revitalize the Christiansted boardwalk. They also pinpointed the increase of the Virgin Islands Fire Service’s budget for the hiring of new employees, and that of Public Safety as well.

“We want this government to move away from this massive overtime and bring employees on board. There were a number of vacancies funded in public safety and if you hire additional individuals who are paying into GERS, receiving healthcare and decreasing overtime, the overall government of the virgin islands and the economy of the virgin islands is going to do better,” Vialet, a first-term Democrat, said.

The $661 million 2016 budget is slightly higher than last year’s — up some $2.8 million. But overall spending increased considerably to $792 million, up $56 million from last year, as senators allocated over $100 million to the miscellaneous fund for a number of initiatives, with the largest appropriation from the $100 million — over $37 million — going to health insurance for retired government employees.

Senator Terrence “Positive” Nelson was the only lawmaker who voted against the bill.

Tags: 31st legislature, fiscal year 2016 budget, legislature, us virgin islands

Ernice Gilbert
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