Breaking

ST. CROIX — Albert Bryan and Tregenza Roach came out as top Democratic candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, during tonight’s primary with 3,093 votes.

The unofficial tally came in at 9:28 p.m. via the Election System of the Virgin Islands website. At the time, votes from 26 out of 30 precincts had been counted. Allison Petrus and Sammuel Sanes came in second with 2,624 votes. Angel Dawson and Marise James came in third with 2,122 votes from the 26 precincts.

That means that Mr. Bryan and Mr. Roach will be the only team to face off against Independent candidates and the sitting governor, Kenneth Mapp, during the general election in November. This brings to the campaigns of the Petrus-Sanes and the Dawson-James teams to an end.

Mr. Roach is currently a senator in the 32^nd legislature and Mr. Bryan is a former commissioner for the Virgin Islands Department of Labor.

During a live Democratic Forum jointly sponsored by WTJX-TV Channel 12 and The Consortium on July 17, the two shared their plans and ideas for reform in the territory. Below is a brief recap of their responses on major topics including the Government Employees’ Retirement System, youth and teacher retention, healthcare and crime.

GERS

The Bryan-Roach team suggest four funding sources to cover the unfunded liability of about $4 billion. These sources would include:

A new rum distillery
Internet and sports gaming
A cannabis registry
Correcting rum cover-over calculations

During the forum, Mr. Bryan said their research has included two townhall meetings on St. Thomas and St. Croix and submitting proposals to GERS employees and retiree groups on both islands for commentary. He said that their plan makes provision for current retirees and for current workers to be made “whole” even though the current workers may have to collect at a lesser rate.

The team also suggests giving new workers the option of a 401K plan that they can borrow from to pay for a home or higher education in addition to an annuity that they would receive upon retirement.

Proposals to Retain Educators and Educated Youth

On this issue, the Bryan-Roach team suggest:

using technology in schools
higher pay for teachers
cutting teachers who are underperforming
incentives for teachers to own homes and purchase land
youth exposure to diverse careers

Healthcare

Mr. Bryan and Mr. Roach believe in a holistic approach to healthcare that centers on public health education. The two support the following:

public health education to prevent chronic lifestyle diseases such as diabetes
incorporating healthier meals in schools
optimizing the funds the government spends on insurance and the hospital budgets
a system where the private sector can be incorporated to provide basic care
partnerships with renowned hospitals such as Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic to boost residents’ confidence in the system

Plans to Combat Crime

During the forum, Mr. Bryan outlined a number of ways he believed were effective in combating crime. Among them were the following:

a rehabilitative process as opposed to a purely punitive process for prisoners, many of which have disabilities, Mr. Brian said
Attacking the high school drop-out rate
speeding up court processes
using technology to efficiently allocate law enforcement officers’ resources

SUMMARY REPORT        USVI PRIMARY ELECTION            UNOFFICIAL RESULTS
RUN DATE:08/04/18     AUGUST 4, 2018
RUN TIME:09:17 PM     STATISTICS

                                                       VOTES PERCENT

           PRECINCTS COUNTED (OF 30) .  .  .  .  .        26   86.67
           REGISTERED VOTERS - TOTAL .  .  .  .  .    32,330
           REGISTERED VOTERS - Democrat .  .  .  .    32,330  100.00
           BALLOTS CAST - TOTAL.  .  .  .  .  .  .     9,209
           BALLOTS CAST - Democrat.  .  .  .  .  .     9,209  100.00
           BALLOTS CAST - Nonpartisan.  .  .  .  .         0
           BALLOTS CAST - BLANK.  .  .  .  .  .  .        18     .20
           VOTER TURNOUT - TOTAL  .  .  .  .  .  .             28.48
           VOTER TURNOUT - Democrat  .  .  .  .  .             28.48
           VOTER TURNOUT - BLANK  .  .  .  .  .  .               .06

                          ********** (Democrat) **********

          GOVERNOR & LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
          (VOTE FOR)  1
              (WITH 26 OF 30 PRECINCTS COUNTED 86.67%)
           Angel E. Dawson Jr. .  .  .  .  .  .  .     2,122   26.96
           Albert Bryan  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     3,093   39.29
           Allison "Allie" Petrus .  .  .  .  .  .     2,624   33.33
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        33     .42

          LEGISLATURE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AT LARGE
          (VOTE FOR)  1
              (WITH 26 OF 30 PRECINCTS COUNTED 86.67%)
           Brian A. Smith.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,237   19.18
           Steven D. Payne Sr. .  .  .  .  .  .  .     3,265   50.62
           Stacie B. January.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,923   29.81
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        25     .39

          LEGISLATURE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ST. THOMAS / ST. JOHN
          (VOTE FOR)  7
              (WITH 13 OF 15 PRECINCTS COUNTED 86.67%)
           Myron D. Jackson .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,972    9.17
           Randolph Thomas  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       845    3.93
           Albert F. Richardson.  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,175    5.46
           Randolph N. Bennett .  .  .  .  .  .  .       797    3.71
           Donna Frett Gregory .  .  .  .  .  .  .     2,704   12.57
           Stedmann Hodge Jr.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,883    8.76
           Jonathan P. Tucker Jr. .  .  .  .  .  .     1,064    4.95
           Marvin A. Blyden .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     2,289   10.64
           Sean "Skooly" Georges  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,292    6.01
           Kent Bernier, Sr..  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,459    6.78
           Beatrice Gumbs.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       670    3.12
           Jean A. Forde .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,512    7.03
           Athneil "Bobby" Thomas .  .  .  .  .  .     2,075    9.65
           Carla Joseph  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,644    7.64
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       125     .58

          LEGISLATURE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ST. CROIX
          (VOTE FOR)  7
              (WITH 13 OF 15 PRECINCTS COUNTED 86.67%)
           R.J. Hammer.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       141     .68
           Douglas Canton.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       880    4.27
           Terrence D. Joseph  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,193    5.79
           Oakland Benta .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,428    6.93
           Novelle E Francis, Jr. .  .  .  .  .  .     1,785    8.66
           Juan Figueroa-Serville .  .  .  .  .  .       614    2.98
           Neville James .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,410    6.84
           Dean R. Andrews  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       688    3.34
           Allison DeGazon  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     2,282   11.07
           Karen Chancellor .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       958    4.65
           Nemmy Williams-Jackson .  .  .  .  .  .     1,342    6.51
           Kenneth Kenny Gittens  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,521    7.38
           Annette L. S. Scott .  .  .  .  .  .  .       323    1.57
           Alicia Barnes .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     2,579   12.51
           Javan James.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,609    7.81
           Kurt Vialet.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,787    8.67
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        70     .34

          TERRITORIAL COMMITTEE - AT LARGE
          (VOTE FOR) 16
              (WITH 26 OF 30 PRECINCTS COUNTED 86.67%)
           Urdley Smith  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,128    8.03
           Marilyn Stapleton.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,958   13.93
           Florine Audain Hassell .  .  .  .  .  .     1,347    9.59
           Shelley Thomas.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,297    9.23
           Lauretta Petersen.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,339    9.53
           Riise E. S. Richards.  .  .  .  .  .  .     2,120   15.09
           Dwayne Benjamin  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     2,207   15.71
           Horace A. Callwood  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,521   10.82
           Rudolph Anthony Greene .  .  .  .  .  .       715    5.09
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       420    2.99

          TERRITORIAL COMMITTEE DISTRICT ST. CROIX
          (VOTE FOR)  8
              (WITH 13 OF 15 PRECINCTS COUNTED 86.67%)
           Sonia Boyce.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       903   20.92
           Cecil R. Benjamin.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       842   19.51
           Donna M. Christensen.  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,897   43.95
           Peter A. Abrahams.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       604   13.99
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        70    1.62

          TERRITORIAL COMMITTEE DISTRICT ST. THOMAS / ST. JOHN
          (VOTE FOR)  8
              (WITH 13 OF 15 PRECINCTS COUNTED 86.67%)
           Riise E. S. Richards.  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,720   42.46
           Roger Minkoff .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       591   14.59
           Clement Magras.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,651   40.76
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        89    2.20

          BOARD OF EDUCATION ST. CROIX
          (VOTE FOR)  2
              (WITH 13 OF 15 PRECINCTS COUNTED 86.67%)
           Shawna Richards  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       970   22.33
           Winona A. Hendricks .  .  .  .  .  .  .       987   22.72
           Emmanuella Perez .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       569   13.10
           Terrence T. Joseph  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     1,144   26.34
           Susanna Callwood-Smith .  .  .  .  .  .       670   15.42
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .         4     .09

Tags: albert bryan

Wyndi Ambrose
"Please feel free to contact me with news tips or corrections at the following email address: [email protected] . Both tips and corrections will be considered based on journalism standards of newsworthiness and ethics. Telling your stories in the best and most accurate way is important to me."