The USVI's Chronic Kidney Disease, Stroke and Diabetes Registry will soon become a reality, after Governor Albert Bryan Jr. signed Bill 35-0207 into law. Photo: VI Consortium

The legislation mandating the registry’s creation moved swiftly through the Senate, coming to the floor in February in the Committee on Health, Hospitals and Human Services. Backed by Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion and other public health officials, the bill, sponsored by Senator Ray Fonseca, received a few tweaks to its funding mechanism in the Committee Appropriations, Budget, and Finance when that committee met in March.

The scope of the registry was also expanded to include the tracking of stroke data, and within weeks it was on the governor’s desk for signing. 

“Recognizing that our Territory has an increasing number of persons living with chronic diseases, I am supportive of any measure serving to identify those residents and link them to care,” Governor Bryan said. “The Disease registry created by Bill No. 35-0207 to track these three high prevalence conditions, is the first step to assist with this process. Early detection and treatment offered to persons moving through the continuum of disease not only extends lives, but also ensures a better quality of life."

Mr. Bryan approved the addition of part-time students as beneficiaries of free college education, once they meet eligibility requirements.  

During this week’s signing session, the governor also approved legislation which appropriates funding for the territory’s Olympic Committee, makes corrections to laws governing the honoring of teams and coaches, as well as funding for the sport of boxing. 

Through another legislative amendment approved by the governor, the Virgin Islands Police Department will no longer be at risk of losing title to a plot of land that was set to revert to the Water and Power Authority if a police station was not conducted within five years of the initial transfer.