Albert Bryan and Tregenza Roach pictured in 2018 following the announcement of Roach as Bryan’s running mate in the gubernatorial race. Photo: Ernice Gilbert/VIC

That detail was not included as part of Personnel Director Cindy Richardson’s initial testimony before the Senate Committee on Budget, Appropriations and Finance, but instead was uncovered during a line of questioning from Senator Kurt Vialet. “The raises for the lieutenant governor and the governor have been enacted, yes,” Ms. Richardson plainly stated.

Senator Kenneth Gittens described the move as “shameful and unjust.”

In January 2025, reports from the Consortium detailed the difference in opinion that arose after the publication of the report from the Public Officials Compensation Commission (VIPOCC).

The contention, Ms. Richardson said on Friday, was “clarified.” Senator Hubert Frederick countered, “it wasn't clarified by us. The executive branch made a statement saying, yes, it's the law. So this is why we're here, there's an impasse that this branch clearly stated that it was not recognized.”

Senate President Milton Potter promised to host a special legislative session to address the contents of the report. However, an attempt in April by Senator Alma Francis Heyliger to “prevent and rescind any automatic implementation of salary adjustments made pursuant to any recommendations of the Virgin Islands Public Officials Compensation Commission” was shot down by the majority of her colleagues.

Due to the lack of action taken by the legislative arm of government to date, the raises for the governor and lieutenant governor have moved ahead.

The governor's salary doesn't compute

For Senator Alma Francis Heyliger, the governor’s salary simply does not compute. “The governor of California makes $234,000 to manage 39 million people, and we're talking about under 90,000 people, and want to pay out $192,000. For what?” Like Senator Frederick, Senator Francis Heyliger wanted to know who “ultimately made the decision” considering the impasse between the two branches.

“I think that's where the gray area lies,” Ms. Richardson replied.

“If a gray area exists, wouldn't it have been prudent that conversations would have been had to try to hash out this gray area,” questioned Francis Heyliger.

“I surely hope every single man in here ready to stand up,” was Senator Franklin Johnson’s clarion call. “This ain’t about Governor Bryan. This is about raises that this government cannot afford…We can't pay our hospital bills, we can't take care of waste management, we can't take care of the dump, we can't take care of the very roads that the people them driving on — but yet we want to talk about giving raise and retroactive?”

“We better stand up as a body and vote for this piece of measure and then find the guts to take this battle to court. There's no reason this should go forward,” he added, referring to Bill 36-0032. The draft legislation considered by committee members would set a $150,000 cap on the salary amount used to compute the service retirement annuity for the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor of the Virgin Islands. Six out of 7 committee members voted in favor of it on Friday.