Weekly Government House Briefing Underscores Steady Advancement of Major Projects and Investments Across the Virgin Islands
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — The Bryan-Roach Administration on Monday highlighted continued progress on school modernization, healthcare recovery, town revitalization, infrastructure improvements, horse racing, and energy resiliency initiatives during the weekly Government House press briefing.
Government House Director of Communications Richard Motta Jr. opened the briefing by extending Mother’s Day greetings to mothers across the Territory and acknowledging a period of mourning following the recent passing of former Senators John A. Bell Sr., Ronald E. Russell, and Pete Encarnacion.
“Each of these men, in his own way, answered the call to public service,” Motta said. “Their service forms part of the larger story of our Legislature and our Territory.”
The Administration also extended condolences to the family and friends of Shawn Leass, who died last week in a boating accident.
Motta then recapped several major milestones reached over the past week, including the groundbreaking of the Estate Profit Community Center on St. Croix and the official launch of the project to renovate and modernize the St. Croix Educational Complex.
The Educational Complex launch marked the fifth major project launch in five weeks, including four school projects: Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, Charlotte Amalie High School, St. Croix Central High School, and now Educational Complex. The Administration also highlighted recent Coastal Zone Management hearings that showcased designs for the new Alexander Henderson and Claude O. Markoe schools on St. Croix.
Beyond education, the Administration noted continued progress in healthcare recovery, including the expected summer opening of the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute, ongoing construction of the Donna Christensen Health Center, and the upcoming demolition of the Juan F. Luis Hospital. The Administration also reported continued progress in procuring additional temporary generation units for the St. Thomas-St. John district.
“That is real progress,” Motta said. “That is the work of rebuilding, modernizing, and investing in the things that matter most to Virgin Islanders. And it is a clear showing of what this Administration means when we say we are anchored in progress.”
Last week, Governor Bryan also sat down with Virgin Islands Consortium publisher Ernice Gilbert, St. Croix businessman and Flamboyant Horsemen Association member James “Bobo” Bates, and Chief of Staff Kevin Williams to discuss the proposed St. Croix horse racing agreement.
The agreement would provide up to $25 million in private investment by Southland Gaming Virgin Islands to rebuild the Randall “Doc” James Racetrack, guarantee a minimum of $800,000 in annual purses, establish a territorial racing framework connecting St. Croix and St. Thomas, and provide long-term operational support for horse racing in the Territory.
“These are tangible examples of an Administration that can confront the Territory’s most significant challenges while continuing to move forward on the cultural and economic initiatives that matter deeply to our people, including the return of horse racing,” Motta said.
“This agreement is about rebuilding a track, but it is also about restoring a culture, supporting horsemen, strengthening a historic Virgin Islands tradition, and creating a practical path forward after years of stalled progress,” Motta said.
The Administration also announced that the Department of Planning and Natural Resources and the Office of Disaster Recovery are moving forward with the phased demolition of the old Hamburg building in downtown Charlotte Amalie to clear the way for construction of the Virgin Islands Museum of Art. Contractor James Benton Construction is expected to begin mobilization on May 18.
Motta said the project is part of a broader strategy to revitalize historic towns across the Territory through connected investments in parks, libraries, infrastructure, and public spaces.
“These investments matter,” Motta said. “They help restore pride of place. They create conditions for private investment. They support local commerce. They preserve our history while preparing our towns for the future.”
The Administration also renewed its call for legislative action on its proposal to address abandoned and derelict buildings in historic town districts.
“Our towns are too important to leave this issue sitting on the shelf,” Motta said.
The briefing further highlighted recent permit approvals from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Phase 2 of the Veterans Drive improvement project in Charlotte Amalie and the Summer’s End Marina project in Coral Bay, St. John.
“These approvals help move long-discussed projects from planning and review closer to execution,” Motta said.
The briefing also included updates from Public Works Commissioner Derek Gabriel on road closures and drainage projects underway across the Territory.
Finally, the Virgin Islands Energy Office announced three major initiatives aimed at strengthening the Territory’s energy resilience: the Territory’s first Virtual Power Plant in partnership with Tesla Energy, the first renewably powered fast electric vehicle charging infrastructure at the Research and Technology Park, and a key procurement milestone for the VIRG portable battery backup program to support medically vulnerable residents as hurricane season approaches.
Together, the updates underscored the Bryan-Roach Administration’s continued focus on rebuilding critical infrastructure, strengthening communities, and delivering visible progress across the Virgin Islands.
###
Comments are closed