{"id":1039,"date":"2020-12-21T23:43:45","date_gmt":"2020-12-21T23:43:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vi.gov\/covid\/?p=1039"},"modified":"2020-12-30T16:06:59","modified_gmt":"2020-12-30T16:06:59","slug":"governor-bryan-calls-33rd-legislature-into-special-session-to-re-address-new-gvi-debt-refinancing-proposal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vi.gov\/covid\/news-post\/governor-bryan-calls-33rd-legislature-into-special-session-to-re-address-new-gvi-debt-refinancing-proposal\/","title":{"rendered":"Governor Bryan Calls 33rd Legislature Into Special Session To Re-Address New GVI Debt Refinancing Proposal"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Bryan\/Roach Administration Putting Together Stimulus Plan for Teachers<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS \u2014\u00a0Governor Albert Bryan Jr. on Monday said he is calling the 33rd<\/sup> Legislature back into Special Session on December 29 to re-address his proposal to refinance the Government of the Virgin Islands (GVI) debt to get a better interest rate and generate funds from the savings that can be used to shore up the Government Employees\u2019 Retirement System or any other use for the funds that the Senate chooses.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Governor also said his Administration is putting together a stimulus plan for teachers to offset any personal costs they incurred during the implementation of the virtual learning system.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Governor Bryan said the proposal front-loaded the savings from a more favorable interest rate to create a significant cash infusion.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cThere appears to be very little appetite in the Senate for that approach to solving our fiscal issues,\u201d the Governor said. \u201cHowever, the opportunity to refinance those bonds and reduce our long-term debt is still too unique of an opportunity to overlook.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cIt is a matter of good fiscal prudence to pursue lower interest rates and reductions in debt service obligations,\u201d Governor Bryan said. \u201cIt would be fiscally irresponsible to ignore this opportunity that will not be with us indefinitely.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Governor said his revised proposal will have a reasonable and competitive cap on the interest rate, and the Administration will pursue a conventional refinancing with the savings distributed throughout the 20-year amortization period.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Teacher Stimulus<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Governor Bryan also said he is working to make funding available through the CARES Act to give stimulus payments to educators.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cWhile we can never repay our debt of gratitude to our educators, especially for their innovation and adaptation to this new paradigm,\u201d Governor Bryan said. \u201cWe endeavor to assist in easing any financial burdens incurred as a result of our virtual learning mandate.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Governor also said the Administration continues to move forward on its existing programs to assist all Virgin Islanders negatively impacted by COVID-19, and that he is awaiting the details from the agreement that Congress appears to have reached regarding federal stimulus payments and an unemployment stipend.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Vaccines<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Governor Bryan said the Moderna vaccine has arrived on-island and is being distributed to health care workers, and another shipment of the Pfizer vaccine is scheduled to arrive in the Territory this week.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u00a0The Governor said he, Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion and Human Services Commissioner Kimberley Causey-Gomez all received vaccinations over the weekend, and about 260 individuals were safely vaccinated last week.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cThe three of us received our vaccines at thew Charles Harwood Clinic on Saturday morning,\u201d Governor Bryan said. \u201cI know that a lot of you in the community have some level of anxiety around the safety of this vaccine, and so we wanted to lead by example and personally validate the safety of the Pfizer vaccine.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Governor said he had no real side effects from the shot, and he will be getting his second dose of the vaccine in January and will report on the experience.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cI truly believe that the availability of this vaccine coupled with increased testing and other federal resources will help us get out from under this pandemic,\u201d Governor Bryan said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Unemployment<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Monday marked the GVI\u2019s issuance of more than $100 million in total benefits distributed during the calendar year, which is three times more than has been distributed in any year ever.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n