Governor Bryan Acts on Bill Amending Language of St. John Land Exchange

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS – Governor Albert Bryan Jr. has acted on a bill passed by the 35th Legislature in its December 19 session, which included a St. John Land Exchange amendment. Gov. Bryan signed Bill No. 35-0159 in its entirety.

In his transmittal letter to Senate President Novelle E. Francis, Gov. Bryan thanked the 35th Legislature for the St. John Land Exchange amendment “which corrects the text of Act. 8741 and ensures that a clean title may be had.”

Section 10 of Bill No. 35-0159 amended language pertaining to the use and public access to Whistling Cay and its waterway known as the Fungi Passage.

Also included in Bill No. 35-0159 are fund appropriations to a number of government agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget, the Division of Personnel, the Department of Finance, and Property and Procurement, as well as to the Schneider Regional Medical Center for equipment, supplies and staffing of the Interventional Cardiology Unit.

Governor Bryan noted that Section 5 of Bill No. 35-0159, which mandated that every Government agency and department provide all oral and written communications to the public in both English and Spanish was “overly broad and could be interpreted to encompass both internal and external communications.

“Government does not currently have the resources to meet this mandate, however it is important that we provide equal access to Government for our Spanish-speaking community. Therefore, I acknowledge that this is our goal, and as we work to meet it, we will continue to prioritize inclusivity for all residents of our Territory,” Gov. Bryan wrote.

The Bryan-Roach Administration is investing in the Territory’s people, infrastructure and future through transparency, stabilizing the economy, restoring trust in the government and ensuring that recovery projects are completed as quickly as possible. Visit transparency.vi.gov.

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