Final Government House briefing of the year also highlights Tuesday groundbreaking for new Dr. Donna M. Christian Christensen public health facility and announces territory wide fruit and native tree distribution events
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. has authorized the issuance of more than $7 million in income tax refunds to 2,817 Virgin Islands tax filers who are due a refund and filed their income tax returns by April 9, 2024, Government House announced Monday during the weekly press briefing.
The latest refund batch follows the release of $10 million in November ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday and $15.7 million in July.
“These refunds matter,” Government House Director of Communications Richard Motta said. “They help families cover groceries, rent, school expenses and the everyday costs that do not take a holiday break.”
Motta said the Bryan-Roach Administration will continue working to process refunds as efficiently as possible and will keep the public informed as additional batches are released.
During the briefing, Motta also announced a major healthcare infrastructure milestone scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 16, as the Department of Health breaks ground on a new public health facility on St. Croix.
The groundbreaking is set for 9 a.m. at Estate Richmond, replacing the former Charles Harwood Memorial Complex. The modern, resilient public health campus will bring Department of Health programs and services together in one location to strengthen access, improve coordination and reduce delays for residents seeking services.
The facility is named in honor of Dr. Donna M. Christian Christensen, a physician and the first woman to serve as the U.S. Virgin Islands’ delegate to Congress, recognizing her lifelong commitment to healthcare and public service.
Construction will be carried out by Consigli/Benton Joint Venture, with design led by Flad Architects. Completion is projected for 2028. The groundbreaking will stream live on Facebook at @govhouseusvi.
Agriculture update: Fruit and native tree distribution program launches
Motta was joined by Department of Agriculture Commissioner Louis Petersen, Ph.D., who announced the launch of the first phase of the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture’s Fruit Tree and Native Tree Distribution Program, an initiative intended to re-populate the territory with trees for food, shade, beauty and clean air.
Tree distributions are scheduled on all three islands:
- St. Croix: Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. at the Rudolph Shulterbrandt Agricultural Complex
- St. Thomas: Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Department of Agriculture in Estate Dorothea
- St. John: Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles parking lot in Cruz Bay
The program is designed to strengthen climate change mitigation, food security and forest resiliency efforts for landowners across the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition to receiving fruit and native tree species, participating landowners will receive technical assistance on site selection, tree establishment, care and maintenance.
The department said the distribution process will be followed by site monitoring by a forestry specialist, with detailed reports documenting progress and ongoing needs. Based on those reports, landowners may be eligible for additional trees during future distribution events as the program continues into the coming year.
Trees will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis after participants complete a short registration form.
“I invite landowners to participate in this important project to assist with reforesting the territory with fruit and native tree species,” Petersen said. “As a result of this reforestation effort, I envision a greener and more fruitful Virgin Islands with healthier forests, improved environmental quality and increased resiliency to the impacts of climate change.”
Petersen thanked the U.S. Forest Service for funding support and recognized VIDA staff for their preparation and teamwork.
For more information, contact Mathilde A. Wilson, VI Forest Stewardship Program coordinator, at 340-244-4802.
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