The V.I. Department of Labor has announced the closing of its Vitraco Mall and Sunny Isles Mini Mall locations effective Thursday, July 21. The Vitraco Mall location, which accommodates the divisions of Labor Relations, Hearings and Appeals, and Planning Research and Monitoring, will be relocated to the department’s 2203 Church Street, Christiansted location. The Sunny Isle Mini Mall youth staff will be relocated to the department’s main Sunny Isle location.
Currently, the Department of Labor occupies eight different locations in the Virgin Islands, seven of which are on St. Croix. These multiple offices each provide distinct functionalities to residents. However, given the current economic environment, a consolidation of offices became necessary to further streamline services available from Frederiksted to Christiansted. One of the goals of the deJongh/Francis Administration is to promote greater efficiencies in service, in part, by eliminating the duplication of services wherever possible, while ensuring continued high standards of productivity and accountability. The department is currently in the process of moving all of its St. Croix offices into one location in Estate Sion Farm. This opportunity will allow for the true offering of one-stop services to clients, according to a press release from DOL.
As the department prepares for this move, Commissioner Albert Bryan Jr. said, “The closure of these two current locations assists in the reduction of operational costs and takes us one step closer towards the consolidation of all of the department’s offices by the end of the year. As we all look into ways to streamline our services with fewer resources, the department anticipates that this move will save the department over $200,000 annually.”
Inquires can be made by contacting the Christiansted location at 773-1994 or the Sunny Isle office at 773-1440. The department anticipates minimal interruption in services.
