Senators on the Legislature’s Committee on Government Operations, Veterans Affairs and Consumer Protection wrestled Monday with two bills that touched on core issues of workforce shortages and economic development. By the end of the hearing, they unanimously advanced a measure to help the University of the Virgin Islands attract retirees back into its ranks — but narrowly rejected a separate proposal requiring the use of locally manufactured construction materials on public projects, citing federal procurement rules and administrative challenges.

Retirees at UVI
Bill No. 36-0061, introduced by Sen. Carla J. Joseph, would allow Government Employees Retirement System (GERS) retirees to work at UVI without forfeiting their pensions, provided they enroll in a separate retirement plan. Joseph framed the measure as both a practical fix and a community investment. “This legislation is a win-win-win,” she told colleagues, pointing out that it helps experienced retirees return to service at UVI while protecting their hard-earned benefits.

GERS Administrator and CEO Angel Dawson supported the proposal, describing the fiscal impact as “essentially neutral” since the carve-out applies only to UVI and not the broader government workforce. He noted the university already has a carve-out for certain employees, and the measure would extend that flexibility to retirees.

UVI President Safiya George said the change would immediately affect three employees and help the institution recruit and retain highly qualified staff in critical areas. “By providing this flexibility, we can help secure the financial future of employees, reduce turnover, and improve recruitment efforts,” she said.

Several senators voiced strong support. Sen. Hubert L. Frederick said the bill adds value to the university without undermining GERS. “This does not harm the system. This, in fact, doesn’t do any damage whatsoever to it. Because the GERS is comfortable with this, I’m comfortable with it,” he said. Sen. Ray Fonseca called the proposal “an excellent bill” that strengthens opportunities for educators.

The committee voted unanimously to send the measure forward to the Rules and Judiciary Committee for further consideration.

Local Materials Proposal Stumbles
The debate was more divided on Bill No. 36-0102, sponsored by Sen. Marvin Blyden, which sought to require government contractors to use locally manufactured construction materials “to the greatest extent practicable” on projects funded with local or federal dollars. Blyden described the measure as a way to stimulate economic growth, encourage innovation, and strengthen resilience during disasters. “With the passing of this bill, Virgin Islanders will know that if they can produce a construction material that meets quality standards and falls within a competitive price range, they will have a market for the product,” he said.

He pointed to Puerto Rico’s decades-long local materials law and argued that the Virgin Islands could do the same. Sen. Angel Bolques, Jr. agreed, noting that other territories like Guam have enacted similar policies. “From a disaster readiness perspective, a stronger local supply chain means faster recovery,” he said.

But critics warned that the bill, while well-intentioned, could create conflicts with federal procurement standards that emphasize open competition. Procurement exper Kate Davis testified that local preference requirements could jeopardize funding for federally backed projects. “Federal compliance remains a significant concern,” she said, stressing that the authority supports the intent but must weigh affordability, quality, and compliance equally.

Property and Procurement Commissioner Lisa Alejandro and Public Works Commissioner Derek Gabriel both echoed the need for caution. Alejandro said procurement rules already require competitive strategy, and any changes must not hinder competition. Gabriel added that “we all agree with the intent” but emphasized that unintended consequences could arise if the law isn’t carefully drafted.

Sen. Alma Francis Heyliger said she supports the concept but could not vote for the bill in its current form. “I need to make sure that all I’s are dotted and all T’s are crossed before this leaves this committee,” she said. Sen. Kenneth Gittens also voted no, citing the risk of bureaucratic delays and disputes. Sen. Carla Joseph added that subject matter experts had advised her that amendments were necessary, and she deferred to their judgment.

In the end, the measure failed on a 3-3 tie, with Sens. Novelle Francis Jr., Franklin Johnson, and Avery Lewis in favor, while Francis Heyliger, Gittens, and Joseph opposed. Sen. Ray Fonseca was absent.

Next Steps
The votes highlighted the tension lawmakers face between fostering local economic development and navigating federal restrictions. While the local materials measure stalled, senators left the door open for a revised version with clearer exemptions and compliance language. Meanwhile, the UVI retirement bill moves ahead with broad support and could soon provide relief for the university’s staffing needs.

Six Virgin Islands students have been named Semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program, placing them among the top high school scholars in the nation. This week, both Antilles School on St. Thomas and Gifft Hill School on St. John celebrated their honorees — Emma Walters and Dax Chouiniere — whose recognition, officials said, underscores the depth of student talent across the territory.

More than 1.3 million juniors entered the program by sitting for the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Only about 16,000 students across the country were named Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors. Both Walters and Chouiniere now advance in the competition for roughly 7,500 scholarships totaling nearly $30 million, with winners to be announced beginning next spring.

At Gifft Hill, Head of School Liz Kinsella praised Chouiniere’s achievement, calling it a testament to his “talent, hard work, and dedication to his studies.”

She said his recognition also reflects the rigor and resilience of GHS students, and the school’s commitment to preparing them for opportunities at the highest level. As a semifinalist, Chouiniere will now submit an application detailing his academic record, extracurricular involvement, and a personal essay, a process Kinsella said highlights not only achievement but also leadership and character.

“Dax’s success is a wonderful example of our mission in action,” she added.

At Antilles, Walters’s achievement is celebrated alongside her many contributions to campus life. A member of the Class of 2026, she is a sailor, artist, and founding member of the National Art Honor Society. Walters previously gained national attention as the Virgin Islands winner of the 2023 Doodle for Google competition, where her work spotlighted the beauty of St. Thomas. Her curiosity has also led her toward architecture and economics, subjects she says fascinate her for their lasting impact and real-world application.

“Through my classes, I’ve discovered new interests and learned valuable skills,” Walters said. “Being part of our sailing team also helped me build confidence and connect with others. Overall, Antilles has played a big role in shaping who I am today, and I’ve truly appreciated our wonderful community.”

Head of School Shannon Harris said Walters’s recognition is a celebration of both her academic excellence and her approach to learning. “Her recognition as a National Merit Semifinalist speaks to her academic excellence, but just as importantly, it reflects the way she approaches learning — with curiosity, passion, and a sense of purpose,” Harris said. “Emma’s contributions extend well beyond the classroom, from her leadership in the arts to the example she sets for her peers.”

Both students will submit scholarship applications, including essays and recommendations, as part of the process to advance to Finalist status. Finalists will be named in February, with scholarship recipients announced between April and July 2026.

As heavy rains and hurricane forecasts remind the Virgin Islands of the season’s uncertainty, a different kind of emergency training just wrapped up underwater. Local coral disturbance Strike Teams — volunteer divers already known for their fight against coral disease — completed a pilot program designed to turn them into “reef first responders,” ready to stabilize reefs after storms, vessel groundings, or other sudden damage.

“This is like building a firefighter squad for our coral reefs,” said Jordan Schneider, president of Ceiba Strategies, which manages the Strike Team program for the Department of Planning and Natural Resources. “We’re preparing divers to jump into action when reefs need help most.”

Strike Teams have been on the frontlines since 2019, hand-treating corals sickened by Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease with underwater doses of amoxicillin. Their work has preserved countless colonies, even as SCTLD wiped out much of the Caribbean’s reef-building corals. With fewer susceptible corals left and new threats looming — bleaching, invasive species, and debris from storms — DPNR has broadened the teams’ mission.

The two-day pilot training recently held at Butler Bay on St. Croix and Coki Bay on St. Thomas brought together 21 divers, some with professional coral restoration backgrounds and others trained through the Strike Team program. On land, they practiced belt transects, simulating reef surveys with markers. In the water, they carried out full damage assessments, geotagged coral fragments, and learned to stabilize broken colonies using lift bags and marine epoxy. “The corals we re-secure are often the survivors — the ones that have made it through years of bleaching and disease,” explained diver Logan Williams. “Saving them strengthens the whole reef.”

Training also included safe transport techniques for rare or ESA-listed species, which may need to be moved to nurseries to preserve genetic diversity. That skill was quickly put to use. Just days after the session, Strike Team divers were called to St. Croix, where a vessel set adrift during Hurricane Erin had smashed into an endangered elkhorn coral colony before washing ashore. The incident left behind debris now under DPNR investigation, but also offered an early, real-world test of the team’s new skills.

Local partners, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coral Restoration Foundation, CORE Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Thriving Islands, East End Marine Park, Sea Grant, and the University of the Virgin Islands, all helped shape the curriculum. Their goal is to create a territory-wide coral emergency response network — a collaborative effort that will allow reefs and the communities that rely on them to recover more quickly after damage.

Schneider said the training is only a beginning. “We’ll keep refining the program as we respond to more incidents, and my hope is to expand it to include more local divers,” he said. “The stronger our network, the faster our reefs — and the communities that depend on them — can recover.”

Community members who see a grounded vessel or reef damage are urged to contact DPNR’s Coral Disturbance Response Coordinator, Courtney Tierney, at courtney.tierney@dpnr.vi.gov.

Crowds of St. Thomas-St. John residents and visitors mingled in Emancipation Garden Tuesday as health providers and service groups offered free screenings and advice promoting healthy living.

It was the second annual health fair sponsored by Sen. Ray Fonseca, chair of the 36th Legislature’s Health, Hospitals and Human Services Committee. Organizers said they hoped to glean insights from the numerous health screenings and referrals to inform talks among lawmakers and help them set spending priorities. “This initiative seeks to address critical public health challenges and improve the living conditions for numerous individuals,“ said a statement issued before Tuesday’s event.

Representatives from Health, Agriculture, East End Medical Center, the V.I. Center for Diabetes Excellence, and SkyMed air ambulance service were on hand to answer questions.

Many of those spending Tuesday morning in the park were seniors from St. Thomas and St. John. Musical performances by local students and an invited musician caused passersby to pause and linger nearby.

Over by the Health Department display, Kisha Williams showed Country Hamilton how to perform a water quality test using a prepackaged kit. Williams explained that the kit allows users to check for contaminants in their home supply.

Lakiah Meade, director of Maternal and Child Health, was among those on hand to greet the public. Although the services she offered seemed like a mismatch with elderly participants, she said the interactions were largely positive.

“We were able to provide grandmothers, grandparents with information for their grandchildren, especially for the WIC Program,” Meade said.

At the East End Medical Center exhibit, Dianne Morales offered blood pressure and other tests. “We’re also here if anyone wants an appointment; we can get them enrolled to see a provider,” Morales said.

Morales serves as the assistant to Medical Director Trisha Harris. Beside her was a table filled with brochures describing a slew of health conditions. “We also have information for every walk of life from 0 to 99 … We’re giving education on diabetes and … how to take your medications, how to see a physician on a regular basis; what your numbers should look like,” she said.

Early visitors to the health fair were treated to lunch before boarding vehicles for the trip back to their respective homes. Volunteer Sandra Colburne from the Institute for Social Change said her group arranged transport for seniors living in Pilgrim Terrace.

Part of the group’s mission is to engage older adults in community-based activities. “We focus on the elderly in the community; today we had the health fair that was held by Senator Fonseca,” she said.

Fonseca, host of Tuesday’s fair, relaxed in a chair in the David Monsanto Bandstand, stepping to the announcer’s mic to draw tickets for a raffle prize. “The turnout was awesome — very hot and humid but it was an excellent turnout,” he said.

Since these fairs began, he said, they have welcomed residents from St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John with the goal of keeping the community healthy and aware of the services available to them.