Francis Julien-Oquendo, born on August 12, 1973, passed away on May 29, 2025, at the age of 51. A beloved brother, uncle, and friend, Francis leaves behind a legacy of kindness, quiet strength, and devotion to his family.
Francis Julien-Oquendo
He is survived by his brothers James Julien, Nathan Acevedo, and Otmar Cabrera; his sisters Farrach and Jennifer Acevedo; his cherished nieces Asasia, Nyiieli, and Nahariya Benjamin, and Amhara Simmiolkjier; and his nephews Eleasah Benjamin, Ahsanne, and Ahmasai Simmiolkjier. Francis held each of them close to his heart and was a steady, loving presence in their lives.
Francis will be remembered for his gentle soul, thoughtful spirit, and unwavering love for his family. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered. Fly high brother!
May he rest in peace.
There will be a viewing on June 19 at Divine Funeral Services chapel from 3-5 p.m.
Family and friends will gather to honor and celebrate his life on Friday, June 20, at St. Patrick’s Church in Frederiksted. The viewing will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by a funeral service at 10:30 a.m.
Interment will follow at the Frederiksted Cemetery.
There is a disruption to telephone service at Government House on St.Thomas. The problem is being addressed. In the meantime, individuals needing to contact personnel within Government House should dial 340-773-1403.
Virgin Islander Michelle Smith, a freshman representing the University of Georgia, has once again proven why she’s one of the brightest young stars in collegiate track and field. On Thursday, Smith delivered a pair of sensational performances at the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, qualifying for the finals in both the 400-meter hurdles and the 4×400-meter relay.
Michelle Smith (Submitted photo)
In the 400m hurdles semi-final, Smith dominated her heat with a time of 55.65 seconds, securing an automatic qualification to the final. Her fluid stride and powerful finish left no doubt about her readiness to contend for the national title. The final is set for Saturday, June 14 at 7:27 PM ET, where she will face off against the nation’s elite hurdlers at the iconic Hayward Field.
But Smith’s day wasn’t done.
Later in the evening, she returned to the track as a key member of the University of Georgia’s 4x400m relay team. Running a strong leg, Smith helped power the Bulldogs to a semi-final victory, ensuring their place in the championship final. Her versatility and endurance were on full display, showcasing her ability to excel in both individual and team events.
Smith’s double qualification is a testament to her exceptional talent and work ethic. Already named the SEC Freshman of the Year earlier this season, she continues to break barriers as the first Virgin Islander to earn such honors and now stands on the brink of NCAA glory.
As the countdown begins to Saturday’s finals, fans from Georgia to the Caribbean will be watching closely, cheering on a young athlete who is not only making history — but inspiring a generation.
A good start and a first-place finish in the final race proved a win for the USA National Team, with sailors representing yacht clubs in Florida, Maryland, Virginia, and Rhode Island, in Thursday’s TOTE Team Racing Championship. The Championship is one of three events sailed out of the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC) this week. The three-day TOTE Clinic, which concluded on Wednesday with a point-to-point distance event modeled after the Volvo Ocean Race, preceded it and will be followed by the 32nd International Optimist Regatta (IOR), taking place from Friday to Sunday.
TOTE Team Race Championship Winners – USA National Team, L to R: Daniel Skutch Tyson, Andrew Allgeier, Christian Petersen, Trey Waters, and Constantino Conrad. (Photo by Matias Capizzano)
Seven teams of five sailors each participated in the TOTE Team Racing Championship. The champion USA National Team members are Constantino Conrad, St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Florida; Trey Waters, Annapolis Yacht Club/Eastport Yacht Club, Maryland; Daniel Skutch Tyson, Annapolis Yacht Club, Maryland; Andrew Allgeier, Hampton Yacht Club, Virginia; and Christian Petersen, Saunderstown Yacht Club, Rhode Island.
“Watching the team race ahead of ours was really helpful,” says Allgeier, age 12.
Waters, age 14, adds, “The clinic is where I learned how special the wind is here, especially the Volvo Ocean Race. I used what I learned in the team racing today.”
This is the third year Conrad has sailed in this event. “Practicing starts is what I like best because there are so many boats on the start line,” he says.
Distance sailing is what Petersen enjoyed about the Volvo Ocean Race. “It’s something we can’t do at home because the bay we sail in is small.”
Tyson reveled in the big winds and waves. “It helped me prepare for this type of sailing, he says.
Start of one of the races in the TOTE Team Racing Championships. (Photo by Matias Capizzano)
On Wednesday, Maxime McCulloch, representing the Lakewood Yacht Club in Texas, won the Volvo Ocean Race in the Championship Fleet, while Benjamin Lima, from the Coral Reef Yacht Club in Miami, won the Volvo for the Beginner Green Fleet.
“I liked that there were four gates before the race finished in the third leg,” says Lima. “This is usually the setup for the Championship fleet, and I’d never run one like this. Afterward, I liked being able to ring the bell at the club.”
Looking ahead, STYC’s Hunter Reinbold, 12, says he’s ready for the start of the IOR. “I like the starts best,” he says, about his favorite part of the racecourse. “They are so competitive, but in a fun way.”
Finally, it’s clinic training with several different coaches that STYC Patrick Mitchell will use to benefit his in IOR racing. “I’m looking forward to the racing and what I’ll learn, because I have a few more years to sail this regatta before I age out.”
Nearly 90 8- to 15-year-old sailors representing the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, several U.S. states, and Argentina started the week by training in the three-day TOTE Clinic, held from June 9 to 11. Top local and international coaches ran the clinic.
USVI’s Finn Hodgins, one of the USVI sailors participating in the Team Racing Championships today. (Photo byMatias Capizzano)
The 32nd IOR gets underway on Friday with nearly 90 junior sailors representing both Championship and Beginner fleets. The Championship fleet is divided into age groups: White (age 10 and under), Blue (ages 11 and 12), and Red (ages 13 to 15). Depending on the weather, the race committee plans to conduct 10 or more races over the next three days. Results will be posted at www.regattanetwork.com/event/29124#_home
The Awards Ceremony takes place on Sunday at 3 p.m. at STYC. Trophies will be awarded to the top five sailors in each fleet: Red (ages 13-15), Blue (ages 11-12), White (ages 10 and under), Green (beginners), and the top three sailors overall by score. A Perpetual Trophy, introduced in 2017, has been inscribed with the overall winner’s name for the past 29 years. Additional trophies include the Peter Ives’ Perpetual Trophy, the Chuck Fuller Sportsmanship Award, and the perpetual Founders Trophy, awarded to the Top Female Sailor.
Governor Albert Bryan Jr. issued a statement Thursday addressing public remarks made during a Senate Committee hearing regarding the absence of Public Works Commissioner Derek Gabriel. The Governor emphasized that the Commissioner’s absence was neither deliberate nor disrespectful but the result of previously approved personal leave and prior coordination efforts with the Legislature.
“The Bryan-Roach Administration has always taken seriously its responsibility to engage with the Legislature and the public, particularly on matters of critical community interest,” Governor Bryan said. “Any implication that Commissioner Gabriel intentionally disregarded the Senate’s authority is simply untrue.”
Government House confirmed that, in the weeks leading up to the hearing, it engaged in direct communication with Committee Chair Sen. Angel Bolques Jr. to coordinate a suitable date for Commissioner Gabriel’s appearance. During those discussions, it was made clear that the Commissioner would be unavailable due to personal leave on the date the hearing was ultimately scheduled. Despite that, the hearing proceeded without adjusting for the Commissioner’s schedule even though he is the principal government official equipped to provide a complete and accurate update on the Paul E. Joseph Stadium project.
“There was never any intent to avoid the hearing,” Governor Bryan said. “In fact, we were actively working with the Committee Chair to ensure the Commissioner could appear at a time that would allow for a meaningful and productive exchange. It is unfortunate that these facts were not acknowledged during the hearing.”
The Governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability in government operations, including the redevelopment of the Paul E. Joseph Stadium. He also acknowledged the longstanding frustrations surrounding the project and reiterated that many of the early delays and cost increases were rooted in decisions made under the previous administration, including a complete reorientation of the stadium and the costly addition of deep foundation piling, which added more than $14 million to the project’s cost.
“Despite those setbacks, our administration resolved major permitting issues, secured FEMA’s conditional approval in 2021, and resumed construction,” Governor Bryan said. “The progress made on the Paul E. Joseph Stadium to date has occurred under this administration, and we remain committed to completing it.”
Governor Bryan called for continued cooperation between the executive and legislative branches to ensure the successful delivery of critical infrastructure projects.
“Accountability is important, but so is accuracy. The people of the Virgin Islands expect and deserve both,” Governor Bryan concluded. “We welcome continued dialogue with the Legislature and look forward to Commissioner Gabriel’s testimony at the rescheduled hearing
Caribbean Community Theatre closes its 40th season with “ANNA IN THE TROPICS” – a play by Nilo Cruz. There are six performances over two weekends of this play at CCT: June 13 and 14, and June 20-21, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, and two Sunday matinees at 4 p.m. on June 15 and 22.
Actors from Caribbean Community Theater’s “Anna in the Tropics” (Submitted photo)
Heather McRae and Xiomara Sanchez direct the cast of Alissandra Banuelos, Paul Del Rio, Michelle Dizon, Carlos Franco, Shakir Guzman, Lucy Nunez, Eduardo Prentice, and Robert Reffell.
Anna in the Tropics is the winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. This story is a poignant and poetic play set in Florida in 1929 in a Cuban-American cigar factory, where cigars are still rolled by hand and “lectors” are employed to educate and entertain the workers. The arrival of a new lector is a cause for celebration, but when he begins to read aloud from Anna Karenina, he unwittingly becomes a catalyst in the lives of his avid listeners, for whom Tolstoy, the tropics and the American dream prove a volatile combination.
“The words of Nilo Cruz waft from a stage like a scented breeze. They sparkle and prickle and swirl, enveloping those who listen in both a specific place and time – and in timeless passions that touch us all… In Anna in the Tropics, Cruz claims his place as a storyteller of intricate craftsmanship and poetic power…” The Miami Herald
“…enticing and exotic…entrancingly love…” Variety
General admission tickets may be purchased in advance online at Eventbrite.
For reservations, discounted tickets, more information, directions to CCT, or for handicap assistance, email: eileencct@gmail.com. Tickets are $20 for adults; $18 for seniors (age 65+), and $15 for college students and CCT members; and may be purchased (for cash only) at the CCT box office prior to each show, which opens 45 minutes before curtain.
This play has adult content and is NOT recommended for children under age 18.
Performances are held at the Caribbean Community Theatre at #18 Estate Orange Grove in Christiansted.
It is with tremendous sadness that we the family of Leopole Lewis aka “ Pole” or “Allahman” passed away on Thursday, May 29, 2025, on the beautiful island of St.John, Virgin Islands after a brief illness at the age of 67.
Leopold Lewis
Leopold was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Virginia Lewis, his brothers, Hercules “Lionel” Lewis and Garfield Lewis, nephew, Lenworth “Fats” Lewis, niece, Laura Henry-Edwards.
He is survived by his wife, Diane Jongue-Lewis, children Latishma Lewis and Le’Rhon Lewis granddaughter, Lanyjay Sumayah.
He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Ignace Jongue Dalmida aunt, Mryna Luke, sisters, Iola Lewis-Henry, Anella Lewis, Vanessa Lewis-McFarlande and Alphenice Lewis. Sister-in-law Amanda Dalmida; Brothers, Randolph Lewis and Tifford Lewis. Brother-in-law Martin Jongue; Nieces: Margaret Henry, Lucinda Lewis-Brathwaite, Monique Lewis-Joiner, Gerri Lewis, Shenette Lewis, Davina Lewis, Yolanda Lewis-Dyer, Kareema Tonge, and Genell Thomas; Nephews: Conroy Henry, Dean Henry, Vernon Lewis and Derek Lewis Godchildren Martin Jongue, Monique Jongue, Ava Jongue; Special Friends Rev. Dr. Charles Peters, Romalyn Joseph, Felix Joseph, Chris Joseph, Garfield Francis, Lorenzo Lewis, Vanroy Christopher, Scott Richards, Godfree Richards, Silvester Richards and the Members of the Memorial Moravian Ushers Board and Men’s Fellowship. He was blessed to have a very large village of extended family and friends throughout the United States, England, Antigua, St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix which include the Bright, Luke, Lewis, Christopher, Henry, Simon, Macoy families and countless cherished family and friends whose names are too numerous to mention.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Funeral service that will be held on Wednesday, June 18 at Memorial Moravian Church. Viewing and tributes will begin at 9:00a.m. with service at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Eastern Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Dan Hurley Home for Funerals and Cremation Center of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. For online condolences, or to share a special memory, visit www.hurleydavisfuneralhome.com
Leopole will be deeply missed but never forgotten. May his soul rest in peace.
Sen. Novelle Francis Jr. chairs Thursday’s Budget, Appropriations, and Finance Committee meeting. (Photo courtesy V.I. Legislature)
During Thursday’s Budget, Appropriations, and Finance Committee meeting, lawmakers received the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget for the Virgin Islands Career and Technical Board and considered a bill to raise the maximum judgment amount for damages awarded against the government of the Virgin Islands.
Joann Murphy, chair of the VI Career and Technical Board, presented the board’s proposed budget of $689,681. The allocation includes $289,667 for personnel, $140,371 for fringe benefits, $6,000 for supplies, $249,743 for other services and charges, $3,400 for utilities, and $500 for capital projects. The board currently consists of an executive director and three administrative staff members, according to a press release from the V.I. Legislature.
Murphy raised concerns about the reallocation of $55,000 in scholarship funds previously administered by the Education Department. Now deducted from the board’s budget, the shift has reduced available operational funds by over 8%, bringing them down to $204,643. She also cited $45,566.83 in outstanding vendor payments due to delays tied to the centralized ERP system, along with $51,000 in office lease costs and $15,000 in insurance premiums, the press release stated.
Highlighting the critical state of career and technical education programs, Murphy noted that many have vanished since 2000 and warned that some are “one instructor away from permanent closure.” Of the 89 instructors currently working in the territory, only 40 are certified, 24 are awaiting recertification, and 25 are employed without certification. Ten more are pursuing credentials through various programs. Murphy called for a $600,000 appropriation to establish the Lena Schulterbrandt CTE Fund, which would support instructional capacity, technology, internships, and apprenticeships, the release stated.
The committee also removed Bill No. 36-0025 from the agenda. Sponsored by Sen. Ray Fonseca, the bill proposed a $90,000 appropriation to the Human Services Department to purchase and maintain mobile health and safety devices for senior citizens and other vulnerable residents, the release stated.
Senators then turned to Bill No. 36-0042, introduced by Sen. Alma Francis Heyliger. The bill would amend the Virgin Islands Code to increase the maximum judgment amount allowed for damage claims against the government, it said.
Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea testified that while the current Tort Claims Act caps damages in exchange for waiving sovereign immunity, court interpretations have expanded government liability by allowing multiple judgments in a single lawsuit. While the Justice Department did not object to the measure, it raised concerns about increased financial exposure and suggested amending the bill to include an aggregate cap on claims arising from a single incident, the release stated.
Rhea also recommended aligning the local statute with the Federal Tort Claims Act by ensuring that government employees are shielded from personal liability for intentional misconduct by others. He further proposed reinstating the public duty doctrine to protect the government from general public liability and suggested a more moderate increase to the cap, between $50,000 and $100,000, to preserve the government’s financial stability and claims management efficiency, it said.
Following discussion, the committee held the bill for further consideration, it said.
Present at the hearing were Sens. Novelle E. Francis Jr., Marvin A. Blyden, Angel L. Bolques Jr., Dwayne M. DeGraff, Ray Fonseca, Hubert L. Frederick, Marise C. James, Carla J. Joseph, Avery L. Lewis, and Kurt A. Vialet.
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. calls the $35K minimum salary bill financially risky, while Sen. Kurt Vialet says it’s a necessary step for long-overdue wage equity. (Source file photos)
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. is calling on lawmakers to reconsider a sweeping pay mandate passed earlier this month that would raise the minimum annual salary for government employees to $35,000, warning that the measure, if enacted without funding, could derail the territory’s financial recovery and force cuts to essential public services.
The proposal, laid out in Bill No. 36-0053 and sponsored by Sen. Kurt Vialet, was approved unanimously by the Legislature earlier this month and would raise the government’s current minimum salary from $27,040 to $35,000 beginning Oct. 1, 2025. The increase would apply to full-time employees in the executive branch, semiautonomous agencies, and independent instrumentalities. Though the bill requires a fiscal impact report by March 2026 and biennial reviews starting in 2028, it includes no funding source — a point that has drawn sharp criticism from the governor.
“This bill, while sounding good in principle and aiming to help people with the rising cost of living, is nothing more than a feel-good measure that gives struggling Virgin Islanders a false sense of hope,” Bryan said in a statement issued Thursday. “If enacted into law, it will lead to cost-cutting measures that will directly impact the very employees it claims to support and will set us back financially as a government and a people.”
Citing data from the Office of Management and Budget, Bryan pegged the total first-year cost at $37.9 million. That figure includes roughly $5.2 million for approximately 1,300 employees receiving average $4,000 raises; $12 million in salary adjustments for an additional 3,000 employees who would need to be brought into compliance with the new minimum; $7.9 million in fringe benefits; and $13 million to account for increased employer contributions to the Government Employees’ Retirement System. Bryan said the mandate would further strain already underfunded agencies like the hospitals, Waste Management Authority, and WAPA, while putting needed infrastructure investments at risk. “Hope is not a plan,” he added. “Kicking the can down the road does not make this mandate any more affordable.”
But in a phone interview with the Source on Tuesday, Vialet pushed back, saying the Legislature has the authority to set the minimum salary for government workers and that doing so does not override or interfere with ongoing union negotiations. He emphasized that collective bargaining units would still negotiate their own wage structures — and said many of those agreements will not be finalized before the bill’s Oct. 1 effective date. “The governor and his collective bargaining team would still need to address those contracts as they always have,” Vialet said.
The senator also took issue with the administration’s financial projections, arguing that the real impact of the bill is being overstated. Vialet estimated the raise would directly apply to just over 900 employees and said the administration’s larger figure appears to include costs associated with adjusting union-negotiated wages upward in tandem. “The bill addresses those at the bottom,” he said, pointing out that some groups, including custodial workers, haven’t seen an increase since 2015, when their salaries were brought up to $27,000. “These are just responsible decisions that have to be made.”
According to Vialet, senators deliberately chose the Oct. 1 implementation date to align with the close of the budget markup process, giving them time to identify savings. He said a targeted reduction in overtime by as much as 50%, for example, could free up approximately $12.5 million. Other potential savings could come from scaling back the use of government vehicles or eliminating redundant positions – moves Vialet described as difficult but necessary trade-offs. “We are at the beginning of the budget process, and this gives us time to make adjustments and set priorities,” he said.
Still, the governor remained firm in his opposition. He said the measure not only puts the government at risk of overextending itself financially, but also undermines the structure of collective bargaining and jeopardizes the progress made over the past six years — progress that includes repaying 2011 salary cuts, distributing over $60 million in retroactive wages, and negotiating raises for teachers, law enforcement, and front line staff.
“We have fought hard to stabilize our finances, repay workers, and invest in infrastructure and essential services. This bill threatens all of that,” Bryan said. “It does not build on our progress. It threatens to dismantle it.” He urged senators to return to the table and work collaboratively with the executive branch on a phased, fully funded plan. “If we are truly serious about helping working families and building a stronger government, then we must be just as serious about how we pay for it.”
Town hall participants share a bite and a sip before entering St. John legislative chambers. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
St. John residents were invited on Thursday to eat and meet top officials of the Schneider Regional Medical Center at the island’s first Dinner with a Doctor event. Organizers said they hoped to use the occasion to share insights on how health care is delivered on island.
That task fell to Dr. Joseph DeJames, who has provided medical care to St. John residents and visitors at the Myrah Keating Smith Clinic for more than a quarter century. About two dozen participants took seats in the Cleone Creque Legislative Chambers to hear the presentation.
Participants also heard from Schneider Regional’s leader of facilities and capital development, Darryl Smalls, who is responsible for the reconstruction of the territory’s hospitals and medical centers.
Darryl Smalls shares plans for rebuilding Myrah Keating Smith Clinic on St. John. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
Medical Center Chief Executive Tina Comissiong welcomed all of those who joined the Thursday event, including relatives of the clinic’s namesake. “The monthly Dinner with a Doctor event is our chance to have open dialogue, to increase awareness about important health topics and to empower our community through shared knowledge,” Comissiong said.
DeJames took a moment to acknowledge Myrah Keating Smith. “She was one of the original health care providers here. She was trained as a midwife in the United States, but she had a much wider role than just being a midwife taking care of pregnant women,” he said.
DeJames commended the St. John clinic staff and said in many ways they uphold the spirit of doing more with less. Audience members, including Senate Health Committee Chair Sen. Ray Fonseca, asked the doctor what the clinic lacked.
Ian Samuel questions medical center officials about clinic rebuild plans. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
He said there are times when resources are not as abundant as they could be; that’s when decisions on what and how to allocate come into play.
When it was his turn to speak, Smalls said the old Keating Clinic building would be replaced with facilities designed to be self-sustaining for 30 days. The new clinic would also meet the same standards as other hospitals and medical centers in the Virgin Islands and be built to last for at least 50 years.
Smalls also told the St. John group that a contractor had been identified to get the reconstruction project started, but the work protocols still had to be finalized.
