Op-Ed: Corruption Has High Economic Costs and Should Be Combated

Recent revelations of public corruption in the U.S. Virgin Islands have shocked the community.

Three cabinet members face charges of bribery, honest service wire fraud, contract manipulation, and money laundering — an unprecedented number for any administration. Public corruption in the V.I. has long been suspected, dating back to the 1960s, and it likely caused economic drag. Still, due to a lack of investigations, the actual economic costs have not been documented or estimated. This raises four critical questions:

What is public corruption?
When should we be concerned about it?
How did the Virgin Islands reach this state?
What actions can combat public corruption in the USVI?

Public corruption is defined as government officials using their powers illegitimately for personal gain. It can manifest as bribery, extortion, nepotism, cronyism, and embezzlement. The most prevalent form typically involves public officials accepting bribes in exchange for favorable decisions, licensing, contract awards, or hiring. More subtle forms may involve campaign contributions intended to influence the politician to implement policies favorable to the interest of donors at the expense of the common good.