“I Cannot Rescind Laws”: Bryan Rebukes Legislature Over Salary Repeal Efforts, Lampoons Hearing as Political Theater
Governor Albert Bryan Jr. has issued a pointed statement following Monday’s legislative hearing and a press release from Senator Milton Potter regarding the controversial raises awarded to elected officials. The governor strongly criticized what he described as a politically motivated effort to undo the work of the Virgin Islands Public Officials Compensation Commission, calling the proceedings “a total waste of the community’s time and an unnecessary distraction.”
2025-06-05 15:44:41 - VI News Staff
At the heart of the dispute is the report issued by the Compensation Commission, which was created by the Legislature to conduct an independent review of salaries for elected and high-ranking government officials. The governor noted that the 31st and 33rd Legislatures had “commendably initiated” the comprehensive study, expending time and resources to ensure its findings were robust and data-driven. The purpose, he stressed, was to remove political bias from compensation decisions.
Despite the report being in the Legislature’s possession for several months, the governor said lawmakers have “failed to evaluate the findings painstakingly produced by the Commission.” Instead, he accused members of the 36th Legislature of taking a “reactionary and punitive stance” toward the very process they had created, without even conducting a public review of the report’s content.
“I urge the Legislature to utilize the resources provided to it and finally review the Commission’s findings,” Bryan stated. “Seeking to eliminate the work of the Commission through legislation targeted at executive salaries undermines the thoughtful work of the Commission, politicizes the process, and contravenes the purpose of the salary study.”
The governor also rejected the suggestion that he had any direct role in raising his own salary. “I did not ask for a raise, did not craft the legislation, and was not the approving authority for the Commission’s recommendations,” he said. “That was the Legislature, including many of the senators now objecting to its results.”