Senate and administration members recommended for $349K in pay increases by Compensation Commission

ST. CROIX — A dozen executive branch government officials including the governor and lieutenant governor as well as all 15 senators have been recommended to receive a total of $349,005 in salary increases from the Virgin Islands Public Officials Compensation Commission, according to the commission’s study.

Act No. 7878, sponsored by former Senator Positive Nelson, established the Compensation Commission in May 2016 to review the salaries of public officials and make recommendations for changes. The law required the Commission to submit a report of the results of its review and its recommendations to the governor, Senate president, and chief justice of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court.

The law was amended in October 2020 by Act No. 8384, sponsored by then-Senator Janelle Sarauw. The amendment offered key changes that required the Commission’s first report be submitted by May 30, 2022, and clarified the Commission’s recommendations would be automatically approved if the Legislature failed to act upon them within 90 days.

The report was transmitted by the chairperson of the Commission on August 13, 2024 to Governor Albert Bryan Jr., Senate President Novelle Francis Jr., and Chief Justice Rhys Hodge via email. The report gave an explanation as to why it was two years tardy. The Senate, however, did not amend the law to reflect a new date for submission of the report. Bryan confirmed the commission sent its report to him as well as to the Senate president and chief justice. Francis, however, said he has not yet received the official report. “I’m aware a study was done and that a report was forthcoming,” he said on Friday.