34th Legislature displaying inactivity: No Public Hearings, No Committee Meetings

US VIRGIN ISLANDS – The members of the 34th Legislature took a page out the US Congress’ book: Recess! It appears to the public that this is what has occurred without any official announcement from the body. For the weeks of October 25, 2021, thru November 5, 2021, there has been no gathering in public by any committee or the body as a whole. Then prior to that majority of Senators were out of the territory attending the Annual Sea Trade Conference in Florida, which was schedule from September 27, 2021, thru September 30, 2021.

As Virgin Islanders and all interested parties were geared up to tune in to a scheduled hearing of the Committee on Rules and Judiciary chaired by Freshman Senator Milton E. Potter at the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall on St. Thomas, November 8, 2021, at 10 a.m. The committee had scheduled a seven-bill schedule divided into four blocks on its agenda. The extension from public discussion is extended as the meeting was postponed.

Still on the Legislature’s calendar Committee on Housing, Transportation and Telecommunications is scheduled to be postponed. The hearing chaired by the embattled Majority Leader, Marvin Blyden, who is facing an ethics committee action on a violation that the department has filed. The agenda featured three bills that are now in jeopardy of being heard this week.

There are no hearings scheduled for Tuesday, November 9, 2021 as the Committee on Education and Workforce Development, scheduled for that day was also cancelled. There is one hearing on the calendar, the Committee on Housing, Transportation and Telecommunications for Wednesday, November 10, 2021. Thursday, November 11, 2021, is Veterans Day Holiday and no meetings are scheduled for Friday, November 12, 2021. Activity is scheduled to pickup as the Committee on Rules & Judiciary will meet Monday, November 15, 2021, the Committee on Finance which was scheduled to meet on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, has been canclled and a Committee of the Whole will now be in its stead. On Wednesday, November 17, 2021, the Committee on Disaster Recovery and Infrastructure is scheduled to meet. The full body will engage in Legislative Session on Wednesday November 18, 2021, at the Earle B. Legislative Hall on St. Thomas at 10 a.m.