Bryan's Last State of the Territory Address Before His First Term in Office Ends Happens Monday. Here's What to Expect.

Governor Albert Bryan on Monday will deliver his fourth and last State of the Territory Address before his first term in office ends. The address was previously scheduled for January 10, but Mr. Bryan requested a delay to the 24th, citing rapid spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. The virus's spread has since leveled off, with cases tumbling from an early January high of nearly 4,000 active infections, to 1,456 as of Wednesday.

Even so, access to the Legislature is restricted to invited guests, according to a release from the Legislature. "All persons in attendance will be required to present a negative Covid-19 test prior to entry into the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall and masks must be worn for the duration of the session," reads a portion of the release.

Senate President Donna Frett-Gregory said she wants to hear the governor discuss strategies to address critical issues facing the territory. “I am looking forward to hearing plans surrounding education, the economy, infrastructure, ongoing recovery efforts and improvements to our healthcare system," she said.

What to Expect from Governor Bryan

It's Mr. Bryan's last State of the Territory Address before his first term comes to an end. More importantly, it's also an election year, and the governor is expected to face challenges from opponents who have yet to announce their intention to run for office.

Accomplishments

The governor will spend considerable time highlighting the administration's accomplishments in a bid to convince the electorate that he is worthy of a second term. Expect to hear Mr. Bryan list accomplishments relative to historic funding allocations for disaster recovery, ongoing territory-wide road repairs, and major local projects underway, including many at the V.I. Port Authority, led by VIPA's Executive Director Carlton Dowe.