Governor and Top Officials Receive Pay Raises, Announced Days After Taking Effect

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. announced late Sunday that he had accepted the Virgin Islands Public Officials Compensation Commission’s (VIPOCC) recommendations to increase salaries for the governor, lieutenant governor, and other top officials. The announcement came through a press release sent at 8:40 p.m., days after the raises took effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

The VIPOCC report, submitted to the governor and the Legislature in August 2024, though never publicly announced by the Commission, outlined that public officials’ salaries had not been adjusted since 2006, leading to significant disparities when compared to other U.S. jurisdictions and private sector roles. According to the Commission, the adjustments — totaling about $349,000 — were necessary to reflect the scope of responsibilities, attract skilled professionals, and align compensation with the financial realities of the territory.

The Commission, established under Act No. 7878 and amended by Act No. 8384 in October 2020, is tasked with evaluating public officials’ salaries. The amendment required the first report by May 30, 2022, which senators contacted by the Source Sunday night said was not submitted. It also included a provision that recommendations would be automatically approved if the Legislature failed to act within 90 days of submission. Delays in funding and contracting for the independent compensation study pushed the completion of the report beyond its initial deadline, according to the Commission.