Bryan Confirms Central Gov’t Officials Also Received Raises, Challenges Critics with List of Administration Milestones

Governor Albert Bryan Jr. confirmed to the Consortium on Wednesday that all salary increase recommendations made by the V.I. Public Officials Compensation Commission for officials in the central government have been implemented. While the governor had previously acknowledged the raises for himself and Lieutenant Governor Tregenza Roach, this marks the first time he publicly stated that the full slate of recommended adjustments across central government leadership was enacted.

"All the recommendations were implemented," Governor Bryan told the Consortium.

In total, twelve central-government public official positions were recommended for salary increases in the VIPOCC study. These include top posts such as the governor (+21.9%), lieutenant governor (+25.7%), and attorney general (+13.8%). Other positions with recommended adjustments include the commissioners of Labor (+8.2%), Licensing & Consumer Affairs (+7.0%), Planning & Natural Resources (+11.0%), and Human Services (+2.2%). Also listed were the executive directors of the Career & Technical Education Board (+9.1%), Public Employees Relations Board (+6.3%), and Taxicab Commission (+15.3%), as well as the Virgin Islands Inspector General (+3.4%) and Supervisor of Elections (+13.8%). All other executive branch positions were recommended to remain at existing salary levels with no increase.

The revelation came as Governor Bryan defended the salary adjustments while pushing back against Lieutenant Governor Roach’s recent call for the raises to be rescinded.

"You can't just rescind the law. I'm trying to understand what the issue is with the increase," Mr. Bryan said.

He argued that leaders of government instrumentalities — such as WAPA, the territory’s hospitals, and the University of the Virgin Islands — earn significantly more, with UVI's president making over $350,000 annually in addition to other benefits.

"The report lays out the judicial salaries at 225k, which they already made before the report was issued. The Delegate makes 174k. Is the report flawed? No one has said that. So it has to be sour grapes because the Legislature wasn’t adjudicated. This salary hasn’t changed in 20 years. If an independent commission isn’t trustworthy enough to suggest government salaries, what is?"