Senate Moves Too Slowly, Says Bryan, Defending Unilateral Decision To Pay VITOL With Money From General Fund
“If I was doing what I really wanted to, we could have taken all the funding from WAPA and the light bill would have gone to 63 cents a kilowatt hour.” That was Governor Albert Bryan Jr., responding to questions about the executive branch’s decision to take $45 million from the general fund in order to meet a looming payment deadline on behalf of the territory’s Water and Power Authority.
2023-10-13 14:12:05 - VI News Staff
During an exclusive interview with the Consortium, the governor was quizzed about the use of money from the territory’s general fund without explicit authorization from the Legislature, a move which infuriated lawmakers. Mr. Bryan defended the action, saying that he did what was necessary to keep the negotiated settlement between WAPA and energy supplier Vitol alive. “Sometimes I wish I could not pay the $45 million and let the lights go out for a week with no power at all, and then see what people’s reaction [would be],” he contested.
When asked why he did not reach out to senators with an urgent request for authorization, Governor Bryan said that the Legislature moves too slowly. “Everything I brought the Legislature in to do, they took 60 days,” he complained. Lawmakers, however, have often accused Government House of trying to force the issue by sending bills down with no time for adequate deliberation or consideration.
Mr. Bryan argued that by now, he should be trusted to properly steward the territory’s finances. “I think it’s insulting to me as the Governor of the Virgin Islands, [especially] after we went through Covid. People second-guessed my every move during Covid. And we…came out on top. And the reason why we came out on top is because we had to be decisive,” he declared.
“I could have declared a state of emergency and do the same thing. But I didn't do that. The legislation allows me to use any and all means to pay the $45 million. It's not like I took $45 million and went on my own road trip or had a good time. I paid $45 million for people in the Virgin Islands to keep the lights on,” he continued.