The Virgin Islands Consortium Will Interview Governor Mapp On Thursday. Send In Your Questions.

ST. CROIX — The Virgin Islands Consortium will be interviewing Governor Kenneth Mapp on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in his office at Government House here, in what is expected to be our second in-depth, one-on-one conversation with the commander in chief of the U.S. Virgin Islands, since he took office in January 2015.

The interview will be conducted by Consortium Publisher Ernice Gilbert, who has interviewed the governor on multiple occasions before and after taking office.

On Monday, Mr. Mapp delivered his fourth State of the Territory Address before an anxious territory, whose residents were eager to hear about the governor’s plans for the last stretch of his first term in office. During his hourslong speech, the governor spoke on healthcare, the Government Employees’ Retirement System (G.E.R.S.), funding for the recovery of the territory following Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the expansion of the Limetree Bay Terminals for an additional storage capacity of 15 million barrels of oil, education, road construction, housing and, in closing, he asked the people of the territory for four more years in office to finish what he started.

“The state of our territory is good, it is hopeful. But the demands and burdens on our shoulders are heavy. If we do our work and make the right decisions, the prognosis for our future is bright. Tonight, I am upbeat, full of energy, because you, the people of the Virgin Islands, have chosen a path to a brighter future. Hurricanes Irma and Maria have done all the harm that they can do,” the governor said.

But aside from seeking federal dollars, there was no clear plan to fix the many woes facing so many areas of the government. On G.E.R.S., Mr. Mapp said the government should not allow it fail, without giving any suggestion on how to save it aside from seeking new individuals to run the board. G.E.R.S. has a pension liability of over $4 billion, and it is projected to collapse in 2023 or earlier — potentially bringing down the entire VI economy with it.

On Education, the governor spoke of seeking federal dollars to repair and rebuild schools, but there was no discussion on how to stop the constant flow of educators out of the territory — many of whom have complained about the low salary and heavy biweekly deductions from their pay.

And there was no solution given on how to bridge a budget deficit nearing $300 million.

Do you have questions for the governor? Post them in the comments, or send them to [email protected], as The Consortium is expected to choose a few to ask the governor.

Also, we should carry the interview live on our website and Facebook platform, pending internet service at Government House is adequate.