Mr. Bryan Gave Himself A 90-Day Window To Name The Remainder Of His Cabinet

Critical government arms such as the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Office of Management and Budget have yet to receive leadership under the Bryan administration, and Governor Bryan, during a press conference held on St. Croix Tuesday, gave himself a 90-day window to name the remainder of his cabinet, giving no indication as to when during the three months the announcements would come.

“We do have some other selections we can’t name at this time because of business interest and people that need to be notified in order for us to come public with them,” Mr. Bryan said. “It may take us within 90 days to name everyone because some people, even though they are ready to come on board, they have other commitments that will keep them working or otherwise occupied for some time, and we don’t want to announce people before they’re ready to come on.”

Mr. Bryan said his chief of staff, Karl Knight, asked him what was the rush with naming cabinet heads. “I’m like, my clock is ticking, I’m already eight days into my administration; time is running out,” Mr. Bryan said he responded.

Crime has been surging this year, with St. Croix already experiencing four homicides for 2019, three of which came within the first eight days of the year. A recent shooting in St. Thomas left three men injured. Mr. Bryan even addressed the crime issue during his press conference on Tuesday. “We’ve had studies, consent decrees, and prayer vigils, but what we need is real action from all corners of our community to protect our young people,” Mr. Bryan said in a release issued late Tuesday. “We need to improve the socioeconomic standing for many of our families, and to do better in our efforts to offer places of refuge for our young people who believe they are out of alternatives.”

Meanwhile, the Office of Management and Budget has yet to receive a director, even as the government’s financial condition remains fragile. During a V.I.P.C. interview on The Consortium, Mr. Bryan, then governor-elect, said the government’s financial situation was bad.

“We’re bad,” Mr. Bryan said, referring to the government’s coffers. “We’re solid through December, but come January when all these raises kick in, we’re going to have to work hard to make sure that we’re balancing the funds.”

Other critical government arms yet to receive leadership include the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs, which, among other duties, includes monitoring local businesses to ensure they keeping in line with Virgin Islands consumer laws. The Department of Education, which is currently facing a myriad of issues including problems with the learning facilities, was not among the departments to receive leadership on Tuesday. Others include the Economic Development Authority, the Virgin Islands Port Authority, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Justice.