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Welcome to "The Monday Digest", a new series on VI Consortium that is simple as it sounds: helping our readers start the week with excerpts of stories that occurred over the weekend.
By the way, remember to download our app — hailed by readers as a must-have — to get the news directly to your phone without searching for it. Sounds good? Click the blue link above.
Below, the top weekend stories:
Governor Bryan Extends Stay-at-Home Order
The order, set to expire today at 6:00 a.m., was extended to Sept. 8 as Covid-19 cases held steady. The V.I. Department of Health on Friday reported 43 new cases of the virus. The department had previously reported 45 cases between Wednesday and Thursday, and 46 cases between Monday and Tuesday, for a total of 134 cases between Monday-Friday last week.
Untimely Death of Chadwick Boseman
Mr. Boseman served as a role model for many black children — and adults — who grew up seeing only whites as heroes in comic books and superhero movies. His death came as a result of a 4-year battle with colon cancer. Full read is here.
8 Senators Clear Path for Bryan to Shop Bond Market
The expected outcome of a consequential vote in the V.I. Legislature on Friday saw 8 senators supporting a measure sent to the Senate by Mr. Bryan that will use $150 million in reserve funding while ceding control of the Internal Revenue Matching Fund (rum cover-over funds), in pursuit of lower interest rates in a refinancing deal the administration has said will save the government millions of dollars.
Dissenting lawmakers were straightforward, contending that the deal was detrimental to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Holding up a document, Senator Kurt Vialet said, "The numbers are here, they just failed to be honest and to disclose exactly what's happening. And the numbers we have seen clearly say they're taking all the savings, putting it on the frontend for three years, and then on the backend this government of the Virgin Islands — from 2033, 2034, 2035, 2036 — is going to lose $50 million to $60 million. That's what the numbers say. The numbers say that there's a net saving of $52.5 million. Tell me how is that possible when you're already cashing out [$150 million] that belong to the people of the Virgin Islands, but it's only a net saving of $52 million."
He added, "They have not been forthcoming with the numbers. They have not told the truth. Anybody that is comfortable with individuals who come before you and not tell the truth consistently and you've got to probe and prod, something is wrong. If it's a good deal be honest and let us know exactly what numbers we're dealing with."
Senators who supported the measure took great pains to explain why they backed the measure, stressing that the bill approved on Friday includes an amendment that gives the Senate the authority to review and ratify or fail a final version of the bill following the Bryan administration's shopping of the bond market to find a buyer of the plan.
Five senators voted against the measure, among them Senators Janelle Sarauw, Vialet, Dwayne DeGraff, Javan James and Oakland Benta. The eight senators who supported the measure were Allison DeGazon, Stedmann Hodge, Jr., Novelle Francis, Donna Frett-Gregory, Alicia Barnes, Myron Jackson, Marvin Blyden and Athneil Thomas.
Oriental Bank Moves to Help Customers Frustrated by Switch to New System, Long Lines
Following an article published on the Consortium documenting the woes of Oriental Bank customers — wait times lasting days, long lines, funds not appearing in accounts, no access to accounts — among other complaints following the bank's switch from the Scotiabank system to its own offering, the bank took action to better serve customers.
It opened Saturday and even Sunday, provided a tent and chairs at the Sunny Isle location for those tired of standing in line and in the sun, and took other steps to reassure customers.
In other weekend news, the V.I. National Guard acknowledged that one of its airmen was arrested on multiple rape charges; three organizations banded together to provided well over 1,000 backpacks to students; and Governor Bryan is set to introduce a bill to the Senate that would require persons coming into the territory to declare weapons and ammunition that they may be carrying before embarking on a flight to the USVI.
Our previous Monday Digest is here.
