Several newly elected senators received an informal introduction to the realities of legislative service Thursday, as members of the 36th Legislature offered advice on navigating political disagreements, managing public expectations and confronting government problems that will remain unresolved when the next Legislature takes office in January.
Among the senators-elect attending the November 12 session were Hadiya Sewer, who defeated incumbent Senator Angel Bolques Jr. for the territory-wide senator-at-large seat; Rudel Hodge Jr., elected in the St. Thomas-St. John District; and Jose "Besse" Gonzalez, one of three newcomers elected to represent St. Croix.
Their attendance provided an opportunity to observe the legislative process before assuming office January 11, 2027, while current senators used the occasion to share lessons from their own experiences.
Senate President Milton Potter, who will leave the Legislature to become lieutenant governor in the incoming Plaskett administration, urged the newcomers to maintain professional relationships even when disagreements become contentious.
"You can disagree, disagree fiercely, disagree passionately, but…never lose respect for each other," Potter advised.
"Our territory is too small, this body is too small, and our challenges are too big for us to hold on to grudges. Grudges become an impediment to progress," he warned.
Potter encouraged the incoming lawmakers to remain focused on the responsibilities of public service rather than the status associated with elected office.
"Let your work speak louder than your title," he urged.
Senator Bolques, who will surrender his senator-at-large seat to Sewer following his defeat in the November 3 general election, offered a similarly practical message about working with colleagues despite personal differences.
"You don't have to like the people you work with. You just work with them," Bolques said. "At the end of the day, do your job."
Outgoing Senator Novelle Francis Jr. delivered a more pointed warning about the demands that elected office places on a lawmaker's personal life.
"Word of caution to the Senator-Elect: Enjoy your civilian life. Come January 11th, you're one of them. You no longer have a life," Francis said.
His remarks reflected the considerable public expectations placed on senators, whose responsibilities extend beyond legislative hearings and voting to constituent services, oversight and responding to problems affecting residents throughout the territory.
Vialet warns of difficult challenges awaiting the 37th Legislature
Senate Majority Leader Kurt Vialet offered perhaps the most sobering assessment of the work awaiting the incoming lawmakers, pointing to persistent problems within government institutions that legislative appropriations and oversight have not resolved.
"The next Legislature is going to have a really heavy slate in front of them, and not a slate that is easily solved, or a slate that could be solved by the Legislature alone," Vialet said.
While defending the efforts of lawmakers to address the territory's longstanding problems, Vialet argued that the Legislature's ability to effect change is frequently limited by the performance of agencies responsible for implementing legislative decisions.
He described the "issue" as "implementation at the executive level."
Among the examples he cited were the University of the Virgin Islands' accreditation challenges, the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority's ongoing federal suspension and repeated leadership changes within the territory's hospital system.
"We have supported the University of the Virgin Islands by countless appropriations, but it's up to them to be able to retain that accreditation," Vialet said.
As previously reported by The Consortium, UVI remains accredited but is operating under a Non-Compliance Show Cause designation imposed by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. University officials have requested that the designation be reduced to probation or warning as the institution prepares to appear before the commission on November 19.
Vialet also emphasized the need for the Housing Finance Authority to resolve its suspension by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The federal action has disrupted housing recovery and homeownership initiatives across the territory. During testimony earlier this week, VIHFA Executive Director Derek Gabriel confirmed that approximately 100 families remain affected by stalled home rebuilding and repair assistance, while the authority continues appealing HUD's decision.
Turning to healthcare, Vialet referenced what he described as eight hospital chief executive officers since 2014, arguing that repeated leadership changes without corresponding improvements indicate deeper institutional problems.
"So, systemically, something else is wrong," he said.
His remarks underscored the challenges facing the incoming Legislature, which will assume its responsibilities one week after Governor-elect Stacey Plaskett and Lieutenant Governor-elect Potter take office on January 4.
The next legislative body will include both returning senators and newly elected members, some of whom campaigned on promises of greater transparency, government accountability and improved public services.
The November 3 election brought several new faces into the Legislature, including candidates associated with TheFuture movement, whose victories reflected voter interest in changing the territory's political leadership and approach to governance.
For the senators-elect who attended Thursday's proceedings, the messages from their future colleagues offered an early indication of the expectations awaiting them: maintain professional relationships, recognize the personal demands of office and prepare to address problems that have persisted through multiple legislative terms.
