Bosede Bruce takes oath of office on Friday, Dec. 3 at the Battery in St. John, USVI. By. VI CONSORTIUM
Six months after she was announced and accepted by the Senate to be the commissioner of Finance, Bosede Bruce took her oath of office on Friday in a swearing-in ceremony at The St. John Battery — the first official event at The Battery since the ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday.
The opportunity to be sworn-in approximately six months after the approval was fulfilling Ms. Bosede's dream of taking the oath of office in the territory she grew up and was “nurtured” in, Ms. Bruce said.
Led by Chief Justice Rhys Shelley Hodge, the Finance commissioner swore in the presence of family, friends, and invited guests to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the laws of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Her commissioner’s pinning was done by acting Lieutenant Governor, President of the Senate Donna Frett-Gregory, who serves in the acting Lt. Gov. capacity when the lieutenant governor is off island. She described Ms. Bruce's leadership skills as “unmatched," and said in her remarks, “You've been on the job for six months so your feet are not getting wet, they are done wet, you deep in."
Describing her tenure as commissioner designee as one in which she made a significant impact on the functioning of the Finance Department, Governor Bryan Albert listed several achievements which he said are positively impacting the people of the Virgin Islands.
“Since she has come in May, she has orchestrated the Child Tax Credit which gives families with children $300 per month until December; she has led and orchestrated the payment of the $10 million to retirees for the retro fund.
“She released $25 million in September to pay past-due tax returns and finally reach 2019; she paid back a nine-year debt of $40 million of the general fund to the people of the Virgin Islands at 8 percent; she has put away and split $540 million in each of our two major banks – $270 million each,” he said.
Elaborating further, Mr. Bryan stated, “On Monday she is going to release another $25 million that will probably take us into the 2022 tax payout year, and before the end of this year, she is going to be totally caught up in tax payments and returns in the Virgin Islands for the first time in about 15 to 20 years,” he said.
