Dear Editor, ‘Come Home’ Rings Hollow When the Struggles That Drove Us Away Still Exist

Dear Chief Editor,   I write in response to Former Senator Nereida “Nellie” Rivera-O’Reilly’s recent public statement urging Virgin Islanders abroad to “come back home.” As a resident of St. Croix, I found her remarks deeply disappointing and out of touch with the reality many of us continue to endure in the Virgin Islands.   For someone who served five consecutive terms in the Legislature, her comments fail to account for the very issues that forced so many Virgin Islanders to leave in the first place—unaffordable living costs, crumbling infrastructure, healthcare facilities still awaiting reconstruction nearly eight years after the hurricanes, an education system plagued by shortages and decay, and a public safety crisis that leaves too many of us feeling unsafe in our own neighborhoods.   This is not simply a matter of one social media post. It is a question of accountability.   During her time in office, Senator Rivera-O’Reilly was part of a governing body that oversaw: ...