Senate

Bryan Welcomes New Senators but Voices Concern Over Independents, Urges Progress Over Resistance

Governor Albert Bryan Jr. says he is encouraged by the enthusiasm of newly elected senators preparing to enter the 37th Legislature of the Virgin Islands, but expressed uncertainty about the policy priorities of the incoming independent lawmakers and urged them to embrace compromise rather than resistance when working with the next administration. Speaking during Monday's Government House press briefing, the outgoing governor was asked for his assessment of the Legislature's incoming membership, which includes several political newcomers and an expanded group of independent senators. “It always is of concern to me when we have a lot of independents,” Mr. Bryan said. The governor half-jokingly suggested that he had grown accustomed to the political positions of Democratic senators, who could be counted on to “gang up and vote against me.” With the independents, however, he said their policy objectives were less familiar. “I don’t know where they’re coming from,” he remarked. Despit...