CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Governor Albert Bryan Jr. issued the following statement expressing grave disappointment with a vote by the Virgin Islands Historic Preservation Committee to remove the “I Love St. Thomas” sign at Vendors Plaza in Charlotte Amalie:
“The vote and the subsequent comments made Thursday by some members of the Virgin Islands Historic Preservation Committee are extremely disappointing and are unfortunately indicative of how individuals continue to use this committee as a vehicle to hinder efforts and initiatives to revitalize our territory’s towns.
“The Bryan-Roach Administration continues to push investments and champion initiatives aimed at boosting commerce, affordable housing and tourism to our historic towns. And it is disheartening to see a small handful of individuals continue to stand in the way of that progress by using their personal opinions as a cudgel to beat down the improvement efforts supported by the masses of Virgin Islands residents who want to see improvements made in our towns and historic districts.”
“Our administration values the importance of preserving our cultural and historic landmarks and support the entities who work to ensure that preservation. However, the guide of that preservation should rest with reasonable application of the committee’s mandates and not the whims of individuals’ personal opinions.”