CRUZ BAY — Governor Albert Bryan addressed residents of the territory during the weekly briefing Monday from the Battery in St. John, after touring the newly constructed Head Start center in Cruz Bay.
“I am totally excited about this project, which is one of six Head Start and other support facilities under various phases of construction throughout the territory, and the only Head Start facility on the Island of St. John,” he said.
Touting the progress that has been made at the Cruz Bay Head Start facility, the governor noted it will also be a center that can house meetings and trainings, which provides resources to the community. The governor mentioned other critical infrastructure projects in the recovery and rebuilding process, like Altona lagoon, where the bridge at the lagoon is now poured and coming along nicely.
Bryan was joined by VITEMA Director Daryl Jaschen and Virgin Islands National Guard Adjutant General Kodjo Knox-Limbacker.
Jaschen provided the latest updates on activity in the Atlantic and the territory’s ongoing hurricane preparedness efforts. A tropical storm moving towards the Gulf Coast and Florida is not expected to directly impact the Virgin Islands. It’s expected to turn into a Category 3 major hurricane by Thursday. There are disorganized showers with a tropical depression moving westward across the Atlantic within a week or so.
Jaschen warned of an existing heat advisory and urged residents, especially on St. Croix, to be aware of the signs of heat exhaustion: headaches, nausea, extreme thirst and heavy sweating. As this is the last week of hurricane preparedness month, Jaschen urged residents to sign up to receive emergency notifications with AlertVI.
Knox-Limbacker announced that as of September 12, 2024, the VI Army National Guard has been released from the National Guard Bureau Army Assisted Office Program. The program was initiated after an investigation identified 167 action areas, ranging from governance to operational readiness. Now, with 140 of those action items successfully addressed, Knox-Limbacker said VING is recognized as a force that is ready, relevant and responsive.
“This was a tremendous accomplishment,” he said, owing to a change in performance culture, hard work, proper governance and tremendous progress, which enabled a higher state of combat readiness. Knox-Limbacker said the VI National Guard has demonstrated a knowledge of strategic planning and performance management that has proven that VING is a joint force that can deploy globally to meet our nation’s needs.
After addressing serious findings from a 2018 audit, including deficiencies and troubling allegations of sexual abuse and harassment, Bryan said, “I am proud to share that the Virgin Islands National Guard has been removed from receiver status. This is a testament to the hard work and commitment of General Knox-Limbacker and his team to restore integrity and accountability within the Guard. This achievement not only strengthens the Guard’s readiness but also reaffirms our trust in the men and women who serve our territory with honor and dedication. I will continue to support the national guard soldiers as they support us.”
Bryan took aim at those who spread misinformation into the public sphere before attempting to verify or fact check it. “It’s clear that many in our community feel a level of mistrust in government and today, what we are seeing is the deliberate exploitation of that mistrust by individuals who want to divide us for their own gain,” he said. “Despite these efforts, I am here to assure you that your government is working tirelessly for you. We are committed to transparency and accountability because we know that trust is something that must be earned.”
“And if you have a solution, we would love to hear it, express it in the positive and let’s start a conversation. We are in this together, and together, we will continue to build a stronger, more resilient Virgin Islands for all of us,” Bryan added.
The governor urged residents to pay attention to who is offering real solutions and who is simply reminding members of the public about the community’s struggles.
“Who is bringing to light the opportunities we are creating, like the homeownership programs, the free educational initiatives, the rental and mortgage assistance, and even the programs designed to make your homes more energy resilient? These are real, tangible efforts to improve your lives,” he said. “So, I ask you today to trust us a little more and to ignore the noise.”