Government House asks residents to back St. John land swap for school site

Government House Communications Director Richard Motta said on July 10 that the Bryan administration was seeking public support for a proposed land exchange between the Virgin Islands government and the National Park Service to obtain nearly a dozen acres on St. John for construction of a prekindergarten-through-12th-grade public school.

Speaking at the weekly Government House press briefing, Motta urged residents to testify at a Committee of the Whole hearing scheduled for July 11 on St. John. He said the 35th Legislature was set to vote on the measure on July 20.

Motta also addressed thefts and vandalism at schools on St. Croix and St. Thomas. He said more than 100 solar panels were stolen from the St. Croix Educational Complex over the weekend, and that vandalism at at least one campus on St. Thomas had caused damage that set back Education Department preparations for the new school year.

He said another round of income tax refund payments totaling about $17 million had been issued. The payments covered individuals owed refunds for tax year 2021 and earlier who filed before April 11, 2022.

Motta also thanked Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Service personnel who fought the Bovoni Landfill fire over the weekend. He said the condition of firefighter Jerrel Brown, who was injured at the Vester Gade fire in Savan, was improving, and he also referenced injuries to firefighter Melanesia Hendrickson in that fire.

He also noted honors for Aliyah Boston, who was named a WNBA All-Star starter, and Nicholas D'Amour, who won gold in archery at the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-bryan-urges-community-support-for-st-john-land-swap/