🏛️ Government · U.S. Virgin Islands
Bryan nominates Averil George for Human Services commissioner and outlines Washington, Chicago meetings
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. announced on October 2, 2023, that he had nominated Averil George to serve as commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Human Services.
During the same Government House briefing on St. Thomas, Bryan said $10 million in income-tax refunds had been released to taxpayers who filed 2021 returns by the April 18, 2022 deadline.
Bryan also summarized meetings in Washington, D.C., where he said administration officials discussed extending the federal rum cover-over rate from $10.50 per gallon to $13.25, the reopening of the refinery on St. Croix, and the territory's request for a waiver of FEMA's 10% local match requirement for disaster-recovery projects.
He said the administration also met with the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and other HUD officials regarding efforts to resolve contract disputes involving the Water and Power Authority's propane provider, Vitol, and to acquire the propane terminal as a territorial asset.
Bryan said the Washington trip coincided with the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference. He also said the administration was recognized there for work on an integrated health-care delivery system, including a Health IT Strategic Plan, a Health Information Exchange pilot with CRISP Shared Services, and emergency patient-tracking systems.
Bryan said he later took part in a fireside chat at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago, where he promoted investment opportunities in the Virgin Islands and met with potential investors.
He said the Office of Cannabis Regulation was accepting public comments through October 10, 2023, on draft rules and regulations for adult-use cannabis in the territory.