Local News Shorts

St. Croix Times Staff

BMV Warns of Fake Texts

The V.I. Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) along with DMVs across the U.S. are warning drivers of a new batch of fake, phishing text messages, designed to scam respondents out of their personal and financial information.

The messages warn drivers of unpaid fees on traffic violations and threaten steep penalties, including additional fines and suspension of driving privileges if the driver does not comply. 

The texts are definitely not from any official government department. They are part of a growing trend of scammers using fear tactics under the guise of an official domain to get people’s personal information. 

The texts are titled: “Final Notice - Enforcement Penalties Beginning June 3.”

BMV urges the public not to click links or provide any personal information and to contact BMV directly. They remind residents that the correct name of the agency in the USVI is BMV (Bureau of Motor Vehicles) not DMV as it is in the States. Also, the BMV wants drivers to know it will never ask for information via text message.

Court Grants DOJ Request to Halt Parole Law

The Superior Court of the Virgin Islands has granted a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) preventing the Board of Parole from hearing pending parole applications while its membership lacks a quorum. At a later date the Court will hear arguments with respect to Governor Albert Bryan Jr.’s motion to enjoin the retroactive application of Act No. 8791 (which would make geriatric parole available to those otherwise ineligible for parole under the law applicable at the time of their sentencing).

“We are pleased that the Court has recognized the urgency and gravity of this matter,” said V.I. Department of Justice (DOJ) St. Thomas Chief Deputy Attorney General Ian Clement. “Retroactive application of the law in question would impermissibly allow the Legislature to reopen and revise final sentencing decisions of the courts and unlawfully reallocate executive power to determine parole eligibility.”

The law, which was passed by the V.I. Legislature, if enacted, would allow criminals previously ineligible for parole - based on court imposed sentences - to now apply for early release. The DOJ contends that this retroactive move unlawfully alters final judicial decisions, encroaching upon the separation of powers by interfering with both the authority of the courts and that of the Governor. 

While the TRO does not address these issues directly, it effectively halts enforcement of the statute and postpones all scheduled parole hearings pending further proceedings before the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands. The DOJ will continue to vigorously defend the integrity of judicial decisions and the constitutional powers of the executive branch.

VIPA Turns loss into $5.2M Profit

At a meeting of the V.I. Port Authority Governing Board, led by Executive Director Carlton Dowe, the Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA) announced that it has outperformed financial expectations for FY 2025 by turning a projected $3.9 million loss into a $5.2 million profit. The turnaround was mainly attributable by a $6 million marine division surplus, which offset a $1.2 million operating loss by the Aviation Division, and a near 400% surge in parking revenue from the recently opened Dale A. Gregory Transportation Center (parking lot) at the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas.

Cruise ship activity also increased by more than 21% over last year’s totals to just over 1.2 million passengers. These visitors generated $12.8 million in passenger charges, which was nearly $3 million more than the previous year. 

 CZM OKs Emergency Ctr. on STX

The St. Croix Coastal Zone Management Committee gave the go-ahead to the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) for a federally funded project to retrofit an abandoned Hermon Hill building and turn it into an Emergency Operations Center and safe room combined with VITEMA offices and its 911 Emergency Call Center.

“The support programs are badly needed for federal and local emergency personnel to respond to contemporary disasters,” said VITEMA Director Daryl Jaschen. “The facility has to be able to house 200 people for up to 24 hours during a storm, including support staff from FEMA and National Guard partners. That’s because they’ll basically have nowhere else to go…but that’s going to be a safe room to get them through those 24 hours while the storm passes.”

Although the project is still in the design phase, once construction does begin it will take 20-24 months to complete.The retrofit is funded by a FEMA grant but the cost to maintain the facility, approximately $280,000 annually, will fall to the VI government. 

USVI Inflation Rate Cools

According to data released by the Virgin Islands Bureau of Economic Research (BER), the U.S. Virgin Islands inflation rate came down slightly during 2024, showing an annual rate of 7.1% compared with 8.4% in 2023. This was the lowest recorded rate since 2020, it was more than double the 2.9% U.S. national average.

     There was  quite a variance between the three islands:

• St. Thomas was the highest at 9.6% which was down from 11.5% in 2023.

• St. John was 5.8% which was up 2.2% from the previous year.

• St. Croix came in at the lowest rate in 2024 at 5.3% which was down considerably from 2023 at 9.3%

The inflation rate tumbled down throughout 2024, hitting its peak of 8.6% in January of the year and falling to its lowest level in September at 5,4%.

Food was one of the biggest culprits rising at a rate of 8.8%, but the temporary spike in egg prices late in the year accounted for a good deal of the increase. 

2025 looks to be a year of uncertainty as far as prices are concerned. Much depends on President Trump’s worldwide tariffs which are meeting a great deal of resistance from countries around the globe. The big question remains, if the tariffs are to remain in place, will the giant companies decide to tuck the increases into their own bottom line or pass them on to consumers.