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Albert Bryan Jr.

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Albert Bryan
9th Governor of the United States Virgin Islands
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 7, 2019
LieutenantTregenza Roach
Preceded byKenneth Mapp
Personal details
Born
Albert Bryan Jr.

(1968-02-21) February 21, 1968 (age 56)
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseYolanda Cabodevilla
Children2
ResidenceGovernment House
EducationWittenberg University (BA)
University of the Virgin Islands (MBA)

Albert Bryan Jr. (born February 21, 1968) is an American Virgin Islander politician who is the ninth elected governor of the United States Virgin Islands, since 2019. He was commissioner of labor from 2007 to 2015.

A member of the National Governors Association, Bryan was appointed in February 2021, to co-chair the NGA Task Force on Community Renewal and is the territory's first governor to serve on any of the organization task force.[1]

Early life and professional career

Bryan was born on the island of St. Thomas, to Albert Sr. and Genevieve Pilgrim Bryan, the oldest of five sons. He grew up in the Savan neighborhood of Charlotte Amalie, the territory’s capital. As a teenager, Bryan moved to the island St. Croix, where he graduated from St. Dunstan's Episcopal High School in 1985. Bryan earned his Bachelor of Arts in economics from Wittenberg University in 1989. He later received a Master of Business Administration from the University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix Campus in 2003.[2]

In 2007, Governor John de Jongh appointed Bryan as Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Labor. When de Jongh's term ended in 2015, he returned to the private sector. Bryan was CEO and President of Aabra Group, a consulting firm, and Master Strategies, a recruiting firm. He also was executive director of the Virgin Islands chapter of Junior Achievement.[3]

Political career

In April 2018, Bryan officially announced his candidacy for Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands when he chosen Tregenza Roach. They won the August 4 Democratic primary earning 39.23% of the vote to defeat former Finance commissioner Angel E. Dawson Jr. and former Senator Allison "Allie" Petrus.[4] He led the 2018 general election with 38% of the vote and won a November 20 runoff election defeating incumbent governor Kenneth Mapp with over 54% of the vote.[5]

Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands (2019-present)

Bryan was inaugurated as the 9th governor of the United States Virgin Islands by Rhys Hodge, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands on January 7, 2019.[6]


On January 19, 2019, Bryan signed the Virgin Islands Medicinal Cannabis Patient Care Act into law.[7] On December 3, 2019, Bryan calls legislators into special session to add recreational cannabis amendment to the Cannabis Patient Care Act.[8] On May 19, 2020, Bryan resubmits amended Cannabis Patient Care Act to the 33rd Legislature. In October 2021, Bryan traveled to Colorado to learn more about the cannabis industry.[9]

Crime

On January 22, 2019, Bryan addressed the surging gun violence in the USVI.[10] Bryan and VIPD met with NYPD to discuss crime-fighting techniques and tour technology.[11] On August 30, 2021, Bryan announced a $1 million crime-fighting initiative focused on motivating the community to provide tips by rewarding $50,000 for any information leading to a homicide suspect being apprehend and $25,000 for any information on armed robberies.[12]

Transparent

On April 11, 2019, Bryan releases government transparency website.[13]

6 Year Term Attorney general

On January 28, 2019, Bryan introduce legislation allowing attorney general to serve six-year terms.[14]

EMS merge with Fire Service

On October 25, 2019, Bryan proposes legislation merging the V.I. Fire Service with EMS.[15]

WAPA

On August 14, 2019, Bryan announced all outstanding debt for prior and current years has been fully paid to the Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority.[16]

GERS

During the campaign trail, Bryan called for a $600 million bond and said he would secure the loan by attracting rum companies to save the pension system.[17] On February 8, 2022, Bryan signed a bill approved by the 34th Legislature into law allowing the USVI government to refinance the Internal Revenue Matching Fund Bonds to fund the Government Employees Retirement System for 30 years.[18]

2040 Vision

On October 18, 2020, Bryan and EDA launch 2040 Vision initiative seeking input from residents and Virgin Islanders residing abroad.[19]

Government employees

On August 16, 2021, Bryan signed bill into law repaying government employees their 8% percent taken from them in 2011.[20] On January 24, 2022, Bryan announced plan to pay retroactive wages to past and current government employees dating back from 1990.[21]

Political status

On his 2018 campaign platform, Bryan included the possibility of holding a status referendum in 2022 with the territory’s last recent status referendum held in 1993. He has advocated statehood for Puerto Rico by saying “One of the greatest things you can do for the territories is to make Puerto Rico a state because between the three of us (referring to himself and governors of Guam and Northern Marianas Islands) we only represent 300,000 people and we’re getting treated the same as Puerto Rico who has 3 million people.” while testifying before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources in 2019.[22]

COVID-19 pandemic

Further information: COVID-19 pandemic in the United States Virgin Islands

On March 13, 2020, Bryan declared a state of emergency in response to the arrival of coronavirus in the territory.[23] Effective March 25, Bryan ordered all non-essential businesses to close and residents stay at home. In April 2020, Bryan scored high with USVI voters after a poll was conducted on his handling of the pandemic.[24] On April 8, Bryan postponed in-person public school classes for remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.[25] On December 19, 2020, Bryan took the Covid-19 vaccine.[26] On June 7, 2021, Bryan announced his Vax-to-Win lottery incentive to increase vaccinations.[27]

Personal life

Bryan and his wife, Yolanda Cabodevilla, have been married since 1998. They have two daughters.[28]

References

  1. ^ "NGA Community Renewal Task Force Appoints Bryan as Co-Chair". St. Thomas Source. February 27, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  2. ^ "Governor Bryan". Government of the United States Virgin Islands. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  3. ^ "Governor Bryan". Government of the United States Virgin Islands. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  4. ^ "Albert Bryan And Tregenza Roach Win Democratic Primary". VI Consortium. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  5. ^ "Albert Bryan Becomes Ninth Elected Governor Of US Virgin Islands". VI Consortium. November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  6. ^ "Albert Bryan Jr. Takes Oath Of Office As 9th Elected Governor Of U.S. Virgin Islands". VI Consortium. January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  7. ^ "Governor Bryan Signs Medicinal Marijuana Bill Into Law". VI Consortium. January 19, 2019.
  8. ^ "U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Calls Special Session for Amendment to Cannabis Law". Lobby Comply. December 6, 2019.
  9. ^ "Cannabis and tourism brings U.S. Virgin Islands Governor to Denver". FOX31 Denver. October 28, 2021.
  10. ^ "Governor Bryan On Gun Violence: It's Time For Action". VI Consortium. January 22, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  11. ^ "Bryan, VIPD Meet With NYPD Officials, Experts From National Network for Safe Communities". St. John Source. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  12. ^ "Bryan Announces $1 Million Fund Rewarding $50,000 for Tips Leading to Homicide-Related Arrests, $25,000 for Armed Robberies". VI Consortium. August 30, 2021.
  13. ^ "Government launches financial transparency website". The Virgin Islands Daily News. April 11, 2019. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  14. ^ "Governor Bryan To Introduced Legislation Allowing Six-Year Terms For Attorneys General And Removal For Cause Only". VI Consortium. January 28, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  15. ^ "Governor Bryan Introduces Legislation Creating V.I.'s First Emergency Medical Services System". Government of the United States Virgin Islands. October 25, 2019.
  16. ^ "Government's Outstanding Debt to WAPA Paid Off, Bryan Says". St. Thomas Source. August 14, 2019.
  17. ^ "Attracting Rum Companies To USVI Was Major Part Of Bryan Campaign. Now, Only 'Boutique' Outfits Are Interested". VI Consortium. June 4, 2019.
  18. ^ "U.S. Virgin Islands refinancing bonds in bid to save public pension system". Benefits Canada. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  19. ^ "Governor Bryan, USVI Economic Development Authority Produce 20-Year Vision For Territorial Economy". Pasquines. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  20. ^ "Bryan Signs Into Law Bill to Repay 8 Percent Gov't Employees Wage Cut". VI Consortium. August 16, 2021.
  21. ^ "Governor Bryan Announces Plan to Pay $26 Million in Retroactive Wages Every Year Until Debt is Cleared". VI Consortium. January 24, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  22. ^ "At U.S. Senate Hearing, Bryan Advocates Statehood For Puerto Rico". VI Consortium. February 27, 2019.
  23. ^ "Gov. Bryan Declares State of Emergency, Cancels St. Patrick's Day Parade, Says Carnival 'Will Most Likely' Be Canceled in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic". VI Consortium. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  24. ^ "Governor Bryan Scores High Marks from Voters on Handling of Covid-19 Virus". VI Consortium. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  25. ^ "Bryan Announces Cancelation of In-Person School Classes for Remainder of School Year; 'Virtual' Ceremonies Planned For 2020 Graduates; Coronavirus Cases Rise to 45". VI Consortium. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  26. ^ "Roughly 260 Virgin Islanders Received Vaccine Shots Last Week, Dept. of Health Says, Among Them Governor Bryan and Health Commissioner Encarnacion". VI Consortium. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  27. ^ "Take the Covid Vaccine, Win $100,000: Bryan Announces Vaccine Lottery to Boost Numbers". VI Consortium. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  28. ^ "Governor Albert Bryan Jr". Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
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Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Governor of the United States Virgin Islands
2018 		Most recent
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of the United States Virgin Islands
2019–present 		Incumbent
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