Broken sewage lines, sargassum piling on shoreline, a taxi industry running without enforcement officers and a cruise company struggling to keep pace with larger ships and rival ports: those were the realities laid out before senators Monday as the Senate Budget, Appropriations and Finance Committee weighed fiscal year 2026 budget requests from four key agencies.
From the Inspector General’s Office to the Magens Bay Authority, the Taxicab Commission, and West Indian Company Limited, the stories differed but the takeaway was the same: each faces a fight to keep essential pieces of the territory running.
Inspector General’s Office
Inspector General Delia Thomas asked lawmakers to maintain her office’s $2.9 million budget — unchanged from last year — to support 20 filled positions and two vacancies. Most of the request, $2.38 million, is tied up in salaries and benefits, underscoring that the office is driven almost entirely by its people rather than large capital needs.
Thomas stressed that, despite its size, the office has delivered results. In the past year, it released an audit of the Education Initiative Fund that led to a revision of the governing law, ensuring schools receive fairer distribution of resources. It also completed an inspection of the Agriculture Revolving Fund that revealed more than $4 million in missed opportunities for the Department of Agriculture, a finding that spurred further scrutiny of funding practices. In addition, the office provided investigative support that resulted in the successful prosecution of a government employee. Eleven more assignments are in progress, ranging from audits of the Taxicab Commission to a slate of reviews into the Water and Power Authority’s billing, collections, contracting, and employee loan payments.
But Thomas did not downplay the strain on her staff. “We had hoped to complete more assignments, but we were unable to do so,” she told senators, explaining that many delays come from agencies withholding or slow-walking records, forcing auditors to juggle multiple projects at once. The pressure is compounded by unexpected costs: last October, a broken sewage line and failed air-conditioning unit at the St. Thomas office set the agency back $71,600 — nearly its entire $80,000 maintenance budget in the first month of the fiscal year.
Even with ongoing training — auditors attended national fraud conferences and performance audit workshops to stay current — the workload is relentless. Asked what keeps her up at night, Thomas was candid: it is “frustrating when we could not get information, as well as people not understanding what our office does.”
Magens Bay Authority
For Magens Bay Authority General Manager Monique Simon, the request was $3.65 million — funding needed to operate not only Magens Bay Beach, but also Smith Bay Park and Drake’s Seat. The authority employs 53 staff members, 16 full-time and 37 part-time, but eight critical positions remain vacant, including three lifeguards and two security guards. Simon stressed that those front line roles are essential to keeping the parks safe and welcoming for the thousands of visitors they receive each week.
She described the mission of the authority as one rooted in preservation and access. Since its establishment in 1946 through a donation from philanthropist Arthur Fairchild, the parks have been held in trust for public use. That legacy, she said, drives efforts not only to maintain facilities but also to educate residents and visitors about the island’s natural resources.
The challenges, however, are daunting. “Nature itself is a constant adversary,” Simon explained, listing invasive plants, flooding, hurricanes, and especially the sargassum that regularly piles along the shoreline. Human behavior compounds the strain, with abandoned pets, loud music, glass bottles, and illegal vending all testing the authority’s small team. Facility concerns — from long entrance lines to aging restrooms — add another layer of pressure. Asked what keeps her up at night, Simon didn’t hesitate: “the sargassum.”
Despite those obstacles, Simon pointed to progress. ADA-accessible ramps have been installed at multiple bathhouses, additional picnic benches procured, and new water wheelchairs added for visitors with mobility needs. Lifeguard training has expanded, with Red Cross certification programs supplemented by responder safety courses. Events like the annual “King of the Wing” competition drew thousands to the park, raising money for local nonprofits while showcasing Magens Bay as a gathering place for the wider community.
Looking to the year ahead, the authority’s capital projects include a full reconstruction of Bath House #1 — still bearing damage from the 2017 hurricanes — as well as renovations of Shed #1 and the pedestrian bridge, and a septic system upgrade at Bath House #2. Simon said those improvements go hand in hand with long-term preservation goals: restoring the arboretum, refurbishing trails, and expanding school partnerships for tours and environmental education. “Our efforts are focused on providing exceptional recreational experiences, while preserving our natural assets,” she told senators.
Taxicab Commission
If Magens Bay is fighting nature, the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission is fighting for survival. Acting Executive Director Melissa Smith told senators the agency is running on fumes, with just two employees left to serve the entire territory. “Our regulatory arm of enforcement is nonexistent,” she admitted, explaining that all enforcement officers have either retired or resigned.
The commission’s current appropriation stands at $556,043 — $395,603 from the Taxi Revolving Fund and $160,440 from the Tourism Revolving Fund. But Smith said that figure is far from sufficient. “The resource minimum projection is set at 1.5 million dollars,” she testified, pointing out that proper staffing, enforcement visibility on ship days, and a functioning administrative backbone cannot be maintained on the present budget.
Technology is another sticking point. The agency continues to rely on manual, paper-based systems that delay licensing, records processing, and revenue collection. “Computer systems and equipment are outdated,” Smith said, adding that a digital overhaul — including the ability to share real-time data with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the Police Department — would cost between $200,000 and $400,000. Without it, she warned, illegal taxi operators will continue to proliferate, undermining legitimate businesses and putting public safety at risk.
Even with its skeletal staff, the commission has managed to process 2,739 transactions this year, including licenses, medallion transfers, lease agreements, and operator badges. Smith praised her two remaining staff members, saying they had kept the agency running against the odds. The commission has also launched a training program in partnership with UVI CELL, with 84 participants in the first cohort and a second group scheduled for later this year.
Smith framed the commission’s needs as a matter of economic and public safety. “With this funding, we will strengthen regulatory oversight, improve service standards, and ensure that our taxi industry continues to serve both residents and visitors with integrity and efficiency,” she said.
West Indian Company Limited
Interim CEO Charlene Turnbull outlined both the promise and the pressure facing the West Indian Company Limited. For FY 2026, the company is requesting $10.3 million in appropriations, anchored by projected revenues of $9.7 million from cruise passenger wharfage fees and land rentals. WICO currently employs 33 staff with four vacancies yet to be filled, she said, while carrying the weight of long-term debt service and insurance costs.
On the surface, the outlook appears strong. Turnbull told lawmakers that cruise traffic is rebounding, with passenger arrivals expected to grow by 20 percent — between 1.1 and 1.2 million visitors — and ship calls rising from 281 to 362, a 29% jump. That growth is projected to bring an additional $1.6 million in passenger revenues, lifting total passenger-based income to roughly $9.6 million compared with this year.
But behind those figures lies a tightening squeeze. Personnel expenses remain WICO’s largest cost, while property insurance — accounting for nearly 80% of the company’s total insurance outlays — continues to climb. Debt service alone stands at $3.3 million annually, eating into the flexibility needed for capital projects. Turnbull pointed to the long-discussed Water Pipeline Project, designed to allow ships to receive water along the full dock, as a top infrastructure priority. She also emphasized the need to position WICO competitively by pursuing foreign and boutique cruise markets that can fill berths during off-peak days.
Her warning was clear: success is not guaranteed. “With these emerging threats on the horizon, we must pivot and pivot fast,” Turnbull said. Senators, including Chair Novelle E. Francis Jr., pressed back, expressing frustration over the lack of current-year detail and sharper forward projections.
Committee members present included Francis, along with Sens. Dwayne M. DeGraff, Ray Fonseca, Hubert L. Frederick, Carla J. Joseph, and Kurt A. Vialet.
St. Croix Source
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