COMMENTARY: Two years in — and the cracks are showing

This commentary was contributed by a Virgin Islander who wishes to remain anonymous.

Two years in, the current administration has delivered a few headline wins, but beneath the surface, the cracks are widening.

Let’s start with the wins:

• $100 million loan agreement: A major financial move, but with no clear public plan for its use. Each time the question is raised, the finance minister offers improvised responses. It now appears to be an election loan; one the taxpayers will shoulder.

• Direct flights via American Airlines: A genuine boost for tourism and connectivity. A win, no doubt.

Now the concerns:

• Public Service Pay Reform: Initiated, yes, but paired with delays a massive addition to the annual budget and cuts to the minimum wage increase. Meanwhile, elected officials and the Speaker quietly received salary doubles.

• Push for Self-Determination: Advanced without public consultation. No town halls. No referenda. Just declarations.

• Infrastructure and Healthcare: Crumbling roads, failing systems, still a lack of running water and mounting frustration. The basics are being neglected.

• Education Shortfalls: Persistent gaps in resources and support.

• Lavish Spending: Parties and ceremonial events continue, even as core services falter.

• Opaque Dealings: A secret meeting with a so-called port investor, no name, no terms, no transparency.

The public deserves more than slogans and silence. Wins without planning are hollow. Reforms without fairness are incomplete. And leadership without dialogue is unsustainable.

Two years in, the public isn’t asking for perfection, they’re asking for a plan, for fairness, and for transparency. The wins are welcome, but they must be matched by accountability. If this administration wants a passing grade, it must earn it not just through announcements, but through action that reflects the priorities and voices of the people. The rating? That’s for the public to decide, but the questions are stacking up.

What is your rating for this current Administration?

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the individual commentator and do not necessarily reflect the official position of BVI News or its affiliates.