It's 2026, another election year, and the League of Women Voters is here again on TJ TV to interview candidates seeking elective office in the US Virgin Islands.

Our goal with these programs is to help you, the voter, make well informed choices for your precious votes.

My name is Francine Lange, a member of the League of Women Voters of the Virgin Islands.

Joining me as Combs today is John Abramson, former supervisor of elections for the U.S.

Virgin Islands.

Why all teams in the years of the race were invited.

Today, we are speaking with four candidates for the position of lieutenant governor as part of a team of governor and lieutenant governor for the U.S.

Virgin Islands.

Candidates.

Thank you for being here.

Please introduce yourself only with your name, political affiliation, and ballot number.

Starting with Senator Nelson.

Good day.

I am positive t Nelson, independent candidate under Nelson gubernatorial ticket.

We are number one on the ballot.

All right.

Yes.

Oh.

I'm sorry.

Good.

Good day.

My name is Milton Potter.

I am a Democratic candidate on the Potter ticket, and I'm number three on the ballot.

Mr.. Good evening.

Virgin Islands.

My name is Marwin Para.

I'm a candidate on the Benton Potter ticket.

Number four on your ballot.

About it.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this is Randolph Bennett.

I am number five on the James Bennett gubernatorial ticket.

We are independent candidates.

Thank you.

Candidates.

We will learn more about each of you soon.

Our 60 minute program does not provide enough time for us to speak on all the major issues of concerns to residents of the U.S.

Virgin Islands.

So we have selected some major topics for discussion that we hope will allow the viewing public to determine who can best address key areas of concern for the betterment of the territory.

To ensure that you each have equal time to answer questions.

Our timer will let you know when your time to respond is up.

If there is a difference of opinion, you are encouraged to make a rebuttal for 45 seconds on those questions.

So after all the rebuttals are made.

The candidate will have 40s 45 seconds to address them all.

We ask for your respectful treatment of each other.

Your interactions will certainly say much to the viewers about what respect of your behavior as governor.

Candidates, as we begin.

Will you affirm that you have not been privileged to the questions in any way in advance?

Senator Nelson, I have firm I have not been privy to questions.

I have not been privy to the question.

I have not been tribute to the questions either.

I affirm that I have not been proven to any questions.

Thank you.

On to the discussion.

The first question has two parts.

Part A what is your understanding of the scope of the responsibilities of this position?

And part B explain how your education, experience, or accomplishments demonstrate that you are well suited to handle these responsibilities you identified.

You will all have 90s.

And we will start with Senator Nelson.

Thank you very much for the question.

I understand the Lieutenant Governor's office to be over banking, insurance, property taxes, corporation and trades and public publications.

I am prepared as an accountant, an accounting degree, having a full understanding of government, having worked from a teacher, labor leader, Senator, Commissioner of agriculture, advisor to the governor since 1995.

I think this suits me well, as I believe that the banking issues in the territory and the lack of access to banking, the paramount importance, the insurance and the cost of insurance, though we're forced to fortify our homes, is a matter of importance.

Being more business friendly as it relates to the renewal processes for corporations is also something we need to reconsider and look at, and public publications are something that we must keep proper documentation of and storage as relates to historical documents of the Virgin Islands that we truly ignored.

Positive to Nelson.

Number one on the ballot.

Prepared.

Ready to lead.

Senator Potter 90s.

Thank you for the question.

The scope of the Lieutenant Governor's office or the position of lieutenant governor is significant.

You are the head of the Banking and Insurance Division.

Office of the Tax Collector.

Office of the tax assessor, recorder of deeds, corporations and trademarks.

So the lieutenant governor's office is actually number two in terms of revenue collections in the territory.

So it packs a big punch.

In terms of my background, I made qualifications for the position.

I have obviously served as currently serve as Senate President.

I've been a senator in the Virgin Islands Legislature for three terms, where we have exercised oversight of the Department.

I have served as on the Saint Thomas Federal Credit Union Board of directors.

I've served as president of that $100 million financial institution.

I have served as treasurer of that institution.

I have a background in human resources.

I'm a senior certified professional with the most significant HR organization in the country, in the world as about our fact.

So I think I am extremely suited, well suited to serve in this very critical position.

Thank you, Mr.

Potter.

Did you need me to read the question again?

The Lieutenant Governor office has basically eight divisions under its four for you as a commissioner of banking and Insurance.

The problems that we have with the government office today is basically the rules and regulations that's under the statue.

My training as far as military and as well as leading an agency with 245 employees.

My knowledge is putting structure in place and having people to work and know the areas of these.

These are different divisions of the lieutenant Governor office.

I will assure you that I will work with each and every division, overseeing what my plan is, as the lieutenant governor is to really put people in place and let them work, and upgrading these different divisions within the lieutenant Governor office.

Thank you, Mr.

Bennett, with regards to the responsibilities of the Lieutenant governor's office, it's the second largest part of the executive branch when it comes to revenue generation for the community.

One of the challenges that we have right now is that when it comes to property taxes, we are in a deficit.

And I think the people of the Virgin Islands need to understand that when that happens, it prevents the government from being able to meet its responsibility and its financial responsibility when it comes to taking care of our community, having banking and insurance under the responsibility of Lieutenant Governor's office, having the the records and business entities having to be registered under Lieutenant governor's office, those are great responsibilities.

My education background as a Commissioner for Property and Procurement has allowed me to also, we have managed all of the government properties in the territory, and it also my education as a business graduate with an associate's degree in business management, a bachelor's degree and also a graduate degree, master's degree affords me with the background in that area, my experience working in the executive officer of the of the president of the United States and having managed assets and resources in 180 countries, definitely allows me to experience and knowledge capable of performing these duties.

Thank you.

Many in the public do not quite understand the role of the Lieutenant Governor's office as a powerful revenue generating entity.

Can you explain the revenue generating role of this office to the public?

You have 60s.

You're correct.

The Lieutenant governor's office packs a punch when it comes to revenue generation and revenue collection, corporation and trademarks.

Every time a corporation files documents as revenues for the government of the Virgin Islands, property taxes every time, every on an annual basis.

Every time Virgin Islanders pay property taxes.

The Lieutenant Governor's Office is the entity responsible for those collections responsible for the assessments.

Every time you do a deed transaction, that is revenues for the government of the Virgin Islands via the lieutenant governor's office.

You know, even down to, notary Republics, we are we have jurisdiction over that entity.

So the scope of the duties and responsibilities when it comes to monetary collections is vast.

It is the number two revenue collector, as you said, for the for the government of the Virgin Islands.

So it cannot be underestimated.

Mr.. Yes.

We understand that the Lieutenant Governor office is one of the major collecting agencies.

However, we have not had any policies, rules and regulations, standard operating procedures in place.

So we have not collected the amount of funding through that office that the government needs to function.

We are lacking enforcement in that area.

We are lacking energy people in that area to do the work that is necessary to bring all those revenues into the carcass to run the government.

So in that area, I will step up in that area as a manager, the commissioner, to make sure that the workers are readily fit to do the duties and responsibilities of each area of that lieutenant governor office.

We have not been collecting the funds necessary to run the government, Mr.

Bennett.

We have all established that the Lieutenant Governor's office is the second largest revenue generating entity for the for the for the government of the Virgin Islands.

One thing that we have to ensure is that we are collecting the funds.

If we're not collecting the funds, we're falling behind.

If we're not putting policies in place where we can get the funding and collect the monies and the revenues from people who owes the government, we are falling behind.

And that's one of the biggest challenges that we have in our community.

Ladies and gentlemen, we need to have individuals who are capable to direct and ensure and develop policies and put policies in place to get the revenue that we need to move our community forward.

And no, sir.

Thank you very much for the question.

Lieutenant, governor's office is significant as it relates to revenue generation for the Virgin Islands.

Unfortunately, we have over $100 million in uncollected property taxes.

We have improper usage of the insurance guaranty fund.

When you pay your insurance to these insurance companies, there's a set aside for when there's a disaster.

We we collect every year when there's renewals for corporations.

We collect for the recorder of deeds.

Nor do we Publix naughty naughty reads unfortunately haven't been able to have an increase in over 30 years.

And those are things we need to look at and address under the Dinosaur Nelson administration.

We'll take care of these things, including inviting banks to the territory so they can adhere to the Community We Investment Act.

We are treated here in the Virgin Islands.

The bank do not loan back a minimum of 10% as by federal requirements.

Those are things we need to discuss.

Positive.

Number one, since the office of the lieutenant governor is perhaps the second biggest revenue generating area in the executive branch, what will you do to ensure increased accountability and transparency within all your divisions?

Again, you'll have 60s.

We'll start with Mr.

Potter.

I'm sorry, Mr.

Potter.

Mr.. Again?

Maureen Potter, number four on the team ballot.

Again.

That office has to be stepped up with the rules, the policies, standard operating procedures in order to collect the revenue needed.

It has to be on the scrutiny and and straight out supervise by people who are well trained in those areas of the lieutenant governor office.

Mr.

Bennett.

One of the areas that, that I think is definitely needed in the lieutenant governor's office because of the magnitude of its responsibility.

I think it's a need for greater training and development of the personnel there.

One of the challenges we have in our community is that sometimes people have been in the job for so long that they have become somewhat complacent.

We have a lot of good people working in that department, and I do think better training, better development, exchanging new ideas and ensuring new policies are put in place is important for the success and the movement of the lieutenant governor's office.

Forward.

My name is Randolph Bennett.

I'm number five on the ballot.

Senator Nelson.

Government efficiency.

Efficiency in all government services is needed.

It's a management issue, and we will manage this office to ensure that people in the positions are, in fact, accountable, responsible, responsive to the people of the Virgin Islands.

I will hold everybody accountable.

I will make sure we are transparent.

It's a it's a management issue, nothing more I can say.

But it's not only for lieutenant governor office all across government.

We need to truly manage our offices and put managers in place who can do the job.

Positive.

Nelson.

Number one on the ballot.

Senator Potter, can you repeat the question, please?

Yes.

Since the office of the lieutenant governor is perhaps the second biggest revenue generating area of the in the executive branch.

What will you do to ensure increased accountability and transparency within all your divisions?

Well, absolutely.

We need to modernize our systems.

That is perhaps one of the most critical things a modern system is going to be transparent.

You're going to have an opportunity for taxpayers or customers to the agency to track the systems.

If I finally my application, just like an Amazon order, you order it in two weeks, you track it.

You understand where it is.

Step one.

Step two, step three.

In the process, the systems have to be more customer friendly.

Systems in the lieutenant governor's office must communicate with each other.

That is what a modern entity like the Lieutenant Governor's office is responsible to do.

We have to follow best practice in the industry so that customers are not deterred from interacting with the office of lieutenant governor.

It must be perceived as customer friendly, business friendly.

You know, those are some of the things that we must pay attention to, given the revenue generating ability of the office.

Do you see any opportunities ahead that could make even more making me even more productive and financial?

Mr.

Bennett, you have 60s.

Excellent.

Excellent question.

Because it's important to, to focus on business development and increase opportunities for businesses in our community.

One of the challenges that I see that we need to ensure to make the lieutenant governor for office more productive, and for it to generate even more revenue.

One is to ensure that it is in the revenues that's due to develop systems and put systems in place to ensure that we have better systems to account and track the funds that are coming in and notify our personnel or community when they have not been paying their taxes or when they have not paid their revenues.

That's due to the office.

Additionally, I think it's important to bring new business into the community, advocate for having new businesses into our community.

New individuals registering with the lieutenant governor's office for their business name, business title so that we can have an increased opportunity for growth.

Thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

Given the revenue generating ability of the office.

Do you see any opportunities ahead that could make it even more productive and financial?

We can definitely make the lieutenant governor's office more productive as something that was set out.

Modernization, have timelines instead have KPIs that that that are monitored.

Collect the money that's owed to us, particularly as it relates to property taxes, and communicate with the public with communicate.

Have training programs, enhance the the skill set of the employees in the office by exposing them to the modern technology available and and matching technology with personnel as something we need to do across government.

Positive number one and about it.

We absolutely need to hear this same song over and over again.

But we need to modernize, upgrade, digitize our systems.

We need to make sure that systems communicate with each other so that it can function and operate more efficiently.

But when you have a modern upgrading system, there are opportunities for you to collect data.

That is really the missing link in this whole discussion.

When you have data, data show drive policy.

So based on the information that we glean from the data that, you know, that we collected, we will be able to provide systems that are more impactful, more, you know, more effective and more efficient.

So that that will translate to more revenues.

You know, efficiency is really the key, and efficiency is tied to data.

Mr.

Potter, everyone talks about data and time and efficiency.

Accountability is number one.

Training is number two.

We can do better as a people with well-trained people doing the work that is needed to be done.

Again, with my training and my capabilities.

I will make sure that every section of the Lieutenant Governor office, the folks are well trained, the folks are well respected to the public because at this period of time, right now, the public has a great time trying to accomplish what they need to do under the lieutenant governor office, especially when you have businesses and you're trying to get your trademarks in.

It takes too long in getting that done.

So.

The next question, how will you utilize your position on the banking board to ensure that local banks are actively supporting young Virgin Islanders, with the capital needed to launch and sustain local businesses?

Senator Nelson and then each of the other candidates will have 45 seconds to rebut.

How well are you to light my position on the bank and board to ensure that young Virgin Islands have access to banking?

The capital I mentioned this, there's something called the Community Reinvestment Act.

This is where banks in any jurisdiction have to lend a minimum of 10% back in that jurisdiction.

In the Virgin Islands.

That is not happening currently as a member of the banking board, that's the discussion we want to have.

That's the check we're going to have to do to ensure how much the banks are actually loaning back in the territory.

And if they're not, we're going to have to get that out.

We're going to invite other banks, national banks to the table to so they can become competition so that they can go after.

And seeking people to apply for loans like they do in other jurisdictions.

I, I wanted to insert here, Lieutenant, governor's office is supposed to put a GIS in place.

Also property taxes.

We don't have proper mapping of of of properties.

And that's a lot of revenue leaving out there.

Senator Potter, would you like to rebut for 45 seconds?

Sure.

I mean, look, absolutely, the products and services and everybody knows this, everybody who interacts with local banks know that the products and services that we receive in this territory are not equivalent to the products, products and services that individuals in Puerto Rico receive.

I mean, that's just a fact.

We need to have conversations with the banks.

We need to understand why that is not the case.

Of course, we have hundreds of millions of dollars at times invested in these banks.

So there should be a level of a return level of benefit for the people of the U.S.

Virgin Islands.

So having that conversation, it'll be a tough conversation, forum conversation.

But it's a conversation that has to has to happen.

Additionally, recruiting banks competition drives efficiency.

Thank you, Mr.

Potter.

Would you like to do a rebuttal for 45 seconds?

Yes.

Well, at this time, the Virgin Islands need its own bank.

And as a commissioner of banking, I will go there to bring in other banks in the competition.

Right now, most of our banks are out of Puerto Rico, and we know that we are not getting the efficiency and the service that we need for Virgin Islanders.

Virgin Islanders, especially young entrepreneurs, are having a great time not being able to be solved or even get small loans to even start a new business.

So I believe that I'll be recruiting a new bank for the Virgin Islands.

Pacifically Mr.

Bennett for 45 seconds.

Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

The question was whether how will my position on the banking board help young Virgin Islanders to be able to learn and get more opportunities through banking?

I think it's important for us to train and have seminars inviting young people out and ensuring that they acknowledge is gained through those seminars for our banking process.

These we're talking about young people.

They're not going to automatically know what to do and what not to do.

We need to ensure that they build good credit, they build capital and also ensure that they know how, when it's time to go to the bank to request a loan or get funding, they have the sources and revenue to do so.

Thank you.

Thank you.

This question is for all candidates.

Home.

Home insurance rates in the U.S., VA are among the highest in the nation and contributes to outward migration.

What plans do you have to increase market competition law premiums, stabilize the residential insurance market to bring relief to the homeowners who want to ensure that their homes, but are not punished if they cannot afford to insure adequately at higher rates.

You have 60s each.

Senator Potter well, excuse me, actually, the property insurance rates market right now is actually softening, which is good for us.

The reinsurance markets is actually expanding and barring no significant windstorm situation for the remainder of this hurricane season, Virgin Islanders property owners should see some stabilization of property insurance rates in the territory.

We're not going to bank on that 110%.

It is imperative.

The issue of risk pooling is something that discourages, you know, lending institutions or insurance companies from entering our small market.

So we have to venture out.

To expand our pool, our market pool.

Yes.

The Virgin Islands have not done a good job in recruiting outside insurance for the people of the Virgin Islands.

Most insurance companies shy away from the hurricane season every year.

They believe that is costly to the insurance company.

But there's a few companies out here, especially USA.

Pentagon, are willing to come into the Virgin Islands and look at insurance possibilities for the Virgin Islands.

We have not done the job needed and necessary to go there and recruit competition for people of the Virgin Islands.

Mr.

Bennett, that's a very good question, and I will tell you why.

I'm a business person, and I understand from the aspect of increasing revenue and reducing costs.

It's a supply and demand issue.

We as Virgin Atlantic, need to help our local insurance companies to expand their breadth and depth internationally or nationally.

So the if the bank if our insurance companies, we don't have the volume, we will never have the volume really to bring those costs down and premiums down tremendously unless we help our businesses to grow.

That's my responsibility as lieutenant governor to ensure that our local businesses are growing and they can not only grow in here in the Virgin Islands, but growing nationally and even internationally if possible.

Thank you for the question, sir.

I believe the question was how do we help home insurance cost to be lower?

What plans you have to increase the market competition, lower premiums, stabilize the dental insurance market and bring relief to homeowners that while doing sure that their homes but are not punished if they cannot afford to insure adequately at high rates.

Okay.

Thank you for the question.

Homeowners are tasked with new building codes after each storm.

Requiring more steel clamps, closer wood, etc.

if we're going to take measures to fortify our homes up front, there should be some discount at insurance companies.

It's about having the discussion with these companies and if bringing in new competition, its opening in the market.

They say we're part of a pool and we're part of this pool of salt in Southern America.

So why aren't we with our homes?

The structure of our homes are much stronger than the homes in America.

Why aren't we being discounted for taking extra measure in fortifying our homes?

That's how we reduce costs.

We can't force insurance companies to expand.

It's getting a big enough insurance companies.

The next question.

We are said to be resilient people, meaning that we can bounce back to normal after a destabilizing blow to the system.

How would you, as lieutenant governor, contribute to that resiliency?

Mr.

Potter, and you'll have 60s.

The Virgin Islands have not put a plan in place.

Yes, we are resilient people, but there must be a plan and executed plan.

As a lieutenant governor, I will put a ten year plan in place for these seasons that come along.

And I'll be on the ground making sure that each and every residence that's been damaged by these hurricanes get what they supposed to get to our millions of dollars that have been sitting through the programs and the folks haven't been solved.

Number four on your ballot.

Thank you, Mr.

Bennett.

You have a 45 second rebuttal if you would like to rebut.

Thank you for the opportunity.

I my my position is I think he just stated an excellent approach.

But I think one thing that we tend to leave out is sustainability in our community.

Long term planning helps with that.

That's what I did when when I worked with the federal government.

When I worked in the Pentagon, I was part of the Army's future force, which meant I developed plans and strategies to help overcome difficulties in the future, 10 to 15 years ahead in planning, having sustainability in our community and our planning process helps us to respond in a in a more resilient fashion.

The storms hit us nine years ago and we're still trying to recover today.

And so that's a disadvantage to our community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Senator Nelson, would you like to rebut for 45 seconds?

Yes, please.

The lieutenant governor's office have jurisdiction over the insurance guarantee fund.

We have to ensure that that fund is set aside, like the law dictates for it to be used.

So if there's a storm that there is some supplemental revenue for to assist the insurance companies to meet the demands of the insurance of the insured.

I would also work with governor to ensure that we have systems in place, like, for instance, a food storage.

It's our food storage here.

It's going to in Puerto Rico.

And the last two storms, it got damaged in Puerto Rico.

We were unable to get food.

Those are things that will be which will increase our resiliency.

But as far as my position on the lieutenant governor's office, it's the insurance guarantee fund.

Ensure that that fund is stacked enough to supplement the insurance companies.

And, Senator Potter, would you like to rebut for 45 seconds?

Sure.

We are, in fact, a resilient people.

That is one of the strongest qualities that Virgin Islanders have.

But we should not rely on our on our resilience, you know, to support us when we have these, you know, windstorms or catastrophic situations that occur.

I think that having a massive education program, not just weeks before a hurricane, where people just discover that they honor and should.

I think having a year round education campaign is essential.

The 35th legislature, 36 legislature.

We, in fact, recently increased the insurance guarantee fund from $50 million to $55 million, setting an array direction.

We need to have those reserves in the event that our people face.

Okay, gentlemen.

As a follow up question, what mechanisms will you put in place to mandate faster and fear claims settlements?

So recovery, recovery and rebuilding are not artificially stalled.

You have 60s.

Mr.

Bennett, thank you.

And I'm honored to have the opportunity to begin by answering this question.

I think one of the things we need to ensure is that we have, trained adjusters here in our community that's ready and available to ensure that they can take an assessment of a damage and ensure that our families and our members of the community are given the opportunity to repair and get their process moving as quickly as possible.

The federal government also provides satellite adjustment.

So under the Small Business Administration and under FEMA, we can work with those agencies to ensure that we are able to get their assessment because they do professional assessment as well to help our members and our families move faster.

We we did that during, the last two hurricanes, and we should improve on that as we move forward.

Thank you for the time.

Senator Nelson.

Thank you.

I would agree that training claim adjusters is necessary.

Have them prepared ahead of time so that there's a team of individuals ready to jump on.

Be ready in the event of a storm.

That's, That makes sense.

That's a that's my only response.

Senator Pollock, we absolutely need better systems in place so that we can have more oversight when adjusters provide our, you know, our citizens with, you know, information relative to their claims.

We need to have individuals at the lieutenant governor's office who are trained, who can second, who can check the insurance companies to make sure that they're treating our employees fairly.

The lieutenant governor's office needs to.

Recruitment and retention is a huge thing for us, so we need to make sure that we're able to recruit and retain quality, qualified individuals who can serve in that very important role of having oversight of the insurance companies to ensure that they quickly and expeditiously move on, providing the badly needed cash payouts.

When a client is hit by a catastrophic event.

Mr.

partner, again, based on my training, if we do not put policies and procedures in place, rules and regulations, legislation, standard operating procedures, we every year will go through the same thing with adjusters coming in to our community and adjusting, or residents with lower rates to save their own company.

We must put rules in place, legislation, stiff legislation in place to make sure that our citizens are serve properly and not be cheated out of the insurance.

The next question the Lieutenant Governor's office oversees the VI ship Medicare program ship is the State Health Insurance program, a Medicare program.

Many retirees and seniors reluctantly move to the mainland because of local health care disparities and unequal application of federal benefits.

This contributes to the general outward migration from the territory.

So what is your specific action plan to strengthen the Medicare assistance programs and fight for federal health care parity?

So our retirees and elders can afford to remain in the VI, keeping families rooted in the Virgin Islands.

You'll have 60s.

And I will start with Senator Nelson.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much for the question.

That is Nelson agenda.

We will work closely with the elected delegate to Congress to ensure that Washington understands the dilemma, understands that the formulas created does not match our numbers.

So we need to be we considered in the formulation of such positive T and number one on the ballot.

And the other candidates have rebuttals of 45 seconds.

Senator Potter, would you like to rebut for 45 seconds?

Sure.

I believe the rule of the ship program under the umbrella of the lieutenant governor really is to provide advice, information and education to seniors regarding Medicare and the Medicare benefits.

So that is something that we need to step up our game on.

So having trained personnel available to provide that information on the training to our seniors, I think is something that is imperative, that training education is something that should happen year round.

And, you know, once I am in that position, in that role, education will be a huge part of what we do.

Thank you.

At Lieutenant governor's office, Mr.

Potter, would you like to rebut for 45 seconds?

Sure.

The Medicaid and Medicare issues that we have in the Virgin Islands among our seniors.

It's not only stops to that.

It's our health programs and our health care systems that are failing the seniors to make them travel out of the territory.

I am a veteran, and I have veterans complaining about the same issue as to them howling Medicare and not being able to treat be treated by the Veterans Administration.

So both insurances or veterans and Medicaid, Medicare, once you have those programs in place, some veterans are not being able to resolve.

Mr.

Bennett, 45 seconds to rebut.

Yes.

Thank you.

This is this is an excellent question.

I'm excited about it because, the VI ship medicaid program is is a small part of why people are leaving our community.

One of the reasons why many seniors and even young people are leaving our community is because the cost of living and the expense here, and dealing with situations as the water and power authority really is driving people outside of our community.

We need to reverse that way of doing business here, and we need to ensure that our community becomes more affordable, low cost, fix the water and power authority situation.

And because, you know, I've lived around the United States and people are not leaving one state to another because they got older, people are not leaving one state to another just because, they can't get Medicare.

They do.

And the problem that we have is the infrastructure problems that we have in our community.

Our next question, a r p, notes that many local and small business owners and independent workers are without access to employer sponsored health insurance and are fearful about health concerns.

And with advancing age or retirement.

What can you do to increase access to affordable health coverage for residents, especially as they approach retirement?

With Senator Senator Potter?

I think that it is important for us to behave in a manner that, you know, realistically that is realistic.

First of all, everyone deserves medical insurance coverage.

What are your government employee or not?

The focus tends to be on government employees, and government employees enjoy a fairly, you know, lucrative insurance program.

Delegate to Congress may run and meet.

Had an a bill in the Congress since we are not a part of the ACA.

To align territories with the Washington DC exchange.

That is something that she has actively pursued.

We need to focus our efforts in the interim on providing incentives for insurance companies to set up shop here.

Obviously, the uncompensated care is a big deal in a territory, and you pay it on the front end or in the back.

Mr.

Potter, yes, to many times we forget our private sector employees and as a people of the Virgin Islands.

All areas and all people of the Virgin Islands need to be covered with insurance.

We have this on compensated care at our medical facilities, and it's creating a problem for us to even extend our arms more out into the private community.

So as the banking and insurance or commissioner, I will extend the arm out to the business owners in order for their employees to get the insurance that they need and the way our uncompensated care will fall a little better into our public health facilities.

Is that it?

My position is this, as would be the Commissioner of Insurance for our community.

I think that our community can also develop an insurance program very similar to to our own internal Affordable Care Act process, where we are have a program in place to cover all of our individuals, whether they are government employee or private sector employee.

The problem with the private sector employee, many of them are not full time employees, so therefore they're not going to get the full coverage from the employer.

We as a government need to be responsible and look out.

That's why we were running for this position to take care of our people.

I happen to be working in the, in the in the executive office of the President of United States during the time that the Affordable Care Act was created.

I was a part of that process.

I have a certificate at my home where it's signed by myself and the president of the United States, President Obama.

He did that for all of us that worked on the Affordable Care Act.

And I can tell you, sitting in this room, the Virgin Islands took an active effort to be excluded from that program.

Senator Nelson, the government has insurance.

And if the government create and talking about it for some years, a private employers insurance program, which is sponsored by the government of the Virgin Islands.

So it's like we'll bring them into our group, make it a bigger a bigger group, government employees and private employees.

So we'll have a subgroup under the Government Employees Insurance Program.

I'm quite sure something can be created which will allow small employers.

Small businesses only have 1 to 3 employees, so they will be part of a bigger volume and thus be able to have affordable insurance to the government sponsored insurance program.

Time is almost up for discussion with these four individuals, who are part of a team of governor and Lieutenant governor for our future.

So here is our final talking point for 60s each.

Please speak about one area of your responsibilities that you will prioritize for early action.

If your team is selected, and then identify your strategies for doing so.

60s starting with Senator Nelson.

Besides government efficiency, I would focus on our relationship with the United States of America.

Then we need to have discussion about where we're at on the Department of Interior.

We need to have discussion about being able to have interaction, better interaction for commerce, health, education without Caribbean neighbors.

So the relationship with America is something key to me, including the National Park Service here.

We need a friendlier Park Service here and all those matters.

Why are we on the Department of Interior up to this point?

That's key for me, along with government efficiency, which operational efficiency and efficient use of money.

Thank you, Senator Potter.

One of the biggest things that I would focus on is in the area of banking and insurance.

The fact that we receive, I would say inferior products or products or interest rates and services that are offered, you know, much better array of programs that are offered elsewhere and we don't receive it.

I think that is something that we don't just have to accept.

Every Virgin Islander who has gone to do a construction, apply for a construction loan or personal loan.

We know what we feel, we know what we experience.

So a big part of what I am going to do is going to have is going to be having a sit down with a banks number one to hear from them.

But number two, we're going to put on a major banking summit where we're going to actively and intentionally recruit lending institutions both regionally, nationally, from the continent of Africa.

We are going to open the doors to these programs, to these lending institutions, because that is going to force if you want to compete, you're going to have to comply.

Thank you, Mr.

Potter.

They went up other team number four on your ballot.

We have already developed a ten year plan.

2636.

We are going to put that plan in place.

We are going to change the concept of how government runs the lieutenant governor, besides being over banking and insurance, and his duties and responsibilities will not be on the ground for the in the projects that we have, managing all the agencies, overseeing the accountability, transparency through government, my duties and responsibilities will be extended out for to the governor and his legislation to to give me more duties and responsibilities.

Thank you, Mr.

Bennett.

I'm Randolph Bennett, and I do believe that one of the two things that's very important for the role of the lieutenant governor, as he worked with the governor of the United States Virgin Islands.

One is to ensure accountability.

That accountability issue has to do with, for example, we have $104 million of outstanding revenue.

That's due to the government of the Virgin Islands.

That's an active responsibility, not not one that's delayed because of political reasons.

We have to ensure that those people who us pay us.

Secondly, I think we need to lower the excise taxes taxes issue we need.

Businesses are paying a lot of money in excise tax, and that excise tax is then passed off to the consumers.

If we are going to ensure that we have a more affordable community where people can live better and not be wanting to leave our community, we have to reduce those taxes.

My strategy for doing that is being an excellent counselor to the governor and excellent counsel to the team that we're working with, because that was my role as an adviser.

I've been a trained advisor and I will make sure that happens.

Thank you.

We now have each candidate to make a closing statement of 60s started with Senator Nelson.

Greetings, people of the Virgin Islands.

I am positive, Nelson.

I'm running for lieutenant governor with Alfonsi as governor, we are at a critical crossroads here in the territory at the time to decide who we're going to elect the leaders forward.

We present ourselves as a different team.

Not the same old, same old.

A team that's open and invite everybody on board.

Not no small clandestine group.

You want a fishing government, you want to prove it.

Infrastructure.

You want a better relationship with the United States of America and economic development.

Dinosaur Nelson is your team.

We're asking you an election day.

Just do it and done.

Vote number one.

We are the team of the people, for the people, by the people, all of you.

And the official name of the Virgin Islands is the Virgin Islands of the United States.

We, the people of the Virgin Islands, let's restore Virgin Islands pride by the way we run our government.

I'm asking for your support for Mr.

Donna and myself.

Number one on the ballot.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Pardo.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much to the league for this opportunity.

Marijuana.

Stacey Plaskett and I are the strategy that we need at this point in time.

Without question.

This is one of the most consequential elections in the history of the US Virgin Islands.

See, she brings a level of knowledge and know how when it comes to navigating the Washington landscape, we are going into a construction economy based on $24 billion of federal dollars that we have to spend with speed and efficiency.

Stacey has contacts in Washington.

She has executive leadership on the Washington landscape.

I bring a human resources background.

I bring my leadership in a Virgin Islands Senate.

I've served as president of this institution.

What is different about this job is this is an opportunity for us not to sit and make laws, but for us to execute.

Execution is key, and that is what the executive branch is charged with doing.

And I will hold folks accountable.

We are number three on the ballot.

Thank you, Mr.

Potter.

My name is Marwan Potter.

I'm the lieutenant governor and inventor potter team.

We are number four on your ballot, Mr.

Benton.

I promise to bring back transparency and accountability in government.

We have the ten year plan already written.

You cannot say you are going to change government with the same old people at the table.

We have $24 billion sitting, and in eight years of that ten year plan, if they had one is already gone.

Here comes another two years.

There's not enough time for them to spend that $24 billion.

We must hold people accountable.

We must hold people to truth.

We must be transparent to every citizen in these Virgin Islands.

Again.

Mr.. Number four, on your ballot.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to to give a statement.

I want to thank the League of Women Voters.

The moderators and our time keeper for this evening.

It has been an excellent evening, and I think we did a fantastic job representing the James Bennet team.

One of the things I think that's so important is accountability in our community.

And we cannot do the same thing over and over and expect some miraculous different result.

Our roads have not been fixed, water and power has not been fixed.

I was about six years old when almost died by attempting to power my house when I went out as a child.

You know, you think you can do certain things.

And today we're still having the same problems.

I'm now 61 years old, so I think I've lived a life and recognizing that we have to do something different.

And we had a critical stage.

As was stated earlier, we cannot do the same thing over with the same set of people and expect that they're going to miraculous changes.

Let's vote number five in the ballot for the James Bennet team.

League of Women Voters hopes this program has helped you, the viewers, to better choose among the four candidates.

But we encourage you also you, to read their their platforms, attend the events for further evaluation.

This program has been recorded for viewing on TJX, Facebook and YouTube pages, the free app and on TJX, as well as on the League of Women Voters Facebook page.

Until Election Day, be sure to let others know so they too can view the program if they missed it.

Thank you candidates for participating today.

Thank you to our timer, my moderator John Abramson, and you, the viewer.

Please do vote.

It's not only you're right, it's your responsibility.

And if you vote smart and you really can bring meaningful change, real change.