TESTIMONY OF 
DR. SAFIYA GEORGE, PRESIDENT  
UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS 
 
 
BEFORE THE 
COMMITTEE ON RULES AND JUDICIARY 
THIRTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS 
 
 
 
FRITZ E. LAWAETZ LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE ROOM 
                                 ST. CROIX 
                                                      U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 
   
 
 
 
SEPTEMBER 19, 2025 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
Good morning,  Senator Avery Lewis, Chair of the  Committee on Government Operations, Veterans 
Affairs, and Consumer Protection, members of the Committee, other members of the Thirty-Sixth Legislature 
present, other testifiers, members of the press, persons in the viewing and listening audiences, ladies, and 
gentlemen. My name is Dr. Safiya George, and I am the President at University of the Virgin Islands. I am 
here to speak in strong support of Bill No. 36-0061, which proposes an amendment to allow employees to 
draw on their Government Employees Retirement System (GERS) annuity for up to a period of four (4) 
years while continuing to work for the institution, receiving a salary and contributing to an additional 
retirement plan. 
At the University of the Virgin Islands, we are proud to serve our community, and we’ve always been 
committed to ensuring our employees are well-supported, both professionally and financially. We currently 
have three employees we are aware of who will be impacted by the current restrictions on drawing from their 
GERS annuity while contributing to another retirement scheme. These individuals have worked diligently for 
years and are valuable members of our team. However, the inability to access their GERS annuity while 
continuing to contribute to another retirement plan could create unnecessary financial strain and discourage 
long-term planning. 
This amendment allows our employees to plan their finances, and benefit from their annuity for the 
next 4 years and gives them time to plan accordingly while ensuring they can also build long-term savings 
through an additional retirement plan. By providing this flexibility, we can help secure the financial future of 
our employees, reduce turnover, and improve recruitment efforts for future staff. 
Moreover, this amendment is a reasonable step forward in recognizing the evolving retirement 
landscape. Many employees, especially in today’s workforce, need flexibility in managing their retirement 
savings. Allowing employees the additional 4 years to access their GERS annuity while contributing to 
another plan would offer them the autonomy they deserve to manage their financial well-being without 
compromising their retirement security. 
 
On behalf of our employees and the University, I urge you to support Bill No. 36-0061. This 
legislation will improve the financial health and stability of public sector workers, enhance employee 
retention, and strengthen our workforce. 
 
Thank you for the opportunity to present before you today, and I welcome any questions you may 
have.