VI UPDATE
U.S. Virgin Islands Public Records
TRANSCRIPT OF PUBLIC PROCEEDINGS
Committee on Economic Development, and Agriculture
Legislature USVI
March 13, 2024 · 3.5 hours · gov
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Thank you so much for watching. Thank you. Thank you. We'll be right back. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank
you. Thank you. We'll be right back. Thank you. We'll be right back. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
We'll be right back. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. Thank you. Yo, Banda
0:00:00
Let's go. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'll see you next time. Thank you. Let's get started. Let's go. Thank you.
We'll be right back. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. I love you We'll be
right back. Thank you. We'll be right back. Thank you. Let's go. Thank you.
0:10:30
Let's get started. Thank you.
0:21:00
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
0:22:00
I don't know Let's go. Thank you. Let's go. Let's go. We'll be right back. Let's go. We'll be right back. We'll be right back.
We'll be right back. Hey, hey, hey, hey. I love you, I love you
0:23:30
Thank you. Let's go. Thank you. Thank you. Let's go. Thank you. I love you Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. I love
you We'll be right back. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. G6 Polar Pian
0:29:30
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We'll be right back. Good afternoon, the Committee on Budget Appropriations and
Finance Meeting of April 6, 2024 is hereby
0:38:00
call to order. Before I call the roll call, I know that we still have some of my colleagues that are making their way to the
chambers because we attended the the naming of the Sierra Le King Airport Transportation Center after engineer Dale A.
Gregory who spent 37 years of his career working as a engineer at the Virgin Islands Port Authority as a chief engineer
so I know folks are working their way from that so I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Dale A. Gregory on the
naming of the Cyril E. King Airport Transportation Center in his honor well-deserving honor. I'm going to ask you if, let
me see if there's anyone on the same crew. I think we have a quorum so we're gonna move forward with the roll call. May
0:40:25
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Legislature USVI · Committee on Economic Development, and Agriculture
I have the roll call please.
Senator Marvin A. Blyden. Senator Blyden present. Senator Samuel Carrion. Senator Senator Samuel Carrion, absent.
Senator Samuel Carrion, present. Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff. I'm here. Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff, present.
0:41:29
Senator Ray Fonseca. I'm here. Senator Fonseca, present. Senator Noble E. Francis, Jr. Senator Francis, Jr., absent.
Senator Donna A. Fred Gregory, here. Senator Fred Gregory, present. Senator Javon E. James, Sr. Senator James, Sr.,
absent.
0:41:57
Madam Chair, five present, two absent at a roll call. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Can you please read today's agenda into
the record? Committee on Budget Appropriations and Finance. The 35th Legislature's Committee on Budget
Appropriations and Finance will meet on Tuesday, April 16th, 2024 at 12.30 p.m. in the Earl Biotley Legislative
Chambers on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Block one. The committee will receive a financial overview from the
Virgin Islands Next Generation Network, VINGN, a public corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Virgin Islands
Public Finance Authority. Invited testifier, Mr. Stephan Adams, President and CEO, Virgin Islands Next Generation
Network.
0:42:27
Block two, bill number 350204, an act appropriating three million from the general fund of the government of the Virgin
Islands to the Virgin Islands Police Department for the purchase and installation of cameras throughout the territory.
Invited testifiers are Ms. Jennifer O'Neill, Director, Office of Management and Budget, Mr. Ray Martinez,
Commissioner, Virgin Islands Police Department.
0:43:24
That's in the agenda for today, Madam Chair. Thank you, Madam Clerk, and as the Clerk shared with us, we will hear
from the leadership of the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network on their financial and operating status. And we are
poised to consider Bill Number 35.024. However, I believe that we have some concerns with that measure, so we may be
moving to remove that measure from today's agenda. But as we contemplate that, we will move forward with the
discussion today with the Virgin Islands Next Generation Next Network. This afternoon, we have before us Mr. Stephen
Adams, President and CEO, and I note that he also has with him, I'm not certain of her title, but I know that her name is
Ms. Elisa Hodge, and I believe she is the CEO, CFO, or the Comptroller for the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network.
So we're gonna ask them to put their names and titles on the record, and then we'll proceed with the testimony. We're
gonna start with Mr. Adams.
0:44:02
You may proceed. Good afternoon, Chairwoman. Steven Adams, President and CEO of BINGN. Good afternoon, Elisa
Hodge, Controller. All right, Mr. Adams, are you prepared to move forward with your testimony? Yes, ma'am. You may
proceed. Thank you. Good afternoon, Honorable Donna Freck Gregory, Chairman of the Committee on the Budget,
Appropriation and Finance, Honorable Senators and the listening and viewing audience. I am Steven Adams, President
and CEO of BINGN Inc. With me today is Ms. Elisa Hodge, our Controller. Thank you for the invitation I am honored to
present to you today. I would like to begin with an overview of BINGN.
0:45:21
BINGN is a public corporation that is wholly owned subsidiary of the Virgin Islands Public Finance Authority, PFA. It
was established on October 8th, 2010 and funded by a $67.5 million federal grant and a $36.8 million bond approved by
the 29th legislature. Our founding mission is to provide wholesale open access Middle Mile Broadband Services to
Internet Service Providers, ISPs, over Pure Fiber Network. VINGN is governed by Articles of Incorporation.
0:46:05
We are governed by an independent board of directors comprised of the Honorable Governor Albert Bryan Jr. as
Chairman, Keith O'Neill as Secretary, and members John Clendenin, Gordon Ackley, Andy Smith, President and CEO of
WAPA, and me, Stephen Adams. Although WAPA has pro-right equity and a seat on our board, we pay market rates for
our electricity bill and water bill. Only the three private sector board members receive $350 per meeting. The board meets
quarterly, four times a year, to receive operational and financial updates and approve any policy changes or expenditures
over $250,000. dollars. The company's daily operations are managed by 26 highly credentialed and skilled employees at
two locations, one in St. Thomas and at our headquarters in St. Croix. We now own our headquarter building, which we
have occupied since inception. VINGN's ISP partners include VIA, Broadband VI Liberty, Alliance Data Systems, ADM
Wireless, Land Communications, First Stop Communications, Omni Systems, High Tide Solution, Reach
Communications, and BIT, UVI, WTJX.
0:46:48
The company was also a recipient of several grants. The major ones are from FEMA and the American Rescue Plan Act,
ARPA, administered by the Office of Management and Budget, OMB. Other grants are National General
Communications and Information Administration, NTIA, and the Federal Communications Commission, FCC. A
schedule of our grant activities is provided. The INGN does not receive any funding from the central government or the
legislature. The FEMA and ARPA grants form the basis of the company's three-year capital program.
0:48:18
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The FEMA portfolio is permanent work and resiliency related to damage caused to our infrastructure and buildings after
Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The $10.8 million ARPA Community Wi-Fi Grant Award funds Wi-Fi hotspots in public
spaces, 95 have been installed thus far and counting. Senior centers are prioritized. Funds are also being used for core
network upgrades from 10 gigabytes per second to 100 gigabytes per second. This will significantly increase our network
bandwidth capacity. Today we have received and expended 5.4 million dollars in grant. We are awaiting final
determination of ARPA disbursement FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024. VIN GEN WAS ALSO AWARDED A $150,000
DIGITAL EQUITY AND INCLUSION GRANT FROM NTIA TO DEVELOP THE TERRITORY'S DIGITAL
EQUITY PLAN. THIS INVOLVED EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE DE PLAN COMPLEMENTS
THE $27 MILLION BROADBAND EQUITY ACCESS AND DEPLOYMENT BED PROGRAM administered by
OMB. BED's focus is to ensure Virgin Islanders have access to affordable high-speed internet. DE's focus is on
promoting digital resiliency and digital skills in the territory to bridge the digital divide. A draft of the DE plan was
published on March 28, 2024 and is available for public comment through April 28, 2024. Anyone can download the plan
from VINGN's website, www.vingn.com, which I encourage you all to do. VINGN has received a follow-up Notice of
Funding Opportunity,
0:48:57
NOFO, for the $2.1 million DE Capacity Grant. We will apply by July 31, 2024 deadline. One key strategic VINGN
imperative is Diasporalink. This is our long-term initiative to run undersea cables from the U.S. mainland to the continent
of Africa via the U.S. Virgin Islands. This is a matter of national security.
0:50:58
Diasporalink Bill H.R. 3385 passed the U.S. House of Representatives on March 5, 2024. It now goes to the U.S. Senate
for a vote, and then to President Biden for signature. This bill will authorize NTIA to conduct a feasibility study on the
construction of this critical infrastructure. I will now provide a brief financial overview. Fiscal Year Key Accounting
Policies and Audits BINGN Fiscal Year is October 1st to September 30th. is consistent with the government of the virgin
islands and the pfa fiscal year grant revenues is recorded as non-operating revenue because it is not granted directly is not
generated directly from broadband operations capital expenditures are recorded as fixed assets on the balance sheet while
repairs maintenance and records are recorded as operational expenses on our income statement Our financial statements
include a statement of revenue and expenses, which is the income statement, and a statement of net position, which is the
balance sheet. The statement of revenue and expenses includes a calculation of earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation, and amortization, EBITDA, which measures corporate profitability.
0:51:25
VINGN is audited by BDO. The last audit completed was for fiscal year 2021. VINGN's audits can be found publicly at
the PFA website. The fiscal year 2022 audit is in progress and is scheduled to be completed by May 31st, 2024.
Preparation has begun on fiscal 2023 audit with our CPA consultants, Benjamin and Hodge. Revenue. In 2023, operating
revenue was $5 million and are projected to be $4.9 million in 2024. In 2023, certain ISPs discontinued service, while
others acquired new services, resulting in a net revenue decline. Other revenue opportunities include cloud services and
monetization of Wi-Fi after the grant period of performance cloud services generated $119,000 in 2023 and $98,000 this
far in 2024 the INGN's core pricing structure has not changed since it's been established since its establishment
consequently we are in the process of conducting a comprehensive pricing review our goal is is to be able to offer more
competitive pricing for our ISP partners. Expenses, the INGN's operating expenses consists primarily of salaries and
benefits, utilities insurance, building rent, legal fees, operating maintenance, depreciation, and amortization.
0:52:54
Total operating expenses for 2023 were $10.2 million and projected to be 10.6 million in 2024 the increase is attributed
to the annualized impact of salary increases awarded in fiscal year 2023 salary increases were awarded to employees
based on merit industry standards and retention of talent the previous salary increases was 2000 was in 2016 at three
percent the ceo's compensation is determined by the board of directors and is governed by a non-disclosure agreement
key areas of concern the existence of vingn the existence of vingn as an ongoing concern is not currently in question
however a key area of concern is this 36.8 million dollar bond by pfa resolution this bond is to be treated as a loan that
can be converted to equity at pfa's election this matter has been discussed at several pfa and vingn board meetings to date
interest rate to date the interest rate has not been determined and amortization schedule has not been established based on
our current fiscal standing bingn does not does not have and does not foresee the ability to repay the $36.8 million loan
without assistance. VINGN has made a case for the bond to be forgiven. PFA has directed us to seek federal grant
opportunities to cover this debt. Another concern is the impact of the 84.5 million USVI connect grant that was awarded
to broadband vi liberty to connect every home and business to
0:54:37
the internet this award prevents any other public or private entity from obtaining federal grants for uh infrastructure
projects due to federal duplication rules consequently millions of infrastructure broadband dollars are not available
available to vingn until 2030 which is the end of the usbi connect performance period this concludes my opening remarks
thank you for your attention attention attention to my testimony uh miss hodge and i look forward to addressing any
0:56:31
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questions you have thank you uh mr adams colleagues um we're gonna go to a five minute a five minute round but of
course I have to ask a very quick question before we start so you speak you spoke specifically to the 36.8 million dollar
bond that was issue when was that bond issued the bond was 2011 2011 yes and it's currently being paid how currently
we don't have insight into the bond so currently we do not have insight into the bond is a pf it was pfa um it's a pfa bond
and it's we've been notified that it's been converted into a loan to vingn we have no insight into the 36.8 million what was
the purpose of the 36.8 million it was part of the it was part of the match for the building of vingn to begin with so it was
a combination of three vingn was established with three components one was the federal grant one was the bond and then
there was 25 million dollars in in-kind contribution from wapa uh which is which is why they have a board seat in equity
position in the company okay so um
this 36 million dollars was used to build out the the virginals next generation network that's a matching requirement and
currently that bond was led by the virginals public finance authority that's correct i have to look back at that i don't i'm
trying to figure out how that bond is being paid so you are not utilizing any of your current operating revenues to hit this
no um early in my tenure i was i'm sorry go ahead go ahead okay early early in my tenure i asked about this bond and
was was notified that there was not an interest there was no interest a cure accrued or an amortization schedule for this
bond and that it would just be it's been held on our books i've raised this issue numerous times at pfa and the ing board
meetings as you know i report into the pfa um and we don't have clarity about our it sits on your books it sits on our
books as a loan as a loan as a loan from the pfa okay and it's also on their books as well Ms. Hodge, do you have any
information?
0:58:28
I just need to get some clear clarification on this. Because it was used to build out the Next Generation Network as a
match. They had to come to the legislature. Well, yeah, that was 2011 to get the bonds lit. So I don't know. That sounds
like it's part of a larger bond that's tied to our grocery seats. But we would have to check. So, I asked the question, you
know I asked the question, I asked the question because many of our semi-autonomous, autonomous-type entities, they
come before the legislature and they say that they don't receive funding from the legislature, but you do. Because this
$36.8 million is being paid by the people, okay?
0:59:45
And in order for this to be paid, when we work on our budgets and our appropriations for the respective fiscal years, we
have to shave off that debt to make sure that that debt is covered. So it seems as if this bond was let, if I'm not mistaken,
under the John DeYoung administration, so that was tied to grocery seats. That was a part of a whole bunch of projects,
and this was peace. So we'll look closely at this, but I just wish to remind you that if we are, I don't know what the debt
is, so we're going to find that out, we're going to ask our post auditor to please find out from the PFA before we leave
today what is the debt, the annual debt associated with that and how it's paid. Actually, I'm making an assumption, but we
need to get clarification as to what the source is that covers this. So you said that the government has asked you, the PFA
has said. So it's now sitting as a loan on your books.
1:00:34
Yes. So you're carrying that loan as a loan that you're not paying. Correct. And we're not incurring any interest on it
either because we haven't been given an interest rate. Okay, so it's sitting on your books as a liability, but you, sitting as a
liability for how long? How long did it convert to a loan? In 2012. Also, it converted immediately after. Under the same
administration. And does the governor of the Virgin Islands still serve on the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network?
He is the chair. On board? He's the chair, right? Yes.
1:01:48
Okay, and he's also the chair. Chair of the PFA. Of the PFA. So we need to get our house in order. We do. We're going to
get the information, and then we will get back. Because it's important for us to have a clear understanding of this as well.
Because it means that when we shave off the funding to pay bonds for that particular year, operating bonds that were
floated in 2011, so we are contributing to the Public Finance, the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network. Okay, so
we're going to move to the senators, Senator Fonseca. You're recognized for your point of information and then we're
going to go directly to Senator DeGraff for his five minutes. You may proceed, Senator Fonseca. Thank you, Madam
Chair. Real quickly um that 36.8 million dollar bond you know first i have to congratulate you on the full disclosure that's
very good information but you were instructed to pursue federal opportunities and you also have discussed forgiving
forgiveness so are there any formal formal correspondence where you're asking for forgiveness and what federal
opportunities have you pursued thank you for the question last I think it was like yes last year we we approached the
USDA for a particular type of grant that they had that we could have used for paying down this loan it was a national I do
not recall the name of the particular grant but there was 15 million dollars that were available but it was nationwide I
have to have been I was introduced to the secretary and we they inquired on our behalf and they said that that the funds
had already been already allocated so we that was the only avenue that we found
1:02:25
where we could get federal help with this grant with this bond thank you madam chair for the time thank you senator
Fonseca we're now gonna go to to Senator DeGrasse for your five minutes. Thank you, Madam Chair. Good afternoon,
1:04:29
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colleagues. Good afternoon, test affairs, all of you in this time present. All these numbers had me a little confused, and
the 36.8 don't clear up anything for me. We got $67.5 million of federal loan.
How was that money used? all the monies that were used uh in 2000 uh once the ing was accepted in 2010 was all used to
build to dig trenches and put fiber into the ground build these 24 access points as you see on the side of the roads is where
our communication equipment is and to build a hang fiber on wapa poles since hurricanes irma and maria all the
infrastructure that was on wapa poles was destroyed we rebuilt that and we sustained damage to some of our facilities and
we're in the process of repairing those damaged points that are in our grants report. So the total aggregate of 67.5 and
36.8 is what was used to complete all of that? In addition to that there was a match of 25 million dollars from WAPA
which was for the poll rights so yes sir that's correct. Okay so So then if you're not paying back a loan, your revenues for
23 are 5 million and projected 4.9 million in 24, but your expenses are 10 million plus.
1:05:08
How do you cover paying for your employees and your gain salary? How do you cover that? What needs to be
understood here is that the way we have reimbursements from FEMA for grants and then we how we calculate our
expenditures for grants so our calculations on grants is in that number but from an operating standpoint we are we're on
the edge what raise your calculation of grants does not go as revenue that's what you I think that's what you had stated so
if that doesn't Okay, I think when one of the metrics that we use at the INGN which is different than I believe the other
entities use is that we use EBITDA, we use a metric called EBITDA to build to say how the company is actually doing,
which is basically from an operating standpoint. And from an operating standpoint, the INGN has never been in the
black, you know, just in full disclosure vi engine has always been in the red from its inception and it remains in the red
however under my administration and leadership what we have been doing is working diligently to be able to run the
company like a corporation which is why we changed the ebuda to be able to see operationally outside of grants if you
take grants out of the equation of our expenses how are we doing on broadband selling and then the expenses to deliver
that service and in that if you look at fiscal year 2024 our projection is that we will be negative 1.4 million dollars the
only the reason we've been able to stay afloat this long is because we've been able to manage
1:06:20
our cash flow very well from grants and other sources to be able to negate what might otherwise be a nasty situation for
our company then you're commingling monies we're not commingling monies we we would that'd be illegal for us to
co-mingle our monies okay but from a cash flow standpoint how we manage cash is what's important here so we do not
every grant has its own bank account it has its own accounting so we do not co-mingle funds but when you have cash
how you manage that cash is what's important and what and i'm very blessed to have a very good controller to help one
minute cash so for projecting at least the hot controller wait just to wrap up because i got one minute and then you go add
in sorry about that um so to cover where you gave wage increases to your employees yes and your your projections for
2024 are less in revenues hold what kind of miracle we work in there that's not a miracle it's a a situation 30 seconds
during the time at the time of the at the time of the increases of wages to the employees we had secured a we had secured
a grant that had an administration fee on it that would allow us to be able to pay for these increases. That grant was then
taken away from the INGN unexpectedly and given to a different agency. Then the INGN had these grant, they had these
obligations since they were salaries and not bonuses. So we now work for diversifying our revenue streams to be able to
pay for that and we've nearly captured all that revenue back through our diversification of revenue strategies okay I'm
madam chair could you just wrap up with a massage she was doing this
1:08:09
if you don't mind massage thank you yes I wanted to clarify that in the ten point two million dollars of expenses were
some non cash expenses such as depreciation and armatization. Thank you for that message. I was just about to share
that. So your 1.2 red loss, if you want to call it, what was the depreciation amount that's impacting that? Depreciation
amount projected for 2024 is 4.3 million so that's why you're saying 1.2 that is because of the depreciation but your cash
let's talk cash so your cash flow what is your monthly expenses versus your monthly or your let's just say quarterly for the
sake of this discussion what is what give it to me the best this way you can, at least on how you have it, your revenues
versus your expenses.
1:10:11
Okay, quarterly revenues are about 1.2, 1.4, 1.2, 1.4, and expenses less the depreciation. No, give it to me without
depreciation.
1:11:25
Yes, okay. Yes. Approximately two. 1.2. 1.2? So are you breaking even, is that what you're saying?
1:11:52
The annual expenses were 10.6, if I reduce it by the depreciation of 4.3, excuse me, that gives me 7.3 divided by 4, 1.9,
about 2 million. 2 million. 2 million per? Quarter. Quarter, right? And you, so you are able to cover your expenses.
You're not struggling to cover your expenses. Yes, we're able to cover our expenses. Of course, we can always do with
excess, but we're able to manage our expenses. But you're not for profit, right? No. So is it that you need excess dollars
for the purposes of maintenance? What's the purpose, because if you have 1.2, you have an additional million dollars
available every month, every quarter.
1:12:34
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Well... Yeah, because you have revenues of two, on about two, right? That's what you said. Is that correct? That's not
correct. What did I miss then? I need to understand what I missed. Okay. Let me work on that analysis, and Mr. Adams
wanted to say what we would do with excess. Okay. So one of the one of the challenges in looking at our financials is the
type of business that BINGN is in. Our business is extremely expensive on the capital side, and we have a lot of unknown
expenses that come up uh all the time right a fiber break um just recently we did a um just just give an example we had
on the south south shore of st croix we did a five mile cable run somebody shot at the cable with the bullet i mean with a
gun bullet went through the cable miles had to be replaced didn't expect it that's something that we have to come out of
every month we have things like that on top of that we're being pressured to be able to drive down our pricing but we
have the same capital costs as a small city but we have the population of a community so our capital cost is constantly
straining the company and the inflows are we have recurring revenue that's pretty steady but now we're in a competitive
situation with would be customers that are now also putting more strain on our network because we don't have enough
monies left over to continue to do upgrades to the network okay i'm going to move to the next senator but um do you
have a annual capital budget well do you have a five-year capital budget we we We don't look out, we cannot, we're look
out five years. We basically go out 12 months. Okay, annual capital budget.
1:13:35
We have that to show. We do not have a capital budget per se. Our capital program is really dictated by our FEMA
projects and those have a period of performance of about three years. So are we saying that if we did not experience
hurricanes of 2017 we would have the Virgin Islands next generation network would be in dire straits because that's what
we're saying so yes this is what I need to understand so help me to understand this so an organization such as yours
should have a capital budget and then your ex your your revenues or whatever you're charging for your middle mile that
should be backfilling your capital budget. Yes we may fall short but there must be a capital budget because these FEMA
dollars are not going to be available to the territory infinitum. And our expectation is that the Virgin Islands
next-generation network is available to the Virgin Islands infinitum. So how do we balance this? A capital budget is a
must. Even if you're utilizing federal funds now, there must be some capital projections at the Virgin Islands Next
Generation Network. I have to go to the next senator though. Go ahead. May I address that? Yes. You're hitting the nail
on the head. When When I came aboard BINGN, our accounting was a mess. We had no backend systems.
1:15:46
We had no budgets. The only reason that the company existed was because it had $4 million from FEMA in cash and
they used it for operating rather than putting it into the use that it was supposed to be used for. The other thing that has
hampered us from day one was that when BINGN was built, the federal government gave BINGN $8 million in operating
cash. That cash should still be available to the company to this day, given the burn rate of the company.
1:17:28
However, a decision was made by the executive team at the time to build undersea cables between St. Croix and St.
Thomas before the feds gave a green light to do so. That cost $8 million. Okay, the feds did not reimburse the company
for that money. So from day one, the company has been in the red And we are still trying to overcome That which is one
of the reasons why we also That the bond is like when the bond first came up when I first looked at our books I said
what's this bond? I mean this loan. No one could explain it PFA couldn't explain it behind Jan couldn't explain it We dug
deeper and deeper and then found that we have a loan on the books and it was even recorded on the books so a lot of
what you're talking about senator about fiscal discipline we are still trying to catch up so we do not have these budgets
that we should have we've been spending two years just have a back-end system that we now have a NetSuite
implementation warehouse management systems that we're trying to install we're trying to do a lot about of back-end
office automation to be able to bring down our cost of the operational cost of the company so that we can then start
bringing down pricing for the betterment of the people of the virgin islands so we're we're still cleaning up a mess that's
existed for 10 years i'm going to go to the next senator but i i'm very interested in discussing pricing Senator Fonseca,
you're recognized for your five minutes.
1:18:01
Yes, thank you, Madam Chair, and pleasant good morning, good afternoon to the listening audience. We give thanks and
praises to the most high blessings, blessings. Mr. Stephen Adams and Mrs. Hodge, welcome. I really appreciate your
testimony. I think you are doing excellent. I have read through your testimony, and even though it seems like the
questions are difficult, it's because the level of information that you have provided to the legislature is very, very, very
good. As a matter of fact, I love the way this corporation is being run. So your mission is to provide wholesale open
access middle line bandwidth, middle line bandwidth to the ISPS providers over pure fiber network pure fiber network so
that's the segment of the telecommission communications where the you connect basically to the modem in other words
you go from the modem back to the major service provider more or less that's how it is almost we we provide we do not
provide to the modem that's the last mile the is the internet service providers known as ISPs provide that they are our
customers the INGN has 11 customers and they're all ISPs in the territory some of them were where we provide 100% of
their service capacity and others we it's in spots okay so the last mile is like VI Liberty and those that's okay good I got a
question here that I want you to answer but I'm gonna ask madam chair's indulgence to answer it on the chair's time
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because it's going to take a long time and I only have a few minutes so that question is is I want you to discuss in the
Virgin Islands are there any cases to your knowledge where the middle line access what you do is being bought or
competition by the local access providers and those in the last mile because you mentioned the 84.5 million dollar with
usvi connect grant so i want to ask your indulgence to explain that under madam chair's time okay i want to question you
now since your mission is to provide a pure fiber
network what is the percentage of homes right now that are still on a coaxial system that are not on the true fabric optic
infrastructure um i don't have i do not have that answer but i can give you some flavor for it um vi engine doesn't keep
track of we don't since we just sell bandwidth or we call light we don't track every single instance of it okay so you don't
you don't know we don't know but there are a lot of homes that all of the custom all the customers that are of the uh of via
are on a hybrid network okay so there's a lot of people still not on the pure fiber optic system in the virgin ounce yes yes
and that's why you have the fcc had the competition to be able to get everybody onto pure fiber okay so now i want to ask
you now are there any local controversies with the National Rural Electric Cooperative position to pull attachments, tariff
changes, etc.
1:22:05
Do we have any of those issues in the Virgin Islands? Oh, yes, we have issues around that. And what are you doing to
resolve those issues? Those aren't VINGN's issues. Those are the issues between the Internet Service Provider and
WAPA. So you're not involved with those? We're not involved. Okay, good. Or influence. And I must say that part. We
are not influencing those issues either. Okay. So do you have open access initiatives such as dock sharing, utility pole
sharing, fiber unbundling, and all of those? One minute. There's a lot to impact there, but in general, WAPA's conduit is...
VINGN and WAPA have entered into an MOU. And in that MOU, V-I-N-G-N has the right to run fiber in any other
communications conduit and on most of their, on all of their poles. When our fiber is anywhere on the islands, it's
available to any ISP at the same price of every other ISP. So anytime V-I-N-G-N's network is mingled with WAPA, it's
available to every single ISP.
1:23:15
We cannot deny service to any ISP. Okay, so now the costs have gone down radically in your industry. How about the
pricing reviews? How are you? Where are we with that? Are there any price reductions you foresee? We must bring price
reduction to the territory. V-I-N-G-N, and this is a total candle, is that part of the reason why we have high internet
pricing in the Virgin Islands is because we have not been able to bring down wholesale pricing. Bottom line. We are
working diligently on that by two ways. One, diversifying our revenue streams so that we can subsidize bringing down
prices. And secondly, actually right now we've hired an economist to help us look at our pricing schedule so that we can
offer relief to, so we can have pricing comparable to the mainland.
1:24:29
But it's going to be extremely difficult. Okay, thank you. And Mr. Adams, Ms. Hodge, I have the utmost confidence in
you. And Madam Chair, if I may, if you can answer that question now with the $84.5 million USVI Connect grant and
the main, you know, how you're being affected. Thank you, Madam Chair, for the time. Thank you for the insightful
questions because all of those are core to what we are grappling with as we're trying to modernize our company. That's
actually trying to make sure that we're relevant in providing value to the ISPs so that we are here for the next 20 years So
there was a competition that was two years ago. It's called USB I connect There was two competitions one was in Here in
the Virgin Islands and the other was in Puerto Rico to have Puerto Rico connect these were specialized grants that the
FCC um had a competition the competition was won in the u.s virgin audience by broadband bi broadband bi was is was
is still the ingn's largest customer broadband bi was purchased by liberty bi so now liberty is our biggest customer
However, Liberty's USVI Connect grant requires them to be able to run pure fiber to every single home and business in
the territory. That is both a middle mile, which VINGN does, and a last mile, which is the current business. We are in
support of this award.
1:25:19
we're in support of Liberty and we are doing everything we can to help them be successful however there is a challenge
with this grant and the challenge with this grant is that since it's 86 86 point for 84.5 million dollars it is a capital grant
that does not allow for any other infrastructure grants while this grant is in is active to be awarded to any other entity in
the in the territory and i'd like to give a clear example of how this grant that liberty had won this has nothing to do with
liberty i'm just using their name because they're the ones that have received the grant but the impact has been dire for
vingn last year miss hajj and i spent an exorbitant amount of time on the us usda we can reconnect grant it was and it was
a a grant that was for the Virgin Islands for the territories and our share would have been 24 million dollars no match 24
million dollars we worked on this grant for quite a while the week that the grant was being awarded USDA contact us
told us the award was coming checking bank accounts blah blah next thing you know we got a letter that says we had
been disqualified from 24 million dollars and the reason we were disqualified was because of this duplication rule has
nothing to do with liberty liberty it's not their fault they won fair and square this grant but what was put into place is that
no other infrastructure grants can be used no other grants in the broadband set-asides can be used for infrastructure in the
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u.s virgin islands that also extends to another grant that's in the territory
right now it's a grant called the bead grant i mentioned it in my testimony it's a 27 million dollar grant that was awarded
that's that's available to the territory bayangin initially was the broadband office for that grant and that's how the
management fees off that grant is what we use to build to increase the pay to be able to retain our talent at the time NTIA
at the time thought that there was a conflict with VI and Jen not only managing that grant but also being a potential
recipient and then also using that for infrastructure so now you have over 50 million dollars that would have went to
VINGN to upgrade the network and none of the monies can be used for that. So the grant was re-allocated to OMB which
is why OMB is the broadband office and they're doing the best that they can with that grant but of the 27 million dollars
not a dime of that money can be used for infrastructure. So now we have over 50 million dollars that could have been to
elevate the Virgin Islands and we have no access to that. So you put that on top of the mismanagement of our company,
you can see why we're struggling. And then our population size is not large enough for the expense of our company. It's
not like we buy a forklift from time to time, which would be a big expense for some companies. We buy machines that
cost $100,000. As a matter of fact, we've got these things called ASRs, $100,000 machines. We need three of them. We
buy stuff like that. We have parts of our network that if something falls off the pole in St. Croix all of St. Thomas is down
the entire island down so so when we look at
1:29:00
capital projects and we look at budgets it's very hard for us to budget because we have this infrastructure that's with the
shrinking population where we cannot amortize out our network costs and then the government not allowing us to use the
funds that are available to every other territory every other state except for in the United States Virginia so that one has
me sitting up straight in my chair I have to go to the next senator because that was a long explanation but a very
necessary and needed explanation but the question that I always would beg when I hear of these types of challenges how
do we mitigate these challenges well you are aware of all that you shared today that is a big issue for the wider population
we continue to hear about the need for our internet services to be cheaper. Based on what you just said, that will never
happen. We have enough play in the Sky Dream and if it does happen it's not will happen no time soon. We're not
looking forward to something that is realistic unless there is an opportunity because I don't know because this is not my
area. Unless there's an opportunity for us to put our collective heads together to figure out how to mitigate all that you've
shared because you and they shared with us that all of the other outlying areas of the U.S. territories, the insular areas,
1:31:06
they are not impacted in the way that we are. No. Correct? That's correct. So who's fighting for us? Who is fighting for us
on the ground here in the Virgin Islands? I just came from an event at the Virgin Islands Port Authority, and I ran into
one of my classmates, and she was talking about the cost of living in the Virgin Islands. And who's fighting for us? If we
have a situation like this, how are we going to mitigate the cost of living? We have to have internet service. We have this
in our homes, those of us that can truly, in fact, afford it.
1:33:06
And it's almost really unaffordable to tell you the truth. What is the conversation around mitigating this issue? Because I
started to ask you about subsidies earlier, but before Senator Fonseca spoke, when you talked about lowering costs, when
I said we're going to get back to that, I was coming to you with subsidies, but based on what you just said, we have a
bigger issue. Yes.
1:33:44
I'd like to, as you know me, I'm very blunt, but a very thoughtful man. is um let me address let me address this from
honesty right off the bat what you're ex what you're discussing is unacceptable the pricing in the territory is purely
unacceptable it's unacceptable the pricing that vingn charges its internet service provider customers so we will take blame
for that we are doing our darndest to be able to figure out we cannot mitigate this is is not a mitigation issue because
there's not enough population size to mitigate right if we're on the state side and we're in the prairies of Kansas that was a
booming suburb that's growing you could be able to grow that community you can take this infrastructure and grow with
the population we have a population on a good census day of 87,000 people and you have three network providers who
have middle mile networks via has a middle mile network that's Pure Fiber. Liberty bought one from AT&T on the backs
of VINGN and VINGN has one. We do not, since we're a non-profit and a government entity, we do not have the deep
pockets to be able to compete. I assure you that VINGN will be uncompetitive in the next five years. However, this is not
all doom and gloom. There's tremendous opportunity here. The opportunity that we see is to do two things one is to figure
out how do we leverage the network that was invested by the federal government and the people of the Virgin Islands in
my testimony there is a significant small little paragraph but it's a very
1:34:14
significant to this issue and it's this initiative that I that it's called diaspora link and I'd like to if now check you may
would I can talk about that or I can wait because that's how we mitigate it because there's a full strategy behind that small
paragraph you can proceed and then we're gonna after you're done we're gonna go to I think it's very important
information so after that we're gonna go to senator belated thank you I'll be brief with this diaspora link was a is a
initiative that I came to with my executive team after looking at the realities of what we're discussing today about our
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very viability and our purpose and looking at trying to figure out how we can mitigate and be able to bring the cost
structure in place shy of cutting our staff in half which is a mitigation option but an unrealistic option there is no other
way that operationally we can get the pricing structure down to be acceptable the only way we can do it is we have to
find a new revenue stream all together diaspora link is an opportunity to do that diaspora link basically is running internet
uh new internet uh undersea cables from the cities of uh virginia beach and new york connect those two cities they come
to st croix they connect the virgin islands and then they go off to ghana and they go off to nigeria now on the surface they
may not seem like it's very important but if you look at the national if you look at uh go back and look at china and this
belt and road initiative that they have in china and the american uh complex not being in in africa and there's no direct
link to the continent of africa to the united states we provide a way station that provides an opportunity for us to have new
cables not only new cables but new revenue opportunities
coming from having those data centers that would be here to relay data between here and africa that's new revenue those
new cables also presents an opportunity for on the back of government of federal priorities for vi and gn to be able to
provide new value to the territory that doesn't exist today that we did not have to pay for that's critical shy of something
and the significance of it is that and and you look at diaspora link was unanimously approved by the commerce uh the uh
committee of commerce in the house of representatives and then two weeks or a month ago was approved on the floor of
congress by our delegate who has been villainized and got that through a congress that does nothing at the point right
now it shows how significant diastralink is to national security and makes us relevant to the united states of america
That's new opportunity. That's new revenue. That's new prosperity for us That's where we're going the broadband market
is a race to the bottom and we can't keep pace so Once Liberty is done with their bill that will be They and and by will not
will fight it out There will be always niches for the small ISPs. They will continue to thrive but our value proposition in
this fight is minimal so we have to find a new battlefield and that is diaspora link for our future for the territory not just
VINJN but territory that's my complete answer thank you for your response and I recalled in about 2010 2011 that was a
conversation in the Virgin
1:38:15
Islands, that from an economic development perspective, from a revenue stream perspective, that was the intent when the
whole next generation network came to the Virgin Islands. When the federal government said, these are the dollars that
will be made available to you. There was lots of conversation about exactly what you just said. So I'm not sure when we
fell off the wagon, but obviously at some point we did fall off the wagon but i'm very happy to hear that you know we are
there is some level of movement because that was the original intent it wasn't for this entity to just be out there floating
yes and that's what i inherited we did not have an intent all right so i i recall that very well uh senator blighton you're
recognized for your five minutes thank you so much madam chair good afternoon to my colleagues you and listening in
the audience's staff, Central staff, the CEO and President Adams, and your supporting team there, you in his heart, and
thank you so much for your testimony. Interesting conversation. So you are basically saying that the last stance is the
diaspora link.
1:40:17
yes because i know you stated on when did you come on board i came on board october uh 2019 2019 okay and you
spoke to the some eight million in cash that you did not know um was there but at the same time that that has basically
given you some challenges and with your operations uh you also spoke to some of the challenges when it comes to the
duplication rule the federal rule of duplication funds that have affected your operation also because you have a large
capital budget is stated and in respect to to the day-to-day operation uh you said in terms of vingn and your longevity say
you really don't have any concerns As of now, but based on what you have stated and based on the little due diligence I
did in terms of revenues and staying afloat, I know you're not there to make revenues, but in terms of the cash at hand and
also the operation, because I know between 2019 and 21, the cash and cash evaluations decreased from 1.48 million to
roughly about 5%.
1:41:39
550,000 and also I saw losses about a possibility five million dollars during this period so I'm seeing a steady annual
decrease in our losses so that's a little concern in that respect but let me ask you in respect to the diaspora link do you
know um if the feasibility study on the construction of the infrastructure do you know when do you have an idea when
that will be done or is there any plan yeah in that respect the um the the bill uh passed a republican congress which is
remarkable uh it's now in a democratic senate we expect the passage in the senate within the next two months at the latest
and then off to president biden for signature upon signature that bill will then authorize ntia to be able to do a 12 months
a 12 month study on the viability of diasporalink but inside the diasporalink i want to point out something that's not clear
on the surface of this bill but it's tucked into the bill when you read it carefully diaspora link has three components
diaspora link has fiber running from coast to coast but it also has an independent power plant and it also has a data center
built into the bill don't need to talk much more about
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the significance of both of those things the diversion islands very well and you also spoke in terms of um your goals and
being able to offer more competitive pricing for your isp partners but how what the plan how how would you go about
doing that though within the space one minute the way we the way we plan to go out at that is that we're conducting a
study now i'm i stand by the statement that i made that vi engine is is not in any danger today i'm talking about danger
three four or five years from now and my job is to be able to make sure that my predecessors actually have a thriving
business that is serving the people of the virgin islands so that's an important statement the way we plan to build to 30
seconds deal with the pricing is we plan to offer new products that we don't today right now we sell broadband services
which is basically lit services which is the broadband itself but we are now looking at licensing our network to the isps to
give them more independence from us and but at a greater value to the virgin islands so for instance the we have one of
our isp partners um we sold them we leased them basically this time uh fiber between st cory and st thomas under
undersea cable because they didn't have it and they wanted that we charged um millions of dollars for that that was
valuable we planned to be able to do that again but on the terrestrial network we believe that that will give us the room to
build the lower prices for everybody because the new product that we don't offer today so we're looking at all of what we
have and say well we've only been selling one of five things that we have to sell let's sell everything everything's for sale
sorry so and if you want to buy my car you can buy that too so everything is for sale to be able to figure out how to buy
us time
1:44:51
for diaspora link or some other type of leverage of our network okay very well it's a start anyway but thank you so much
for your response thank you so much madam chair for the time Thank you, Senator Belayden. So let's go back to diaspora
link. So basically diaspora link is to allow NTIA, right, to conduct a feasibility study on the construction of this
infrastructure correct yes so are there timelines around this uh are we sorry yeah what are we what are we looking
forward to um so you do a study how long is the study anticipated to take is there funding attached to this once the study
is completed is it that we have to go back and fight again for another hr for the to the funding to become available so we
could move this along help me to understand the you know how well we have thought this out okay we thought it out
pretty pretty well okay um the way that the way the pro fantasy right We believe that the Senate, we have friends in the
Senate who like this bill, we are encouraged that the Senate will pass this bill.
1:46:50
We have early indication also that President Biden likes this bill, that it will also be signed. Those are big gifts. So if they
do get signed, then the next thing that happens is that immediately NTIA has 12,000 people who are going to pass this
bill. is that immediately ntia has 12 months to be able to do a feasibility study on the whole bill the whole just for the
sake of the community excuse me please because just share with us what ntia means national uh technology information
administration i believe nationally did i get it right national telecoms on information administration okay alphabet soup
okay so they're they're controlled by the Commerce Committee and the Commerce Committee is where NTA rests and
that's also one of the reasons why Diaspora Link is interesting because it provides two things for the the relationship
between the United States mainland and Africa which is not only economic but also also from a national security
standpoint there is no direct links so So every communication, whether it be military, whether it be commerce, goes
through communication cables that could possibly be compromised. End to end from the mainland to the continent
through the Virgin Islands, the U.S. government stays in control of that link. We do not anticipate that once these bills are
passed and the study is completed, we We believe the study will come back affirmative. And then once it comes back
affirmative, then it's up to Congress to figure out how to fund
1:48:26
the results of the study. We do not anticipate that the Virgin Islands will have to be the contributor to this because it's a
federal issue. But at the same time, they need a custodian here in the Virgin Islands. I wrote the white paper for this
initiative, and I believe I will carry it all the way through. All right, so we need to stay on top of this and make sure that
this is shepherded true, and pray that the feasibility study comes back feasible. Yes.
1:50:19
And then we get to the funding conversation. Yes. So I don't know what kind of time that is. I know everything takes
time, and sometimes I feel like time is forever. So you talked about five areas to possible areas to support lowering the
cost of services, lowing the cost of the middle mile, getting to the last mile.
1:51:02
Do you have an action plan around any of those or all of those as to how we can, how reachable are these goals? Yes.
One of them we're actually already finding some early success with, and that was a diversification in our diversification
strategy. One of the things that we're trying to do is figure out how we can leverage not only our network, but our people
domain expertise, right? know we have a particular knowledge in our house that is very unique in the virgin islands
which is one of the reasons why we also did these salary increases to retain the valuable talent of our staff um one of the
things that we've done is we're looking at cloud services uh those are things like uh you know hosting of servers and of
data backup the hospital is one of of our customers. Both hospitals are actually customers of the INGN and buying
licenses, Microsoft licenses, as well as data backup services. We plan to get further into that business because all it is is
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leveraging existing network capabilities and domain expertise that our staff happens to have. That's one area. We have
spent ARPA funds to be able to deploy wi-fi extensively throughout the territory and we're not done yet once that's
deployed there represents revenue opportunities through advertising we plan to monetize our wi-fi network in that
manner a third one is i already spoke about is licensing dark fiber which is basically getting fiber strands to our isp
partners and letting them be independent of vingn with that also comes number four which is using our fiber access
points which are these little huts that you see on the side of the roads we have 24 of them that holds our infrastructure and
those become opportunities for our ISP partners to be able to host their service and then lastly what we plan to do and this
is a one that's very dear to the whole company I talked about the digital equity grant which is a very important grant to
the company
because it's something that we have interest in to do good for the Virgin Islands but that also represents revenue
opportunities to make the Virgin Islands partially a destination place in for cruise ship passengers and people who come
here to be able to learn and we have this idea called DigiPlex which is a similar to a model that they have in san francisco
where you have a center where people go to be able to learn get hands-on experience with technology that also be not
only is that something important to our children but it's also something that's important to people who are coming off
cruise ships and need something to do for their children right so those are the five things that we're exploring as revenue
opportunities to bridge the gap until we have something significant to do a pivot could you give me the first one again oh
i knew you were going to do that yeah i'm sorry cloud services cloud services what is it again uh um hospitals like the
cloud services is like when you uh back up your servers and your data and that goes into the cloud like um um like if
you're using google uh or sharepoint or any of those types of things those are cloud services that's That's what that is.
1:53:42
Okay. I just wanted to be clear on that. All right. Thank you. Senator. Let me first take this opportunity as well to
recognize the presence of Senator Giovanni James Sr., member of the committee. Please mark Senator James as present,
as well as Senator Novali Francis, Mr. President, as present. Senator Carrion. Okay. He probably left the room for a
second. So we're going to go directly to Senator Giovanni. James. Okay, my apologies. Senator Nouvelle-Francis.
1:55:02
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Good afternoon to you. My colleagues, good afternoon to the testifiers from
VINGN, CEOs, Adams, and Comptroller. I just thank you for your testimony today. And you said I'm all full. And you
talk about being in the perfect world. But the reality is that, and you also talk extensively about the cost of internet
service here in the Virgin Islands. But you know what? It wouldn't be so difficult for us to pay for the damn thing if it
worked.
1:55:37
Right? I think the problem that we find ourselves in a lot of times is the fact that there's this cost. However, the service is
not matching up to the cost of it. I have three, I juggle three service providers at my home just to be able to make it work.
I have a responsibility, you know, you do your businesses, you want surveillance, you have to be accessible and
available. Not that I could afford it, it hurt me, but I need to be available, I need to be accessible. So I have to make the
sacrifice to make that happen and if we don't get it right people will continue to come and eat our lunch. Elon Musk is out
there and Starlink is the latest thing and now that the saying is somewhat of a savior for what we're experiencing. So we
truly have to put our heads together you know because while we're fighting here among ourselves between the VIA, the
Liberty, the VIGN and And all of these entities, others are now able to infiltrate and be able to get the services here.
1:56:16
So at some point, I know that there have been some collaboration, some synergy, and you talk about your partners. And
I'm hoping that at some point we could really start to hunker down and make this thing work. I wanted to ask you, I know
that there was an initiative by the governor to make sure that there is Wi-Fi accessibility throughout the territory. Where
are we with that? so um thank you senator um that's probably that's one of our brightest points is uh governor bryan's
initiative for ubiquitous wi-fi in the territory that is a program that's been funded under the arpa program and that was a
10.8 million dollar um grant that we was awarded to us and we have expended uh 5.4 million dollars of that we have this
point we have deployed 95 hot spots throughout the territory um the latest one that we've completed has been the the
airport both airports are now complete most public spaces are complete now we're actually going into small little places
to fill in the gaps and i would say we're 80 complete with that project of deploying wi-fi throughout my time we're done
we we should have uh well over a hundred spots that will be free for residents in the virgin islands so again i believe that
there's some opportunity for us to market this and be able to advise the public but two to ensure that it works i was at the
airport this morning and had to turn off my wi-fi um in order to be able to to to get my um emails and check even the
vingn's wi-fi i had to turn off whatever is at the airport is the public access uh wi-fi there and i had to actually turn off my
wi-fi on my phone and being able to access
1:57:29
um and we went to lte went to 5g i went to all kind of eventually um you know there's for me to be able to get my emails
and be able to send emails you know so um i think that it's important that we market these areas and because it is
important we can't we don't have a lot of people that's able to afford all of this um internet service and it's unfortunate and
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i think that it's important that we're able to maximize the 95 hot spots one minute but we need to know where those are
real quickly um i'm happy that you spoke about the diaspora link i think that that is something that i've read up on and i
think that there are some opportunities there i fully support that if we get it working if we could really get it um put in
place and get it functional in respect to you talk about the 87 i mean 67.5 million dollars and that was uh our money at the
time uh the 67 million dollars 30 seconds was federal monies that was on the hour that was under yes that was under our
back then yes was there a requirement for a match how did the 36 million dollars come involved in that this there was a
required match requirement and the 36 million was the match for the 67 um that and then also part i i don't have all the
insights senator on on that particular one i know part of that was for the match and then part of it it was also uh part of the
build requirements i don't have all the insight on that one okay i'll move on from that time um quickly in terms of the
revenues um that you spoke about and your average between 4.9 and 5 million dollars in revenues is that solely from
collection of the middle mile or there's other initiative vi ngn has undertaken to be able to um be creative and innovative
with more revenue collection uh 90 of that 95 of that is broadband so middle mile however um our goal
as a company is to be able to increase revenue with diversification strategies uh in the coming months and years okay and
finally in respect to what we're encountering here in the versions with Liberty I heard that you mentioned that you
certainly embrace and support the Liberty initiatives but you know that this body just recently asked for the FCC to
conduct an investigation and analysis of what's transpiring here with our Liberty concerns and issues with the fallouts and
the outages and different things that we're having um what is your professional if you have one opinion about this and
how can we really um step up our game because liberty is really presenting some challenges for this community how do
you believe or you will be your recommendation that we expeditiously expeditiously address the liberty issue well i want
to be clear that vi engine I think it's a very important part of the community.
2:01:13
I think it's a very important part of the community. I think 100% supports Liberty. We support VIA. We support all of our
ISP partners. Liberty's challenge is a unique one to the territory. However, I would caution the territory to be a little bit
more patient because what they have undertaken is more than a mouthful. And it's taken them a little bit more time to
digest. And I would urge us to be patient. And another reason why I'm urging us to be patient is because the federal
government has invested $86 million into this. Once they're done with it, that's what we've got. That's what we're going to
have for a generation. So we can beat them up on the front end and have high expectations. And we should have
expectations. And we should have expectations. We should have expectations. We should have expectations.
2:02:11
and we should have expectations and hold their feet to the fire but at the same time that is for the next generation liberty
is it from fiber to the home now mobile is a totally different thing and what i've heard i've been in uh senate hearings um
next to my counterparts with liberty and via and they're taking it on the chin on the mobile side as they should right they
need to improve customer service it's a customer service issue but fiber to the home is a different animal altogether and i
believe that they're on the right track to making that happen very well thank you for responses um my time i've been
called but life is at stake um when we're dealing with connectivity and um and not having connectivity becomes an issue
for us thank you madam i'll share for the time. Thank you, Senator Francis. So I heard your plea with regards to the
asking the community to be patient. However, I think our primary concern in the territory is on the mobile side. See, I
have a mother that is 91 years old, and I need to reach her, and I can't.
2:03:05
So that might sound good, but that's a very tough pill for us to swallow. So we know that they took over the AT&T
network, but it just seems that we have other challenges with software. Something is going on there. And I'm not an IT
person, but sometimes I spend time thinking about what this could possibly be, and it seems like they have some software
challenges. Because we worked very well with the AT&T network. If we work very well with the AT&T network, then it
means that the infrastructure isn't the issue. There is something else.
2:04:21
It seems like they have a software challenge. You actually hit it right on the head. Listen, I've been standing up at night
thinking about this thing. So do I. But it is software. You know, their challenge in software migrations in any corporation
is extremely challenging. And it's even more challenging you put tens of thousands of people on a network and try to
keep them up while you're doing a software upgrade and migration migrations are even harder than an upgrade so they
you know i i've i'm a customer too right i have two phones right i have an at&t phone i have a via phone and i curse them
both all the time they might go home to oakland it's like oh gosh nirvana so i'm also becoming a little concerned because
you know we have a lot of our A lot of Virgin Islanders now moving over to, we have a new, what's the other one?
T-Mobile, T-Mobile, that's here in the territory. I pray that T-Mobile can, you know, as people move over, that in fact
T-Mobile is preparing themselves to withstand the load, the capacity. Do they have the capacity? There's a lot of things
we have to think about. So as those transitions take place, we have to think about you know i hope these companies are
thinking about exactly what what's happening here in the territory but there's one thing that t-mobile has that the other
two don't that we that we have legacy issues with the the and this is very important with t-mobile and sprint is that both of
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those companies come in here and they only have one product to sell it's mobile cellular service when you look at bio
when you look at liberty they have the dual service of the same network to manage both mobile and land communications
and that inherently is a big challenge and that's where they're getting tripped up both of them right um so yeah both
both companies have tremendous issues with this vingn's role at this tower level is like at some towers we support we
support bit at the tower level but beyond that we do not support um liberty or actually no we i take that back we do
provide some tower support but not thoroughly throughout the network throughout the territory okay so um just going
back quickly to senator francis mr president's question with regards to the hot spots how many hot spots did you say you
have territory right we have about 95 hot spots but we have um probably close to 200 access points okay so and the
difference between those is like at kramers park is one act kramers park is one um hot spot but there's five antennas there
each one of them to make the whole park available or access points so even though kramers park on our map shows as
one hot spot there's five access points inside kramers park there's a lot of places like them all of the public housing
facilities are counted each housing facility is counted as one spot but there's multiple antennas throughout the housing
facilities once we get done with our initial deployment we will come back to public housing and put even more antennas
in public housing and are we collecting any data yes we're we're collecting a lot of data what type of data um things like
at the airport on any one day we'll have 2 000 people on our network on wi-fi um we have um i think the peak i saw was
like maybe 18 000 people a day on our wi-fi network that's something we didn't didn't exist this time last year yeah but
when i say data i mean like so are we are you partnering with the government to like as you sign on to the network there
are certain things that we need to know we plan to do
2:06:57
we plan you know what you know what i mean right yes i do and we we plan to do that next i think what it came home to
me when i was sitting at the sea plane a couple of weeks ago and a young man from the housing facility close by walked
over put his boom box down opened up his laptop and started doing schoolwork at a chair at the seaborne airlines which
tells me he doesn't have it at home that's the value of this wi-fi network and why we're going to expand it even further to
be able to help young men like that but more importantly the young man should not be able to leave his home he should
have it in his home and that's what we're working on as well so as bi engine transitions over time the one thing that we
will always do is to make sure that the vulnerable community of the virgin islands has internet access we don't know
about those of us who can pay for it we may moan and complain about this this or that but if if the if we can only do one
thing and make sure that the vulnerable community has access as close to free as possible we will have done our job we
will have created value i believe for the version of it and how is that being subsidized that that is being something like for
instance like our wi-fi so when you when we run wi-fi into a public housing for when we so every single when vign was
built there is these things called cais community anchor institutions right every single government entity this building is a
is a cai so our fiber comes here your service is all dependent on the last mile whoever provides you service right we are
providing you service it'd be lightning fast but we don't but at public housing we said okay our fiber is there what can we
do with it let's put wi-fi on
2:09:01
top of it that's the first thing once it's there now we can come back later and say can we run fiber to every unit in public
housing and we're actually doing a test like that right now at marley homes in st croix where we've run fiber to we've run
fiber there we already have hot spots there we're working with one of the smaller isps to do a pilot project to run fiber
into every unit and then charge thirty dollars for a hundred megs that doesn't exist in the territory if that project proves
well we will open that up to the other isps and that's how we'll make sure that part of our vulnerable community has
access at an affordable rate that's what we're doing and that doesn't kind we're not looking for a new grant for that we're
paying for that out of so that particular one the marley homes in particular it's like okay we paid for that out of operating
cash so i went to elisa i said please give me this money she said okay she gave me money i said okay we invested in this
equipment we're doing this deployment there we're testing not only the technology but also upskilling our workforce to
be able to support that type of technology If it works in VEHA, in one VEHA installation, it'll work in all of VEHA
installations.
2:10:59
And then once we go to more VEHA installations and put fiber to the home there and it's $30, what do you think is going
to happen to the marketplace when people in public housing are getting internet services at 100 megs up and down for
$30, yet you live up in the hills and you're paying 200 for the same service that's market competition and it's going to
drive the prices down we hope that's one of the that's how we leverage our network to help influence pricing where we
can't on a cost basis okay okay so um so how when how what was we're doing that now yeah what's how long is the study
how long is the we've started pilot the pilot is ongoing we've started the the design works is in the works all the
equipment's been ordered all the equipment is on island uh we've been working with viha we've been working with the
isp partner on this we hope to have the deployment by june okay so and then there's a testing period no you see they're
gonna work it's not yeah that's what i mean right out the bat and just let me just ask you uh just for that community alone
what was the associated cost the associated cost as i recall was something like fifty thousand dollars there dare take fifty
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thousand dollars for that community and how how large is that community do you know that has 90 i think all together
about 90 units okay so that's a small but it but it's actually it's small but it's actually the hardest of all of them because
they have these independent units right when you go into the larger the facility the easier it is so the ones where there's
big blocks those ones are very easy because you're not running fiber to every single building right so I asked
the question and I'm gonna move on to the next senator's next senator is senator oh no I think so is enough but it has a
point but I asked that question so go to the point but I asked that question because you know as you do your work in the
Virgin House Next Generation Network organization I know that you're of the belief that you are you're funded 100% by
your revenues and support from the Public Finance Authority but if a matter of this magnitude impacts our community as
a legislature we have a responsibility to figure out how we can provide support so please remember that the legislature is
here let the legislature tell you know if there is a need that would mitigate what we are experiencing right now as you do
this testing and as you do this work i mean we give each year in our in our budget we give non-profit organizations
millions of dollars as we add it up so if this is something that's going to drive down the cost of internet service in our in
our um housing communities we have a responsibility to buy into this i thank you and i appreciate that um next time i
appear for you we will have something okay but i'm just saying but i'm saying that this is critical and important to our
community i hear We have to look at all of the available funding.
2:14:10
We have CDBG dollars. We have all kind of money in this territory. And if we're talking about reducing the, our, our, our
inflation and making services available to our people, then we have to fight. We have to fight. We have to be the voice to
say this is what we want to see. We have to beat the drum. That's our responsibility in this institution. so i just want to
make sure i put that out there understood okay i'm also i understand understood center bladen you recognize your point of
inquiry information thank you thank you thank you madam chair um ceo adams i'm glad you went there because um my
interpretation was that all of the housing communities did have um connectivity and knowing that you are coming here
today, my team went out again. Fiber, that's what I'm talking about. And the speed.
2:15:47
And knowing that you're coming here today, my team went out and did some testing out of the different housing
communities and most of them do not have any connectivity at all. And we found in some cases that the speed of the
anchor communities was 10 megabytes. I know in 2015 FCC stand about 25 I believe at a time can you speak to that yes I
can it's important to do to to truly understand what the middle mile is because I think that's the the part that trips a lot of
people up so the middle mile is like is that big pipeline you know if it was a pipe it's a big pipe like this every housing
community has a big pipe it can take 10 000 gallons of water just an analogy so every every housing community has 10
000 gallons of water that can be delivered to it per second but then when the isp depending on the prices they pay for
broadband they'll give you a straw and give you 10 gallons of water through that straw but the capability is 10 000 this
building is the classic example of that this building doesn't have full every single building that vi every ca i that has vi nj
and fiber has the capability of one gig every single one but if you're not getting one gig is because the service contract
that you have and the service contract is driven by cost and now it comes back to vi nj and say okay i want to buy a gig
circuit or it costs that much i can't afford that i'll buy 100 gigs and then 100 megs and then i'll split it with the building
next door and then they're only getting 10. that's how the end mile works so we have to fix that we meaning v-i-n-g-n
right thank you for that
2:16:49
senator thank you senator bladen senator james senior you recognize for your 50 minutes greetings to the people of the
u.s virgin islands thank you madam chair for the time. On page five of your testimony, you mentioned that you had
several PFA and VINGN board meetings discussing the interest rate and other things pertaining to the 36.8 million bond.
When was the last meeting with PFA and VINGN regarding this discussion? This discussion or my presence at both
those meetings? Because there was a PFA meeting stop ready hold on if you want to follow along with the conversation
page five key areas of concern you said this matter has been discussed at several pfa and vi ngm board meetings
regarding the 36.8 million dollar ban so my question to you and last was this discussed okay um it doesn't be um the
reason why i asked for a delineation or distinction is because i had a pfa meeting yesterday but it was not discussed at that
meeting the last time i recall it was uh discussed is most likely december of uh of last year in a vingn meeting and um it's
just noted most meetings i bring it up right here if i actually for extra extra information just want to know when last it was
discussed thank you and then you said this matter up to this date no interest rate has not been determined and an
amortization schedule has not been established so in december was that discussed or were those two things discussed the
interest rate when last you had that discussion at the pfa and vihn board meeting it has not directly been discussed the
interest or or amortization
2:18:48
ms haj speaks about it at the at the audit level because you said today the interest rate has not been determined yes so i'm
assuming and it's not good to assume but i'm assuming that it was discussed but you're saying hey go ahead ms had you
want to say something go ahead hello yes i just wanted to mention in addition to mentioning the issue at board meetings i
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also communicate directly with the pfa staff uh the comptroller there and follow up periodically regarding this particular
matter about the interest rate and the amortization schedule and it was to be discussed at a pfa meeting not necessarily the
ones that we attend but they meet outside of the subsidiaries and so i keep you know i follow up periodically about that
what i'm looking at is the sense of audiency knowing that the governor is among the conversation that's what i'm looking
at the sense of audiency hold on if i didn't ask anything don't respond i'm i'm talking you're going to talk one minute the
reason why i'm asking these questions is because i just need to know how important it is or how urgent it is when it
comes to these stakeholders but i will let you proceed go ahead it's important to governor brian governor brian has raised
the issue he's the one that set the priority i don't have insight into the pfa meetings and executive session about what they
plan to do with it uh miss hodge and i do keep it on the plate as something that needs to be addressed so my question to
you you said the pfa 30 seconds directed you all to explore federal grant opportunities when they directed you all to do so
when when a conversation took place
um senator i don't recall but it was last year earlier in the year when we had conversations with uh usda because we
followed up on the on what we were directed to do okay understood and as far as this whole 36.8 million dollar one
minute i was able to look at page not page page nine which is the statement of net position i saw where you have 18
million dollars invested in capital assets one million dollars one million dollar unrestricted and then the 36 million dollars
for the pfa can you just go into a little details about the 18 million dollars invested in capital assets and what are the
return of investment what are the return of investments for those Okay, the investment in capital assets would be the
comparison of our capital assets on the asset portion.
2:22:41
Let's take... Let me make it easier. Through the chair, I'd like to request those documents. We have $18 million invested
in capital assets. That's right there in the statement of net position. Time. I'd just like to have an idea of those capital
assets. if you could just because I was trying to beat time it's not a matter of being rude but as far as the returning
investment can you speak on a returning investment madam chair please I'm not able to speak on the return of investment
because I don't have that ratio calculated but that particular amount is the difference between our capital assets meaning
our fixed assets and our loan to the PFA, our long-term debt. Yes, and in the essence of time, Madam Chair, I'd also like
to request documentation of them, breaking down at $18 million in invested capital assets, and for them to show us our
return on investments when it comes to those capital assets. Thank you, Madam Chair, for the time. So your capital assets
is basically the infrastructure that's out. That is correct it consists of our fiber, our FAPS facility access points and so
forth. Okay so I found did some we weren't able to get a PFA but I looked we found a article actually I don't see the date
on it if Listen, Thomas, the source, it's not dated, but it's somewhere about 2010-2011 that speaks to the fact that the
government has pulled in nearly $70 million in federal economic stimulus grant funding to, it says, despite Senator's
lingering objections over the government's broadband financing bill, it appears the two sides might still be able to come
to our middle ground on the $170 million middle mile project.
2:23:56
The government has pulled in nearly $70 million in federal economic stimulus grant funding to pay the various
components of the project, which has twice failed to pass muster. So we're the only ones who vote stuff now, okay? Has
twice failed to pass muster with the Senate, which authorizes the issuance of up to $42.5 million in gross receipt tax
bonds to cover the required local match. So that amount is a local match. So there is some interest associated with it
because now, what was that number that you gave us earlier?
2:25:53
70, how much million? 67.5. 67.5, right? For the federal grants. But then it went, no, for the amounts that's on the books.
36.8. Oh, it's 36. For the PFA loan. Okay, so it's only, it's 36.8, so it's going down. That's what it is. so um yeah so the
grant or the bond rather that was issued was somewhere about 42.5 million dollars okay so we probably looked through it
so there's a lot of different variables at the time um this was what legislature That's when Senator Sean Malone, and it
said, it spoke to Senator Doe, who sponsored the amendment. So that's, it's grocery seed bonds.
2:26:28
So we actually, every year, like I said earlier, when we move our budget, we have to set up But before we do anything,
we have to make sure that those bond debt dollars are shaved off. And I think that particular bond debt is like 3.5 million
dollars, 3.5 million per year or I think based on what it says here. So we have to do a little more research on it, but we're
going to get to the bottom of it. But you're saying that out the gate that you are unable to pay this debt.
2:27:29
But I'll tell you, what is the VINJN considered a what organization? Of the PFA? Or solely owned subsidiary of the PFA?
A subsidiary of the Virgin Islands Public Finance Authority. And I know that it was never the intent. That happened in
what, 2011? We are in 2023? How much years there is? 13, 40, 13 years? So it was never the intent for this debt to still
be sitting on the responsibility of the legislature to appropriate. Because what's happening is as we bill those debts and
then we're unable to balance them out, then we have to cut our budgets to accommodate those debts. So we have to have
a, I mean, you've laid out for us today, and the purpose of this meeting, you know, we have other committees that will
discuss all of the other great things that you're all are doing but for me I'm looking at the financials so you've laid out five
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five potential revenue generating ideas for the public finance authority and if we are serious about standing up the
organization absent of the the what's the name of it again diaspora link the diaspora link absent of the diaspora link
because that's gonna take time for the study to be conducted then we have to get ourselves involved so I don't want you to
be a stranger to well I don't want you to make us a stranger to the work that you're doing because we have to also provide
assistance to make sure that we are balancing our budget and being able to provide the resources or the services
to our community and if we are able to shave off that 3.5 million dollars it says that we have 3.5 million dollars more that
we can put towards our hospitals, our education, our infrastructure, our roads. So these are things that we have to really
contemplate. So I think what happens to us a lot of times is we operate in silos and because we're siloing we're not aware
that this is something that's potentially very possible available to us if we put our collective heads together and work on it
then to assist you we're getting more revenue so you can stand up your organization so you won't have to be so reliant on
us paying that debt every year yeah if we didn't have that that yeah had that in operating cash every year so I'm just
saying these are things that we we have to marry these things so we could understand how we're gonna lay them out and
make it make sense for us so we could provide services we struggle here on this on this side of the aisle so I don't know if
okay there's a point of information from senator Novel Francis jr. and then one from senator James senator Francis you're
recognized for your point of information oh thank you very much madam chair just real quickly I know that you
mentioned in page two of your testimony that you receive or you're the recipient of several grants and I know some of
that is accounted on your spreadsheet to excel spreadsheet here but can you put on record those categories that you have
mentioned FEMA our power the National Telecommunication and Information Administration as well as the Federal
Communications Commission the FCC if you just put on record how much each of um those grants represent okay um in
in in looking at the totals as far as uh obligated for fema as a category we have uh 20.7 million dollars have been
obligated thus far okay under the arpa grant which has managed to what's the if you could just
2:29:59
speak to what's remaining from that as well while you you break them down oh okay and so what's remaining is that
they're out of the 90 percent and until the cost share is still being negotiated with uh odr is 19 million 19.3 million we
have expended and invoiced 3.3 million dollars and we have uh requested reimbursements of 2.7 million dollars uh one
of the things with fema that's important to note is that our cash flow is determinate of how we address and when we
address particular projects because all these projects are on reimbursement basis the next category of grants are the arpa
grants managed out of omb we we were awarded 10.7 million dollars and we have requested reimbursements of $5.7
million, basically half the grant. The last two categories, one are direct with federal partners. The first one with FCC is
$250,000. We have $250,000.
2:32:03
We have $250,000. we have about 34 000 left in that grant and then the digital equity planning grant is 150 000 and of
that grant we have about 96 000 left in that grant okay and um is there any other grant that you applied for and is pending
um that this time that we've applied for yeah um we will be applying for the digital equity uh capacity grant which is
basically the execution of the plan that we had submitted to uh ntia and that's a one point a 2.1 million dollar grant and at
this time all the grants that are available we do not qualify because of duplication okay thank you very much you said um
in testimony as well as you have a separate account for each of these grants correct yes okay well thank you thank you
madam chair for the time senator james you recognize your point of information thank you madam chair is a point of
inquiry um it's basically something i wanted to ask in my last line of questioning um earlier the chair of this committee
asked about the collecting of data you never said yes or no so I will ask the question again are you collecting data and
what are you doing with this data and is there a monetary gain within VI NGN by the entity collecting the data we collect
the first the first the first question is yes or no question are you collecting data yes on yes what
2:33:20
What are you doing with the data and is there a monetary gain or profit from the collection of data? We're doing nothing
with the data. So what's, okay. So when the chair asks a question, you dodge it. And I just want to make sure that we have
it clear on the record that there isn't anything so the public will not be under the impression that data is being collected
and things are being done with it, hence why I'm asking this question. Thank you Madam Chair for the time. Thank you
Senator James.
2:35:08
So let's just go quickly. We're going to do a rapid round. We're going to just allow all the senators to ask one question
before we wrap up. But let me ask you, I note that your audits are behind and I know that many of the entities, your
audits are behind because of COVID. Now I'm not sure if that's why your audits are behind, but your last audit was
conducted or completed. Your last completed audit was in for fiscal year 2021, and you're currently in the middle of your
2022 audit. So we really don't have a good picture of where you are now.
2:35:43
And then you are in the process of preparing for your 23 audit. So when do you intend to complete your, so you said May
31st? So it's already ready to be completed. Yes, we had our follow-up kickoff meeting and BDO has shared with us that
they are aiming for May 31st. But it's important to note that the audits are done in conjunction with the PFA and the other
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subsidiaries. So even if the INGN, for example, in the fiscal year 2021, were the first subsidiary to be issued they have to
wait for the others as well before they move on to the next fiscal year. Okay so you're dealing with the whole overall
central government audit program so that's that's why you're behind. I get it. In part. In part. Yeah I see. Okay so I did
want to follow up on the question you asked me previously. Yes thank you for the question and for clarification I just
make sure you see what the question was yes you I misunderstood what you were asking you have asked in terms of our
quarterly revenues the information I provided was annual but you wanted to know on a quarterly basis what our revenues
are projected to be and what our expenditures were projected to be and what was the deficit of the surplus so I was able to
calculate that and for our revenue projections we have 1.3 million dollars in revenues and for our expenses less
depreciation expense it was 1.6 a deficit of 0.3 or 300,000 I wanted to explain that in terms of with VINGN we have
other unrestricted cash so to speak that we receive that's not reflected in operating revenues like our reimbursements from
FEMA. We've had some cash paid up front for some of our ISP services that we will amortize over the life of those
contracts. So it's a little bit nuanced to kind of explain well where's the cash coming from but that's basically you know
where it is coming from. So even though it may look like a deficit there's other cash from different receivables as you can
see we do have some grants receivables and we We have some other grants that we would get reimbursements for some
of our staff and things like that.
So all those sit in your restricted, all of your reimbursements sit in your restricted until your... The reimbursements are
unrestricted because we have expended our money a hundred percent and so when it's reimbursed to us, then we can... So
what is your restricted? What's restricted? Yeah, you have, I saw on your statement of one of these accounts, these. The
unrestricted is a calculation of the current assets and the current liabilities.
2:38:54
So do you have a restricted cash account where you put rainy day funds or there's a policy around that? We would
consider the grants as restricted. For example, we explained that each grant has its own bank account. For example, the
digital equity has its own bank account, and so on and so forth. So those funds are only used for the purpose of which
they're intended. Okay, but you don't have any policy at VINGN where you set aside X number of dollars annually to
address what Director, CEO Adams, shared about unexpected challenges with your equipment.
2:39:27
No, we try to build up our cash reserves for those instances, but we don't have like a rainy day fund, so to speak, if that's
what you're asking. No, but we intend to establish that in the future. Okay. Okay, I see Senator Carrion. So Senator
Carrion, you're recognized for your five minutes. Good afternoon to all my colleagues, people of the United Islands. And
to the testifiers that are before us today. Quickly wanna jump into some of the questions that I have.
2:40:17
One of them, and please I do apologize if it was asked and answered I was on an important meeting you did mention
about the diaspora link with the US through us you know to Africa can you kindly share with us a little bit what would
that mean for us as a territory of the benefits from it if it's passed and funding is done something is provided sorry the
thank you for the questions senator the the benefit to the Virgin Islands is quite simply that the Virgin Islands would be
relevant to the to the mainland as a strategic location in the communications and infrastructure between the continent of
africa and the u.s mainland that's the main benefit the secondary benefit to us from a broadband perspective is that you
have modern equipment now being laid between the united states virgin islands and the mainland that that the Virgin
Islands did not have to pay for it.
2:40:54
So we basically run piggyback on this infrastructure that the feds had laid for us, which then brings down our cost
structure. And then third and lastly, is that the infrastructure that would be placed in territory to support the connection
between the two continents would be new job opportunities in the Virgin Islands and new revenue opportunities in the
Virgin Islands. Thank you. Thank you for that. And with regards to you presented the issue with $84.5 million the USVI
Connect grant that the NGN lost right so broadband VI Liberty was awarded. Do you foresee the broadband being able to
fulfill their requirements under this grant compliance form or you know what are you seeing with regards to this I believe
well first of all the INGN did not compete in that grant it was for the private sector so we could not compete for this grant
opportunity however we supported broadband VI in the in their application process at the time um with once broadband
vi won that grant vi ngn would have built out the entire network on the back of our own network which would have
benefited the territory in much lower prices liberty vi purchased broadband vi and once they purchased it they decided
that they wanted to have a network that was independent of vi ngn which basically cut us out of the loop that being said i
have all i have confidence that liberty vi will deliver what they're supposed to
2:42:13
deliver under the mandates of their grant well i'm glad to hear that you have confidence so that really helps us here a little
bit also to build some of that confidence um now let's go a little bit to your your structured you said you have 26 highly
credentialed skilled employees uh can you just provide a breakdown um per district one minute we have uh 13 employees
in both St. Croix and St. Thomas district 13 13 in each district 1 3 13 district okay and I and I saw you gave your
employees a maybe a much needed raised increase I know the last one VIGN provided was in 2016 and it was a three
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percent what percentage 30 seconds provided this time this time the average percent was around eight percent increase so
what's your total personnel operating costs yeah just one moment in 2024 fiscal year it's projected to be 2.9 million and
this includes payroll taxes okay 2.9 million very well um my time has been called thank you madam chair
You have another question, Senator? Yeah, with regards to the revenue projections, well, one, with regards to the audit, I
had a question if there was any finding for the last audit that you had. Our audits had no findings. We had one
recommendation in terms of the recognition of revenue for grants uh and that was a little bit before my tenure but that
was a matter in terms of when do you recognize grant revenues and it was not when it's obligated but it was actually
when it's expended and reimbursed so we found that correction on our own however the auditors made a note of it that
was only findings yes and it was more of a recommendation not a finding so to speak very well thank you madam chair
so you're you're subject to the single audit yes okay all right and another single added findings they gave you one
recommendation correct got it okay um so colleagues we're going to go to a quick one question we're going to keep this
the one minute, please. We're going to start with Senator Fonseca. Recognise the mic of Senator Fonseca, please. Yes,
thank you, Madam Chair. Real quickly, Mr Adams. Okay, so you mentioned that your cables are on the bottom of the
ocean, basically. I want to ask you specifically, between st thomas and st croix does your cable go to the bottom of the
ocean and then one other thing i wanted to do basically after 2030 right the federal duplication rules um expire so this
should be some federal additional federal broadband dollars available to you so basically from now to 2030 is your bad
time and after 2030 it'll be better for you is that is that what you're saying so can you just answer those two quick
questions the cable depth and and 2030 okay the the first one is really easy uh the cable runs along the c floor until it hits
the trench between
2:46:14
st quarry and st thomas and then 30 seconds then it does a u because it's too deep to go all the way down and then come
back up it costs too much um for the second question for 2020 uh 30 uh we can't wait that long for the feds to bill it to
then say oh you got a green light to get money again by then we will be on to something else you know by then we will
be looking at opportunities for whatever is available from the ntia and fcc at that time what is our business model then
how do we fit into those business model opportunities thank you madam chair for the time Thank you, Madam Chair.
CEO Adams, you spoke in a testimony to a follow-up notice of funding opportunity of $2.1 million and you say you're
going to apply for it by July 31st of this year. We're in the middle of April. What the timeframe you plan to apply for this
it's gotten very important in terms of the funding for okay the uh the digital equity uh uh grant or a planning grant for the
territory was published um in april march 28th and the the comment period is now into the 28th of this 30 seconds we
plan to immediately apply for the capacity grant the states have until may 31st all the territories have until july 31st we
intend to beat the states very well thank you for that thank you so much madam chair uh senator
2:48:41
noel francis jr oh thank you very much madam chair just real quickly um ceo adams do you have a strategic plan um and
if you could just speak to some of your goals objectives deliverables if you will in regards to what your your expectations
are for 2024 for 2024 our strategic plan is available to realign the pricing of vingn's wholesale price for the for our for our
isp partners from an infrastructure standpoint we are 30 seconds upgrading our ring from 10 gigs to 100 gigs to increase
bandwidth in the territory to also provide resiliency and then our our last one is to be able to look at diversified revenue
streams to be able to stave off what i have painted today as a challenging picture oh there's one more this has reminded
me and because it's so funny that i forget this one because i i i drone it into the executive team every every week is that to
complete all of our fema work this year thank you uh senator francis junior well where there are challenges there are
definitely blessings and opportunities yes I just see it over and over because as I sit here I just ask myself but for and I
asked it and this is not the only instance I ask it in but for the hurricanes of 2017 and but for COVID-19 I'm not certain
where we would be
2:50:32
and let's just keep it to this particular conversation it seemed like absent of this dollars from our federal partners
particularly the FEMA dollars you would be going south fast mm-hmm you would have already been south actually so
I'm still of the same position we need to figure out exactly how do we i mean you said that it's one of your strategic goals
to reduce the middle mile pricing pricing um let me ask you i know that in entities of this nature when you when there's a
what are you you're the ceo right yes the ceo so when we hire a ceo of an organization their deliverables um does your
contract come with specific deliverables with regards to what we want to see for the virginals next generation network in
the future my contract does not provide specific milestones deliverables that are performance based what my contract
calls for is to be able to deliver on the mission of the company would i bring to the table why i believe i'm the best ceo for
this job then a question for me don't get it twisted that is not a question for me i i know that you're good that's not a
question for me i just want to understand for me an entity of this nature if we have okay if we're signing on a contract for
a ceo i'm sorry there must be deliverables so again we have a lot of missed opportunities in the Virgin Islands I mean
you're working towards what you're working towards because you're passionate about this but we may have gotten
somebody else who just feels like well there's a mission and a vision so this it you see what I'm saying yes that is
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concerning that's concerning so I hope that the board members are listening that is an important component
to a higher level agreement with a CEO for organization of this nature okay of course the government have to provide the
necessary supports to make it happen so it'll make you come and say hey guys I need to get this you know because see
what I'm saying yeah because I don't as long as I've sat here I don't recall you ever saying to the legislature look I need X
or Y so I can get the Z done I I don't recall because we haven't given it to you yeah all right Senator James you reckon oh
before we move forward I see that we have non-committee members Senator Carla Joseph. Carla Joseph we've exhausted
our round so we are now at a rapid round for one minute. Senator Javon James you're one minute. Thank you madam
chair and I myself been here for six years approximately six years and I don't recall a conversation as well so and we are
very generous sometimes too generous and then we stick a kick in the butt by the end of the day my question to you is on
the topic of revenue you said in 2023 certain ISP is discontinued services hence why you are seeing a net revenue decline
just for transparency and for us to understand 30 seconds who are those ISPs who discontinue services our master service
agreement doesn't allow us to say okay okay what thank you can I say no problem all right and then as far as the the
cloud services I'm happy to see that you're finding alternative ways and I know you're working on your core pricing
structure as far as who's going to be conducting
2:54:36
this core structure can you please set on the record our CIO Darrell Wade is the person leading that effort and is there a
deadline or a timeline on when you plan to how that finish life could you be asked the question who will be conducting
the comprehensive pricing oh I apologize I misunderstood your question that would be done across the led by the finance
team of massage to myself as well as our OSP which are outside plan and network operations which is our that manages
the actual network itself and as far as when you're projected to get it finished and we're not rushing you but you just want
to an idea so because we don't bring it down here often so we just need to have asked as much questions as possible to
finish the oh that pricing we plan to do we plan to have a new pricing model in place by july 1st july 1st so between now
and then is when we'll be doing this analysis thank you for placing that on the record and as far as your partners you
mentioned a list of partners do you expect to have any new partners in the year 2024 are you currently negotiating with
any new partners no okay I rest right there just want to have an idea of your financial projections and revenues Thank
You Madam Chair for the time. Thank You Senator James. Senator Carrion.
2:56:32
You know you mentioned that and following my my last colleague's question regards to comprehensive pricing review do
you have a timeline by when you guys would complete that review and implementation of that new pricing? We We've
retained an outside economist to look at, that's currently already doing the due diligence on our finances, our pricing
structure and industry trends to then sit down with- 30 seconds. Ms. Hodge and myself to be able to lay out the
framework and then do the analysis to come up with a new pricing model.
2:58:15
Timeline. timeline is it's already begun and we don't have deliverables yet but our end goal is to build to have new pricing
model in place by july 1st july 1st okay very well and then lastly um so you you mentioned about the 95 Wi-Fi hotspots
that have been placed and the grant that has been used for that my question in regards so that the maintenance of those
Wi-Fi hotspots because this grant is to be able to establish them what would be the cost now to be able to maintain and
what percentage are they all up oh okay thank you the maintenance is 1.2 million dollars per year that we use for
maintaining the the the network pay for the bandwidth that is increased because of that of that network Yeah, it's part of
our ARPA grant.
2:58:59
So after that ARPA grant is exhausted, then it's a matter of us out of operating or finding a new funding source to
maintain the network. Sorry, I didn't hear you clearly on this side. what I mentioned is upon the exhaustion of the ARPA
grant going forward maintaining the Wi-Fi network will either come out of operating or we will seek another grant
opportunity to be able to maintain that network and hopefully expand it even further and all 95 are up I'm sorry I missed
the question all 95 oh yes have been installed oh yes and counting yes thank you Senator Carrion one of the things that
we didn't ask when you spoke about the opportunity to generate revenues from oh I use a wrong term boy I think I put
away the paper the project that you're looking that you're working on No. Cloud services? Say it again. Cloud services?
No. Monetization of the Wi-Fi. The one in the community. The one in the community? Oh, the community Wi-Fi? Oh,
the community Wi-Fi or the... The one that you're working on right now. Marley Holmes? In St. Croix. Oh, Marley,
Marley Holmes. What's the name of that project? Marley Holmes?
3:00:30
No, what's the name, not the project, the name of your project, not the name of the community. Oh, okay, it's a fiber to
the home project and it just so happens to be deployed at the Marley Homes. Okay, good. So the question that we didn't
ask here today is how much revenues do you envision generating from that initiative? Okay, the this particular project is a
test is a pilot project of both the business model and the technology. We don't have we believe that it's it's $30 is what the
pricing will be. So it's a matter of the penetration of the 90 homes is what we don't know what that number is gonna be.
That's part of the test to see what the uptick would be.
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we do know that we uptake meaning interested how many of the 90 units will actually take the service for $30 got it and
it's matched the reason we picked $30 is because it's the same price as the ACP program if it comes back got it so the
question I'm asking that question because if this works then are you do you have folks that are you working with with the
Housing Authority and Housing Finance Authority to determine what's the inventory of the communities. Yes, when
VEHA authorized the MOU, when we entered into the MOU with VEHA for this pilot project, the understanding is that
If it goes well, we will roll it out to all of VEHA locations.
3:02:47
Okay, well, what we need from you is a actual financial analysis of the potential revenues that you can generate from
this. Okay. So, I am the chair, so I'm asking it through the chair that you guys take some time and look at the potential
revenues that you could generate from this. We'll provide that. because we need to, as we learn some things today, there's
some things we gotta balance out here, okay?
3:03:46
Understood. All right, good. Fonseca, you're recognized for your one minute. You're good? Yeah, I'm fine, Madam Chair.
Okay, great, thank you. So everybody went. So we have Senator Joseph that has joined us. So thank you for being here,
Senator Joseph. going to be gracious to you and we're going to give you the five minutes you may proceed thank you so
much madam chair a pleasant good afternoon to you madam chair our colleagues as well as mr adams and also miss
hodge from vingn and of course the listening and viewing audience I ran upstairs because I do have some probing
question just to look at the vision and where we're going to be moving with VINGN. Given your testimony today, we
have emerging markets in technology. I know that you're already aware of the importance that is being stated and
flaunted with artificial intelligence. I don't know any of my colleagues may have asked any questions pertaining to that so
if they did please beg my forgiveness I ask your forgiveness so how does our spectrum as far as broadband spectrum look
as far as to be able to accommodate that in the daily news yesterday I read with interest the amount of money that a
territory in the Caribbean is raking in because of some of the opportunities that are available because they are able to tap
into certain markets where technology is concerned. What in your position and your prospect do we have for expanding
what we have and and the investment over 42 million that the United States
3:04:18
government has given to us so that we can also assure that we are producing some revenue generating mechanisms
should a company want to move to the virgin islands to do those type of businesses here i love the question thank you
very much because it gets to the heart of one of the reasons why i came here to begin with um the but in the beginning
my answer is not about the spectrum part because that's not really pertains to the ai and other types of technologies but
what does what vingn and the territory has in spades that would help is that with through our edc program we have a
tremendous opportunity on tax benefits that can be that are not offered anywhere else in the caribbean and most
importantly and this is a very important part about technology and our EDC program is that I us us intellectual property
Protection prevails and that allows us to be able to do things that you can't do anywhere else on the mainland and
nowhere else in The in the Caribbean. However, our impediment is how much we pay for for electricity The massive data
centers that are used for AI consume New York style amounts of energy and a data center in Washington D in in the state
of Washington those data centers pay between four to six cents a kilowatt hour for electricity a data center is not Feasible
in the Virgin Islands unless it has an independent data
3:06:27
power source hence why diaspora link has a data center and power plant built into it as a complete unit thank you so
much because you see we want to be also and I and I realize that there is that connection between AI and us progressing
as a territory relative to technology which is tied critically to our source of power consistent source of power and how we
are able to provide that for one minute our our economic expansion so that was one of my question have you or final
question have you or any of your board members been to any conferences or or had discussions with companies relative
to moving to the Virgin Islands who are major players like Google or any of those? I've just asked a question. 30 seconds.
I chuckled because we had a summit last year that I spearheaded with Microsoft and my brother was the person who led
it on the Microsoft side because he's a, at the time he's retired since, a major architect in the data center business, one of
the reasons why I believe there's an opportunity here.
3:08:12
There was a tremendous interest when Microsoft came down here. I remember. Tremendous interest. OK, thank you.
Thank you so much, Madam Chair, for the time. This was a very good conversation, because we have to start to look
further at economic strength and growth. And technology is where is some of our strongest players. Thank you so kindly,
Madam Chair. Thank you, Senator Joseph, for your questions. I think that we have exhausted our conversation today. I
know that we got into talking about some things that are not so financial as it relates to the next generation, the next
generation network. But that's important.
3:09:40
It matters because we need to, they align, they tie. So I think for me, the one takeaway that I have from this conversation
that we had today is the importance of us supporting the work that you're doing at, and not just talking about it, really
championing the work that you're doing at VINGN because reducing that associated costs for broadband in the territory is
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important to our community.
So if you have these five revenue initiatives, we need to really talk about them. We need to get a clear picture as to what
and how do you intend to implement these five revenue initiatives. Do you have information around the implementation
and the projected revenues around these five areas? Do you? No. Okay. So, that in itself presents some concern, but I
suspect that you have implementation periods where you, in the next two years, in the next four years, in the next
whatever amount of years, this is how you bring them online, but these are things we can't keep talking about we have to
figure out how to have the discussion and make them a priority for us these five areas came out of the fact of the realities
of where the company is is nose diving into right so is that that forced the conversation internally about okay what's the
alternative that we can still provide value meet our mission to the virgin islands and create revenue you know you said
earlier in your introduction that VINGN doesn't you know the engine doesn't need to be profitable but I personally
believe that if if VINGN under its current structure and opportunity was to fire on all cylinders I believe VINGN can be a
revenue source for the territory oh absolutely and that was the intent I worked in the government when the grant was
written and there was lots of conversation around it and that was the intent so you know I'm very happy to hear about the
HR that is moving forward in Congress and hopefully we'll be able to make some true movement on this because that was
the intent for VH NGN to really blow up here in the Virgin Islands and to provide that networking opportunities between
New York and the
3:10:59
Virgin Islands and other states etc so I know what we're talking about the continent of Africa that's important to us so this
is something that all of us need to get on board to really support okay so um this is what I'm gonna say to you so we're
meeting in this meeting is April in April and we are gonna go through our entire budget season and I know that you
would usually send back and say hey we do not get any money from the legislature so we are unavailable to come but
we're going to make sure that we send you the notice in a timely fashion because what we want to hear is how can i and
my colleagues on the committee on finance reduce the 3.5 million dollars that we are paying that we are setting aside
annually against our grocery seat dollars how can you all generate revenues what is that plan so we can stop the bleeding
we have to get to that place so we're gonna bring you back probably right before we see yes to our 2025 budget so that's
sometime in September September when the budget's that yeah but the fiscal year ends in October so we'll see if we
could squeeze you in sometime in September but we would like to see that laid out okay it's important to us so we could
know what we're working towards okay we'll lay that out all right um so i don't have anything else other than to share
with the community that the um the tablets for the children of the virgin islands are here uh they're redistributed as we
speak there are a number of children of our youths rather that has already received the tablets and it's a fervent hope that
congress will um re-back up the program so we can see the internet service and as you spoke earlier about the the Mali
community in Saint Croix you're looking at that 30 dollar um uh expense for um homes that which falls right in line with
that federal program so it's my fervent hope that it will be successful and we'll be able to see more of that
3:13:04
coming into the territory where we can truly afford to provide the services for $30 and give away tablets for $30. So a lot
of times we beat up the messenger and we don't really focus on what matters for our community and what matters for our
children. So we have 15 to 1,700 students who have now received the tablets so they can you know a lot of them I have
one young man he'd his family you know they probably applied late and they did not fall into they did not get a tablet and
they called and said look we really need this tablet people don't realize what's happening in the Virgin Islands you know
so well where well the five of them talking about that kind of stuff we need to stay focused on what matters to our
children and what matters to our community, and what matters to us as we provide the services necessary for those of us
in the U.S. Virgin Islands. That's our job, our job. And we're not perfect, so there are times that we err along the way, but
what matters is the intent. And good intent always prevails. Colleagues, I have nothing else. Do you have anything else?
If we have nothing else, the committee and... Oh no, I forgot that I need to give you a close oh oh boy I forget I forgot I
forgot but we're gonna allow we need to just give us a second I forgot that we need to there's a bill that we have in the
agenda that we requires a bill number 35 see I got running off at my mouth so I get in trouble 35.0204 that requires some
additional vetting so we've discussed it with the sponsor and we're gonna ask
3:15:25
for a motion to have the bill removed from today's agenda and when we come back with this measure it will be
something that will be a lot clearer and the people of the Virgin Islands will be able to truly understand what we're trying
to do for the Virgin Islands Police Department and for the safety of our public. Senator Giovanni James you're recognized
for your motion. Thank you Madam Chair and colleagues. Madam Chair I move to remove bill number Bill 35-0204
from today's agenda, an act appropriating $3 million from the General Fund of the Government of the Virgin Islands to
the Virgin Islands Police Department for the purchase and installation of cameras throughout the territory. I so move.
Flecha.
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Second. Thank you, Senator James. Bill number 35-0204, the motion to be removed from today's agenda has been
properly moved by Senator Giovanni James, seconded by Senator Marvin Blyden and Senator Riefan Seka. Hearing no
objections. Hearing no objections, roll call please. Let's go to our roll call. Senator Marvin A. Blyden. Senator Blyden,
yay. Senator Samuel Carrion. Yes.
3:17:57
Senator Carrion, yay. Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff. Senator Dwayne M. DeGraff, absent. Senator Ray Fonseca. Senator
Fonseca, yay. Senator Novel E. Francis Jr. Senator Francis Jr., yay. Senator Donna A. Fred Gregory, yes. Senator Fred
Gregory, yay. Senator Javon E. James Sr., yes. Senator James Sr., yay. Madam Chair, six yays, one absent, and roll call.
3:18:31
Thank you Madam Clerk. Bill number 35-0204 has been properly voted on to be removed from today's agenda. Senator
James you're recognized for your point of personal privilege and then we're going to give Mr. Adams a 30-second close.
Thank you Madam Chair and thank you for the brief explanation of what took place here today. I just want to remind the
people of the Virgin Islands As we have seen an increase in crime, we will continue to do due diligence as the first
branch of government. But obviously this bill needs further discussion and I look forward to having those conversations.
Thank you Madam Chair for the time. Thank you Senator James and thank you for your foresight on this measure as
well. Mr. Adams, you're recognised for your 30-second close. I want to thank this body today. This has been a very
illuminating discussion for us.
3:19:06
We hear and we will deliver. I also want to thank all the men and women at VINGN who work tirelessly, they're
committed to keep the internet running and whether it's been mosquitoes and hurricanes, they do an excellent job every
single day. I want to thank my board and Governor Bryant for his leadership and confidence in my leadership. And most
importantly, I'd like to thank the people of the Virgin Islands for their confidence and in their confidence and to be
encouraged that a brighter day is forward with technology and broadband in the territory thank you very much thank you
mr adams and thank you miss hodge one of my besties for your presentation today the committee on budget
appropriations and finances Finance meeting for today is hereby adjourned.
3:20:00
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Oh, my God. Oh Thank you.
3:21:20
I love you. Thank you. You [3 such phrases repeated 10 times · standby audio before the proceeding, transcribed by the
recogniser as speech]
3:25:20
People named in this transcript
SUSPECTED, and a finding aid only. Names were matched by machine against the spellings used across all 426 of our transcripts, and the
title is the one used in the room. Being named here is NOT evidence that a person attended or spoke · only that the name was said. Speech
recognition mishears names, so a spelling may be wrong even where no alternative is offered.
11x
Senator Ray Fonseca
heard in this transcript as: Fonseca
11x
Senator Samuel Carrion
heard in this transcript as: Carrion
10x
Senator Marise C. James
the surname alone also matches: Javan James; Giovanni James Sr
heard in this transcript as: James, James Sr, James Sr.
7x
Senator Novelle Francis
heard in this transcript as: Francis, Francis Jr, Francis Jr., Noble E. Francis Jr., Novali Francis, Novel E. Francis Jr
6x
Senator Dwayne DeGraff
heard in this transcript as: DeGraff, Dwayne M. DeGraff
6x
Senator Marvin Blyden
heard in this transcript as: Blyden, Marvin A. Blyden
5x
Senator Carla Joseph
the surname alone also matches: Clifford Joseph; Karla J. Joseph
heard in this transcript as: Joseph
4x
Senator Giovanni James Sr
the surname alone also matches: Javan James; Marise C. James; Neville James
heard in this transcript as: Giovanni James
4x
Senator Javan James
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heard in this transcript as: Javon E. James Sr, Javon E. James Sr., Javon James
3x
Governor Albert Bryan Jr
heard in this transcript as: Bryant
3x
Senator Fred Gregory
the surname alone also matches: Donna A. Frett-Gregory; Donna Frett-Gregory
2x
Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory
heard in this transcript as: Donna A. Fred Gregory
2x
Senator Shawn Michael Malone
heard in this transcript as: Sean Malone
1x
Senator Donna Frett-Gregory
heard in this transcript as: Donna A. Frett-Gregory
Bills and acts referred to
Matched by number against our own acts corpus. The number is what the recognition heard, so it may be wrong; where it resolved, the title is the one
the Legislature gave the act.
Referred to but not found in our acts corpus: Bill 35-0204
Machine transcript · UNVERIFIED. Verify every quotation against the recording. Speakers are not identified.
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