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Calendars Bi-Weekly Senate Calendar Session Agenda × General Senators Committees Media Calendars Contact Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture The Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture has scheduled a hearing for Monday, November 10, 2025, at 10:00 AM in the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands to provide testimony on the following: BLOCK I 10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. The Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture will receive testimony from the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs on business licensing modernization, consumer protection enforcement, oversight and compliance mechanisms for licensed businesses, small business support, and operational challenges; from the Department of Tourism providing an overview of 2024 tourism performance and its economic impact, including visitor arrivals, key performance indicators, and the status of cruise tourism by district; and from the West Indian Company, Limited (WICO) on port operations, cruise tourism activity, and related economic contributions. The Committee will also conduct oversight on the financial management of the Tourism Revolving Fund, departmental expenditures, staffing levels across the Territory, and essential tourism-related infrastructure such as public restrooms. Additional areas of oversight will include marketing and sponsorship efforts outside the Territory and their measurable outcomes, as well as cultural tourism initiatives featuring calypso, music, and local artists. Further review will cover the 2024 Crucian Christmas Festival, St. John Celebration, and St. Thomas Carnival—highlighting achievements, challenges, and opportunities for improvement—alongside plans for the 2025 festival season. Invited Testifiers: Honorable H. Nathalie Hodge, Commissioner, VI Department of Licensing and Consumer Affair Jeniffer Matarangas-King, Commissioner Nominee, VI Department of Tourism Charlene Turnbull, Interim CEO, West Indian Company, Limited BLOCK II 12:30 P.M. – 2:30 P.M. The Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture will receive testimony from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources on the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s programs and management strategies, including updates on environmental education outreach, territorial fisheries management and enforcement, wildlife conservation, territorial fishery policies, and the Invasive Species Eradication Community Program, and from the Caribbean Fishery Management Council on regional fisheries management and its impacts on the U.S. Virgin Islands, including updates on island-based fishery management plans, collaboration with local fishers and government agencies, sustainable fisheries strategies, impacts of federal regulations, and available funding opportunities Invited Testifiers: Honorable Jean Pierre-Oriol, Commissioner, VI Department of Planning & Natural Resources Miguel A. Rolon, Executive Director, Caribbean Fishery Management Council Julian Magras, Fisherman BLOCK III 2:30 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. The Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture will receive testimony from the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture on the state of agriculture in the Virgin Islands, including updates on Act 8854 regarding agricultural maintenance and equipment purchases, the USDA’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, the department’s equipment maintenance plan, pricing of goods and services, Act 8306 establishing the Virgin Islands Agricultural Caribbean Conference, and Act 8404 implementing the Territorial Agriculture Plan, and from the University of the Virgin Islands on the Territorial Agricultural Plan and the V.I. Agricultural Caribbean Conference, including status updates, stakeholder engagement, funding sources, expenditures, projected outcomes, challenges, and solutions, as well as conference objectives, planning milestones, participants, goals, and budget details. Invited Testifiers: Honorable Dr. Louis Petersen, Commissioner, VI Department of Agriculture Dr. Safiya George, President, University of the Virgin Islands Harith Wickrema, Member, VI Local Food and Farm Council Trevor Warner, Farmer Roniel Allembert, Farmer + Add to Google Calendar + iCal / Outlook export Tags: 2024 Crucian Christmas Festival , Act 8854 regarding agricultural maintenance , and solutions , business licensing modernization , challenges , Charlene Turnbull Interim CEO West Indian Company Limited , conference objectives , consumer protection enforcement , cruise tourism activity , cruise tourism by district , cultural tourism initiatives music and local artists music and local artists featuring calypso , Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs , Department of Planning and Natural Resources , Department of Tourism , Division of Fish and Wildlife’s programs , Dr. Louis Petersen Commissioner VI Department of Agriculture , environmental education outreach , expenditures , Farmer , federal regulations , financial management of the Tourism Revolving Fund , Fisherman , fishery policies , funding sources , H. Nathalie Hodge Commissioner VI Department of Licensing and Consumer Affair , Harith Wickrema , highlighting achievements , Jean Pierre-Oriol Commissioner VI Department of Planning & Natural Resources , Jeniffer Matarangas-King Commissioner Nominee VI Department of Tourism , Julian Magras , licensed businesses , local fishers and government agencies , maintenance plan , management strategies , measurable outcomes , Miguel A. Rolon Executive Director Caribbean Fishery Management Council , operational challenges , oversight and compliance , participants goals and budget details , planning milestones , plans for the 2025 festival season , port operations , pricing of goods and services , projected outcomes , public restrooms , Roniel Allembert , Safiya George President University of the Virgin Islands , small business support , St. John Celebration , St. Thomas Carnival , staffing levels across the Territory , stakeholder engagement , state of agriculture in the Virgin Islands , sustainable fisheries strategies , Territorial Agricultural Plan , territorial fisheries management and enforcement , Trevor Warner , USDA’s Resilient Food Systems , VI Local Food and Farm Council , Virgin Islands Agricultural Caribbean Conference , Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture , West Indian Company Limited , wildlife conservation Date Nov 10 2025 Expired! Time 10:00 am Location Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall Charlotte Amalie Category Economic Development and Agriculture Organizer Senator Hubert L. Frederick Phone 340-774-0880 Email senatorlfrederick@legvi.org Quick Links Home Senators Committees Media News Contact Important Links Revised Organic Act of 1954 (PDF) 36th Oath of Office Booklet 100 Day Report Rules of the 36th Public Information or Archives Request Search for: Follow Follow Follow Follow