THE ENFORCEMENT GAP: AUDITING TITLE 11 AND THE MARCH TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE
By JOHN McCARTHY /St. Croix Sun Investigative Reporter
ST. CROIX — When independent journalism functions at its highest level, it doesn’t just report the news—it sparks a rigorous civic tribunal.
Three months ago, our sister publication broke an exclusive scoop regarding Delegate Stacey Plaskett’s maneuvering for a 2026 Government House run. Today, the conversation surrounding that race has evolved from political theater into hard statutory reality, thanks to a deep-dive public audit by local observer Selwyn King.
King brought forward a devastating critique of the current economic friction choking Virgin Islands consumers: the systemic failure to enforce Title 11 of the Virgin Islands Code.
The Statutory Teeth Left on the Shelf
The data is clear. While gas station markups in the territory frequently hover between 60% to 70%—driving pump prices past the $5.30 mark—the legal framework to curb predatory pricing already exists.
Title 11 explicitly grants the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs (DLCA) the authority to regulate margins and protect the public pocketbook. Yet, the disconnect between the law on the books and the reality at the pump remains wider than the Anegada Trough.
It is a classic territorial "System Error": a regulatory tool with massive teeth, left completely on the shelf while the consumer bears the brunt of the load.
The 2026 Mandate
This is where journalism meets accountability. As the field shapes up for the next gubernatorial cycle, any serious contender for Government House cannot rely on platitudes or flashy, high-tech promises.
Whether the vision for the USVI involves carving out a space for advanced satellite infrastructure or stabilizing traditional cargo routing, the immediate crisis is internal. The next Chief Executive must be willing to act as an economic auditor.
The public doesn't need new legislation; they need a leader willing to drop the hammer on the laws already in place. We owe a debt of gratitude to analytical minds like Selwyn King for keeping the focus precisely where it belongs: on the dockets, the codes, and the truth.
