ST. THOMAS â V.I. lawmakers on Tuesday voted to send Gov. Albert Bryan Jr.âs latest debt refinancing bill to the Senate Finance Committee, requesting amendments that will likely take shape in the 34th Legislature and delay the governorâs debt reduction plan further.
The unanimous vote partly stemmed from concerns over Kroll Bond Rating Agency, which the Bryan administration had touted for its favorable bond rating and as proof that refinanced bonds could attract investors and be issued at lower interest rates.
Senate President Novelle Francis Jr., however, said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission recently charged Kroll with internal control failures with regard to its rating methods. The litigation led to a $2 million settlement.