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Testimony of Vincent Richards Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement On behalf of Lisa M. Alejandro Commissioner of the Department of Property & Procurement On Grant of Perpetual Use Easement between the Department of Property and Procurement on behalf of the Government of the Virgin Islands and 18 Dronningens Gade, LLC Before The Committee of the Whole Friday, June 26th, 2026 Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS ~ 2 ~ Good morning, Committee Chair Milton E. Potter, Vice-Chair Kenneth L. Gittens, Honorable Senators, Central and Legislative Staff, fellow testifiers, visitors present in the chambers, and members of the viewing and listening audience. I am Vincent Richards, Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Property and Procurement (“DPP”). I testify today on behalf of Commissioner Lisa M. Alejandro on the grant of easement in the St. Thomas/St. John District over Public Road R.O.W. Store Tvaer Gade, Queen’s Quarter, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, which is before this Committee for consideration. DPP requests this Committee’s approval, in accordance with Title 31 V.I.C § 205(c), of this grant of easement on behalf of 18 Dronningens Gade, LLC (Bill No. 36-0252). I. Bill No. 36-0252 (Grant of Easement) DPP testifies in support of Bill No. 36-0252 a Grant of Easement in perpetuity, over Public Road R.O.W. Store Tvaer Gade, Queen’s Quarter, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, consisting of 156 U.S. sq. ft. more-or-less. The Government of the Virgin Islands (“GVI”) owns Public Road R.O.W. Store Tvaer Gade, Queen’s Quarter, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and 18 Dronnigens Gade, LLC (“hereinafter Grantee”) owns adjacent Parcel No. 18 Dronningens Gade, Queen’s Quarter, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. The GVI’s Property and Grantee’s Property are contiguous to each other and the Grantee’s improvements encroaches upon the GVI’s Property by approximately 156 U.S. sq. ft. and is comprised of a stairway Grantee uses for access to Grantee’s Property and a storage area housing propane gas tanks and a small generator. The easement shall run with the land for the purposes of ingress and egress, and access to those certain improvements. Grantee has been accessing their property over a portion of GVI’s Property for years without the benefit of a formal instrument authorizing such use. To formalize the prior usage, continued access and to cure the encroachment unto Public Road R.O.W. Store Tvaer Gade, the GVI is proposing to grant this easement over the GVI’s property. The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Public Works (“DPW”) acknowledges the existence of the encroachment and DPP’s plan for the easement and has no objection thereto. Nothing contained therein will result in a forfeiture of the GVI’s title to the GVI’s Property in any respect. DPP, in accordance with Title 31 V.I.C § 205(c), respectfully requests approval of this grant of easement to allow18 Dronningens Gade, LLC continuous ingress and egress, and access to those certain improvements for all maintenance, upkeep, and repairs to the Easement and all improvements thereon. ~ 3 ~ Chairman and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to present this testimony and for your consideration of this Grant of Easement. I stand ready to answer any questions you may have regarding this Grant of Easement.