Smith-Thompson Warns of Rising Living Costs
Independent At-Large candidate Dr. Arlene L. Smith-Thompson has voiced concerns over the escalating cost of living in the Virgin Islands, warning that many residents are struggling from paycheck to paycheck. Speaking on the UMOJA show, she urged leaders to implement a coordinated national strategy focusing on workforce skills and economic reform.
Smith-Thompson has voiced strong concerns regarding the worsening cost of living in the Virgin Islands, stating that many residents can no longer afford to live comfortably in the territory. Speaking during an appearance on the UMOJA show, Dr. Smith-Thompson emphasized that the financial strain felt across the territory is not merely a collection of isolated individual struggles, but rather a reflection of deep-seated structural issues requiring a coordinated national response.
Smith-Thompson urged policymakers and the community to reflect on whether residents are genuinely thriving or merely surviving from one paycheck to the next. She noted that historical standards of living and economic stability in the islands have significantly eroded, leaving numerous families vulnerable to ongoing financial insecurity.
In her remarks, she highlighted the crucial link between economic opportunity and workforce readiness. Smith-Thompson questioned whether local residents currently possess the necessary skills to secure available jobs across various sectors, while also challenging whether sufficient, meaningful employment opportunities are being generated within the local economy.
She stressed that education, vocational training, and targeted economic development must be addressed in tandem to deliver lasting financial stability for Virgin Islanders. Smith-Thompson argued that the territory has yet to confront the core root causes of its socio-economic challenges.
She advocated for an intentional, multi-pronged national strategy to address underlying systemic barriers and steer the community toward an improved quality of life. Smith-Thompson previously announced her candidacy to contest the next general election as an independent At-Large candidate, framing her platform as a departure from traditional party politics and a commitment to addressing the fundamental economic needs of residents across the territory.
Primary source: VINO