§1597 Reorganization of Government

Summary

The Governor must, within one year after July 22, 1954, reorganize and combine the executive departments, bureaus, boards, agencies, and similar government units of the Virgin Islands and its municipalities into no more than nine executive departments, except for independent bodies that federal law requires. The head of each department (except the law department) will be called a commissioner. The finance commissioner must be bonded. The head of the law department will be the attorney general. Members of properly set-up school boards must be elected by the people. After that reorganization, the Governor must review the executive branch from time to time and, with the legislature’s approval and within the chapter’s rules, make changes to improve management. Department heads are appointed by the Governor with the legislature’s approval, serve while the appointing Governor is in office and until a successor is ready, and may be removed earlier by the Governor. If local law later requires it, chairs and members of boards with judging-like duties must also be appointed by the Governor with the legislature’s approval. Any law that requires such appointments cannot cover more than one board and cannot include other unrelated legislative matters.