USVI Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation Commissioner Calvert White has resigned amid federal allegations of bribery and bid manipulation involving a $1.43 million security camera contract.
Governor Albert Bryan Jr. announced the resignation, naming Assistant Commissioner Vincent Roberts as acting head of the department.
Federal prosecutors allege White demanded $16,000 in bribes from Mon Ethos founder David Whitaker in exchange for favourable treatment during the bidding process. The indictment claims White provided insider information about competing proposals and coached Whitaker on his company’s bid.
According to reports from the VI Consortium who broke the story, White met with Whitaker and government contractor Benjamin Hendricks to discuss the bid, allegedly advising that “the less evidence you have, the better you’ll be.”
In accepting the resignation, Bryan acknowledged White’s service since the start of the Bryan-Roach Administration while emphasizing his commitment to the department’s continued progress.
The case remains under federal investigation.