Invitation for Bid No: IFB022DPWT17 (C)

Pursuant to Title 31, Chapter 23, Section 236 of the Virgin Islands Code, the Government of the Virgin Islands, Department of Public Works is requesting bids from Qualified Contractors to furnish all labor, tools, equipment and supplies necessary for the Renovation, Construction and Expansion of the Department’s Heavy Equipment Maintenance Facility in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

Bids will be received by the Department of Property and Procurement, Division of Procurement at:

8201 Subbase, 3^rd Floor
St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands 00802

COST PER SET:  $100.00 NON REFUNDABLE

Pre-Bid Conference: Friday, June 30, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. at the Department of Property and Procurement, – 8201 Subbase, 3^rd Floor, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. A site visit will be conducted immediately following the meeting.    

The Invitation for Bid will be received no later than Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. Atlantic Standard Time.

Documents may be obtained from the Department of Property & Procurement at the above address or at http://dpp.vi.gov. For more information please contact Ms. Dazarene Lescott at (340) 774-0828 ext. 234 or dazarene.lescott@dpp.vi.gov.

Lloyd T. Bough Jr.
Commissioner Designee

The V.I. Department of Health will be hosting free HIV testing sites on St. Croix and St. Thomas, in recognition of National HIV Testing Day, Tuesday, June 27. The DOH encourages everyone to go to one of the convenient locations and find out your HIV status. Getting tested for HIV is important to your health, your relationships, your life and your future.

HIV Testing Locations

St. Croix: Sunny Isle Shopping Center 10 am-3 pm St. Thomas: Emancipation Garden 11 am-3 pm

If you have never been tested for HIV, you should be tested at least once. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a person being tested at least once a year if they are engaged in activities that may increase their risk of being infected with HIV. HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes AIDS. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. Many people with HIV do not exhibit any symptoms. Studies have shown, one in eight people living with HIV are not aware that they have it. Even if you don’t feel sick, getting early detection/treatment for HIV is important; early treatment can assist in an infected person living a longer and healthier life. In addition to being aware of your status, treatment can also make it less likely that an infected person will pass HIV on to other people.

HIV is spread through some of the body’s fluids, like blood, semen (cum), vaginal fluids, and breast milk. HIV is passed from one person to another by (to name a few):

— Having sex (vaginal, anal, or oral) without a condom or dental dam with a person who has HIV; — Sharing needles with someone who has HIV;

— Breastfeeding, pregnancy, or childbirth if the mother has HIV;

— Getting a transfusion of blood that’s infected with HIV (this is very rare in the USVI).

For More Information: Visit or call the USVI Department of Health’s local offices:

St. Croix – Charles Harwood Complex, 3500 Estate Richmond (340) 718-1311 ext. 3661

St. Thomas/St. John – John S. Morehead Complex – Old Municipal Hospital (340) 774 -9000 ext.4661

Invitation for Bid No: IFB023BMVT17 (C)

Pursuant to Title 31, Chapter 23, Section 236 of the Virgin Islands Code, the Government of the Virgin Islands, Bureau of Motor Vehicles is requesting bids from Qualified Contractors to furnish all labor, tools, equipment and supplies necessary for the Demolition and Reconstruction of the Vehicle Inspection Lane Booth in St. John, Virgin Islands.

Bids will be received by the Department of Property and Procurement, Division of Procurement at:

8201 Subbase, 3^rd Floor
St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands 00802

COST PER SET:  $75.00 NON REFUNDABLE

 Pre-Bid Conference: Friday, July 7, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. at the Department of Property and Procurement, – 8201 Subbase, 3^rd Floor, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. A site visit will be conducted thereafter.

The Invitation for Bid will be received no later than Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. Atlantic Standard Time.

Documents may be obtained from the Department of Property & Procurement at the above address or at http://dpp.vi.gov. For more information please contact Ms. Dazarene Lescott at (340) 774-0828 ext. 234 or dazarene.lescott@dpp.vi.gov.

Lloyd T. Bough Jr.
Commissioner Designee

Emphasizing the convenience and accessibility of their branch and ATM network, FirstBank launched the “Close to Home” Campaign this week, offering no minimum balance and no service fees.

“With a network of 10 branches and 25 ATM locations across the USVI, FirstBank is always there for the community. During this campaign, we invite those who do not have a retail account with us to take this opportunity to experience the convenience of being a FirstBank client and also enjoy a few added benefits,” Eastern Caribbean Region Business Director Victor Santiago said in a statement.

During the three promotional months (June- September), clients who open a personal checking or savings account will require no minimum balance opening amount and the minimum service charge fee will be waived for six months. As an additional reward, clients will also be entered in a sweepstake drawing to win a two-night stay at a local resort along with $1,000 for expenses. The sweepstake drawing will be held Oct. 3.

Interested individuals can contact 340.775.8822 for more information or to set up a convenient time to open their account.

“We realize that we all live very busy lives. With the appointment plan we are offering you a convenient way to identify a time that works in your schedule and will ensure that a Sales and Service representative is ready and prepared to help you open your account,” Santiago said.

FirstBank Virgin Islands has been a part of the Virgin Islands community since 1962. It operates the largest branch and ATM network throughout the Virgin Islands and offers 24/7 banking via PC, telephone and mobile banking.

Donna Brooks-Allen, loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend to so many, passed away at the age of 52 at Brigham and Women’s Hospital on June 19, , after a four-year battle with metastatic breast cancer.  A V.I. native, Donna was a long-time resident of Dorchester, MA.

In her time here, Donna loved deeply and brightened many lives. Most people will remember her beautiful smile and her radiant and unforgettable personality. She loved to laugh, welcomed people with open arms and always met a challenge with strength, courage and determination.

Donna Brooks-Allen was born in St. Thomas and graduated from Ivanna Eudora Kean High School in 1984.

Donna was preceded in death by her parents Eleanor and Algonaldo Brooks. Donna is survived by her loving husband of 24 years, Derrick Allen, Sr., children Tyrishma and Derrick Allen, Jr., and daughter-in-law Natasia, grandchildren Zyon, Reinilda, Derrick (DJ) and Tamya She is also survived by her sisters and brothers Ingrid Chinnery, Michael and Michelle Francis, Laverne Bennett, Kurt, Al, Derek, Tracy, Ronald, Rodney, April, Jamillah, Lynn “Candy” and Almando Brooks; as well as loving in-laws, nieces, nephews and a host of long-time friends.

Funeral Services are scheduled for Thursday, June 29, 2017, at

Morning Star Baptist Church

1257 Blue Hill Avenue

Mattapan MA 02126

10AM-Wake

11AM- Funeral

Burial will take place at

St. Michael Cemetery

500 Canterbury Street

Roslindale MA 021

Ben Brookes

Bentley Leroy Brookes, better known as “Ben” of Nevis, passed away on Sunday, June 18 at his St. Thomas home at the age of 56. Bentley Brookes is survived by:

Wife Lillian Graham Brookes. Daughter Shantel Brookes. Sons Tyrone Brookes, Kelly Brookes, Kelvin Brookes. Sisters Amorelle Brookes-Webster, Marilyn Quailey, Yvonne Sutton,Dorette Blake, Judith Paris, Laurette Pemberton, Janice Webbe. Sisters in law: Evangeline Jackson, Sonya Graham, Joyce Graham, Luna Graham, Lydia Graham, Bernice Graham, Linda Graham, Tonia Savage Brookes Brothers-in-law:Tom Quailey, Joseph Sutton, Ronald Blake, Spencer Paris, Winston Pemberton. Dave Webbe, Liston Graham, Franklyn Graham, Leroy Sewer, Leonard Smalls, Eric Smalls. Grandchildren:Cequan Arthurton, Cequoia “Briea” Arthurton, Emoyen Grant, Ky-Moyen Grant, Jahceibo Hobson, Kokoro Freeman Brookes. Special Friends Joseph, Cardinal “Ringo” Riley, Spencer Browne, Leroy, Henry Law’s, Alphonso Williams, Kurt Rogers, Lind, Masac Nursing Home, Lacell Phillip, Tiger, Diavid, Nick Auto Repair, Laxton and Joseph Bass, Kevin Dore, Aubrey Iboo Boone. He is also remembered by many other relatives and friends too numerous to mention. Relatives and friends are respectively invited to attend the first viewing on Thursday, June 29, at the Celestial Chapel of Hurley Funeral Home from 5-7 p.m. The second viewing will be held on Friday, June 30, from 9 a.m to 10 a.m. at Wesley Methodist Church. The service will immediately follow at 10:00am. Interment: Smith Bay Eastern Cemetery.

Arrangements under the care of Hurley Funeral Home and Cremation Center of St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola.

For directions and online condolences, please visit us at www.hurleydavisfuneral home.com

Dominic Prescott

We regret to announce the passing of Dominic Prescott, who died on June 10. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the viewing on Saturday, July 1, at Turnbull’s Funeral Home from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.. Services will follow right after at Turnbull’s Funeral Home at 11:00am.

Internment: Western Cemetery No. 3

He is survived by: Mother: Doris Prescott; Daughters: Alicea Welsh, Barbara Prescott and Lydia Prescott; Brothers: Johnson Vigie, Nicholas Samuel, Timothy, Peter, Mark, Robert, Felix, and Simon Prescott; Sisters: Therese Bastien, Felicite Prescott, Mary Prescott Wayne, Catherine Prescott, and Emerentiana Prescott Welch; Grandchildren: Keshawn & Deshawn Felicien, Aliya & Samuel Fenton, Dontreal Prescott, Bernicia Williams, Daliya Davis, and Hailah Davis

Government House. (File photo)

The local media has been covering the U.S. Virgin Islands budget problems for years, including an extensive series in the V.I. Source. Sunday, the New York Times jumped in with a 2,000-word article – “After Puerto Rico’s Debt Crisis, Worries Shift to Virgin Islands.”

Although residents will learn little new from the article, it draws national attention to the problem and offers a different perspective.

For the first third of the article, the author Mary Williams Walsh gives a generalized perspective of the financial problems facing United States territories.

She then writes, “But the debt dilemma is now most acute in the Virgin Islands – the three main islands are St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John – where the government has been struggling ever since a giant refinery closed in 2012, wiping out the territory’s biggest nongovernment employer and a mainstay of its tax base.”

The article mentions the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act – PROMESA – passed by the U.S. Congress in 2016 after Puerto Rico became unable to make payments on its debt.

“In something of a self-fulfilling prophecy, by giving territories the option to declare bankruptcy, Congress seems to have made such an outcome more likely,” Walsh wrote.

She then quoted Gov. Kenneth Mapp saying, “’That innocuous provision, when sent to the bond market, here’s an escape valve for your debt obligations,’ Mr. Mapp said. ‘That changed the whole paradigm.’

In the Source article, “Analysts Worry USVI Following Puerto Rico’s Path,” writer Bill Kossler also pointed to Puerto Rico’s agreement with the federal government as highlighting USVI’s problem. Instead of referring to the bond problem, however, as simply a self-fulfilling prophecy, he cites many factors such as those in the following paragraph, “Along with this year’s $110 million deficit, the USVI is facing ongoing structural deficits of around $170 million per year out of a locally funded budget of around $850 million. It has outstanding debt of more than $2 billion, not counting the debts of the government-owned V.I. Water and Power Authority, which is also facing serious financial problems. It is also facing a $3 billion unfunded pension liability and a pension plan projected to cease being able to pay full pensions by 2023.”

Walsh wrote that proposals to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act pushed Gov. Kenneth Mapp into action, because he saw the federal money that the Virgin Islands relies on for its public hospitals disappearing.

She wrote in a favorable tone of that action, “Mr. Mapp scrambled. He reactivated a five-year economic plan that had been languishing and pushed higher taxes on alcohol, cigarettes and soft drinks through the legislature. He fought for a permanent electric rate increase. He got $18 million in new federal funds for health care. He struck a deal to tax Airbnb rentals.”

“He hired collection agents to go after delinquent property and income taxes. He scheduled auctions for delinquent properties. He hired a team to work on the pension system, which is in severe distress, with only about six years’ worth of assets left.”

Kossler did not take a completely positive note concerning the governor’s action in regard to the budget crisis in an article he wrote for the Source at the end of May. The article was entitled The V.I. Budget Crisis: Part 8, Gubernatorial Bloat.” He noted that Mapp had rejected the following cost savings measures suggested by the V.I. Senate. Mapp vetoed:

– Prohibiting the use of nonessential government vehicles after the end of the work day;

– Mandating a 30 percent reduction in vehicle use;

– Requiring government cell phones be returned within 30 days;

– Mandating that agencies coordinate with entities that have teleconferencing to meet by teleconference instead of paying for members to travel between islands;

– Prohibiting government officials from staying overnight in hotels on holidays;

– Limiting government fuel use to 10 gallons every two days per car and mandating users of vehicles to maintain fuel logs and turn them over to Property and Procurement for compilation.

Walsh jumped into the problems at the Virgin Islands Government Employment Retirement System (GERS) by writing, “Until recently, the pension system was chasing high returns by investing in high-risk assets, like a $50 million placement in life viaticals — an insurance play that is, in effect, a bet that a selected group of elderly people will die soon. It also made loans to an insolvent inter-island airline, a resort that went bankrupt, and a major franchisee of KFC restaurants. The territory’s inspector general has declared the loans illegal.”

Kossler, writing in April in the Source article “The V.I. Budget Crisis, Part 3: The GERS Time Bomb,” focused more on the monthly gap between income and expenditures of the system. He wrote, “The system took in about $85.38 million in contributions in 2015 and paid somewhat more than $200 million in pension checks, according to budget information provided to the Legislature in 2016. It made up the $118 million difference by selling off assets and through investment income on its assets.”

Both the New York Times and the Source noted that the problem at GERS became more precarious when Mapp failed to direct employee and employer contributions to the system for several pay periods earlier this year.

The New York Times article had about one hundred comments. The commentators blamed USVI’s problems on just about everything.

Kevin, from Sarasota, Florida, wrote, “The people of the USVI continue to suffer under successive governments filled with malfeasance and incompetence.”

T. Blakely, of Austin, Texas, wrote, “Canaries in a coalmine, Illinois and California soon to follow. This is what happens when you run out of other people’s money.”

Ken Bleakly, Atlanta, wrote “And how was all this debt arranged? By whom? Could it be our old friends on Wall Street, the same folks who sold the worthless paper to the all the teacher’s pension funds, and other public-sector suckers. And I am sure if you asked them, hopeful in a trial tied to long jail sentence, who did the underwriting on these bonds to protect the bondholder? Anyone! Sounds like “round up the usual suspects” time again instead of focusing on the real crooks on Wall Street.”

Ezra Abrams, Newton, Massachusetts, wrote, “6.5 billion dollars for 100,000 people is 65,000 dollars per person which, for long term capital projects like roads, might not be that bad. Also, much of it is pensions, which, one assumes, get fed back into the island economy; of course, context like this doesn’t seem to be in the media’s wheelhouse.”

Two former police officers convicted of racketeering and extortion couldn’t get a break on sentencing in District Court on Monday. Officers Enid Edwards and Francis Brooks were sent back to prison for another 10 years apiece.

When they’re done with that, they have another five years to serve at the Golden Grove Adult Correctional Facility, said District Court Judge Curtis Gomez. The pair were first sentenced in June 2012.

Both were found guilty of violating the Criminally Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act for racketeering, conspiracy and extortion. When they began to serve their penalties, Edwards and Brooks faced 151 months in prison.

But by June 2017, 48 months had passed.

As they entered the courtroom at the Ron deLugo Federal Building the passing of time could be seen. Brooks appeared thinner, Edwards, who was always thick, appeared wider and grayer.

Defense attorney Edgar Sanchez-Mercado told Gomez his client may be eligible for early release, based on a medical infirmity.

Mercado told the court about the documentation he’d amassed over the years, showing the difficulty of getting requests for medical specialists through the prison system.

“It is very clear the Bureau of Prisons has a difficult time taking care of Mr. Brooks’ health,” Mercado said.

Gomez was not impressed. He asked if there was any written declaration from the prison bureau saying they could not provide medical care.

Conversely, he asked Mercado, could it be shown that incarceration had done anything to contribute to Brook’s medical deterioration. The judge acknowledged from reports he received there were two medical impairments identified by doctors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Chisholm agreed.

“There is notheing from this motion that you can glean that wold help you determine the Bureau of Prisons has contributed to Mr. Brooks’ health woes,” Chisholm said.

Resentencing of the two former cops was part of a broader order by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. The order called for reduction of sentence for non-violent drug offenders.

Part of the Monday proceeding was a review of a newly formulated pre-sentencing report.

“I don’t believe anything has changed,” Chisholm said.

The only thing that changed, she added, was an increase in the court assessments each defendant has to pay. For Edwards, the assessment rose from $800 to $1,100.

Brooks paid his $700 court-ordered assessment in full at the time of his sentencing in 2012. After Monday’s hearing the assessment rose to $1,000, payable immediately with the previous $700 payment applied as a credit.

Brooks and Edwards were given 121 months apiece in federal prison and an additional 60 months to serve at Golden Grove after the federal terms are served. Both defendants were also ordered to serve three to five years of supervised release at the end of their prison terms.

WAPA Executive Director Julio Rhymer

First in a series looking at WAPA’s plans, and the technical and financial obstacles it faces.

Over the next five years, the V.I. Water and Power Authority is planning a major overhaul of its power generating units to better serve the territory and avoid increasingly common blackouts.

With frequent power outages plaguing the territory, particularly on St. Thomas, it’s good news for those who rely on WAPA for electricity.

Though WAPA is facing a number of financial issues and remains in debt, its Executive Director and CEO Julio A. Rhymer, Sr., remains confident that the authority can resolve these issues and reliably provide power to customers.

To reduce service interruptions, WAPA plans to purchase a number of what is calls ‘more appropriately sized’ generators that will be easier to maintain and service. In additional to oil, the new generators will be also capable of running on propane, which is more affordable and less damaging to the environment.

Rhymer said WAPA has an agreement with Finnish power giant Wartsila to build three new generators that will be capable of producing 7 megawatts each. He said the units are expected on St. Thomas in early 2018 and should be running by mid-year. As many as 12 new generators could be purchased from the company.

Many of the new generators will use existing infrastructure at the power plants, including oil and propane pipelines, a move that will bring them online much faster than if new ones were built. Old dormant units will be dismantled and removed.

To learn more about WAPA’s current power generation issues and how it plans to resolve them going forward, the Source spoke with Rhymer.

1. Can you explain what a generating unit is?

A generating unit, or generator or unit, is an engine powered by fuel oil or propane, which generates electricity for distribution to customers of the Water and Power Authority.

2. Why does WAPA need to introduce right-sized and more reliable generating units? Does this have to do with energy demand and population changes?

WAPA’s current fleet of generators has been in service in some instances from the early 1980s and the newest unit was brought on line in 2004. At the time, when there was a greater demand for electrical power in the islands, units with larger power generation capacities were procured and added to the electrical grid. They included at least two 20-megawatt generators and a 39-megawatt generator. An older 12 to 14 megawatt unit was also available. Over time, the power demand of the island has changed, making these units inefficient – they are producing more electricity than is required to power the grid, so there is wasted energy. A study recently conducted by WAPA, known formally as an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP,) has charted the best course of generation for WAPA looking forward 20 years. This also includes renewable energy sources. That is the plan WAPA is implementing by procuring new smaller or right-sized generators based on electrical demand.

3. How many megawatts of power are needed between all three islands on a regular basis?

Peak power demand on St. Thomas-St. John (which also includes Water Island and Hassel Island) is somewhere around 58 to 60 megawatts and on St. Croix the peak demand is 36 megawatts.

4. What are the main drivers of the change in energy demand?

Energy demand has decreased over time. Our peak on St. Thomas-St. John is now about 58 megawatts, down from a peak in the low to mid 60’s just a few years ago.

Generating unit 23 on St. Thomas is undergoing major maintenance to prevent future blackouts on the island. It also is being converted to run on both LPG and oil.

5. You mentioned that more stability is needed on St. Thomas than on St. Croix. Why is that the case? Does the power go out more regularly on St. Thomas?

St. Thomas’ power plant has become less stable because of the company’s financial challenges. The financial difficulties have caused WAPA to defer maintenance on its largest generator, Unit 23, and as a result, the unit has become more and more unreliable and inefficient. At one point the generator was only producing about 25 megawatts of power. The maintenance overhaul of the unit was delayed some two to three years. The unit was recently taken off line for maintenance overhaul. It should be back in service in the last quarter of 2017. St. Thomas power plant powers St. John through a submarine cable.

6. How long does a generating unit typically last and what leads to a shorter lifespan?

There is no set lifespan on a unit. With regular maintenance and upkeep, a unit can last for many years.

7. Unit 23 on St. Thomas is one of the main issues. Why does this unit need so much maintenance and which areas on St. Thomas does the unit cover?

The unit covers just about half of the capacity of the St. Thomas-St. John district. Unit 23 needs regular maintenance, as do all other units. The financial difficulties led WAPA to defer maintenance on its largest generator, Unit 23, which has caused this unit to become more and more unreliable and inefficient. At one point the generator was only producing about 25 megawatts of power. The maintenance overhaul of the unit was delayed some two to three years. With Unit 26 available, we have committed Unit 23 to maintenance overhaul and it will be converted to burn LPG before being returned to service later this year. Once it returns to service, Unit 23 will not only be the largest, but the most efficient generator at the plant capable of producing 39-40 megawatts of electricity.

8. When will this maintenance be completed and why have there been so many challenges addressing it?

Deferred maintenance was a direct result of financial challenges. The unit is undergoing a three-month maintenance overhaul and a subsequent three-month long fuel conversion. When it returns to service it will be one of the most efficient generators at the power plant with the capability of burning three fuel types to generate electricity: fuel oil, propane and natural gas.

9. When Unit 23 goes out, are other units affected? Can you explain how the grid works, meaning if one unit goes out why can’t the corresponding service area immediately get power from a backup unit?

The generating units work in series to meet the demand for power in the islands. If the peak demand is 60 megawatts at a moment in time, three units are dispatched: 15 and 18 for a combined 40 megawatts and 23 for the remaining 20 megawatts. If any of those three units trip for any reason, there is an immediate shortfall. The remaining units are already at capacity output and cannot make up the difference. To fully restore power, either the failed unit has to be diagnosed and restarted or another unit has to be started, brought to speed and then added to the grid to provide the electrical capacity needed to restore service to all customers.

This steam turbine on St. Croix generates electricity by recovering waste heat from other operating units.

10. Why is power generation so much more stable on St. Croix? 

The demand for power is less and there is more generation capacity on St. Croix than is needed. A standby unit can more easily be brought on line to compensate for any generation loss resulting from a tripped unit.

Units 16, 17, 20 are three combustion generators that are usually dispatched to power St. Croix alongside steam turbines Units 10 or 11, which generate electricity from the recovery of waste heat from other operating units. The three combustion units are each rated to produce 20 megawatts of electricity while the steam turbines produce five megawatts each.

11. You mentioned both power plant footprints will be different by the end of 2022. Can you elaborate on what this means?

WAPA is moving in a direction of smaller, more efficient generators so the loss of any one unit will be more manageable, affecting less customers at once. We are moving out old larger unreliable generators and replacing them with smaller efficient generators. The footprint of the plant, the specific areas where the larger and older units now reside will be home to the newer and smaller units.

12. Can you briefly describe what WAPA is planning for its energy generation mix over the next 20 years?

Smaller units, renewables, and the ability to use propane and fuel oil to generate electricity across all units.

13. Why is WAPA integrating LPG into its electricity generation systems?

WAPA began a process of developing propane storage terminals and converting its oil only generators to tri-fuel capabilities in 2013. LPG is a cheaper fuel source and came at a time when the price of oil was soaring to well over $145 a barrel and customers were paying an all-time high of 52 cents per kilowatt hour.

14. Power outages are still happening quite frequently on St. Thomas. Why is that if new generating units have been installed as backups? What type of confidence can people have that these outage events will decrease in number in the near future? 

WAPA has a plan to replace all of its generators in both power plants by 2022 with new, efficient and more reliable generators. This will bring about increased efficiency and reliability in the power production areas of the authority and increased redundancy where maintenance can be carried out more regularly and major service interruptions can be avoided.

Structural Deficit versus Select Expenses. (Click on image for larger view.)

As the territory struggles with its budget crisis, Gov. Kenneth Mapp and members of the Legislature have talked about the possibility of consolidating some government agencies to save money by cutting administrative costs or operating more efficiently.

Sometimes making government functions more rational means consolidating duplicate agencies or folding small agencies into larger ones that do much the same thing. Sometimes it means splitting agencies apart.

Public Works used to manage the sewer system and the territory’s landfills as well as build roads and oversee government construction projects. But after years of failing to meet court orders and chronically underfunding waste management, in 2006 the territory created the Waste Management Authority, on the theory those functions were better suited to a standalone entity. The WMA has accomplished a lot, especially in getting new sewer treatment plants online, despite its struggles, chronic sewer spills. difficulty with paying contractors and needing funding to close the landfills.

Lately, the moves have been more toward consolidation. The territory recently passed legislation, championed by Sen. Kenneth Gittens, to consolidate the territory’s two elections boards. Reducing confusion and acrimony in the elections process was Gittens main goal, rather than savings. After all, the boards have a combined budget of less than $200,000 per year.

That small move met with opposition. Many elections board members, including St. Croix Board Chair Liliana Belardo de O’Neal and St. Thomas/St. John Board of Elections Chair Arturo Watlington Jr.have vigorously opposed the change. Unifying the boards means there would be only one chair, vice chair and so forth, diluting the perceived prestige of members in the separate boards.

In a February hearing, Sen. Kurt Vialet of St. Croix suggested the loss of prestigious roles is Watlington’s real objection, saying, “It is really simple. It is all about jurisdiction and who is king.”

The idea of consolidating the governing boards and administration of both territorial hospitals keeps being raised in Senate hearings, too.

In 2013, Sen. Sammuel Sanes proposed legislation to consolidate the boards. The legislation was not adopted at the time. Sanes said at the time he envisioned one hospital board, one chief executive officer and one chief financial officer. He said it would reduce management costs, but more importantly it would mean the hospitals would negotiate jointly with vendors. Board members at both hospitals have discussed consolidating some functions, but little has happened.

The idea of merging the courts has come up several times over the years. Multiple years of budget cuts and the Supreme Court recently taking on full authority as the territory’s court of final appeal have increased the interest in recent years. Supreme Court Chief Justice Rhys Hodge urged the merger during budget hearings in 2013, citing a National Center for State Courts study that estimated the merger would save $1.5 million to $1.8 million per year. Superior Court Presiding Judge Michael Dunston has been steadfastly and vigorously opposed to consolidating.

Dunston told senators in 2014 that the courts have different roles and that if the Supreme Court oversees the court system as a whole, “my position would become a figurehead.”

The effort remains stalled.

Consolidate Gambling Oversight

Over the past decade, senators have periodically discussed consolidating lottery and casino gaming but have not moved legislation to do so.

The Casino Control Commission regulates slot machines and casino-type gambling, which currently generate a bit less than $2 million per year toward the General Fund. The Lottery Commission regulates slot machines that are called video lottery terminals or “VLTs” on St. Thomas and St. John, which generate about $4.5 million for various government programs each year, and subsidizes the V.I. Lottery by a similar amount. On and off track horse race betting is overseen by the volunteer St. Croix Horse Racing Commission and St. Thomas/St. John Horse Racing Commission. Slot machines and casino gambling regulated by the Casino Control Commission gets some public oversight during annual budget hearings. Lottery and VLT slot machine gambling get a little bit of public oversight in separate budget hearings. Whatever tax revenue horse race gambling may contribute is not visible in any public V.I. government budget documents and those commissions do not give budget testimony to the Senate. The V.I. Department of Justice’s Division of Gaming Enforcement plays a role in enforcement in all areas of gambling.

The video lottery terminals are nominally under the V.I. Lottery Commission, but repeated audits have found insufficient oversight. When Southland Gaming of the Virgin Islands got the contract to run the machines in 2003, some questioned the legality of the action, arguing it was a backdoor way to bring slot machines to St. Thomas. The V.I. Casino Control Act restricts slot machines to St. Croix to encourage hotel development there. As Southland Gaming Vice President Shaine Gaspard testified to the Senate last fall, “a slot machine and VLT are virtually the same machines, certified by the same labs against the same standards.”

The V.I. Casino Control Act defines the types of games controlled by the act as “(a)ny banking or percentage game located within the casino or simulcasting facility played with cards, dice or any electronic, electrical, or mechanical device or machine for money, property, or any representative of value;” “gambling” as “the dealing, operating, carrying on, conducting, maintaining or exposing for pay of any game,” and gaming equipment as “any electronic, electrical, or mechanical contrivance or machine used in connection with gaming or any game.” VLTs are electrical machines used in connection with “gaming” or gambling. Players put money in a slot in the VLT machine and push a button or two, hoping to get lucky and have their gambling pay off. Nonetheless, since 2003, the Legislature, courts, successive governors and Casino Control Commission have all treated VLTs, as devices that are not covered by the Casino Control Act.

Reforming the law and consolidating all gambling oversight under a single entity would bring coherence and transparency to gambling regulation, and probably save some money. In political science, one of the traditional measures of “development,” that ephemeral, desirable quality certain countries have and others do not, is whether the law and institutions perform the way they say they do, or if informal practices instead dominate how government actually operates. Clarifying what the law actually allows so the text of the law conforms to the actual practices in the territory can only be good. It may not save the large sums needed to help close the deficit but it would be a small move in a progressive direction.

Move the functions of the Office of Veterans Affairs to the Department of Human Services.

The Office of Veterans Affairs is tiny and serves a small clientele. The massive Department of Human Services already performs similar services for a much larger clientele. Veterans Affairs helps some veterans with costs for traveling to get Veterans Administration Health Care and it pays burial costs for V.I. veterans in V.I. cemeteries. It has a budget of about $350,000, much of which is spent on the salaries of its handful of employees and rent for its offices. Clearly, there is not a lot of money to save here.

But Human Services, the second largest government agency, already provides very similar services. It has 933 employees and a budget of between $60 million and $70 million in local funding and nearly another $70 million in federal funding each year. It serves V.I. senior citizens and others. Many of those the Office of Veterans Affairs serves are also senior citizens. It would be more efficient and save at least some rent and utility costs to consolidate Veterans Affairs into Human Services.

Strengthen Board of Education and Place Within Education Department

Most stateside boards of education have far, far more power than the V.I. Board of Education. The V.I. board certifies teachers and doles out a basket of small college scholarships. Most boards are also responsible for actual oversight of the education system. They frequently hire and fire professional superintendents who run day to day operations and approve school system budgets, from a mix of county, state and federal funding sources. The V.I. board, with an annual budget of about $1.75 million, does none of those things. Instead, the Office of the Commissioner of Education oversees all school operations and the commissioner is selected by the governor, changing with every election, if not more often. If the board is only going to serve the administrative function of certifying teachers, it might make more sense to fold it into the Department of Education. Also, many districts with elected school boards fund the school boards through the school system budget, not with a separate budget.

Giving the school board real teeth by giving it some control over how Education Department funding is spent and over hiring top administrators might help reduce political appointments to the department and give better oversight than the single day of budget hearings the Senate is able to devote to it each year. The Department of Education’s budget of about $205 million per year gets roughly as much oversight time as Sports Parks and Recreation Department’s $5.5 million budget or the Office of Veterans Affairs’ $350,000 budget: several hours before the Senate Finance Committee, one day each year.

Reorganizing these agencies may save small amounts by itself. But in an era of tightening budgets, giving the Board of Education budgetary oversight and scrutinizing the Education Department more closely may at least help the department put its resources to better use and get more bang for the buck from the most expensive V.I. department.

For decades, senators have historically been reluctant to give up authority of any kind, especially budgetary authority. But nothing focuses the mind like a crisis. Strike while the iron is hot.

Yet agencies are struggling to make do now. These changes could help the government use its resources to better effect but will not change the fact that many agencies have big unmet fiscal needs. Where else can the territory find new revenues to pay for services?

Next: Part 13: Finding New Tax Revenues – AirBnB and Marijuana

Janelle Sarauw and Kevin Rodriquez (Image courtesy of St. John Tradewinds)

The V.I. Legislature is holding a special session Tuesday to hear testimony and perhaps decide who is to fill the St. Thomas seat that has remained empty since the other 14 senators were sworn into office in January.

Unlike other U.S. jurisdictions, which have single-member districts or winner-take-all statewide districts, the U.S. Virgin Islands elects 14 of its 15 senators based on who comes in the top 7 places for each of the two districts. The 15th senator is elected at large, on a winner-take-all basis.

The St. Thomas/St. John Board of Elections certified Kevin Rodriquez as a candidate and, after the November 2016, general election, as a winner, after Rodriquez came in sixth to fill the seven St. Thomas-St. John legislative seats.

But in December, the eighth-place candidate, Janelle Sarauw and campaign worker Brigitte Berry, sued in V.I. Superior Court to stop Rodriquez from being seated, arguing that Rodriquez had asserted in court documents filed in 2016 that he was a bona fide resident of Tennessee and therefore could not meet the three-year V.I. residency requirement set by V.I. law.

The V.I. Supreme Court determined that in his bankruptcy petition, Rodriquez swore under penalty of perjury that he lived in Tennessee and had not lived in another state anytime during the preceding three years. It applied the doctrine of “judicial estoppel,” saying that Rodriquez’s claim under oath in one court prevented him from claiming the opposite in another court. The court

Rodriquez filed to have the case moved to federal court. He argued that the Revised Organic Act, the federal law that acts as a constitution for the territory, gives the Legislature final authority over who is qualified to sit. Rodriquez also sued the Legislature, requesting it seat him.

Sarauw, on the other hand, argued the St. Thomas/St. John Board of Election erred and asked the court to direct the board to decertify Rodriquez as a candidate.

While the Senate deferred to the courts, both Rodriquez’s and Sarauw’s suits were eventually dismissed, along with an appeal recently filed by Rodriquez that sought to stay the special election.

Senate President Myron Jackson, on behalf of the V.I. Legislature, filed a motion with the court asking it to dismiss Rodriquez’s complaint. Part of the Legislature’s argument was that, although the Legislature had the power to determine the qualifications of its members, it had put the residency requirement into the law and could not violate the law without inviting more litigation.

In February, U.S. District Court Judge Curtis Gomez dismissed both suits. Gomez’s order cited the V.I. law, which says if “a vacancy occurs in the office of a member of the Legislature, the governor shall call a special election … within 30 days following the day on which the vacancy occurs.” He went on to say it “is entirely within the province of the executive to do so if he chooses.”

Gov. Kenneth Mapp then called a special election. Fourteen candidates filed papers and Sarauw won that election in April. But the results were never certified by the St. Thomas-St. John Board of Elections, whose members said they would not be able to put Sarauw in until Rodriquez was officially taken out, or de-certified. Rodriquez sought to stay the election by filing a suit in District Court, which was also denied, and Rodriquez countered with another appeal to the Third Circuit, which did not weigh in on the previous legal matters, but chose to stay focused on the roles of the Elections Board, the courts and the Legislature in the legal process.

Rodriquez appealed and on June 9, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals placed the decision back in the lap of the Legislature. According to the ruling, under the “plain language” of the Revised Organic Act, once the 32nd Legislature convened, it alone had the authority determine whether Rodriguez had the qualifications necessary to be a member.

“In sum, before the 32nd Legislature convened, the Board of Elections had the authority to review the qualifications of prospective members of the Legislature and because it is not a part of the Legislature or any other branch of the V.I. government, issues of separation of powers did not preclude a court from a viewing in the Board of Elections decisions concerning a candidate’s qualifications,” the ruling said. “But now that the 32nd Legislature has convened, only that body can determine the qualifications of its members and separation of powers principles require a court to decline weighing in on these issues,” the courts ruled.

The next day, the V.I. Democratic Party issued a statement calling for the Legislature to seat Rodriquez.

“We have always held to the position that the matter was under the jurisdiction and authority of the Legislature. The Appellate Court has clearly affirmed this. We are again calling on the entire 32nd Legislature, and in particular on the Democratic Leadership, to immediately administer the oath of office to Senator-elect Kevin Rodriguez,” the party’s statement concluded.

A few days later, on June 15, the Legislature called a special session for Tuesday to hear testimony and possibly decide the matter.

On Friday, attorneys for Rodriquez wrote the Legislature, objecting to some of the witnesses the Legislature decided to ask to testify and saying Rodriquez and his testifiers would not be able to provide written testimony.

“Unfortunately, with the short notice of the June 27, 2017, hearing, there was insufficient time to fully comply with your request for the witnesses’ written testimony,” wrote Attorney Francis Jackson.

Jackson also objected to the Legislature hearing testimony from Attorney General Claude Walker and to testimony from Sarauw.

“We will object to any witness who cannot provide relevant evidence on the only issue before the 32nd Legislature, to wit: whether Senator-elect Rodriquez has satisfied the five requirements for membership established by … the Revised Organic Act,” Jackson wrote.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Legislature’s conference room on St. Thomas. The session will continue Wednesday, when senators will consider legislation and nominations approved recently in committee.

Invitation for Bids:

Pursuant to Chapter 23, Title 31, Virgin Islands Code, request sealed bids in QUINTUPLICATE (1 original and 4 copies) for the following:

IFB024BMVT17(S) – Qualified vendors to furnish all labor, equipment, and supplies necessary to provide Ground Maintenance/Landscaping Services to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles in the St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

Bids will be received by the Department of Property and Procurement, Division of Procurement (address):

8201 Subbase, 3^rd Floor
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802

Cost Per Set: $25.00 NON REFUNDABLE

The Invitation for Bid will be received on Thursday, July 20, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. Atlantic Standard Time and then publicly opened thereafter.

Documents may be obtained from the Department of Property & Procurement at the above address or at http://dpp.vi.gov. For information please contact Ms. Dazarene Lescott at (340) 774-0828 ext. 230 or dazarene.lescott@dpp.vi.gov.

Lloyd T. Bough, Jr.
Commissioner Designee

Invitation for Bids:

Pursuant to Chapter 23, Title 31, Virgin Islands Code, request sealed bids in QUINTUPLICATE (1 original and 4 copies) for the following:

IFB025BMVT17(S) – Qualified vendors to furnish all labor, equipment, and supplies necessary to provide Janitorial Services to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles in the St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

Bids will be received by the Department of Property and Procurement, Division of Procurement (address):

8201 Subbase, 3^rd Floor
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802

Cost Per Set: $25.00 NON REFUNDABLE

The Invitation for Bid will be received on Friday, July 21, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Atlantic Standard Time and then publicly opened thereafter.

Documents may be obtained from the Department of Property & Procurement at the above address or at http://dpp.vi.gov. For information please contact Ms. Dazarene Lescott at (340) 774-0828 ext. 230 or dazarene.lescott@dpp.vi.gov.

Lloyd T. Bough, Jr.
Commissioner Designee

The Department of the Interior has awarded the U.S. Virgin Islands grants totaling $594,680 out of about $3.5 million allocated to the U.S. insular territories for energy conservation and alternative energy projects. The V.I. funding will go to the University of the Virgin Islands to fund two separate but related energy projects. The first is to upgrade eleven of its oldest and least efficient air conditioning units with newer cooling technology and the second is to install smart meters on all buildings for more effective accounting of the university’s energy use and informed crafting of energy policy. The newer air conditioning units will be installed on the School of Nursing Building, and Sports and Fitness Center among other academic and administrative buildings with an estimated annual cost savings of $904,000. At that level of savings, the projects should pay for themselves in less than a year. UVI estimates the new smart meters installed throughout campus will reduce energy consumption by 10 percent which translates into about $290,000 in annual savings. Combined energy savings for the University are projected to be over one million dollars per year.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke also informed American Samoa Governor Lolo Moliga, Guam Governor Eddie Calvo, and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Governor Ralph DLG Torres that he has approved a total of $3,489,427 in energy grants for their respective territories. The Secretary and the Governors were attending the Western Governors Association meeting in Montana.

American Samoa will receive $1,163,228, Guam $1,072,827, the Northern Mariana Islands $658,692, and the U.S. Virgin Islands $594,680 for a variety of projects across the territories that will create immediate energy efficiencies, reduce high costs of fossil-fuel dependency, and explore other alternatives towards energy self-sufficiency.

“We recognize that the cost of electricity in the U.S. territories is three times higher, on average, than the U.S. national average,” Zinke said in a statement. “The energy needs of the territories are unique and I am pleased to help bring them into focus as President Trump highlights energy strategies across America during Energy Week,” he said.

Thirty-four applications, totaling more than $18 million dollars, were submitted for consideration to the Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs. The Empowering Island Communities grant funding as provided annually by the U.S. Congress is about $3 million.

Susanna Maynard

Susanna Maynard, also known as Suzette Maynard, 89, of St. Thomas passed away on June 16. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend a memorials service on Monday, July 3, at the Celestial Chapel – Hurley Funeral Home from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Funeral Services will be held in St. Kitts at the Antioch Baptist Church from 3:00 p.m. on July 7, 2017. Interment will follow at Springfield Cemetery.

The family request that festive colors be worn to both the Memorial and Funeral Services.

Her husband George “Samuel” Maynard preceded her in death.

She is survived by her sons, Dr. Patrick Callender, Alfonso Vaughn, Clive Buchanan and Arthur Wattley. Daughters Attorney Anne P. Maynard, Bernadette V. Maynard-Melendez and Petula Maynard. Grandsons Joseph Melendez, Jr., Patrick Callender Jr., & Ethan Callender. Granddaughters Joette Melendez and CaNia Callender. Great-Granddaughters Joliyah Melendez-Al-Arefi & Aliana Melendez. Great-Grandson Joseph Melendez, III, Kaden Melendez-Al-Arefi, & Andre Melendez. Daughters in-law Candrece Callender, May Vaughn, and Genevieve Wattley. Granddaughter in-law Latoya Walker-Melendez. Brothers George, Benjamin and Joseph Richardson. Sister Marion Richardson. Sister-in-law Florence Lewis and Vera Richardson. Step-Grandchildren Denver Gordon, Veone Maynard, Jasmine, Joyce, Jeriline, Joel, Julien, Marvin, Jason, Orsen, Damian,Drulicia, Jahnallia, Shamika, Dencia, Jahnicqua, DeKeisha, Krysthal, Jahnique, Jahmaria, Lleah, JaKayla, Tyra, J’Briyan, Dionis, Jahquan, De’Quan, Jahshua, J’Laun, Ja’Quel, J’Kaeden, & Liam. Brother-in-law Gene Smithen. Adopted son-in-law Denfield Merrick. Nieces-in-law Laverne, Harella, and Jacinth. Nephews-in-law Monsel, Orville, Neville. Special cousins Cheryl Kuntz & Family, Denise Niles, Joyce Carty, Gwendolyn Charles & Family, Lyra Gumbs & Family, The Lake Family, The Sasso Family and The Gumbs Family. Other relatives and close friends Frank & Lauritz Mills, Ena Boynes & Family, Mrs. Janet Griffith & Family, Mr. Rupert Mercer, Charlene Brathwaite & Family, Clayton Brown, Leila Donovan Challenger, Mr. & Mrs. Tweed, Vanessa Richardson & Family, Gloria Bass & Family, Alton Bass & Family, Sheila Warner & Family, The Saddlers Family, Jillia Mills-Hardtman & Family, Alma MacFarlane, Roland Stanley & Family, Melanie Douglas, Rolston Carr, Desmond Bartholomew, The Frederick Family, Dr. Hall, & Sea View Nursing Facility Staff.

Arrangements under the care of Hurley Funeral Home and Cremation Center of St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola.

For directions and online condolences, please visit us at www.hurleydavisfuneral home.com

Leonie Riddle

Leonie Riddle passed away Thursday, June 22, 2017 in Harris Texas at the age of 76. She was preceded in death by her brothers Carl Hodge and Norwell Hodge.

Leonie Riddle is survived by her:

Children: Amos Hodge, Jacqueline Hodge Duncanson and Husband Eustace Duncanson, Leeann Oquendo and Husband Rascio Oquendo, Sr, Ruthann Riddle, James L Riddle, Sr, Susanna Hodge Riddle, Rachel Corbin

Grandchildren: Robert St.John Duncanson, Imhotep Duncanson, Makada Duncanson, Eustace Duncanson, Ricardo Oquendo, Rascio Oquendo Jr., Raynaldo Oquendo, Razzilee Oquendo ,Tiffany Danielle Gibson-McNair and Husband Antwon Maurice McNair, Sandrina Riddle, Karrisa Riddle, Mahala Riddle, James L Riddle, Jr., Jordan Riddle, Arianna Riddle, Justice Leonie Riddle,  Ciara L Riddle, Thorne Corey Hodge, Esq, Noah J Riddle, William R Buggs,Jr., Summer Dru Corbin

Great Grand Children: Ro’Melo Oquendo, Rohan Oquendo, Royal Oquendo, Jayden Patrick Andrew McNair, Malia Stephanie Lee-Ann, Judah Riddle, Savannah Riddle, Mia Hodge.

Sisters and brothers Naomi Hodge, Sylvia Grasso, Joyce Hodge, Cleamena Hodge Duncan and Husband Claudious Duncan, Sr., Victoria Hodge, Muriel Robinson, Marina Stout,  Marjorie Freeman, Alpine Hodge,  Omar Hodge, Mack Hodge.

And many other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.

Relatives and friends are respectively invited to attend the first viewing on Friday, July 7, 2017 at the Celestial Chapel of Hurley Funeral Home from 6-7pm. The second viewing will be held on Saturday, July 08, 2017 from 10:00 am to 11:00am at Nazareth Lutheran Church in St. John. The service will immediately follow at 11:00am. Interment: Cruz Bay Cemetery.

Arrangements under the care of Hurley Funeral Home and Cremation Center of St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix and Tortola.

For directions and online condolences, please visit us at www.hurleydavisfuneral home.com

The V.I. Game Fishing Club will hold its annual July Open Kids’ Tournament Sunday, and the first 250 kids can sign up for free, according to the sponsors.

The event will take place at the IGY American Yacht Harbor Marina in Red Hook. Participation is open to all youth 15 years of age and younger. Youth must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The first 250 to sign up will receive free entry, which includes a T-shirt, backpack, handline and bait.

All entrants will receive free pizza from Island Time Pub and a drink after fishing.

Registration starts at 8 a.m. at the VIGFC tables at the yacht harbor marina. Participants can fish from any dock, rock or stump in the marina, as long as they stay on shore! The official weigh-In will take place at 11 a.m. Prizes, include trophies crafted by My Brother’s Workshop, gift certificates, cash and much more donated by community businesses including Diamonds International, Budget Marine, East End Flower Shop and Guardian Insurance. Prizes will be awarded in three age groups: 6 years and younger, 7 to 12 years, and 13 to 15 years.

The tournament is sponsored by the VIGFC, Neptune Fishing Supplies, AYH, Island Time Pub and Chelsea Drug Store.

Further information is available by calling 340-775-9144 or sending email to usvigfc@gmail.com.

Gov. Kenneth Mapp

Gov. Kenneth Mapp vetoed an extension on the use of plastic grocery bags; tighter restrictions on back-billing by the Water and Power Authority and criticized unfunded expenses, while acting on an array of legislation Monday.

In a letter to Senate President Myron Jackson explaining his vetoes, Mapp said extending the use of plastic bags was “a step in the wrong direction.”

“Change requires courage. Many retailers and customers have greeted the ban on plastic bags well. They prepared themselves, spent thousands of dollars on brown bags and reusable shopping bags. Many businesses have purchased large orders of bags in compliance with the new law. For whom and why are we retreating to re-allow plastic bags into the market place?”

The vetoed section also would have required that anyone fined for violating the plastics ban be refunded.

During debate on extending the ban, senators pointed to the likelihood the same bags would end up in the landfill anyway, since stores already had them on hand. It extended the April 1 deadline until August.

“This is codifying what the Waste Management Authority is already doing,” Sen. Kurt Vialet (D-STX) said when offering the measure. Some stores had purchased “trailers” of the bags before the ban was enacted, he said, and “instead of having them dump all those bags in our landfill we decided to let them use them,” Vialet said at the time.

Mapp also brought up the Federal Aviation Administration’s concerns over the future of St. Croix’s Anguilla Landfill. The FAA wants it to close. The Environmental Protection Agency wants both it and the Bovoni landfill on St. Thomas to close. Both landfills are quickly reaching capacity too. The cost of closing Anguilla is projected at more than $70 million; funds the territory does not have right now. And trash would still need to be disposed of. To try to extend the landfills’ lifespans, Mapp proposed comprehensive source separation, recycling and container deposits last year. He urged senators to act on that legislation in his letter.

Mapp also vetoed a measure which would have required the Water and Power Authority to correct an improperly issued customer bill within 30 days. The current limit is 90 days, which Mapp said is well within the industry standard, with some jurisdictions allowing as long as two years.

He said that instead of helping ratepayers, the proposed law would put the cost of some consumers onto all the rest.

“If a subscriber … uses 100 kilowatts of power, shouldn’t that subscriber pay for using 100 kilowatts of power? Why should the remaining ratepayers be saddled with this cost because it may take WAPA more than 30 days to correct an error on a bill?” Mapp said.

These provisions were all amendments to a bill designating the week of June 26th to July 3rd as Virgin Islands Freedom Week. While he issued a proclamation commemorating the week, he said “must advise the members of the Legislature that it has provided no funding for the tasks it requires. Hence nothing will be done.”

While approving appropriations for needed repairs and infrastructure improvements at the territory’s two hospitals, Mapp vetoed sections of the bills. He objected to the Senate’s omission of funding to increase salaries for registered nurses at the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital, while specifically providing funding for RN salaries at the Schneider Regional Medical Center. He also said nurse salaries are set by collective bargaining agreements, not legislative appropriations.

The governor also vetoed a bill amending the Virgin Islands Code to replace the Government Employees Services Commission with the Public Employees Relations Board and the Division of Personnel or the Commissioner of Education where appropriate. He said a section of the bill deleted a section of V.I. code that allows the V.I. police commissioner to suspend an employee for misconduct.

“While the Legislature may have intended to change the entity to which an aggrieved employee may appeal a commissioner’s decision—from the GESC to the PERB—what the Legislature actually did was change the entity and repeal a vital authority of the police commissioner to act in a time of crisis,” Mapp said.

He also vetoed a bill relating to the composition of the Government Employees’ Services Commission and re-designating the GESC as the Government Employees and Retirees Health Insurance Board of Trustees because it is interconnected with the other GESC bill he vetoed and if he vetoed one and not the other he “would create substantial conflict in the law.”

Mapp approved but criticized a measure from Senate President Myron Jackson (D-STT) to prorate a senator’s salary and office allotment from the date they take office instead of giving pay simply by year. This measure would affect the pay and allotment of a senator who takes office months after the original election. One seat in St. Thomas is affected. Mapp suggested the Legislature could make that change internally. Getting the governor involved may violate the separation of powers doctrine enshrined in federal law, he said.

Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital

Along with a slew of other measures, Gov. Kenneth Mapp approved spending $2.5 million in reprogrammed bond funds for emergency repairs and sewer line replacement at the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center on St. Croix.

He line-item vetoed a measure within the bill to reprogram another half a million dollars for energy conservation measures.

On May 2, sewage pipes backed up in the JFL Emergency Department and the hospital has been scrambling to deal with the problem ever since, calling in pumping trucks, cleanup crews, VITEMA and Public Works officials and more.

Ultimately, the problem is that the cast iron pipes of the gravity-fed sewer system beneath most of the hospital have corroded and are collapsing. Salty groundwater has wreaked havoc with old cast iron sewer pipes all over the territory and the Waste Management Authority has put the cost of replacing the entire system territory-wide in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The money for JFL comes from an array of past appropriations and bond funds for projects that either had funds left over or were never fully funded and could not use the partial appropriation.

The bill also appropriated rum funds and hotel occupancy tax funds to the General Fund, so another bill could spend them on federal matching funds for Medicaid and other priorities of the governor. Senators reduced the amount and ultimately devoted $7 million in rum funds for Medicaid matching; $1.7 million for school maintenance and $250,000 for youth summer employment through the Department of Labor.

Mapp signed a bill which authorizes the government to purchase parcels of land in Frederiksted for rebuilding the Paul E. Joseph Stadium. He is sending down a funding request to the Legislature for up to $480,000 from the Community Facilities Trust Account and/or the St. Croix Capital Improvement Fund, both of which consist of portions of the federal alcohol excise tax revenues remitted to the territory. He also has approved a measure that reprograms funds from the Community Facilities Trust Account for renovations at the Kirwan Terrace, Joseph Aubain, and Emile Griffith Ballparks on St. Thomas.

Mapp also has approved a bill increasing the current fiscal year appropriation for the Department of Human Service to increase matching funds for Medicaid. With the federal government’s approval of an increase in the territory’s poverty level, more residents are eligible for health insurance coverage under the Medical Assistant Program, which is the local vehicle for Medicaid. The local government must continue to provide its matching contribution to the cost of coverage, which is significantly less than bearing the full cost of uncompensated care for otherwise uninsured patients, Mapp said.

He also approved legislation to allow any Real-ID compliant identification to take the place of special senior IDs issued by the government. V.I. senior citizens currently get four benefits from the V.I. government: free transportation on VITRAN buses, free tuition at the University of the Virgin Islands, a 50 percent discount on driver’s licenses and various other discounts.

Another bill he signed will give the Division of Licensing and Consumer Affairs new power to determine how many tavern liquor licenses are allowed in the historic districts of the territory. The previous limit of 75 tavern licenses for Charlotte Amalie was last amended in 1966.

There was a moratorium on new tavern licenses in the historic districts from 2006 to 2011 but some licenses were issued anyway during that time. Since the moratorium’s expiration, the only limit has been the 75 license cap for Charlotte Amalie. But DLCA officials testified there are more than 100 active right now.

Also approved were:

– A bill giving $543,000 to Schneider Regional Medical Center for repairs to internal piping and water heaters, re-appropriating leftover and unused funds from an array of bond-funded projects.

– A bill to re-appropriate $75,000 left over from work on St. Thomas’ Emancipation Garden Park from the Communities Facilities Trust Account for work at the Kirwan Terrace Ballpark, the Joseph Aubain Ballpark, and the Emile Griffith Ballpark on St. Thomas.

– And several coastal zone management permits.