De Jongh Fails V.I. Community Organizations

Guest Opinion by Kendall “Seigo” Petersen

Anger, disdain, distrust are just a few words to describe the feelings of Virgin Islands community organization leaders as they struggle to not only understand the reasoning used to determine funding for each organization but also why monies that were appropriated by the 27th Legislature, in Bill No. 27-0077, Act No. 6969, Section 2, Miscellaneous Appropriations, the FY 07-08 Executive Budget Bill (Executive Budget), have not been released. In reviewing the Executive Budget at first glance you may surmise that the V.I. Government has been quite generous in its issuance of funding, perhaps even going as far as to say that the government has done its share in philanthropy. However, a closer look at the Executive Budget will quickly change that thought as the varying levels of appropriations to organizations depicts value system that reflects not what we as a people value, rather those we have chosen to lead us. $100,000 to put our Christmas lights up, but only $20,000 to an organization that cares for our elderly, many of whom have served our community. What do we value?

Organization leaders have been met with excuses, constant posturing and lies. The main reason delivered to the community as quoted by in a December 19th, St. Croix Source article, Governor de Jongh’s Director of Communications, Jean Greaux, Jr., stated that “…until or unless the Legislature passes the governor’s property tax proposal, the government will be squeezed by having more money appropriated than it has to spend in its coffers.” Proposal is the key word. Random House Dictionary defines a proposal as “the act of offering or suggesting something for acceptance, adoption, or performance.” Does this not mean that there was a possibility that the proposal would not be approved? Well, on November 19th, 2007, the Legislature convened a Committee of the Whole Hearing and a majority of the senators rejected the proposal and advised the Governor’s Team to go back to the drawing board to come up with an acceptable plan. The Governor’s action begs the following question: Did Governor de Jongh and his team’s decision to balance the budget based on questionable funding demonstrate a sound level of fiscal responsibility? We are now in a quagmire and misstatements are being made on a regular basis by members of de Jongh’s administration. Mr. Greaux in the same December 19th, St. Croix Source article also stated that “[t]he government has only been authorizing money for charitable and humane services, but not for non-profit organizations.” He also stated that “…we are looking carefully at the miscellaneous budget and only authorizing expenditures on a case by case basis, for care to the homeless and emergency humanitarian needs.” Let us put this into context. Are most if not all the programs and initiatives of not-profit organizations dedicated to charitable and human services? What is Government House really saying? Do our children not count? What about our elderly-many of whom who have served our community? What are our emergency humanitarian needs?

The slogan: “Together We Can” is heard around our community as coined by de Jongh, however the failure to release the funding for organizations that work for the betterment of our community demonstrates more of a biased approach marred with “Big Brother” tendencies and little if no regard for work of organizations dedicated to working together to better our community as rather than a cohesive, shared approach by which we all can work together an truly live up to that.

Kendall “Seigo” Petersen, St. Croix
Vice-President, ACRRA

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