We Don’t Believe It
We just don’t believe it.
We listened to that disgrace of a Legislative session on Thursday, heard all the trumped up reasons for ousting Senate President Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg and despite all the dramatics, we just don’t believe it.
Suddenly the responsibility for the dismal performance of the 28th Legislature falls on the shoulders of one man. They held him responsible for the lack of bills on the agenda – bills that have not yet been drafted. When he asked why there were no more agenda items, he was subjected to a barrage of profanity and abuse – but no answers.
We just don’t believe any of this is the reason this action was taken.
Suddenly, he’s not a “team player.” Suddenly, he is the reason that no progress has been made at a time when a devastated economy, rising crime rate and crumbling infrastructure should be at the forefront of everything this Legislature considers.
We believe it has everything to do with Donastorg’s advocacy of the transparency that the VI Legislature continues to resist.
We believe it has to do with the now ex-President’s call for the repeal of Act 6905 and the impact that action would have on the salaries of the Legislature and other government officials.
We believe that it has to do with his call for a full audit of the Legislature, which would open the books to the constituency that body is elected to serve.
We believe that it has to do with his selection of a non-majority member to attend a conference in the States instead of a member of the then majority group – yes, even something that insignificant – we believe has an impact on this shameful action.
Whatever it is, Virgin Islanders, take note. Take note that the one who wanted to bring the truth into the light has been pushed into the darkness.
Take note and take heed. “Change” has not come to the Virgin Islands.
Whoever made these statements are obviously bias. The senators unanimously voted for new leadership;none of them supported the former president. He showed lack of responsibility when he adjourned the session and did not return.
The electorate voted for those senators who previously served in the 26th Legislature. We get the government we deserve in a republican government.
It is easier to believe a lie than the truth. The 26th Legislature was not transparent, yet the voters stupidly put back some of the same crooks.
If you want them to repeal Act6905, demand that all 15 agree to do so. Threaten them that they’ll will not get re-elected if does not happen
Donastorg appears not to be sincere. Why does he not donate some of his salary to charity?
Again, we are missing the point here. These people are engaged in the fine art of obfuscation which politicians have seemingly perfected in the VI and to which we continue to fall victim.
Yes, I believe they “did him in” because he was going to make things uncomfortable for him, but they’ve succeeded in personalizing this coup d’etat and have reduced this debate to Foncie v. the rest of them.
Stay focused on the issues – look for what is behind this issue…I personally believe that 6905, an audit and other similar claims could have anyone out on his/her ass in a NY minute while serving in the VI government.
There is EVIL in this government and it is manifested daily through the status quo that we have experienced in the past, continue to experience under deJongh and will experience under future administrations.
These wicked, evil people are deeply rooted in all areas of government and are like a cancer that will continue to keep our government on life support while a select group continues to thrive in this mediocrity and hard-core resistance to change and transparency.
Nothing will ever change until we get serious and get rid of these people and their representatives in our elected positions- and thats just not going to happen because no one wants to be accountable for anything. Therefore, this banana-republic style of governing will continue and there will be more greed, hate and corruption to continue tearing our community apart.
Folks, accept the fact that THIS WILL NEVER CHANGE and it will change your life…it will change how you think, how you view the world and it will make you understand what you hear in govt and on talk shows in a very different way – it will change your life for the better.
I for one, no longer care about what happens in government and its implications on our community – I have wasted too much time caring (although I keep abreast of happenings and vow to do what I can for my community).
Focus on doing well and helping others in our community who need it. Foncie needs to bow-out, stop wasting his time, get back into the private sector and leave this government to the future losers that are being raised by the present ones in power.
The victor in this whole mess will be Senator White. Don’t be surprised if we have yet another new majority at the next session.
If Senator Donastorg is serious about repealing Act6905, he will make a motion to waive the rules of the legislature. This will be a good way to return the favor as it will force all senators to make their position known. Not that it matters anyways since St. Thomians keep re-electing the same bunch of crooks. After all the noise on AMVI before the election about Diageo, 6905, WAPA and the economy, they replaced one senator. And he only went home because he defended Bigsuit. Why should any St. Thomas senator be concerned about their future?
I agree with most of the above comments, but I’ll like to be more optimistic. Being a cynic and not getting actively involve in the community is not an approach that should be taken. I believe everyone can be part of the solution. Demand transparency from the 28th Legislature. Contact your representatives and expose them when they do not respond to your inquiries.
It is not a we versus them issue. Our government is being operated by people who are friends, relatives and associates. The guv & Foncie are approachable. Sen. Usie $ Sen. Thurland appear aloof, but they’ll call Mario show when agitated by remarks on the airwaves.
Bert Bryan & his followers have it wrong. The white folks, outside investors & naturalized citizens are not our greatest threats. The real enemy is our own people. We hate each other and do everything to destroy each other.What happened in the Senate recently exemplifies this!
The underlying reason why the majority removed their former president was for his consistency in attempting to remove portions of Act #6905.
He had campaigned on it; the majority members on the other hand were hypocritical: they had also campaigned to repeal the Act but upon forming the new majority, they wanted “Foncie” to remove the repeal from their agenda.
He however introduced a measure but was informed that another senator had once again claimed “authorship” and therefore no other senator could propose legislation to repeal the Act.
From then it was downhill. His action was honorable while theirs were clearly dishonorable. His was about his constituency while theirs were about themselves.
Clearly, another example of unselfishness verses selfishness.
Listen to yourselves, the message is so loud that you can hear it. We give them the power to organize themselves as they see fit. Our vote of confidience is that we trust that they are acting on their best intrest in order to get work done. We just have to sit back and wait to see if this is what makes the difference. Everyone seems to want to be a monday morning quarterback. The ones who sit outside have more opinion with less information from what they hear on the radio talk shows. We all say we want change and when change happen we against it. Come on let’s give this situation a chance to unfold it’s self. If you really want to be honest, Foncie is also working on the people emotions by putting his P.R. person (Raffie) out there to work on you guys emotions. See what an experience politician can do to the public. Why is he not coming out on his own to tell you his side hmm! He and some of them is playing politics to the highest. So if he was so innocient and doing the right thing how come no of the other Sentors came to his defence? Act 6905 is a good political football we toss it around to stir up some kind of emotion, but are we serious about repealing it? He is going to run on this come 2010 and it still not going to change. Just the same they gave the executive branch the power too, he can reduce the salaries of his two commission who are at $85,000,00 and this would effect the salaries of the senators don’t you think. Come on let’s stop playing games and get down to business. Let this matter unfold and let us move on.
This is really quite simple. Repealing Act 6905 will cost the Senators and the Administration money. Opening the Legislative books to an audit will reveal secrets they don’t want to have told.
Anybody who wants to do these things is the enemy, and must be neutralized.
So that’s what Sen. White and company did last week.
Succesfully manipulating more junior members of the Senate, he worked behind the scenes and somehow got Senator James and others to wave the flag to oust Sen. Donastorg.
At the end of the day, the man who wanted transparency was kicked to the back of the room.
And the man who engineered his overthrow DIDN’T EVEN VOTE.
We have such short memories. The now ex-president of the Senate is the same man who blew the whistle on Prosser and Co. to no avail. He was right about that and he’s right about this.
Then as well as now, his concerns were discredited because there were others who had too much to lose if his charges were allowed to be investigated.
When will we learn?
Since that’s the case and we really want to be true & honest about this whole thing, let the record prove that Sen. Donastorg by virtue of his name in the 27th legislature had the first vote on the floor on Act 6905 he obstained and waited until it passed to put a no vote. Come on all of them including him are playing politics to the most. What transperancy can you get from a man who could not be man enough to put a vote of no in at the beginning if he was so against Act 6905 in his first vote? Save me this crap. He has not yet demonstrated his sincerety in this matter I doubt he is even going to attempt to do anything until 2010 when he is going to run again for governor. Please give us (community) some credit for our intelligence. These things happen over and over and we get blinded by one popular action he took against Prosser. So where did that get him? He too had a lot to loose. Did you listen to any of what was said this weekend on all talk shows. Donastorg agreed once he took the President seat that 6905 was off the table and not up for discussion. He knew that this would have been a problem from the start why did he accept the job. Come on face the fact he is as dishonest as the rest. How can you have transpirancy if you did not put it on record that you would continue to persue this matter no matter what. But the Presidency seem to a big thing for him that he was willing to walk away from his drive to repeal this Act. How come this only comes out about him wanting to repeal this Act as a reason for removing him. We are not foolish and wish the the Donastorgs of this political arena will stop playing with the peoples trust.
Yeah when will we learn?
Usually, when there is a point of contention or debate, issues are presented with arguments, which in turn are defended by evidence. We know of the issue(s); we have all heard the weak-knee arguments by the Gang-of-Eight Majority; but what of the evidence: I will provide just one. I heard candidates on STX promised during the campaigned to repeal Act #6905. Sens. N. James and M. Thurland in particular promised they would do so. However , Senator N. James disclosed on Mario’s show this past Saturday that the Gang-of-Eight Majority and he wanted Senator Donastorg to agree to exclude the “repeal of Act #6905” from the majority’s agenda. On the other hand, Senator Donastorg had campaigned on repealing Act #6905 and promoting transparency. To Senator Donastorg’s credit, he has attempted a repeal of Act #6905 and has called for a Federal audit of all accounts of the legislature. I asked this simple question what character of men would support such a plan verses what character of men would plot to derail such a plan. I believe Thursday’s action clearly spoke to characters of men currently serving the 28th Legislature. Whom do you trust: he who plans or he who plots?
We only hearing the arguments that are coming out of the chambers, but what has been said behind closed doors makes a difference. Please stop believing that anyone of them is will to repeal 6905 it a politcal ploy to get you emotional and put against senators. This is not going to happen neither by Donastorg or any of the senators. I have a friend who works as a staffer at the legislature. You could imagine the look on Foncie face when he got his first paycheck. Don’t worry about all the chat about repealing, think could you walk away from money that you can never make if you were out there in the regular government service. All of them playing with your emotion, Foncie is not willing to give up that paycheck.
Ithink neville james have become soooo cocky, it is embarrassing to here him on the floor.
The truth will be revealed shortly. Senator James will show how much of an amateur he is. He really surprised me…and now Senator White is going to surprise him. Remember, it aint over till Celestino sings. LOL!
I am hearing arguments, but evidences have not been presented. Sen.Foncie has not proven his points. Senators make promises that they do not keep. The game is being played once again. Who has authorship of the bill to repeal Act6905? I do not trust none of these crooks
do you want to know about act 6905? ask sen.white he is the one who is holding up the bill. the no good set of crooks is working with dewolf to hold back the bill so it can’t be repealed.people wake up white,dowe,and dewolf needs there big money so dowe can finish his million dollar house. white to build his condos at estate dorothea,and dewolf to continue to buy his eightballs of coke. poor franko his gambling habits is going to send him broke. this 28 legislature has made me shame.even the school kids are talking about the dummies we have as senators. oh i almost forgot dewolf your chief of staff mr.penn is one of the biggest jackass you can meet. I truly am convinced that this administration is the worst in the history of the VI.
Yet, the electorate continue to fall for their lies. Sen. Usie Richards told you during his bid for re-election that no senator had put in an amendment to repeal Act 6905. Sen. Hill insulted the voters of St. Croix and made it clear he was not apologizing for his vote for Act 6905. Sen, White is a selfish, greedy and heartless creep.He has mastered the art of political deception. That’s why he is called the lubricant. It is lonely at the top, though.The love of money is the root of all evil. These crooks do not sleep comfortable at night. Let them worship the almighty dollar. True happiness comes from sharing love.
Put yourselves in the seat of the Senate today and be honest are going to give up the most money you will probaly
make in your whole life. 6905 is good as dead, please stop beating a dead horse. St. Thomas voters rewarded their sentors by re-electing them what do you think Foncie will repeal a bill and his constituants think they are worth it. St. Croix people are ones who are bawling about it. The last time I listen to Mario show, do you hear the popular guest like Marcus, Mr. G, St. Thomas calling, Beef or any other of them fussing about 6905? We need to move on and start looking at other issues that are more devastating to well being of this community such as; property tax, the large budget short fall and possible lay-offs.
Playing the people for fools,
Again, I want to know which senator currently is holding draft legislation or possesses authorship so that no other senator may introduce any further legislation to repeal portions of Act 6905.
Clearly, this simple question exposes the hypocritical and clandestine collusion of the Gang-of-Eight Majority whose aim is to maintain Act. 6905!
The Majority Voters of the Virgin Islands want portions of Act 6905 repealed. WE the elector sent the elected to do OUR WILL, not theirs.
But let us look at what has just recently transpired: The one senator who recently tried to do OUR WILL at repealing Act #6905 and asking the Feds to audit ALL THE ACCOUNTS, was removed from a position of leadership which would have in due time allowed him to accomplish both.
People, what do you want? More honesty or less honesty; more transparency or less transparency; more commitment or less commitment; more light or more darkness; more cleaning or more dirt.
Just as a dentist who has to clean your teeth every so often to clean deep beneath the gum line where plague and gingivitis MAY live in the dark recess of your mouth so it is also with institutions. Every so often, you must have an audit. No one wants a diseased mouth and no one wants a diseased institution. What character of men pushes forward for an audit as compare to what character of men pushes backwards against an audit? What character of men seeks the light and what character of men seeks the darkness. One plans in the light of day while the other plots in the midnight of darkness.
PEOPLE, WHAT DO YOU WANT? LIGHT OR DARKNESS: Senator Donastorg or the cabal Gang-of-Eight Majority.
That’s what wrong with us we continue to beat dead horses. Fonice is playing political foot ball and he only calling out on the players who moved him out. This audit would prove one thing that we wasted our time. Se. Usie Richards as president did an excellent job running the legislature during his term as president. We need and audit during the short 3 months that Sen Donastorg was there and you will be surprise of the many trips he took instead of doing the peoples business. Yeah let’s do an audit. It will reveal the whole truth about his removal. Good idea.
Who is beating a dead horse? In addition, who would want to beat a dead horse; moreover, who would think of beating a dead horse, and rationally, why would you want to beat a dead horse? MY FRIEND, ACT 6905 IS NOT A DEAD HORSE! It is alive and well. We need to continue beating the message of accountability, beating the message of transparency, beating the massage of repeal, and next election year, we will beat the message of removal. I will continue to BEAT MY MESSAGE while you continue to BEAT YOUR DEAD HORSE.
The new “majority” would like nothing better than for everyone to simply “move on” from this transparency issue. That way, all the financial misbehavior, back room deals and counterproductive “governance” going on can continue.
This problem did not start nor will it end with Act 6905. I happened to be living in the VI during the 2006 campaign and remember clearly the calls for a Chief Financial Officer to oversee the general economic behavior of the Territories. I remember being surprised that 1.) the position did not already exist and 2.) that there was even any debate on the matter. Of course the finances need oversight, and audits, and a public reporting mechanism, right?
Well apparently not. Because whenever anyone gets close to opening that door, those who benefit from the murky waters that are VI Finance slam it shut again.
Then we have 6905, another example of governance in the dead of night, that resulted not only in the hotly contested pay increases but, perhaps more importantly, another demonstration of the lack of regard for the will of the constituency the Legislative and Executive branches were elected to represent.
Frankly, I think that lack of regard is the real lynchpin in the 6905 argument. I can debate the pay hikes either way. On the one hand, 85k isn’t a lot of money for someone who is actually going to tackle the morass that is the Virgin Islands Government. Digging too deeply into the issues that are really holding the Territories back (family ties, incompetent government agency staff, reliance on favors over qualifications whether that’s in employment or vendor relationships, etc.)could force a rational person to spend more than that 85k salary on therapy.
On the other hand, when there is no performance, there should not be more pay and to watch this incessant spinning to maintain the status quo for the few who just happen to be the least incompetent is frustrating at best, and dangerous at worst.
Unfortunately, those who place this dilemma in the “dead horse” category play right into the hands of those who have and continue to benefit from the structured apathy rampant in much of the VI population.
And the Resistance of a few is often discredited as just “a bunch of noise” because other are holding on to the paltry sliver of the pie they reap from just letting things continue as they are.
It’s tough to watch the deterioration continue. The VI, and particularly St. Croix, could be as close to heaven as you find on earth. Unfortunately, unless something significant changes, it’s just going to continue to be a slow road to hell.