Press Release: Government House Continues Political Hires
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 29, 2009
Government House continues political hires
ST. THOMAS – Senator Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg said Friday that Government House continues politically driven hiring despite a year-long “hiring freeze” and at the expense of less well connected Virgin Islanders.
Earlier this week Donastorg obtained documentation from the Department of Agriculture indicating that two individuals were laid off from the Department late last year in order to bring in a new employee at $70,000 annually.
May 28, 2009 Letter to Governor deJongh
Press Release – Political Hiring Continues
“While I am a supporter of Agriculture, the Department and its Commissioner, I cannot see the justification in terminating these two employees and then listing their positions as vacant in order to bring someone in with a vague job title and a high salary,” Donastorg said. “We would likely be better off giving 70 Virgin Islands farmers a $1,000 grant than hiring someone as a “Special Outreach Program Coordinator”.
Donastorg said he could not speak to the qualifications of the Agriculture Department’s “Special Outreach Program Coordinator”, but that the termination of two lower paid employees was highly suspect. According to their NOPAs, the employees were discharged because the grant funding their positions was terminated.
“The bottomline is that this kind of thing is indicative of the hypocrisy of this Governor and this Administration,” Donastorg said. “There have been hundreds of political hires and raises since the so-called hiring freeze was put in place in May of 2008. How can anyone justify laying off these employees because there is no money and then hiring someone for even more money?”
Donastorg said that at his May 7 press conference he provided the media with a sample list of recent Administration employees, the majority of which do not meet the criteria for exemption from the hiring freeze.
“The public needs to be made aware of what is actually taking place,” the Senator said. “This Governor is spending and borrowing like the proverbial drunken sailor. It is time we get some actual fiscal controls in place. You can say there is a hiring freeze over and over again, but that does not make it so. There needs to be a serious inquiry by the Legislature and the media.”
Donastorg said he is calling on his colleagues to push for all records related to new Administration employees.
“I have written Governor deJongh asking him to explain why these two gentlemen were laid off from the Department of Agriculture,” Donastorg said. “In these challenging economic times it is more important than ever to offer real assistance to our struggling farmers and I know that few, if any, of them are taking home $70,000 per year toiling in the sun each day.”
Has anyone seen the Lieutenant Governor? I heard he does be down by chicken fry checking the santos. He had the nerves to tell his staff he is a street man and too much meetings aint no good. Shame on him!!! How the hell did he get elected again.
The Lt.gov hire a lady that campaign for him: as an appraisser supervisor,after the lady demostrate to everyone in the tax assessor division that she does not know a dam about property tax and specially about appraisser work they went and change the status of her position to supervisor..crucians in focus should get in contact with them fellows in the LT gov office/tax division for more on this interesting case.
Why are we so surprise about whats happening in reference to the actions of the governor and his groonies. It’s the same game they all play, just different players. Imagine bring two persons to work in my section and paying both of them more that who was there and they are always checking with those to are there to learn the work. Just remember those that are being wrong. God looks high and low.
YOU SEE DAT IS A GOOD THIN ME NAY VOTE FOR HE.
I did not see this story in the Avis either.
You won’t see anything on this website in our newspaper. We’re a newspaper that residents depend on for credible information. People don’t pay for made up stories like you would find on this forum.
So all those NOPA’s and letters to the Governor are made up? Why not do a story on how all these documents are counterfeit then? How much you getting paid not to print the truth?
St. Croix Avis….hmmm. If the Newspaper is implying documents have been falsified then why not write a story on this. Frankly, I don’t think Rena Broadhurst would even waste her time engaging in such discussions. At least I would hope not then again you never know these days. Maybe this is a sign of her decline.
I hope not. Maybe if she reads this website she will realize the Avis needs to get on the ball. Somebody give her a link!
The Lieutenant Governor have his receptionist Wanda R. collecting a government check while working for his wife non-profit. “STOP THE BLEEDING” Is that even legal? Isn’t STOP THE BLEEDING a private non-profit registered in his office by his wife? If you all don’t believe me call his office at 340-773-6449 and ask for her. They told me she is on a special assignment directed by the Lieutenant Governor himself. Her new post is not government house it is now the COMPOUND also known as the Lieutenant Governor residence. No wonder there is so much corruption in St. Croix. I am a born crucian and i am fed up with the people we elected to lead us.
Shame on you Lieutenant Governor first you hire a assistant for your secretary in St. Thomas while the hiring freeze was on. Then you bring the lady in the TAX office who dont know nothing. Now you have your receptionist working for you wife private non profit. SHAME ON YOU, SHAME ON YOU, SHAME ON YOU