Note To Our Readers
Sometimes it takes a crisis to wake us from our slumber.
And we all know what happens when you wake a sleeping giant – most times you wish you had left it alone.
Well this giant is awake and we plan to do all we can to keep it that way.
You all know what the issues are – and they keep growing every day – so we don’t need to repeat them.
We want to assure you that we will continue to investigate and publish any and all information that we can verify – no matter how strong the resistance – because now more than ever, we need to stay awake. And we are still waiting for some answers.
The spin doctors are dizzy from their frantic efforts to distract us from the issues at hand. Here at CIF, we’ve seen blatant (and amateurish) efforts to confuse and divert the information flow. We’ve heard the talk from those who have a vested interest in continuing to feed and be fed by the political machine. We’ve seen the efforts to discredit people and documents that tell a disturbing story – a story they don’t want you to hear.
These are classic propaganda tactics – deny the situation long enough and maybe they’ll just get tired and go away.
Well, the public has awakened from its slumber, and we’re not going away.
In the past few weeks, we’ve seen a record-breaking outpouring of comment and interest on this website. In the absence of coverage from the mainstream media, people from all over the world are visiting the site to try to understand what in heaven is going on in these Virgin Islands. The increase in traffic to this site is astronomical.
That tells us there is a need to continue to communicate and that’s what we plan to do.
So keep talking, keep listening and keep reading. The truth is that if only 10% of the suggestions that have been made here around cost cutting and efficiencies were implemented, many of the financial problems we are facing would be greatly eased. But as long as our leaders rely on borrow and spend, instead of organize and manage, the crisis will escalate until it explodes.
We know what happens when you corner a wild animal – as its options for escape become more limited, it’s behavior gets wilder, more vicious and ultimately, out of control.
So be it. We will stay focused on the pertinent issues and will not be distracted by the noise. We will continue to devote the time and the resources needed until there is some resolution.
We are committed to the positive, forward motion of these Virgin Islands.
And we are not afraid.
Keep it coming, CIF. You are providing a great service for the people of the Virgin Islands. I am appalled and stunned at the lack of coverage by our “mainstream” news sources. They would have been all over this if it were our former Governor Turnbull. Thanks for keeping us informed.
Yes, Queen is right. We really need CIF because the Source, the Daily News and the Avis seem to have some kind of agenda. Thanks to all those that make this site possible.
Keep it up CIF, we are in the fight with you and we intend to win the war against corruption and mismanagement.
Hmmm. I like CIF, too. It’s like an online version of the Roger Morgan show: all opinion, guesswork, hearsay and emotion. Under the cover of aliases (look at mine) we can say anything and happily add to the never-ending melee. Maybe some of what we say and print has a modicum of truth, but as they say, a little knowledge is dangerous.
Whereas the media must substantiate EVERYTHING they print or they will be slammed so fast it’ll make your head spin. We, on the other hand, can engage in sniping and run away to play another day.
Any printed documents purportedly scanned into the CIF website here, I want to see them in unalterable pdf. It’s too easy to change a word here or a phrase there and scan it in and look! de man dem tingin’ we agin. And we all run around with that.
Bull Foot Soup, that is exactly why Governor de Jongh needs to come before the people of the Virgin Islands and tell us, from his mouth, what he did and did not do.
These beloved Virgin Islands need to be able to move forward knowing it’s not led by criminal.
Bull Foot Soup, can you tell your buddys in the administration to have the governor come forward and talk to the people.
We are waiting… and will continue to speculate until he, and only he, breaks his silence.
Bull Foot:
I did gt a chuckle out of your comment concerning the responsibility of the mainstream media to substantiate EVERYTHING they print. In the case of the VI media lately, that doesn’t seem to be the case. If it were, the recent comments of Mr. Gereaux and various other representatives of the administration that have been printed or broadcast would have been challeneged heavily in the name of the public’s right to know the truth.
But carry on, Macbeth. The administration will need as many voices as it can get before this thing is done. The attempts by you and others to downplay the accuracy of what has recently been posted here fits right in with the escalating campaign to turn our eyes away from the real issue.
Oh yes, one last thing.
On his best day, Roger Morgan is incapable of presenting a factual, unbiased view of anything related to the current administration. As a professional journalist, and one who has monitored his program over the past few weeks, I have repeatedly resisted the urge to call his program but realize that any comment that does not support his scripted view is summarily and often abruptly ended. One of the many positives of this episode in VI history is that his bias and unprofessionalism have been made glaringly clear to any rational and objective individulas in his listening audience.
It would be a comedy show if the issues weren’t so serious.
Bullfoot, I see press releases from the Legislature and all the documents on CIF are also being sent to all other media so nothing is being altered by CIF. Also, the Governor has not confirmed or denied. If there was some error in this paperwork I am sure it would have been pointed out by now.
If all the other news outlets are receiving the same information as CIF why are they not at least questioning the veracity of the documents? At the very least. That lame article Poinski wrote last week sounded like a Goverment House press release. “the first family has to enter the house thru a back door…” Poo Poo. I mean really. You are outnumbered on this one, BFS. We have seen the documents. How bout that $11,000 stone work?
I see I may have to change my alias to “The Devil’s Advocate…”
Trust me, I mean no harm with my comments. I am neither pro- nor anti-deJongh. Nor am I connected to the government in anyway.
But it appears that what and how we comprehend today’s politics and community issues, etc. has it’s deep roots going back into the 1500′s. Thus, the seeds that produce the crop we choke on today were sowed a very long time ago.
Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoy the lively repartee we engage in here on CIF. If nothing else, it’s an awesome learning experience.
Lastly, I do side (somewhat) with The Clock is Ticking on the Mr. Morgan subject. I can only hope that some positive spin may eventually evolve from Paradise Radio.
“The truth is that if only 10% of the suggestions that have been made here around cost cutting and efficiencies were implemented, many of the financial problems we are facing would be greatly eased” hahahaha. That’s a funny yet inaccurate statement.
It’s funny that Michael Springer has written a blog to address people like myself who have an outside opinion on subject matter versus the rest of the crucianinfocus population.
The evidence this website provides proves nothing so far. Public funds were used to the Governor’s private estate for security purposes only. Nothing has been shown. And I am happy to see that is all the people on this website can prove… that public funds were used. Am I upset.. a little. But it is understood. Now…
PANDORA WHERE ARE YOU!!!! ANSWER MY QUESTIONS YOU FOOL!! YOU HAVE BEEN RUNNING FOR TO LONG!!! I AM BEGINNING TO THINK YOU HAVE NOTHING TO PROVE THAT THIS ADMINISTRTION OR DE JONGH HAS BEEN BAD FOR THE VI. PROVE IT PLEASE!!!
crucian4life has a point
@crucian4life, since you insist….
10 Things the Governor can not be proud of…..
1. The Diageo Debacle
2. Lottery and Southland Gaming Fishy Business – I mean, what’s really happening there.
3. Nothing done to stem increase in violent crime. A member of the Governor’s own inner circle was gunned down and and stuffed into the back of trunk. What happened with that?
4. MOU between VIPD and the US DOJ
5. WAPA Conundrum – No alternative energy system in place after campaigning on this.
6. Continuing consent decree between the Fed Gov and the Bureau of Corrections.
7. Property taxes resolution – NOT.
8. No planner ever hired for St. John, as promised.
9. Blatantly violating the terms of his own hiring freeze.
10. Using public funds to increase the value of his already million dollar house.
You have been answered.
Pandora…that is the tip of the iceberg…Crime has skyrocketed, Audit reports with a ton of findings in most government agencies, Health in shambles causing HIV programs to come to a screetching halt, Food Stamp threatened to take funding, Education is a pure mess with money being sent back, the money left in the bank by the Turnbull administration has been squandered, hundreds of millions more needed…and the list goes on! Worst administration!
I could not agree more with you BEAT. THE deWOLF ADMINISTRATION is a total failure.
Speaking of education… up at Central I was speaking with an educator. Asked about the ratio of those preparing to go upward and onward, as in going to college off-island… It’s overwhelmingly female students. I asked why. Evidently the boys think it’s cool to be dumb. Then when the young men are out and about, barely making a living, stuck on Maslow’s bottom hierarchy of needs, they find a gun…
Check out the graduating classes of any of our public schools. Same ratio. Even at the Jr. High level. That’s when we start losing the boys.
Why? What’s causing this?
Bull Foot Soup……..Too young parents, single Parent families……Forgetting that it takes a village to raise a child. Alternative programs for students that either drop out or are expelled from school.
Ok, let’s use Root Cause Analysis, i.e. let’s keep drilling down: why single parent families, why too young parents?
I remember the government speaking about an vocational school for almost 30 years and still nothing, I truly feels that if we had the school crimes would be down. Some businesses have the idea that the youths will do nothing but steal from them. WE NEED TO HAVE THE VOCATIONAL SCHOOL.
Bull Foot Soup- I don’t think that the boys feel it’s cool to be dumb, I would just say that they were never told about becoming someone great by their parents. By that i mean when you asked a child what do you want to do when you go up their answer would be a doctor. if their parents would say becoming a doctor means going to college and interjecting the word college all through their time in school that might sink in, but some of them are under the impression that once they finish school they can now get the high paying jobs. We as parent have to make sure that if we didn’t make it to college that our children and grandchildren do. ( as in my personal case)
Pandora – You are right on with the 10 things , but lord there is so much more including the latest with the mansion.