Is The Governor Listening?
Guest Opinion by J.J. Estemac
Many people I have spoken with have expressed their disappointment with the deJongh/Francis administration.
Some had entertained some lofty expectations, some idealistic expectations, when they
expressed their disappointment with the preceding administration. The basis of their high expectations, as expressed, was that the de Jongh team was going to accentuate family values being a husband and a father; he was involved in the private sector as a business person; he also worked in government as an executive in different posts.
He was young and energetic and projected some positive prospects for improvement in our government. While the governor made some apparent blunders in many of his selections for his administrative team, he apparently picked some that are still attempting to do a good job. But where is the vision?
Any good leader should have a vision that is articulated and shared not only with his team of administrators but with the populace, that they may share the vision. Many of the Governor’s appointments have been a disappointment; some of the persons removed from office were performing.
In a community as small as ours, common wisdom would dictate that appointing individuals to certain key posts in government, based only on political expediency, can be disastrous for any administration, especially when they are seeking a second term.
Performance is what the public is interested in, not who campaigned for Governor. So why appoint someone to a position for which they are not qualified academically, experience-wise or reputation-wise? That to me should spell political suicide. The Governor has received complaints, I understand, concerning the performance of some of his appointees and he has keep them on.
Some he grudgingly removed after it became so obvious that he was not paying attention to the people’s clamor. There are still others who are not being responsive to the needs of the people and whose job is to pay attention to those needs and report same to the Governor for his intervention.
The Governor is expected to set the tone, the standard, that his cabinet and the Executive Branch should follow. The work ethic that the Governor institutes by proclamation and example is what makes a difference. Are the cabinet executives setting a good example for their subordinates? Are they considerate with the public? Do they return calls and respond to correspondence?
A good executive leads by example, positive example. Am I suggesting for the Governor, perfection?
No, only excellence, which is achievable with some hard work and dedication. Being committed to truly serve the people to the best of your ability is all that can be and should be expected. Now if the people choose someone with limited potential to perform at the expected level, it is not the candidate’s fault, it is the electorate’s fault for choosing that person.
That is the reason I have been advocating that we select before we elect. Check out the individual’s track record as a parent, a spouse, a taxpayer, a law abiding citizen. These are basic. Are you ready to assume your responsibility as a citizen and search for the best candidates? The choice is ours, choose this day who you will elect. Do not wait, be proactive and search!
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No form of restitution can any longer be acceptable. Prosecution only. Restitution is often confused with employment advancement. How many times have we seen government employed thieves given a new job with a higher salary so they make enough money to stop embezzling? No more. Do the crime, do the time. Period.
With Finance, it’s like survival of the fittest! Everyday, the employees have to fight for the handful of free parking it can find, and the rest of the people have to worry about moving their cars every two hours without getting a ticket. People have to park in the small parking lot in the yard if they could find free parking outside. Several individuals went to the Commissioner about the parking, but he told them that he cannot do anything about it because a law written in the VI Code. His solution is to park by GERS.
The building itself is falling apart. There have been complaints about mold and absestos in the building, and in some parts, the air condition does not always work properly. The commissioner plans on building a structure right on the same spot where the handful of employees are parking, which would make the parking problem even worse. In spite of this, there has been no word on how to immediately address the decaying building.
No Governor isn’t listening because he’s too busy stuffing his big fat belly with the free food your tax money is feeding him. The Department of Human Services is in shambles. We forget our role as public servants when we looking to save money on the people we serve by giving mediocre services. We want to cut corners on client services, but give 20,000 to 30,000 dollar raises to senior staff who don’t deserve any because they are a bunch of self serving buffoons who only out to taking care of themselves at the clients expense. Please will you guys tell Chris Finch he is the worst Commissioner DHS has ever had. We truly Miss our pass Commissioner who showed compassion for clients and her staff.
The Governor can’t be listening or is deaf, when he allows the employees of DPNR to suffer at the vindictive hands of Susan Penn and crew. Commissioner Mathes has been nothing more than a waste of taxpayer’s money. The Indirect Funds of DPNR have become the personal slush fund of the Executive Office of DPNR. Susan Penn continues to bypass the governmental procurement process and award jobs to her Child of God church sisters & brothers. Take a close look at the work being done at Fish & Wildlife. It’s another MafolieGate scenario. Check the documents. Remember that thing called “Public Information”. Rampant misuse of government equipment continues blatantly, while higher ups turn their heads. The Director of Fish & Wildlife has been seen dropping off & picking up her kids from school everyday in the vehicle paid for by the taxpayers. When Mathes hired her, her moving allowance should have been higher, and then she could have bought her own car too. Don’t try calling her at the office; you have a better chance of getting struck by lighting. Someone needs to ask the employees of DPNR, how they feel being the whipping posts of Susan Penn, Altheia Grant, and Celia Jackson-Williams. Commissioner Mathes, needs to take his jewels out the vice grip that Susan Penn has them in and pretend he cares about his employees. Remember Governor you are the only occupant of the big White House on Government Hill, that wants to keep living there. New owners are on the doorstep. KNOCK..KNOCK!!
The whole Diagio-Cruzan-coverover mess is becoming a huge embarassment in Washington. The feds are troubled by the same thing Mario has questioned: Why was so much of the coverover (45%) tax rebate paid by US citizens given to Diagio, a British company?
This Diagio deal is supposedly set in stone and cannot be changed. I have wondered, though, if an illegal financial arrangement was part of the deal and it was discovered, could the federal government cancel the Diagio deal?????
The only thing that will be changed in Diageo deal is, if Congress decides to take away or lower the coverover tax rebate given to the islands. If or when this happens, the USVI will be solely responsible for coming up with the ridiculous sum of money they promised to Diageo come rain or shine (people of the USVI can thank our idiot Governor, deWolf for that). I ask, where in the world will this money come from? Maybe Cecile deWolf can borrow it from her billionaire, who plead guilty and was convicted of soliciting prostitution from underage girls, BOSSMAN!
I am so disappointed with gov deJongh for putting us in such an aukwards position. Any financial expert would tell you that it would be very risky to bet all of your money in an investment, especially when it doesn’t appears to be a sure thing. Either he is not the savy business man he claimed to be, or he was too busy seeing dollar signs and votes to realize how risky these deals are.
Boy someone has hit the nail on the head! Miss Penn’s abusive management style has driven out the Directors of Coastal Zone Management, Comprehensive Coastal Zone Planning, Fish and Wildlife and enforcement as well as the Head Librarians on both islands.
However she can do no wrong in the Governor’s eyes since her husband is his chief assistant.
All this while the Commissioner’s main job is to max his retirement and smoothe deJongh family development projects on the Cays.
I guess we can only pray for change.
let’s talk DPNR. They have a new Director of Enforcement who is very professional, (30 yrs. in Coast Guard) who is being stemmied by the incompetent, irresponsible, and vendictive bloks in the business office. Makes you wonder why the previous Director left. A competent officer on St. Croix who has been Acting for a year since the previous Director left. I guess since he is a cruzan, they don’t want to give him what is only fair. Little do they know or maybe they do know, he is the only one capable of running that office on St. Croix, yet, they violate the Union Contract by not paying him the salary for acting in the position. Mathes needs to step up to the plate and do what is right. Susan Penn, GO HOME, you have totally collapsed the DPNR
While the dpnr office on St. Croix works deligently to make sure the boaters needs are met, the St. Thomas district equipment is in shambles, their boats don’t work due to lack of preventative maintenance. They even went as far as to borrow the St. Croix boats to accomplish their objectives. But still, the St. Thomian officers or officer find time to take cabinet members to Anegada to fish (which is illegal, without a permit) or to go spearfishing on weekends, also illegal
While the dpnr office on St. Croix works deligently to make sure the boaters needs are met, the St. Thomas district equipment is in shambles, their boats don’t work due to lack of preventative maintenance. They even went as far as to borrow the St. Croix boats to accomplish their objectives. But still, the St. Thomian officers or officer find time to take cabinet members to Anegada to fish (which is illegal, without a permit) or to go spearfishing on weekends, also illegal