Updated: Senate OK’s Christian, Willocks
Christian/Willocks Nominations, Alpine STT Leases on Agenda
(Editor’s Update: The Legislature earlier today voted 9-6 to confirm Atty. Adam Christian and unanimously (15-0) to confirm Atty. Harold Willocks to seats on the bench the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands. A more comprehensive review of the action will be posted later.)
The 28th Legislature will send a message to the community on Monday when it votes on the Superior Court Nominations of Adam Christian and Harold Willocks and the granting of leases to the Alpine Energy Group for the St. Thomas waste to energy facility.
In the case of the judges, we applaud the nomination and expected confirmation of Mr. Willocks and, as mentioned earlier, look forward to calling him “Your Honor.”
However, we are still troubled by the Christian nomination, as the lack of full disclosure on his involvement in the Administrations actions in the “Mafoliegate” issue left the Committee on the Judiciary without sufficient information to make an informed decision when they chose to move him to the full body for confirmation.
Also scheduled is approval of two leases on land that Alpine Energy Group will use to construct its St. Thomas facility. The Alpine project is facing intense public scrutiny as concerns around its cost and impact on health and the environment continue to escalate.
Two of these issues, in our opinion, should certainly be deferred until more information is gathered on both. To move forward on either Christian or Alpine would send a message of disregard for the legitimate community concerns about the appropriateness of both. However, it’s quite likely that both will pass and we will be left to deal with the consequences of both of those decisions.
Then again, it is the Christmas season, a time for miracles. Maybe we’ll get lucky….
What’s not on the attached calendar is the follow-up session in the Mafoliegate matter. Guess it’s wait ’til next year.
Senator James has indeed let us down. Election year is coming and the people are watching.
All need to watch who votes for appointments and for lease, most notably Alpine. We need to make sure we do not forget who is in the tank for the administration and are not looking out for us. The next two day’s in the senate will be very telling. Watch who is conveniently out of the room for voting….and what they say in justifying their votes.
The Senate have their work cut out for them in the next two days. They are rushing to get all these nominations and bills approved before Christmas. The next we see these senators, Silly Season will officially begin. Until then, we have to keep getting on their cases on these leases, like Alphine. If we were able to stop the dredging project at Lindburgh Bay, we can stop this Alpine deal. We have to keep calling Government House and the Legislature until their voicemail conch out.
I hope the Senators won’t try to sneak in any amendments while most of the people have Christmas and the holidays on their minds…it’s not like they haven’t done it before…let’s be vigilant and watch or listen to every minute of this session.
THE SESSION IS STARTING! GET READY!!!!
Looks like Adam Christian will sail on through with the majority. Sad we do not look at qualifications, experience vs family and cronyism with his current ‘job’ and politicize the appointments.
Good Grief, good point! In this government, you can get away with murder, literaly and figuratively, if you know the right people. But don’t worry, because they will get what they deserve next year.
What was the vote?
All of the Governor’s nominees slid right through!
Barshinger even thanked the gov for supplying such ‘qualified’ individuals!
We need to re-read the entire CIF topics/commentary and blogs
BEFORE we vote to refresh our memories at the ballot box.
9-6 Christian’s vote
Who were the six that voted against Christian?
Voting against Christian’s nomination were Sens. Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg, Neville James, Shawn-Michael Malone, Terrence “Positive” Nelson, Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly and Usie R. Richards.
Voting in favor were Sens. Craig W. Barshinger, Carlton “Ital” Dowe, Louis P. Hill, Wayne James, Sammuel Sanes, Patrick Simeon Sprauve, Michael Thurland, White and Alvin L. Williams.
The Senator’s that voted in favor must be shown that they work for the people and not for the Gov. Send them home.
Amen! Beware of the lame duck senate at the end of 2010.
Christian pales in comparison to Willocks on ANY level. Experience and honesty and hard work three qualities Willocks is head over heels above Christian.
The only thing in common is that they are both native sons……..we could have done better than Christian.
Can you say in the tank for the Governor on those who voted for him???
Come next year……………
Dowe and White are already out the door, but it look like williams and sprauve want to follow them. We have no problem with that they will see next year.
Maybe dowe feels that the money we are suppose to be getting on March will keep him there, he will see( this is money that was budgeted for government worker about teo or three years ago) I heard that we will finally be receiving something in March.
The three blind mice:
In the St. Croix District, there is no way that Senators Wayne James and Samuel Sanes will be re-elected to the Senate. No way!
Trailing behind is Senator Thurland who had better switch gears quickly or he too will suffer the same faith.
Don’t be mad at them. St. Croix voted out most of the veterans and put these freshman in office in the first place.
Oh yes, how right you are T. I have to admit I own 1/3 of that disastrous decision. But I have learned, and never again will I vote for someone based on their “differentness”.
So, let’s take a look at what we were given as options:
Russell again? NO
Bert Bryan? NO
Jean-Baptiste? NO
Serville? NO NO NO
Webber? YES, but he didn’t make the cut. Let’s hope he runs again, and this time works a little bit harder to gain a consecutive seat the following election.
Springer? YES, maybe he’s going to make the cut this round.
And then there were some other people who ran, but their lack of any coherent response to any questions knocked them out to even be considered.
So, now let’s consider WHY we voted for some of the options given at the time. Well, DeJongh appeared to have been sticking to his campaign promises, so anyone running who was partial to him may have clouded our judgement. We were tired of the good ol’ boys, so we elected some fresh blood. We elected those who said they would repeal 6905.
Let’s face it: we could have elected the same senators and gotten the same results. Instead, we elected new senators, some of whom have opened our eyes to all kinds of perks and rights that are bestowed upon their holiness.
At least we tried, and I will keep on trying. Maybe we can get some honorable, passionate, go-getters next round.
I agree…Sanes, W. James, Thurland all need to go bye bye. I’ll take my chances on someone new and will continue to do so every election until I get it right.
And no, we do ot need the same old garbage we had who voted for 6905 back in, jnBaptiste….remember the Tilapia growing scam he tried to pull over on us in addition to the alternative energy company with just a PO box in Nevada?
Russell……suing the government and his boondoggle to Hawaii with the WAPA board then headed up by Micky Lynch?
Baby Jaun who needed more money to date and eat lobster/steak and buy suits?
No, we need to remember what these guys did to us.
I will vote for Springer and Webber…..I did last time around as well.
We should not regret voting for some of the freshman senators who have disappointed us. This is a learning process for voters and aspiring senators. We are learning to do more research and probing before we vote, and they (the senators) are learning that if they don’t deliver, they’ll be voted out. I hope they realize that we don’t want St. Croix senators who just go along with someone else’s agenda or go off on their own agenda that doesn’t benefit us.