Note To Sen. Hill: The Only “Hostage” Is The Truth
VI contractor moves quickly to correct "misconception" about road repair delays
Sen. President Louis P. Hill
Those road repairs would be moving a lot quicker around here if there were only contractors who had the equipment and commitment to get them done. That, in essence, is what Department of Public Works Commissioner Darryl Smalls told the Legislature Wednesday when questioned about the lack of progress on already funded road repair projects in the Virgin Islands.
But the president of Virgin islands Paving says Smalls is incorrect, and quickly corrected the “misconception” in a letter to the Senate president on Thursday.
Smalls continued his testimony by saying that he’s asked the contractors to lease more equipment to get the work done, but, alas, with little success.
This prompted Senate President Louis Patrick Hill to make this statement:
“So the companies are holding us hostage,” he said.
Not so, says VI Paving President Robert Schierloh. His company did respond to Smalls’ concerns about the disparity between the amount of work to be done and the available resources by securing a loan from Banco Popular and spending $1 million on new equipment since last October.
So naturally he was concerned with both Smalls’ testimony and Hill’s response.
In his letter to Hill, dated Feb.4, 2010, Schierloh wrote, “We are contacting you to correct a misconception that was created on the above referenced hearing dated February 3, 2010,” referring to Smalls’ comments.
Schierloh went on to write that in addition to purchasing additional equipment to meet the needs of the road work, the company has also invested in a quality control laboratory that is the only “certified testing laboratory for road repair in the Virgin Islands.”
And just to be clear, he added, “Virgin Islands Paving Company has been assisting the Department of Public Works with road construction projects for 28 years and we believe that we are upholding our commitment to our community to try and meet the demands placed on us.”
He attached the loan confirmation and a list of all the new equipment to the letter (attached below).
So again, we are left to wonder. Was Smalls’ unaware of the sizeable investment one of his primary contractors had made to meet the growing road repair needs? Did he forget about it under the pressure of testifying to the Legislature?
Surely he’d want to be clear about this, particularly when the Senate was visibly frustrated with the slow pace with which these projects are being completed.
We’re just glad that the Senate President has better idea now of whom and what is really holding these projects “hostage.” And it doesn’t look like it’s VI Paving.
I really think Thurland needs to now be referred to as Turdland. As referred to from a previous blogger (Brilliant) Really what has he accomplished for in STX? One needs to wonder. He is just like the STT Senators. I guess it is a club.
This get elected and “do nothing” doesn’t work.
I can hardly wait for the election promises and statements of what our senator’s have done for us the last two year’s. I am quite certain there is great joy among the senate/administration in knowing at least one radio personality is going off the air as of Monday to shut us up on voicing our concerns.
We need to gather ourselves and join together like the grass roots movement in the states. No more big government spending here for consultants, hiring of cronies, kick-backs and demand over all accountability of our elected officials. No, we do not need anymore borrowing to the tune of $100 million to go for salaries and perks to those who do not do their jobs anyway and for pandering for votes to special interest groups.
Time to take a stand and tell our ‘leaders’ enough is enough. Put up or shut up. We need another house cleaning of all who are doing nothing but spending money like drunken sailors.
who is going off the air!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t know. But if it’s that guy on paradise, that’s a voice that i won’t miss!
@Paleeze!
Since you don’t want to say, if I were to hazard a guess, I would say the radio personality is Mapp.
His show is on Mondays, and by virtue of “Political Developments” in play, his leaving that show would not be a surprise.
In the meantime, I expect to hear “Jimmy in the Morning”, “Mario in the Afternoon” ,and “Jamila on the Weekend.”
In November 2010, let it be either Donastorg or Mapp!
I say I want to see Mapp and someone good from ST.Thomas
Donastorg and Mapp should team up.
The problem with Donastorg and Mapp is that the both of them want to be governor.
Mapp will never be someone’s Lt. Gov again. If Mapp and Donastorg had ran together the last time around. They would’ve definitely defeated DeJongh. However, it would’ve been a repeat of Schneider-Mapp and Turnbull-James. The marriage would only have lasted for one term.
like dejongh/Francis this time?
what happened to dejongh/bryan (albert not bert)?
Francis is a military man. He stays quiet and takes orders like a good soldier. That’s why he was picked to be DeJongh’s running mate in the first place.
It is Free Speech. And aside from the host not being what you may like or not like, THE PEOPLE have lost a voice for three hours in the morning. Right or wrong we got the attention of the senator’s and the admin.
It is sad we now have a monopoly on who owns 98% of ALL the radio stations on the islands. Sounds like Hugo Chavez, aka the governor, will be controlling all we hear OR are allowed to hear. Redfield is anything but an opinion show. He is so far up the administration it is sickening to listen to him. And half the island on STX cannot get reception for Mario or Jimmy. Sad for all of us.
So it is Roger,but his leaving that station has been rumored now for a while. I wouldn’t miss him one bit!
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Enuf said.
So let’s go back to donkey carts and keep all the way is ‘was’. Let’s get Chuckie back in the senate along with Bert and Holland and Fat Boy Serville.. Or better yet have Bert as Commish of the police. No history of corruption with these guys at all.
You all don’t get it……..the people are loosing another open venue to talk on a radio station. It was somewhere to get you message out other than on the street.
Sad.
@Paleeze,
Typical alarmist condescending rhetoric. Somehow you want to shift the conversation from the general sigh of relief that a divisive, irresponsible voice on the airwaves has been mercifully silenced to a blanket return to donkey carts.
Let me help you understand what “we all” do get. We get that there are solutions that fall somewhere between the antagonistic (however subliminal) racism that was fostered on your absent hero’s program and any corruption of the past and present. We get that there are outlets that provide the whole story, but unfortunately they are not mainstream or government “approved” outlets, so we listen to and read in the places where we can learn what is actually happening, and not just what the controlled vehicles want us to know.
We get that a return to old ways and the continuation of our current state is not the road to progress and has in many ways contributed greatly to the state we find ourselves in today.
And we also get that the change we need is going to make a lot of you very uncomfortable, that it is going to shake out a lot of the sweet deals and inequitable treatment many residents are suffering from and might just feel, dare I say it, a tad radical and revolutionary.
But don’t fret. If “you all” will take a step back and assess what would be good for all Virgin Islanders, and not just the chosen few, maybe this won’t be so hard for you to swallow.
And dear, it’s “losing” with one “o”.
@The Clock is Ticking,
Bravo!!!! Couldn’t have said it any better.
@enough,
thank you.
sometimes i just get tired of their noise.
Thank God! After living her for 30 years I do believe ‘Cock’ should come out of the closet and run for Governor or Senator.
All will happen with the wave of a magic wand and be well in the VI after year’s of corruption.
Make it happen %&$ – hole!
@ Paleeze,
If you’re going to debate with the grown ups you must learn not to become frustrated and resort to name calling.
And that’s “Clock” with an “L”.
I’m sure that was just a typo…