Dear Santa…

By Whitman Browne

Dear Santa:

The year 2012 will be remembered as a year of taxes and continued governmental under-performance in the US Virgin Islands. There were the WAPA tax, the senators travel tax, the Diageo myth tax, the borrow to spend tax, the big jobs for friends tax, and the government at stand still or in reverse tax! No wonder the mass of people here have been pushed towards poverty. However, it is Christmastime, and the people’s insensitive tormentors do deserve special gifts.

1. Please bring Senator Patrick Hill a set of Tarot cards to help him see that running for Governor in 2014 is, “not in the cards” for him.

2. For former governors, Schneider and Turnbull, bring special shades to dim their view of the corruption and filth that an inept and parasitic leadership has brought to every sector of VI society.

3. Please bring wading boots for the members of the Port Authority Board, for selecting the least qualified of the applicants as Executive Director, over the more highly qualified candidates who applied. “Oh Captain, my captain, the VIPA ship is sinking.”

4. For Senator Chucky Hansen, the vulnerable Chucky! Bring her what she really won this time around as a left-over from a blatantly for sale legislature— some reflective time in a very quiet pace!

5. For all the new members of the legislature, bring freedom of thought, some innovative ideas, sensitivity to the poverty that has been created on the islands, but, no more robotic responses to the second branch of government.

6. Please sit Bert Bryan down. Explain that he is simply being a misleader, when he knowingly spreads wrong information. Teach him the dimensions of meaning for, “moral turpitude” too. Then, just as he used his family connection in Antigua to find that obeah woman there, bring him an Antigua passport, then a CARICOM passport and the right to vote in Antigua, just like all those Jamaicans and Guyanese now do.

7. Bring Senator Russell a long, long good-bye. The people of these islands are still wondering what he stands for.

8. Santa, please bring many consulting and lobbying clients for Senator Celestino White. It’s common sense, he will like to continue getting those rezoning deals to and through the legislature.

9. Please bring a “bonding”moratorium for Governor de Jongh, so that he stops borrowing from our children and the future of these Virgin Islands. Also, bring him a dictionary and a thesaurus, so that he can reflect on the meanings, and appreciate the social implications of the following terms and words: Organizational leadership, corruption, parasitic worm, false consciousness, foolish arrogance, Diageo myth, and karma! Remind him too, as Abe Lincoln noted, “If you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”

10. Santa, as much as I don’t like these games, please bring for every young man in the territory an electronic game system so they can stay home and off the streets. And, please take away their guns and other weapons as an exchange.

11. For the young ladies at our schools, bring each a large flash card that says, “NO! Not until we graduate,”and give them the moral strength and intelligence to get an education first, before they start having children!

12. For Director of VITEMA, Elton Lewis, bring a new senior staff. They all gone! One wonders why!

13. For DPNR Enforcement Division, get them a new speedboat that can outrun the BVI Immigration.

14. Bring a quiet hint to Judge Donahue. Let him know that despite his long diatribe, the people of the Virgin Islands understand the relationship between one’s personal opinion and his/her desire for job security.

15. For that assistant principal at CAHS who was so concerned about discrimination back in June, remind her that the present VI Department of Education thrives on discrimination. Also, please bring her that special title the faculty, staff, parents, and students agree she has won hands down at CAHS: Queen of Mean!

16. Everyone in education knows that the St. Thomas-St. John Superintendent of education needs more improvement than that she has been suggesting for the administrators who challenge her ineptness, or do bring her mele. She also loves withholding people’s salary. Now that there is so much interest focused on bullying in education, bring her the title most administrators agree the superintendent’s vindictive actions have earned her: Bully of the VI Department of Education.

17. It has truly become a concern for most Virgin Islanders with interest in VI Education. The leadership presence in, and contribution of the VI Commissioner of Education to, VI Education, appear to decrease with time. We deserve better! We can do better! Bring her a ticket from La-la Land, or a one way ticket back to Delaware!

18. We all know what Lt. Governor Francis is being told to dream about for 2014. However, for this Christmas just bring him Governor de Jongh’s donors’ mailing list, and a letter of endorsement from his boss. Also, remind him that the paid for programming machines, will be gone by 2014.

19. For all those senators who consciously chose to become robots and joined the Parasitic Worms Club, please bring them the awareness that time is longer than twine. Also, let them know that usually there is always an accounting in waiting, for those who exploit and steal from the poor!

20. Despite the parades and pomp with which the incident ended, the way in which Officer Georges, matter began terrified not only other police officers, but also many other people in the VI. Please bring a Blue Christmas for all those who made that harsh initial decision and allowed him to die.

21. For all the 2014 gubernatorial aspirants and candidates, bring new playbooks for 2014. The one being used at the moment is worn, faded, and torn, it has not worked for the common people.

22. Please bring President Obama clear vision and discernment, so that he will do right by the people, reach them where they are, and be an inspiration to their future growth and achievement.

23. In light of the growing presence of women in the Democratic Party, and as leaders in world politics, bring VP Biden a heart to heart talk with Mrs. Clinton before, 2016.

24. There has been an all-out effort to keep Reacon out of the VI Legislature. There is little wonder that some people are afraid. However, bring Reacon the special appreciation of VI people for his forthrightness, his refusal to be bribed, and his willingness to call the names of those others, who accepted bribes.

25. Bring lots of halos for the brothers and sisters at Bordeau. They keep our agricultural tradition alive and are very proud about doing so, with their regular displays and sales!