“Fraud, Waste and Mismanagement.” It’s such a familiar phrase when describing our government agencies. And now a scathing US Inspector General’s Audit report adds that description to the administration and operation of the Virgin Islands Port Authority. The September, 2010, audit report was penned by none other than Mary L. Kendall, the Assistant Attorney...
Read more »
By Winston Nugent “Where have all the soldiers gone?” The lyrics of this song have been a question in the minds of quite a few Virgin Islands Veterans and their families for approximately ten years. And it is becoming an obsession for some due the fact that the executive branch, the legislature, and the...
Read more »
Today we take a look at more than $500,000 in salaries and benefits that have been added to the payroll of the Department of Justice during the “freeze.” Justice is the most critical partner of law enforcement. Without efficient prosecution, effective law enforcement is severely compromised. And for that, you need a solid group...
Read more »
In this post, you’ll find appointment letters for the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs. Pay attention to the job titles. (Note: Be patient – these files take a little longer to download) Stay tuned. There is plenty more to come. DLCA – Part1 DLCA – Part2 DLCA – Part3 Share on Facebook
Read more »
There’s been a “hiring freeze” since May 2008, the budget is tight, government employees are being asked to forfeit eight paid holidays, and the Virgin Islands is borrowing like there’s no tomorrow. So we’re at a loss to explain how at least 63 Government employees and nearly $3.74 million in salary expense were added...
Read more »
There is a saying that “the fish stinks from the head” and never was that more apparent than at the Senate hearing on the mold-infested St. Thomas IRB building last night. After months of public discourse on this issue and apparently years of evidence collected by experts, there was finally an official forum for these...
Read more »
When a last minute amendment proposed hiking the 28th Legislature’s budget by a million dollars for unspecified “infrastructure repairs and upgrades,” Sen. Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg wanted to know why. The request was part of an amendment submitted by Senators Michael Thurland and Sammuel Sanes, but provided no detail on how the funds would be...
Read more »
Enough with all the spinning. It’s time to come clean. The VI Code and the Department of Justice require public officials to file financial disclosure statements every year and a portion of those filings are public record. Well we are the public and we want to see them. Crucians In Focus sent a certified...
Read more »
Word has come to us that pressure is boiling in the Legislature’s kitchen. Senators Hill, Dowe and White appear to be furious that Senator Neville James posted the “Mafoliegate” documents on the Legislature’s website. As Senator James previously stated, the Governor’s actions are indefensible! It’s time for all Senators to accept this fact. It’s...
Read more »
The Juan F. Luis Hospital Board is reviewing a contract that has, for the past 10 years, provided one medical group with significant financial incentives and a monopoly on the administration of radiology and nuclear imaging services (CAT scans, MRI’s, and Nuclear Medicine Services) on St. Croix. This no bid contract defines a “joint...
Read more »
This is the tale of two energy entrepreneurs whose journey to free the Virgin Islands from the grip of fossil fuels has stalled at a guardhouse erected by the VI government bureaucracy. The first tale was sent to us by Steffen Larsen, who has built his business, Mitchell-Larsen Studios, on a foundation of alternate energy principles....
Read more »
On February 19, 2009, Virgin Islands Governor John P. deJongh, Jr. announced at a press conference that the Virgin Islands “will receive more than $244 million in economic benefits over a two-year period.” These funds were the allocation to the Virgin Islands from President Obama’s American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). We were assured...
Read more »
We have been studying the best way to address the property tax issue due to its voluminous nature and we finally have our answer. It appears the District Court’s opinion (9/15/08 District Court Memorandum Opinion) was so comprehensive that the Administration has had difficulty understanding what they read. However, in light of what appears to...
Read more »
Encarta, the online dictionary, defines the adjective “Indefensible” as follows: 1. permitting no excuse: too bad or blameworthy to be in any way justified or excused as in indefensible conduct 2. unable to be protected: incapable of being defended from attack 3. invalid: not based on fact, proof, or sound reasoning, as in an indefensible argument. At a Town Hall...
Read more »
Donastorg reveals another $44k spent on Governor’s personal residence ST. THOMAS – Senator Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg has obtained documentation detailing an additional $43,774.75 spent on improvements to the Governor’s private residence at Estate Mafolie on St. Thomas. The improvements include a new septic system, a “shower room” for the security cottage, and new exterior...
Read more »
As the Chairperson for the Committee on Education, Youth and Culture, first-term Senator Janette Millin-Young has received more notoriety for her travel preferences than for any substantive actions to address the glaring issues in our educational system.
Thought of initially as one who would quietly follow, Millin-Young has shown recent faint glimmers of enlightenment, but our jury is still out on where she will fall as we enter a phase where all elected officials will be called upon to take a stand – on one side of the line or the other.
But for now, it’s your opinion we’re interested in. If the election was held today…
As many of you heard recently, CIF President Michael Springer, at left, delivered the first in a series of radio announcements that will target specific issues and offer analysis on our most pressing concerns.
The feedback on the comments was extremely positive, so CIF will sponsor then as often as possible, and we thank those of you who have already donated! But airtime costs money and we're seeking your help.
If you'd like to help keep our voices on the air, please donate whatever you can using the PayPal button below. We thank you in advance for your support.
Loading ...