In the sleaziest attempt yet to get us to support the Broadband proposal in its current form, Sen. Ronald Russell played the race card today, comparing the Virgin Islands without Broadband to the United States before the landmark education case Brown vs. Board of Education. On his Saturday morning radio program, Russell stated that...
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No wonder they’re fighting so hard to push this through in its current form! The more we look into the details of the articles of incorporation of the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network (VINGN) and the timeline around its creation, the more we understand why everyone from the President and CEO Julito Francis, and...
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By Michael Springer, President, Crucians In Focus Yes, we want Broadband. No, we don’t want it this way. The more we learn about the current structure of the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network (VINGN) and the reluctantly provided specifics of its operating model, the less convinced we are that this multi-million dollar expenditure –...
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In 48 hours we’ll know much more about the now infamous Broadband proposal. In 48 hours Sen. Shawn Malone’s Committee on Economic Development, Technology and Agriculture will have considered and voted on, the proposal; including whether to recommend approval for the floating of some $42 million in local tax bonds to support the initiative. In the...
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Is this for real or just for our entertainment and distraction? Are Governor John P. deJongh, Jr. and his former ace in the hole Sen. Louis Patrick Hill really at odds, or is this just another contrived confrontation to throw a smoke screen in front of some of the emerging issues around the Broadband...
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The hottest ticket in town will be for Sen. Shawn Michael Malone’s Committee hearing on the Territory’s Broadband initiative scheduled for Tuesday, April 5, at 9:30 a.m. The Committee on Economic Development, Technology and Agriculture, which Malone chairs, will hear testimony on the high speed internet initiative which would require the issuance of $42 million in locally issued tax...
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The dispute over the government’s proposed Broadband project has become mired in the type of noise that often distracts us from dissecting the true issue at hand. Since the Senate hearing on Thursday where the issue was presented by the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network (VINGN), the group that would build and manage the...
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The stage is set and while the Senators are having some dinner, we want your thoughts on today’s budget hearing and your predictions as to how they’ll vote tonight. On a day when we heard the clergy, union leaders, teachers and testifiers go head to head with an often contentious Senate (and some Senators...
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(Editor’s Note: Crucians In Focus is pleased to welcome former candidate for Delegate to Congress Vince Danet as a contributing writer to this website.) Guest Commentary by Vince Danet Like many of us, I’ve been digesting the Governor’s State of the Territory address. There were some good ideas like merging redundant government agencies. Other...
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More than half of the contributions Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen has received in the current election cycle are linked to a Washington contractor who is the subject of a federal inquiry.
According to an article today in the Washington Post, Christensen has received at least $37,000 from contractor Jeffrey Thompson, who is suspected of using “straw” or phantom donors to evade contribution limits that are set for candidates running for office. His operations have drawn the attention of Federal authorities.
According to the article, Thompson’s accounting firm Thompson, Cobb, Brazilio and Associates, has 189 contracts with the federal government, worth $17.1 million. The company has done some business in the Virgin Islands, auditing grant funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Education and the Federal Highway Administration. TCBA recently advertised for an accounting position based in Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands.
Recently, Christensen has urged the Federal Election Commission to investigate the election system of the Virgin Islands, citing public discontent with the way the Board of Elections in operating. Perhaps this current development will hasten their acceptance of her request.
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.
