In one of the most significant financial decisions that has faced the Territory to date, the Legislature will determine today the fate of the most recent Administration request to borrow another $250 million to address deficits in the 2010 and 2011 budgets.

You’ve all heard the arguments on both sides; the Administration says without the loan, government will shut down in July; those who do not support additional borrowing say that more efforts should be made to cut fat from Government expenses before additional borrowing is approved. Read more »

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If Commissioner of Finance Angel Dawson thought a quick statement would make the 2007 property tax sale issue disappear, he was sadly mistaken.

Beginning with three testifiers from the VI Unity Day Group, and continuing throughout a morning of testimony before the Legislature’s Committee of the Whole that focused on the property tax issues facing the Virgin Islands, the message was the same – Put it in writing. Read more »

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The beach at Cane Bay, St. Croix, provides peace and beauty for visitors last weekend.

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Crime Stoppers is asking your help to solve the following crimes.  If you know something, please report it.  Even information that seems insignificant may be just what law enforcement needs to solve these cases.

St. Croix:  On Friday, March 26, between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m., a thief(s) stole a very thin aluminum Apple Mac Book Pro laptop from a 2006 Silver Jeep Wrangler with a soft top, which was parked near Off The Wall restaurant in Cane Bay.  The laptop is valued at $2500, but to its owner, who is physically challenged, the information contained is very valuable.  The minimum reward for the arrest of this thief is $714. Read more »

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As we approach Election 2010, CIF will be taking a look a number of issues relative to the election process. Today we look at some of the members of the Virgin Islands Board of Elections.

The Boards of Elections are established in Title 18, Chapter 3, Section 41, of the Virgin Islands Code. There are two election districts within the Virgin Islands : the District of St. Croix and the District of St. Thomas/St. John. Each district has a separate Board of Elections consisting of seven members who are elected by the electors in each district to terms of four years. The St. Thomas/St. John Board shall include at least two members who are residents of St. John . No more than four members of the same political party shall be members of each board. 

The Board members listed below were duly elected and, since their election, have been placed in significant roles in Government positions. Do you believe they can be objective in matters related to the upcoming election? Read more »

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(Update: The “Racino” bill was successfully moved out of the Rules Committee on Monday and will be on the agenda for the Legislature’s full session Wednesday/Thursday.)

What role should gambling play in the economy of the Virgin Islands? And how many more hits can the Casino Control Act of 1995 take before it becomes obsolete?

The Senate Rules Committee Thursday voted to hold Bill # 28-0084, known as the “Racino” bill in committee until Monday April 12. The bill seeks to establish the installation of slot machines at race tracks, specifically in the Committee discussion, 200 machines at the Randall “Doc” James racetrack on St. Croix. Read more »

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It ain’t over – yet.

The Legislature’s investigation into the Mafoliegate matter is “conditionally” closed and the Committee investigating the scandal will submit its findings to the US Attorney General by May 4.

But Committee Chairman, Sen. Neville James, said the issue will not be closed until the Legislature hears from the “poisonous tree” in this matter – the Virgin Islands Public Finance Authority.

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In a session that started nearly two hours late, the Committee on Financial Services, Infrastructure and Consumer Affairs compiled a listing of more than 20 findings that summarize their conclusions in the matter that has occupied the minds of politically aware Virgin Islanders since last June – the expenditure of some $490,000 in unauthorized public funds that Governor John P. deJongh, Jr., spent on enhancements to his private Mafolie home on St. Thomas. Read more »

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Will Sen. Neville James bring down the final curtain on the Legislature’s investigation of Mafoliegate tonight?

Will there be more testimony? Will anyone from the Public Finance Authority humble themselves to tell the Committee on Financial Services, Infrastructure and Consumer Affairs (and the public by the way) how they participated in the spending of $490,000 in unauthorized public funds on Governor John P. deJongh, Jr.’s Estate Mafolie home?

Will we finally hear an articulation of the Committee findings and the specifics of what they plan to forward to the US Attorney General on the affair?

For those who somehow may not know, the scandal revolves around the use of some $490,000 in public funds to install security enhancements at Virgin Islands Governor John P. deJongh, Jr.’s, private residence at 23-8 Estate Mafolie on St. Thomas. The funds were diverted from road repair projects authorized in Act 6917. Two previous hearings have resulted in a few revelations and lots of defiant behavior by members of the Administration.

The United States Inspector General issued a report in January concluding that the use of the funds by the Governor was unauthorized, and recommended that he repay them in full. The Governor responded by questioning the competency and integrity of the report, and has said he will repay funds only by order of the Court. Read more »

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Background: Last July during a Senate Appropriations Committee meeting, Senators Terrence “Positive” Nelson and Carlton “Ital” Dowe questioned Lottery officials concerning the purchase of two assault weapons. The guns, two Bushmaster Carbon 15 Sub-Guns, were ordered using Virgin Islands Lottery letterhead, were invoiced to the Lottery, but were paid for by a  Lottery investigator using a personal cashier’s check – not a payment instrument drawn from Lottery funds.

During that hearing, Nelson and Dowe questioned Lottery officials Ray Chesterfield, Director of Investigations, and Conrad “Ricky” Francois, then Acting Executive Director, about their knowledge of, and involvement in, the transaction. Francois claimed no knowledge; Chesterfield claimed knowledge and said the weapons were being acquired for personal use. That last statement, as you will see, is contradicted by documents he sent to the gun vendor approving the purchase. Read more »

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With the image of St. Croix’s greatest Freedom Fighter, General Buddhoe, looking over their shoulders, modern day Freedom Fighters Atty. Jeffrey Moorehead, left, and Lawrence “Recon” Olive clasp hands at the rally at Buddhoe Park following the “Reclaiming Our Streets, Uniting Our People” anti-crime march and rally last Wednesday. Read more »

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More than 1,300 marchers braved the hot Transfer Day sun to march across St. Croix on Wednesday in support of the “Reclaiming Our Streets, Uniting Our People” initiative spearheaded by WDHP radio personality Jamila Russell.

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