The organization of the next Senate will be explained on Wednesday in a press conference called by Almando "Rocky" Liburd, the body’s tentative president.
But before any official announcement is made, it appears the 24th Legislature will be an "us-against-them" affair with Democrats on one side and, essentially, independents on the other. And the weight of the majority bloc may just weigh on St. Croix’s Democrat sophomore Sen. Norman Jn. Baptiste, the only donkey in the majority nine-pack.
Liburd’s press conference is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday at Gertrude’s Restaurant on St. Croix. He is expected to discuss Senate assignments and explain one change already made; taking the important Rules Committee away from Senate Vice President Sen. Adelbert Bryan and giving it to freshman Carlton Dowe.
But what may change the way the Senate operates for the next two years is the return of veteran Democrat Sens. Lorraine Berry and Vargrave Richards, who until Monday weren’t assured seats in the Legislature until absentee ballots were counted. Richards is the president of the 23rd Legislature and Berry is the Finance Committee chairwoman.
Unless they can entice fellow Democrat Baptiste and two other independents to their side, Richards and Berry will make up the non-majority bloc with party mates Douglas Canton, Emmett Hansen II and Sen. David Jones and Sen. Roosevelt David.
"I’m looking forward to sitting down with the Democrats," Richards said. "Whatever problems we have we can settle. It is incumbent upon us to work together."
That being said, the mantra coming from the top Democrat, Gov. Charles Turnbull, to freshman St. Croix Senator Elect Canton, is one of cooperation. Last week, Turnbull pledged to work with the Senate no matter how it organizes. That sentiment was repeated by Richards on Monday.
"I think the public is looking forward to a team approach and stop the quibbling…," he said.
On Wednesday, Liburd, a moderate from the Independent Citizens Movement, is expected to announce fellow ICMer Bryan as Senate vice president; Sen. Celestino White, an independent, as the leader of the 24th Legislature’s majority; Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, an independent, as chair of the Finance Committee; Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen, an independent, as Economic Development Committee chairwoman; Sen. Donald Cole, an independent, as chair of the Committee on Planning and Environmental Protection; Sen. Norman Jn. Baptiste, a sophomore Democrat, as chair of the Committee on Education for the second year.
Dowe, an independent, is expected to head the Rules Committee while freshmen Norma Samuel hasn’t been assigned a position in the majority.
