May 22, 2002 – Day 1 of a three-day session of the Legislature got off to a boisterous beginning Wednesday despite a seemingly innocuous agenda. Debate went on a length on the merits, ethics and protocols of naming public institutions for private or public persons.
There were eight such resolutions before the body, but it was yet another that got the lion's share of attention — as Sen. Norma Pickard-Samuel withdrew her proposal to rename Peace Corps Elementary School. (See St. Thomas Source story "Senator backs off on renaming Peace Corps".)
Resolutions naming two sections of Roy L. Schneider Hospital for revered island personalities raised objections, too, for reasons relating to money.
Beverly Chongasing, the hospital board chair, had written to Liburd on May 17 asking that the Legislature "reserve the function of naming areas in the hospital to the governing board." She said, "It will then be our responsibility to judiciously bestow such an honor upon individuals who have made major contributions to the hospital."
She termed the resolutions "a laudable gesture," but said the board regretted that the appropriate hospital staff had not been consulted before they were introduced. She said the board considers the naming of any portion of the hospital a "major fund-raising tool," and an important one because "it is becoming increasingly difficult to operate the hospital based on patient revenues only." In other words, an incentive for those in a position to make large donations to the hospital is the prospect of having an appropriate portion of the facility named in their honor
Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg sponsored one of the hospital resolutions, with the co-sponsorship of nine colleagues, naming the hospital pharmacy for Earl V. Haynes Sr., a well-known pharmacist who started his career on St. Thomas in 1955 at the V.I. Apothecary under Zeathea Armstrong. The next year he became chief pharmacist at Knud-Hansen Memorial Hospital. Haynes practiced in his own pharmacies on St. Thomas until his death several years ago
"People would go to Haynes before they would go to their own doctor," Sen. Lorraine Berry said, "and he would give free advice. He was a big man with a big heart." Her colleagues lined up to tell stories about Haynes and his kindnesses. "He was somebody you'd sit down and spend time with, he'd talk to you," Sen. Carlton Dowe said. Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd called him "a big man, big every time. He had a lot of love in his heart for the people of the Virgin Islands … He made such a tremendous contribution to the people of the Virgin Islands."
Other senators recalled times when Haynes would help out "even if you had no money."
Sen. Celestino A. White Sr. sponsored the other hospital resolution, renaming the anesthesia section for Dr. Aida P. Khatchadourian. He said Khatchadourian had joined the Knud Hansen staff in 1982 and worked there and later at Schneider Hospital for the next 19 years until she retired because of an injury.
In charge of the anesthesia area, the respiratory therapy unit and the intensive care unit, she assisted in 17 kidney transplant operations at what was then called St. Thomas Hospital. She also developed a new operating room on St. John for labor and delivery and cesarean sections. White said she developed an anesthesia department at RLS that "is second to none" and meets the standards of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
However, White said he understood that the hospital board had "told some of my colleagues not to name the pharmacy after Earl Haynes." He then told his colleagues Wednesday: "I want to see if you are going to give in to the whims of the board and not bestow this well-deserved honor on Mr. Haynes."
His colleagues didn't disappoint him. The vote was 14-0 for naming the pharmacy for Haynes, with Sen. Adelbert Bryan absent for the vote. The resolution renaming the anesthesia section for Khatchadourian passed 9-1 with Bryan voting no.
In the morning, the Senate also passed a resolution sponsored by Donastorg and co-sponsored by nine colleagues to name the law library at the Alexander Farrelly Justice Complex the "George Alexander Mena Law Library." Donastorg said Mena was the territory's first native-born judge and attorney, admitted to the V.I. bar in 1922 after completing his law degree through a correspondence course.
Mena also was instrumental in the drafting of the Organic Act establishing the first civilian government in the territory under U.S. rule. He worked in various capacities in the judicial system on St. Thomas until his retirement in 1967.
The resolution passed unanimously. "This man was the first native attorney in the V.I.," Berry said. "It's about time that he receives his just honor."
The senators also honored Luna I Fleming-Claxton for her 43 years of service teaching Virgin Island children and Winifred Lewis-Garfield for her years of service in the nursing profession.
A resolution naming the Pavilion Building at the Patrick Sweeney Police Headquarters on St. Croix the "George A. Farrelly Pavilion" passed on 14-1 vote, with Bryan voting no. The former police detective and commissioner began his career with the force in 1970 after serving in the U.S. Army, where he received the Bronze Star.
All 15 senators voted to confer the Virgin Islands Medal of Honor on former governor Alexander A. Farrelly for his years of distinguished service. The lawmakers took turns telling stories about Farrelly. "You always knew when Farrelly was coming to court, 'cause everything would be shipshape," one said. White got a good laugh from colleagues when he recalled how Farrelly would keep him company years ago when White as a policeman was directing traffic. Farrelly holds the unique claim to having served in leadership in all three branches of government — as a Territorial Court judge, in the 7th and 8th Legislatures, and as a two-term governor. "This is a man of distinction," Liburd said. "He has made a tremendous contributioin to these islands, and this honor is just and fitting."
In other action, the Senate approved the nominations of Percival Edwards, Carmen Gonzales and Joseph Samuel to the V.I. Conservation District Board of Supervisors for the St. Croix district and approved Ilma Christian to the Historic Preservation Commission.
The morning also saw two overrides of earlier vetoes by Gov. Charles W. Turnbull and failure to override a third. One that succeeded was of a bill authorizing the governor to lease the Ingeborg Nesbitt Clinic in Frederiksted to Frederiksted Health Care Center Inc. for $1 per year. The other was of a bill deferring the road tax for taxi drivers after five years.
Sen. Adelbert Bryan moved an override on the governor's veto of his bill creating a 2001 Virgin Islands Sustainable Economic Development Commission. The measure failed on a 6-9 vote. Many members of the Crucian Coalition sat in the gallery in support of the measure, as did Hector Cintron, a senator in the 9th through 13th Legislatures.
The meeting resumed Wednesday afternoon. All senators were present for the session.
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