Dear Source:
The Unity Day celebration on St John brought out some important points about why St John can and should act in unison with all its citizens. If there was any question about the subjects of the day, the answer is in the title-UNITY. This kind of public forum is always important because it gets people together to hear about issues that they may not normally know about.
While I was pleased with the tone and candor of the event, I was somewhat disappointed with Delegate Christensen's comment about municipal government not being an issue in the upcoming Constitutional Convention. Why shouldn't it be included? Apparently, the federal government has seen fit to look into the matter and has come up with positive results toward implementation of this major change in the way government does business. To not have it included is tantamount to politically setting the tone for the convention before it even commences. Unity-NOT politics is what this convention is all about and what municipal governance is all about.
The very fact that the Virgin Islands will have a Constitutional Convention means that people want and need meaningful change. Many people want to change the way the government operates, because of the inefficiency and corruption that has existed for many years. To have Delegate Christensen say that it will not be an issue in the convention should raise some eyebrows about just what politics are taking place. Of course it should be included! The electors to the Constitutional Convention should embrace and make it a priority issue.
If municipal governance were to become a reality, then decisions concerning local matters would be made by locals. Who better knows about what is needed in a community than the community members themselves? Municipal government means we get to keep the monies that normally would go to the central government. Money that should stay right on the island and be used for projects that we really need, not what the central government wants to shove down our throats.
The big issue is this: The powerful of the Virgin Islands are already entrenched in the current system and will resist any kind of change to reduce their hold on that power. This "let's keep the status quo" mentality will mean more of the same government inefficiency regardless of who is elected in November. Is it any wonder that the presently elected or appointed politicians and political cronies don't want change?
In less than a year, electors will be chosen for the Constitutional Convention. This will be the fifth attempt at true self-governance. If passed, we will have the opportunity to redraft our laws or keep the ones already enacted. It is a major step in the history of the Virgin Islands and all the people will be affected. Because of that, we must choose how our new government is to be structured. I believe that the county (territorial)/municipal form is the best choice. The territorial government structure must stay in place similar to the way a state is the governing body within its borders. However, that new structure will have far fewer responsibilities than in now has. The new "territorial government form" will have one major primary responsibility: to filter federal and other funds down to the municipalities so they can survive fiscally. Municipalities must have the ability to operate as a legal body corporate. That means that each municipality can enact and legally enforce any by-law it deems suitable for its community. Municipalities will have the responsibility over all the aspects of daily life in the area it has power over, which would include police, fire, education, public works, etc. When this is done, it will also have the legal ability and power to choose its current and future needs. If municipal governments were a reality, the territorial government would have far fewer duties than is has now and thus, far less political clout. Yes, this is a loss of power, but do we really want the power at a central location or right here at home? If locals were making local by-laws then would we really need 15 senators?
Choices about who will be the next Governor will be placed in front of you in November. Will that candidate embrace the same things that you embrace? Is local control of your life important to you and is it important to that candidate? Also, many choices will be placed in front of you as soon as electors are chosen to represent you in this very important constitutional exercise. Who represents you is important, because they have a year to meet with you and bring to the table the ideas that you present to them. The new governor will be watching and listening to the people's concerns and the electors' ideas and we have to make sure that politics as usual do not take center stage during those deliberations.
I believe that municipal government-TRUE municipal government is critical to the future of the Virgin Islands. Unity is important and all islands must be unified in what issues are brought to the convention. To be truly unified, each island has to make decisions about what is really needed locally. This is a golden opportunity to have public discussions-UNIFIED discussions about what will go into our constitution. What could be more important? Will you be involved?
Paul Devine
St. John
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