Oct. 21, 2006 — A constitution for the Virgin Islands could clear up questions about who and what constitutes a bona fide Virgin Islander, paying accurately assessed real-property taxes and getting excise tax returns on additional products besides rum, a panel of scholars said Saturday night.
The panel discussion was the first in a series of Constitution 2008 forums hosted by the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) as part of a campaign to inform the public about the Fifth Constitutional Convention, scheduled to begin in July.
The Virgin Islands does not have its own Constitution and is governed by the Revised Organic Act of 1954, precluded by the Organic Act of 1936. Panelist Joanne Bozzuto described the latter as progressively more outdated and out of touch.
This 1936 Act is something that might have made sense at the time, but in other jurisdictions,theyre saying no, Bozzuto said, explaining why she thinks a constitution needs to be adopted.
Bozzuto, an attorney and certified public accountant, has done extensive analyses of the Revised Organic Act of 1954, particularly with regard to fiscal issues. When the act was written and later revised, she said, the Virgin Islands were allowed excise-tax rebates on rum produced in the Virgin Islands and nothing else. A V.I. constitution could include language that essentially states that the territory would collect excise-tax rebates on all products manufactured locally.
Joining Bozzuto on the panel were UVI President LaVerne Ragster; Ruth Beagles, a retired educator and who served as secretary to the Fourth Constitutional Convention, held in 1980; and Carlyle Corbin, the V.I. government representative for External Affairs.
Moderating Saturday's forum was attorney Tregenza Roach, V.I. Constitution 2008 coordinator. A brief downpour delayed the scheduled 6 p.m. start slightly, and Roach thanked the few people who turned out, calling the meeting a very important getting together. The forum is part of an initiative funded by a $500,000 appropriation from the V.I. Legislature for a public-awareness campaign about the convention, which includes extensive marketing, a series of public forums and publications.
In June, elections will decide 30 delegates to represent St. Croix and the St. Thomas-St. John district. They will basically do the legwork leading up to a Constitutional Convention. Each district will get 13 delegates, with two residing on St. John. There will be four at-large positions, with two each from the St. Croix and St. Thomas-St. John districts. According to Roach, the delegates will then produce and adopt a draft constitution by July 27, 2008, which will be forwarded to the governor. The governor, in turn, will send it to the U.S. president, who will submit it to Congress for approval.
The qualification for a delegate is simple: The person must be a U.S. Citizen, a qualified V.I. voter and a bona fide resident of the territory for not less than three years immediately preceding the date of the election.
Government employees may take leave with pay from May 16, 2007, through June 2007 to campaign, Roach said. If elected, they would retain their government salary for each day worked as a delegate. Retired or non-working delegates would receive a stipend of $50 for each day worked.
Private employers who allow employees time off to campaign or to serve as delegates and retain their income would receive the $50 stipend as a subsidy, Roach said. Some in the audience questioned whether such a practice was discriminatory.
That disparity has been brought up to senators, Roach said, including sponsors Louis Patrick Hill and Shawn Michael-Malone, but he had no immediate answer as to whether the issue would get revisited.
Organizers billed Saturdays forum — and others to be held later on dates not yet announced — Come Hear, Come Share, because UVI hopes to engage all residents regardless of class, gender and ethnicity, Roach said.
"We want to know what they're thinking and what their questions are, he said. This makes it easier in the end to get buy-in, because the public has been informed along the way.
An advisory committee consists of Roach and UVI faculty and employees. Organizers have yet to hire a marketing firm, which they would require to take into consideration the Virgin Islands' diversity as it relates to languages, among other things. A request for proposal should be advertised soon, she said.
Adoption of a constitution would be a milestone in V.I. history, Roach said.
UVI unveiled a campaign to inform the public about the upcoming Fifth V.I. Constitutional Convention in July, and each Tuesday hosts a live discussion at 7 p.m. on WTJX, Channel 12. The education campaign also includes a reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
