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Where Were the Senators?

Dear Source:
This past week, the Governor called a 'special' meeting of the whole on Tuesday November 24th. All 15 Senators attended the session even though five managed to be out of the senate when the final vote was called leaving all bills in committee except the Cruzan Rum bill that was a solid 'yea' vote earlier in the session.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday a mere 5 Senators, (including Lorraine Berry), were in attendance for the Omnibus, reform and GERS legislation. The Senators who attended were Nelson, Russell, Serville, White and Barshinger. Malone attended only Friday's session because he was 'under the weather and had personal matters to attend to'. It was 'clarified' by Berry that due to the emergency session on Tuesday, the remaining senators were committed to attend a 'conference' (she did not state what the conference was or where it was) on Friday. Where the missing senators were on Wednesday and Thursday was not explained.
Is this what we expect from our elected officials? Not bothering to attend to the people's business but instead go to a conference and leave the testifiers answering questions from five senators? Would they have behaved this way if the election were not over and they were comfortable for another two year's? How will they vote in the coming days if not having heard the testimonies and asked intelligent questions?
Unfortunately, the questions asked during Friday's GERS session were slanted towards self-serving the senate. An example would be Russell stating the senators have more importance than the average government worker. Well Senator Russell, maybe the average worker shows up for work when they should not exemplify the majority of your coworkers last week. Senator Serville stated he can't live on '$65,000 a year' and he has to 'buy suits' and if he had his 'babies made' he certainly could not live on his current salary.' Well Senator Serville, if I were only a high school graduate, (yes you do possess some limited college credits but lack a degree), as you are and were in the private sector and not a senator, I would guess your salary would be around $30,000 tops, depending on what you bring to the table with your limited expertise. So I guess you should be lucky you are an elected official (though not really gaining an overwhelming amount of votes this time around). And I just bet a free SUV, free gasoline, free travel, an office and staff, $30/per diem and free admission to events would not be included.
The only valid questions and solutions were offered up by White and Nelson.
Bottom line, where were the senators last week when they were supposed to be doing their job? You choose to serve the government and represent the people of the Virgin Islands for a period in time. You let us down last week. Is this what we can anticipate in the next two years of your tenure as senators? And they want/demand a salary increase and benefits over and above the average government worker? I think not!
Jill Lange
Christiansted, V.I.

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