June 1, 2007 – I am Rupert W. Ross, Jr., a candidate at-large for the Fifth Constitutional Convention, number nine (9) on the ballot. I am a retired educator, having served the public education system as a teacher, a high school principal, a district superintendent, and as an assistant commissioner. I have also served as the St. Croix Administrator for two years. I was a member of the Third Constitutional Convention, and the president of the Fourth Constitutional Convention. I was also a member of the last two Virgin Islands Status Commissions. I am currently a member of the St. Croix Board of Election, Chairman of the Frederiksted Economic Development Association (FEDA), and District Governor Nominee of Rotary International District 7020.
As a delegate in the Fifth Constitutional Convention, it will be my charge to work with other elected delegates to create a constitution that will ultimately be approved by the people of the Virgin Islands. In order to achieve this goal, the work of the convention must be transparent, thus encouraging community input at every stage of the process. An informational and educational program that parallels the work of the delegates is essential for full public participation. Only an informed populace will overcome an apparent state of apathy. The people must be shown how existing laws affect their day-to-day life, and how a constitution is a tool to empower them to address their concerns.
Thus, the ultimate goal of adopting a constitution, written by the representatives of the people, must be to empower the people with a greater degree of self-governance. The Virgin Islands as a non self-governing entity under international law, and as an unincorporated territory by federal statues, has the inalienable right to create, and the responsibility to adopt, its own fundamental body of laws. While federal law establishes parameters for the delegates to consider, the act of adopting a local, basic body of laws is an initial and essential act of self-governance.
The ability to restructure the government, and make further adjustments when necessary, is essential to the growth of a community of people. It is imperative that the people have the power to exercise the responsibility of making adjustments to the fundamental law of the land. The ultimate authority of any community must reside with its people. Therefore, the power-to-the-people concepts of referendum, initiative, and recall must also be an integral part of the check-and-balance protections against the tyranny of non-responsive elected officials.
It is also important that our societal values be preserved and nurtured, so that the essence of the Virgin Islands society can be shared with future generations and the rest of humanity. This task is probably the most challenging. The diversity of cultures in our very transient society makes it difficult for many residents to feel comfortable, even in the presence of their neighbors. Until we agree on what make us a community, we will continue to be a disjointed society. We will lose those qualities of life that attracted so many from so far to our shores. Our fundamental body of law, our constitution, must provide a mechanism for the protection of those values, symbols, mores, and traditions that make us unique among the community of peoples. Our limited land mass must be protected and shared to provide the best quality of life for those who live here, and for generations to come. We must strive to coexist in a clean, safe-and-pleasant, nurturing environment that will be of benefit to all our people.
We can be beacons of hope for others in our world.
Biography: Rupert W. Ross, Jr. was born on August 7, 1942, in Frederiksted, St. Croix. He completed his elementary and junior high School education at the Frederiksted Public Grammar School and the Frederiksted Junior High School. At the age of thirteen, he enrolled in Colegio San Justo in Puerto Rico, where he completed high school. He then attended the University of Puerto Rico where he received his Bachelor's degree in mathematics. Later, he attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. where he earned his Master's degree in Education. He did post-graduate coursework at the New York University Extension Service in Puerto Rico.
His professional career began as an educator in 1963 at the Claude O. Markoe School, where he taught mathematics and spanish in both the regular and adult educational programs. He subsequently became an assistant principal, and then the principal of St. Croix Central High School for thirteen (13) years. He later moved on to the position of district director of labor relations and contract management, then he became the superintendent of schools for St. Croix, and later, the Virgin Islands assistant commissioner of education -the position from which he temporarily retired on December 31, 1994. He returned to public service for two years as St. Croix Administrator, the governor’s representative, and currently serves as an elected member of the Virgin Islands Board of Election Having climbed the educational ladder from teacher to assistant commissioner, Mr. Ross' responsibilities ranged from nurturing students to providing a healthy environment in which they could learn and grow. As a teacher, he provided valuable information so that the students, entrusted to him, could achieve their potential. As the principal of St. Croix Central High School, he provided leadership, commitment, and dedication in certifying students to function in society. More specifically, under his leadership, the gymnasium was constructed; the JROTC program was established, the secondary bilingual education program was funded; an Industrial Maintenance Cooperative program with the industrial establishment was implemented; double session was eliminated; and the school was re-accredited in 1983. As superintendent and assistant commissioner, one of his responsibilities was overseeing the planning and the construction of the St. Croix Educational Complex, a comprehensive high school and vocational technical institution.
In addition to education, Mr. Ross' community involvement spans over three decades. He was a member of the Frederiksted Jaycees and served as its president during the National bi-Centennial celebration in 1976; he was one of the organizers and officials of the St. Croix Sports Foundation, an after-school athletic program for boys and girls that developed character, good sportsmanship, leadership, and scholarship, opening the doors to college for many student-athletes in the early 1970's; he was chairman of the St. Croix Racing Commission, which was legally responsible for monitoring the reconstruction of the Dr. Randall "Doc" James Racetrack after a hurricane in 1989; he was vice-president of the Virgin Islands Basketball Federation, member of the former Urban Renewal Board, member of the Third Constitutional Convention of the Virgin Islands, president of the Fourth Constitutional Convention of the Virgin Islands, twice member of the Virgin Islands Status Commission, charter member of the board of directors of the former Opportunity Industrialization Center (a job-training program), former member of State Job Training Coordinating Council (SJ TCC), a charter member and former vice-president of the St. Croix Federation of Teachers, former member of the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Club of the Virgin Islands, and former vice-president of the Virgin Islands Baseball Federation.
Mr. Ross is currently active as a member of the Selective Service Appeals Board, chairman of the Frederiksted Economic Development Association (FEDA), an elected member of the St. Croix Board of Election, and District Governor Nominee for Rotary International, District 7020. Mr. Ross was inducted into Rotary in 1982 as a member of the Rotary Club of St. Croix West. During his twenty-four year tenure, he has served his club as a director, sergeant-at-arms, treasurer, secretary, first vice-president, and president. He has served his district as district governor group representativ
e, district conference chairman, district secretary, and assistant governor. He is a Paul Harris Fellow. He has attended fifteen district assemblies and conferences, numerous Rotary fellowships and four international conventions.
In spite of all the above, Mr. Ross' commitment to family and friends is ever present. He enjoys a great relationship and spends quality time with his immediate family, parents, siblings and friends. He believes in family values as the foundation for addressing the many woes of our community, and is convinced that our success will be based on how well we nurture a safe, healthy, and creative environment for all our children. He is married to Cheryl E. Seales for the past thirty-seven years. They have three children-Cheru Ann, Rupert Oliver, Edgar Tyrone, and three grandsons Nigel Daley, Jr., Rafael Denton, and Kamari Ross.
Rupert W. Ross, Jr., Delegate At-Large
772 – 0464 (H)
513 – 8784 (C)
ross48@usermail.com
