From converting the power plant to natural gas to letting private electricity generators compete with the Water and Power Authority, 10 St. Croix women running for the V.I. Legislature and Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen offered a plethora of policy suggestions at the "Women Empower" forum at the University of the Virgin Islands’ St. Croix campus Thursday.
Bill Kossler
From converting the power plant to natural gas to letting private electricity generators compete with the Water and Power Authority, 10 St. Croix women running for the V.I. Legislature and Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen offered a plethora of policy suggestions at the "Women Empower" forum at the University of the Virgin Islands’ St. Croix campus Thursday.
Education is key to everything from crime prevention to better jobs, all 11 women agreed.
UVI’s St. Croix Kappa Gamma student organization
hosted the forum with an aim to provide the university, human service advocates, community service organizations and the local community as a whole an opportunity to meet the women candidates and express concerns in regard to issues that affect women within our community.
Asked for a trend that concerns her, Judi Fricks-Buckley, who is running as an independent on St. Croix, said she became aware that teen pregnancy was a growing problem when she moved to St. Croix in the 1980s. Education, through schools, nonprofits and churches, would help with that, she said.
"I am one who believes education is the solution to many of our problems."
Fricks said education and assistance from groups focused on women help young women make their own decisions.
"So more young women know their own bodies and nobody else but them can decide what they will do but them," she said. "With education they can have a brighter future."
Radio host Jamila Russell said, "Before we bring in new jobs, we need to train our young individuals for the jobs that exist now.”
“That is why it’s important we have job training programs at UVI and in high school," she said.
Education would also help with crime, Russell said. "If we provide education and opportunity to them we will see crime drop. The cause of crime is the lack of hope and opportunities for our children" she said.
Sen. Nereida "Nellie" Rivera O’Reilly (independent) agreed, saying "with education, people have hope. They have a chance to really do something with themselves."
Sherryann Wiltshire, who is running as an independent, said, "The truth is we have no decent dropout prevention
programs in our schools. And we have prevent the dropouts."
Naomi Sandra Joseph, who is running for the Legislature for the Independent Citizens Movement Party, independent, said she wanted to take the guns out of young men’s hands and replace them with hammers, saws and other tools.
"Education and opportunity – that is the element we have to address," Joseph said.
"I have to agree with education," Christensen noted. "We also have to have good jobs for them to strive for," she said.
Crime and the social chaos created by contraband narcotics are serious problems too, she said. "Churches and community groups have to chip in and help the community raise our children."
Gwendolyn Brady, the sole Republican candidate on the stage Thursday, said she agreed with the delegate on education.
“And our churches and community groups must help our children feel they are somebody,” she said. “But they can’t do it without help. We need to do something to improve our education system."
Some candidates made some bold policy suggestions.
Carmen Cintron, a St. Croix physician running for the Legislature as an independent, said "I am willing to introduce legislation to allow girls in high school to get contraception without permission from their parents, because it is their future we must protect.”
Later, on the topic of crime, Cintron said, "We need to search every incoming vessel and get the guns off them."
Diane Capehart, a Democrat running for the Legislature, said she would work with developers to help with tax reform and with the Department of Planning and Natural Resources on the permit process.
Others trumpeted what they say they accomplished while in office.
"Your nursing program on the St. Croix campus was created by Chucky," said Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen, to loud, enthusiastic cheers from her fans in the audience. Hansen did not elaborate on how she created the program as a senator.
The candidates waxed poetic about their histories, resumes and passions, and touched on many more issues.
About a hundred St. Croix residents came to the forum, with many in the audience wearing T-shirts expressing support for one or another candidate. With each candidate getting a chance at every question, only a handful of questions were asked before the time ran out, leaving a few audience members frustrated at being unable to speak.
One man accused the forum organizers of "protecting all of them" and loudly stormed out.
Attorney Genevieve Whitaker moderated the first round of questions. Kappa Gamma Secretary Shanah Bannis did introductions. Miss UVI Ivory Carter read the Sojourner Truth speech, "Ain’t I a Woman?" UVI Dean of Students Miriam Osborne-Elliott and New Horizon Women’s Democratic Club served as panelists fielding questions from the audience and Kappa Gamma President Junior Garcia also spoke.
After a short closing statement from each candidate around 9:30 p.m. the candidates mingled with the audience members as everyone slowly moved towards their cars and home.
Editor’s Note: The story has been modified from its original posting by clarifying a quote from Joseph and to note that Joseph is a member of ICM.
