The organization of the next Legislature will be explained Wednesday in a press conference called by Almando "Rocky" Liburd, the body’s tentative president.
But before any official announcement is made, it appears the 24th Legislature will be an "us-against-them" affair, with six Democrats on one side and, essentially, nine independents on the other. And the weight of the majority bloc may just fall on St. Croix Democratic sophomore Sen. Norman Jn. Baptiste, the only donkey in the majority nine-pack.
Liburd’s press conference is set for 10 a.m. at Gertrude’s Restaurant on St. Croix. He is expected to discuss Senate assignments and explain one change already made: taking the important Rules Committee away from majority Sen. Adelbert Bryan, the group's choice for Senate vice president, and giving it to freshman Carlton Dowe.
What may change the way the Senate operates for the next two years is the return of veteran Democratic Sens. Lorraine Berry and Vargrave Richards, who weren’t assured seats in the Legislature until absentee ballots were counted over the weekend. Richards is president of the 23rd Legislature and Berry chairs the Finance Committee.
Unless they can entice fellow Democrat Baptiste and one other independent to their side, Richards and Berry will be part of the non-majority bloc along with party mates Douglas Canton, Emmett Hansen II and Sens. David Jones and Roosevelt David.
"I’m looking forward to sitting down with the Democrats," Richards said. "Whatever problems we have we can settle. It is incumbent upon us to work together."
That being said, the mantra coming from the territory's top Democrat, Gov. Charles Turnbull, to freshman St. Croix Sen.-elect Canton is one of cooperation. Last week, Turnbull pledged to work with the Senate no matter how it organizes. Richards repeated that sentiment Monday.
"I think the public is looking forward to a team approach and stop the quibbling…," he said.
On Wednesday, Liburd, a moderate from the Independent Citizens Movement, is expected to announce fellow ICMer Bryan as Senate vice president; Sen. Celestino White, an independent, as the leader of the 24th Legislature’s majority; Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, an independent, as chair of the Finance Committee; Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen, an independent, as Economic Development Committee chairwoman; Sen. Donald Cole, an independent, as chair of the Planning and Environmental Protection Committee; and Jn. Baptiste, a sophomore Democrat, as chair of the Education Committee for the second year.
Dowe, an independent, is expected to head the Rules Committee while freshmen Norma Samuel hasn’t been assigned a position in the majority.
