July 2, 2003 – The V.I. Water and Power Authority's customer service offices will be closed Thursday and Friday in observance of Emancipation Day and Independence Day.
St. Thomas and St. Croix offices will be open on Saturday, July 5, from 8 a.m. to noon.

Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

July 2, 2003 – The V.I. Water and Power Authority's customer service offices will be closed Thursday and Friday in observance of Emancipation Day and Independence Day.
St. Thomas and St. Croix offices will be open on Saturday, July 5, from 8 a.m. to noon.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

The following material is being published, unedited, exactly as it was received via e-mail from the office of the government official named, as a Source community service. Government office holders wishing to contribute to the FYI bulletin board must e-mail source@viaccess.net. The Source reserves the right to choose what is published.
SENATOR MALONE CALLS FOR REVIEW OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES
July 2, 2003 – Today, Senator Shawn-Michael Malone wrote Department of Public Works Commissioner Wayne D. Callwood to request that a cost evaluation be completed on government properties that are unoccupied and in disrepair.
Recently the Department of Property and Procurement issued a list of government owned properties suitable for repairs, describing five such locations on St. Thomas and thirteen on St. Croix. In reference to this list, Senator Malone made his request in an effort to reduce the amount of money the Virgin Islands Government spends on commercial rental space. While acknowledging the manpower difficulties facing the Department of Public Works, Senator Malone firmly maintained his position saying, "…this cost evaluation is of the utmost importance as it can positively affect the overall long-term fiscal health of the Territory. We cannot afford to continue the costly practice of renting space while government-owned property remains unoccupied and in a state of disrepair."
Senator Malone called for Commissioner Callwood's immediate attention to this important matter due to the current fiscal condition of the territory. Emphasizing his point Senator Malone stated, "No one can disagree that the need to minimize unnecessary expenditures, like the current practice of renting space while government property goes unused, remains as a major step in restoring good fiscal health to our government while promoting more efficiency in its operations," Malone concluded.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

The following material is being published, unedited, exactly as it was received via e-mail from the office of the government official named, as a Source community service. Government office holders wishing to contribute to the FYI bulletin board must e-mail source@viaccess.net. The Source reserves the right to choose what is published.
SENATOR MALONE CALLS FOR REVIEW OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES
July 2, 2003 – Today, Senator Shawn-Michael Malone wrote Department of Public Works Commissioner Wayne D. Callwood to request that a cost evaluation be completed on government properties that are unoccupied and in disrepair.
Recently the Department of Property and Procurement issued a list of government owned properties suitable for repairs, describing five such locations on St. Thomas and thirteen on St. Croix. In reference to this list, Senator Malone made his request in an effort to reduce the amount of money the Virgin Islands Government spends on commercial rental space. While acknowledging the manpower difficulties facing the Department of Public Works, Senator Malone firmly maintained his position saying, "…this cost evaluation is of the utmost importance as it can positively affect the overall long-term fiscal health of the Territory. We cannot afford to continue the costly practice of renting space while government-owned property remains unoccupied and in a state of disrepair."
Senator Malone called for Commissioner Callwood's immediate attention to this important matter due to the current fiscal condition of the territory. Emphasizing his point Senator Malone stated, "No one can disagree that the need to minimize unnecessary expenditures, like the current practice of renting space while government property goes unused, remains as a major step in restoring good fiscal health to our government while promoting more efficiency in its operations," Malone concluded.

Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

The following material is being published, unedited, exactly as it was received via e-mail from the office of the government official named, as a Source community service. Government office holders wishing to contribute to the FYI bulletin board must e-mail source@viaccess.net. The Source reserves the right to choose what is published.
SENATOR MALONE CALLS FOR REVIEW OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES
July 2, 2003 – Today, Senator Shawn-Michael Malone wrote Department of Public Works Commissioner Wayne D. Callwood to request that a cost evaluation be completed on government properties that are unoccupied and in disrepair.
Recently the Department of Property and Procurement issued a list of government owned properties suitable for repairs, describing five such locations on St. Thomas and thirteen on St. Croix. In reference to this list, Senator Malone made his request in an effort to reduce the amount of money the Virgin Islands Government spends on commercial rental space. While acknowledging the manpower difficulties facing the Department of Public Works, Senator Malone firmly maintained his position saying, "…this cost evaluation is of the utmost importance as it can positively affect the overall long-term fiscal health of the Territory. We cannot afford to continue the costly practice of renting space while government-owned property remains unoccupied and in a state of disrepair."
Senator Malone called for Commissioner Callwood's immediate attention to this important matter due to the current fiscal condition of the territory. Emphasizing his point Senator Malone stated, "No one can disagree that the need to minimize unnecessary expenditures, like the current practice of renting space while government property goes unused, remains as a major step in restoring good fiscal health to our government while promoting more efficiency in its operations," Malone concluded.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

July 3, 2003 — The internally torn Board of Education elected Harry Daniel as its permanent chair on Wednesday in a vote that was surprising only for the crossover of one member who had opposed the March vote that ousted Jorge Galiber from the chairmanship.
Daniel, who as vice chair became acting chair upon Galiber's removal, and fellow board members Terrence D. Joseph, Keith Richards, Linda Thomas and Yvonne Williams-Henry voted in favor of making Daniel permanent chair on Wednesday.
Recent board appointee Liston Davis and veteran members Galiber and Malik Sekou voted in opposition. Claudette Petersen, who sided with Joseph and Sekou in opposing Galiber's ouster in March at a meeting not attended by Galiber, missed Wednesday's meeting because of being off-island.
At the March meeting, the fifth board member voting to remove Galiber was Gerald E. Hodge Sr., who died unexpectedly in April. That left a pro-Daniel faction of four and a pro-Galiber faction also of four. Last month Davis, a former Education commissioner, filled the vacancy created by Hodge's death.
On Wednesday, Davis sided with the pro-Galiber faction, but Joseph switched to the pro-Daniel camp, thus assuring it a majority of five once again on the nine-member board.
"I feel uncomfortable having elections while this thing is up in the air," Davis said, referring to Galiber's lawsuit against the board over his ouster as chair.
Richards countered: "We should move on and continue to do the board's business. Let's move on. Let's have an election."
The board majority also elected Joseph as vice chair and Richards as secretary. This, too, was a coup of sorts, as Galiber, Joseph, Petersen and Sekou had voted at an April 30 meeting to make Joseph vice chair and Sekou secretary — a vote denounced as null and void by Daniel afterward because the four did not constitute a majority.
On March 13, five board members — Daniel, then-secretary Hodge, Richards, Thomas and Williams-Henry — voted to remove Galiber as chair. Petersen, Joseph and Sekou opposed the move. Galiber had sent notice that he could not attend the meeting because of a conflict. (See "School board splits over vote to oust chair".)
At that meeting, the board's legal counsel, Nandi Sekou, whose hiring Galiber had announced at a press conference a week earlier, said a two-thirds majority vote was necessary to "reorganize the board" — the purpose of the meeting, according to a release issued in advance of the session. That would have meant six votes. The five rejected her view.
Thomas said after that meeting that the reason the five wanted Galiber removed was that "on numerous occasions he has spoken for us, though the board has asked [him] time after time not to do so. He cannot speak for the whole board."
On April 30, Daniel called a special meeting of the board to deal with planned public hearings on its draft teacher certification document. At that meeting, Galiber, Joseph, Petersen and Malik Sekou moved to elect officers; the other three present — Daniel, Richards and Thomas — then walked out, leaving a non-majority. The four proceeded nonetheless to elect Joseph as vice chair and Sekou as secretary. To Daniel's objection later that the vote was taken without a quorum, Malik Sekou countered that the quorum had been established when the other three were present. (See "School board strife overshadows certification".)
Since March, the two factions have been mired in internal bickering, Galiber has sued the board, the board has hired a different lawyer to represent it in the case, and much of the board's business has been transacted in executive session, on several occasions at special meetings. Evadney Hodge, who sided with the majority, and Nandi Sekou have had squabbles that led to police twice being called to the Board of Education offices on St. Thomas, and in June the board suspended attorney Sekou.
Just hours before Wednesday's Board of Education meeting, board members were at the Legislature Building on St. Thomas for a hearing on board operations before the Senate Education and Youth Committee. Daniel, Richards and Evadney Hodge all sought to reassure the senators that despite internal differences, the board is carrying out its mandates. (See "Members: School board functional despite feuds.)
In response to Wednesday's election outcome at the school board meeting, Davis commented that Ray Charles could see that it had been pre-arranged.
However, much of the pre-arranged business on the agenda was not dealt with at the meeting, including approval of the minutes of three meetings held in June, committee reports, correspondence issues and a "complaint" lodged by Petersen. The board decided to postpone acting on Petersen's complaint because she was not present; the nature of the complaint was not made clear.
One of the board's more pressing issues is the federal No Child Left Behind Act. There are compliance issues to deal with, including teacher certification. No progress was made on this issue at the meeting.
The board did, however, set some business on the agenda in motion. The new executive committee is to review discussions that took place at a March 24 meeting on staff conflicts and board's relationship with its executive director and report back to the board on Aug. 2.
The executive committee also is to deal with the transition to a new executive director. Evadney Hodge's retirement, announced in mid-June, is to be effective Monday. With the date imminent and no search for a successor having begun, the board discussed the possibility of having Hodge stay on for a short time. She said she would consider doing so.
Richards suggested extending Hodge's tenure for 90 days and having her handle many tasks relating to the transition. The executive committee is to meet with Hodge to discuss the matter.
Thomas commented at one point, "There are so much ends to tie up."

Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

July 3, 2003 — The internally torn Board of Education elected Harry Daniel as its permanent chair on Wednesday in a vote that was surprising only for the crossover of one member who had opposed the March vote that ousted Jorge Galiber from the chairmanship.
Daniel, who as vice chair became acting chair upon Galiber's removal, and fellow board members Terrence D. Joseph, Keith Richards, Linda Thomas and Yvonne Williams-Henry voted in favor of making Daniel permanent chair on Wednesday.
Recent board appointee Liston Davis and veteran members Galiber and Malik Sekou voted in opposition. Claudette Petersen, who sided with Joseph and Sekou in opposing Galiber's ouster in March at a meeting not attended by Galiber, missed Wednesday's meeting because of being off-island.
At the March meeting, the fifth board member voting to remove Galiber was Gerald E. Hodge Sr., who died unexpectedly in April. That left a pro-Daniel faction of four and a pro-Galiber faction also of four. Last month Davis, a former Education commissioner, filled the vacancy created by Hodge's death.
On Wednesday, Davis sided with the pro-Galiber faction, but Joseph switched to the pro-Daniel camp, thus assuring it a majority of five once again on the nine-member board.
"I feel uncomfortable having elections while this thing is up in the air," Davis said, referring to Galiber's lawsuit against the board over his ouster as chair.
Richards countered: "We should move on and continue to do the board's business. Let's move on. Let's have an election."
The board majority also elected Joseph as vice chair and Richards as secretary. This, too, was a coup of sorts, as Galiber, Joseph, Petersen and Sekou had voted at an April 30 meeting to make Joseph vice chair and Sekou secretary — a vote denounced as null and void by Daniel afterward because the four did not constitute a majority.
On March 13, five board members — Daniel, then-secretary Hodge, Richards, Thomas and Williams-Henry — voted to remove Galiber as chair. Petersen, Joseph and Sekou opposed the move. Galiber had sent notice that he could not attend the meeting because of a conflict. (See "School board splits over vote to oust chair".)
At that meeting, the board's legal counsel, Nandi Sekou, whose hiring Galiber had announced at a press conference a week earlier, said a two-thirds majority vote was necessary to "reorganize the board" — the purpose of the meeting, according to a release issued in advance of the session. That would have meant six votes. The five rejected her view.
Thomas said after that meeting that the reason the five wanted Galiber removed was that "on numerous occasions he has spoken for us, though the board has asked [him] time after time not to do so. He cannot speak for the whole board."
On April 30, Daniel called a special meeting of the board to deal with planned public hearings on its draft teacher certification document. At that meeting, Galiber, Joseph, Petersen and Malik Sekou moved to elect officers; the other three present — Daniel, Richards and Thomas — then walked out, leaving a non-majority. The four proceeded nonetheless to elect Joseph as vice chair and Sekou as secretary. To Daniel's objection later that the vote was taken without a quorum, Malik Sekou countered that the quorum had been established when the other three were present. (See "School board strife overshadows certification".)
Since March, the two factions have been mired in internal bickering, Galiber has sued the board, the board has hired a different lawyer to represent it in the case, and much of the board's business has been transacted in executive session, on several occasions at special meetings. Evadney Hodge, who sided with the majority, and Nandi Sekou have had squabbles that led to police twice being called to the Board of Education offices on St. Thomas, and in June the board suspended attorney Sekou.
Just hours before Wednesday's Board of Education meeting, board members were at the Legislature Building on St. Thomas for a hearing on board operations before the Senate Education and Youth Committee. Daniel, Richards and Evadney Hodge all sought to reassure the senators that despite internal differences, the board is carrying out its mandates. (See "Members: School board functional despite feuds.)
In response to Wednesday's election outcome at the school board meeting, Davis commented that Ray Charles could see that it had been pre-arranged.
However, much of the pre-arranged business on the agenda was not dealt with at the meeting, including approval of the minutes of three meetings held in June, committee reports, correspondence issues and a "complaint" lodged by Petersen. The board decided to postpone acting on Petersen's complaint because she was not present; the nature of the complaint was not made clear.
One of the board's more pressing issues is the federal No Child Left Behind Act. There are compliance issues to deal with, including teacher certification. No progress was made on this issue at the meeting.
The board did, however, set some business on the agenda in motion. The new executive committee is to review discussions that took place at a March 24 meeting on staff conflicts and board's relationship with its executive director and report back to the board on Aug. 2.
The executive committee also is to deal with the transition to a new executive director. Evadney Hodge's retirement, announced in mid-June, is to be effective Monday. With the date imminent and no search for a successor having begun, the board discussed the possibility of having Hodge stay on for a short time. She said she would consider doing so.
Richards suggested extending Hodge's tenure for 90 days and having her handle many tasks relating to the transition. The executive committee is to meet with Hodge to discuss the matter.
Thomas commented at one point, "There are so much ends to tie up."

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

July 2, 2003 – Under an agreement reached Tuesday between the government and the United Steelworkers union, most Finance Department employees in the St. Thomas-St. John district will receive new job classifications and, as a result, salary increases.
According to Karen Andrews, the administration's chief negotiator, the agreement came at the end of a months-long review at Finance, where the work force has been reduced by 156 jobs since 1999. She said the review was prompted by the Personnel Division, which is in the process of automating its overall human relations system. (See the May 2002 report "Notorious NOPA's entering the electronic era").
"Once the process is completed, it goes to the Division of Personnel," Andrews said on Wednesday. "It's a recommendation until the director of Personnel signs off, authorizing the completion of the process. We then determine the appropriate grade and salary."
She added that "as it relates to salary, because most of the employees are unionized, the Office of Collective Bargaining must be a part of the process as well."
At the end of the review, a stipulation is reached which must be signed by the Personnel director, the chief negotiator, the union representative and the employee.
Andrews said the money to fund the raises was set aside by Finance Commissioner Bernice Turnbull as part of her department's allocation for Fiscal Year 2003.
Agreements similar to the one reached on Tuesday with the rank and file employees on St. Thomas must now be worked out with their counterparts on St. Croix and with Finance Department supervisors.
Employees of the Internal Revenue Bureau and of the Personnel Division itself have also been the subject of what Personnel calls "desk audits," which entail filling out a five-page document detailing their job responsibilities.
Almost all of the 120 Finance Department employees on St. Thomas received job reclassifications and salary increases at the end of the process, Andrews said. In almost every case, she said, it was found that workers had taken on additional responsibilities each time the department's work force was trimmed.
"This is a review of your duties and responsibility to make sure that what you're actually doing is in concert with what your job description says you are doing," Andrews said.
She said it was important to work on central service agencies first, because Personnel, the IRB and Finance provide services to other government agencies, as well as to the public. The Planning and Natural Resources Department and the Human Services Department are being considered as the next candidates for review.
The upgrades at Finance come at a time when Ira Mills, director of the Office of Management and Budget, is warning that government workers may be laid off in the fourth quarter of this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, unless government revenues rise.
Andrews said Mills may be right, but the forecast may change if the 25th Legislature approves the pending portion of Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's fiscal recovery plan that calls for borrowing another $235 million on the bond market. Government House officials have said that a part of the money would go for operating expenses.
(The bill as submitted to the Legislature specifies that up to $100 million would go to finance the government's working capital obligations, up to $20 million would finance private economic development initiatives on St. Croix, up to $10 million would be for a guaranty reserve fund to provide credit enhancement for financing the Carifest theme park on St. Thomas, and up to $80 million would go to finance the construction of a 250-room hotel on St. Croix.)
If the financial situation remains as it is today, Andrews said, the Office of Collective Bargaining will be on hand to help downsize the government work force. "When and if it becomes necessary — which we hope it does not … and we trust the Legislature will do what is necessary to avoid it — but if it becomes necessary, most definitely," she said. "Our work force is 94 percent unionized, and the Office of Collective Bargaining will have a pivotal role."

Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

July 2, 2003 – Under an agreement reached Tuesday between the government and the United Steelworkers union, most Finance Department employees in the St. Thomas-St. John district will receive new job classifications and, as a result, salary increases.
According to Karen Andrews, the administration's chief negotiator, the agreement came at the end of a months-long review at Finance, where the work force has been reduced by 156 jobs since 1999. She said the review was prompted by the Personnel Division, which is in the process of automating its overall human relations system. (See the May 2002 report "Notorious NOPA's entering the electronic era").
"Once the process is completed, it goes to the Division of Personnel," Andrews said on Wednesday. "It's a recommendation until the director of Personnel signs off, authorizing the completion of the process. We then determine the appropriate grade and salary."
She added that "as it relates to salary, because most of the employees are unionized, the Office of Collective Bargaining must be a part of the process as well."
At the end of the review, a stipulation is reached which must be signed by the Personnel director, the chief negotiator, the union representative and the employee.
Andrews said the money to fund the raises was set aside by Finance Commissioner Bernice Turnbull as part of her department's allocation for Fiscal Year 2003.
Agreements similar to the one reached on Tuesday with the rank and file employees on St. Thomas must now be worked out with their counterparts on St. Croix and with Finance Department supervisors.
Employees of the Internal Revenue Bureau and of the Personnel Division itself have also been the subject of what Personnel calls "desk audits," which entail filling out a five-page document detailing their job responsibilities.
Almost all of the 120 Finance Department employees on St. Thomas received job reclassifications and salary increases at the end of the process, Andrews said. In almost every case, she said, it was found that workers had taken on additional responsibilities each time the department's work force was trimmed.
"This is a review of your duties and responsibility to make sure that what you're actually doing is in concert with what your job description says you are doing," Andrews said.
She said it was important to work on central service agencies first, because Personnel, the IRB and Finance provide services to other government agencies, as well as to the public. The Planning and Natural Resources Department and the Human Services Department are being considered as the next candidates for review.
The upgrades at Finance come at a time when Ira Mills, director of the Office of Management and Budget, is warning that government workers may be laid off in the fourth quarter of this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, unless government revenues rise.
Andrews said Mills may be right, but the forecast may change if the 25th Legislature approves the pending portion of Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's fiscal recovery plan that calls for borrowing another $235 million on the bond market. Government House officials have said that a part of the money would go for operating expenses.
(The bill as submitted to the Legislature specifies that up to $100 million would go to finance the government's working capital obligations, up to $20 million would finance private economic development initiatives on St. Croix, up to $10 million would be for a guaranty reserve fund to provide credit enhancement for financing the Carifest theme park on St. Thomas, and up to $80 million would go to finance the construction of a 250-room hotel on St. Croix.)
If the financial situation remains as it is today, Andrews said, the Office of Collective Bargaining will be on hand to help downsize the government work force. "When and if it becomes necessary — which we hope it does not … and we trust the Legislature will do what is necessary to avoid it — but if it becomes necessary, most definitely," she said. "Our work force is 94 percent unionized, and the Office of Collective Bargaining will have a pivotal role."

Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

July 2, 2003 – Under an agreement reached Tuesday between the government and the United Steelworkers union, most Finance Department employees in the St. Thomas-St. John district will receive new job classifications and, as a result, salary increases.
According to Karen Andrews, the administration's chief negotiator, the agreement came at the end of a months-long review at Finance, where the work force has been reduced by 156 jobs since 1999. She said the review was prompted by the Personnel Division, which is in the process of automating its overall human relations system. (See the May 2002 report "Notorious NOPA's entering the electronic era").
"Once the process is completed, it goes to the Division of Personnel," Andrews said on Wednesday. "It's a recommendation until the director of Personnel signs off, authorizing the completion of the process. We then determine the appropriate grade and salary."
She added that "as it relates to salary, because most of the employees are unionized, the Office of Collective Bargaining must be a part of the process as well."
At the end of the review, a stipulation is reached which must be signed by the Personnel director, the chief negotiator, the union representative and the employee.
Andrews said the money to fund the raises was set aside by Finance Commissioner Bernice Turnbull as part of her department's allocation for Fiscal Year 2003.
Agreements similar to the one reached on Tuesday with the rank and file employees on St. Thomas must now be worked out with their counterparts on St. Croix and with Finance Department supervisors.
Employees of the Internal Revenue Bureau and of the Personnel Division itself have also been the subject of what Personnel calls "desk audits," which entail filling out a five-page document detailing their job responsibilities.
Almost all of the 120 Finance Department employees on St. Thomas received job reclassifications and salary increases at the end of the process, Andrews said. In almost every case, she said, it was found that workers had taken on additional responsibilities each time the department's work force was trimmed.
"This is a review of your duties and responsibility to make sure that what you're actually doing is in concert with what your job description says you are doing," Andrews said.
She said it was important to work on central service agencies first, because Personnel, the IRB and Finance provide services to other government agencies, as well as to the public. The Planning and Natural Resources Department and the Human Services Department are being considered as the next candidates for review.
The upgrades at Finance come at a time when Ira Mills, director of the Office of Management and Budget, is warning that government workers may be laid off in the fourth quarter of this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, unless government revenues rise.
Andrews said Mills may be right, but the forecast may change if the 25th Legislature approves the pending portion of Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's fiscal recovery plan that calls for borrowing another $235 million on the bond market. Government House officials have said that a part of the money would go for operating expenses.
(The bill as submitted to the Legislature specifies that up to $100 million would go to finance the government's working capital obligations, up to $20 million would finance private economic development initiatives on St. Croix, up to $10 million would be for a guaranty reserve fund to provide credit enhancement for financing the Carifest theme park on St. Thomas, and up to $80 million would go to finance the construction of a 250-room hotel on St. Croix.)
If the financial situation remains as it is today, Andrews said, the Office of Collective Bargaining will be on hand to help downsize the government work force. "When and if it becomes necessary — which we hope it does not … and we trust the Legislature will do what is necessary to avoid it — but if it becomes necessary, most definitely," she said. "Our work force is 94 percent unionized, and the Office of Collective Bargaining will have a pivotal role."

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.