Nov. 27, 2002 – In the wake of the landslide re-election of Gov. Charles W. Turnbull this month, two St. Croix residents are questioning election procedures and requesting an investigation into the integrity of the voting tabulations overall, alleging that the results might have been rigged.
Hope Gibson, an unsuccessful senatorial candidate, and Juliete Liburd, president of the Crucian Coalition, a grass-roots political organization, sent a 12-page "inquiry" to Supervisor of Elections John Abramson and the territory's two district Boards of Elections last week.
In the document, the women make the argument that the election results drastically contradict the pre-election environment — marred by reports of government corruption and economic problems — and "clearly represented a completely different set of voter expectations."
"More specifically, the majority of incumbents blamed by their constituents for their unfortunate plight were not predictably removed" [by the voters], the document said.
It went on to say that incumbent and "like-minded" individuals were re-elected, "in spite of the overwhelming and long-standing public dissatisfaction, frustration and suspicion surrounding their official pre-election performance, personal conduct and network of associations."
The women charge that it is possible that the vote outcomes may have been arranged, because public officials' "desire for personal gain prohibits them from leaving election outcomes up to chance."
The "inquiry" includes a list of more than 100 questions about the election process and procedures that are directed to Abramson and the Boards of Elections. Gibson said copies of the document were delivered last week to the Election System office on St. Croix for distribution to the board members and Abramson. As of Monday afternoon, she said, "I've heard absolutely nothing" in response. She said that "several board members were unaware that the inquiry was left for them. We've gotten no response; we're getting stonewalled."
Gibson said she wants to see an investigation of the election, but "it appears we're not going to get a response." She added, "This is not going to go away. I cannot talk about future steps we'll be taking on it."
In their document, Gibson and Liburd asked that the election results not be certified until an inquiry is conducted into the alleged irregularities. The two Boards of Elections have five days after the tabulation of absentee ballots to certify the election results. For the Nov. 5 general election, that deadline came and went on Friday without certification being announced.
According to a Friday evening radio news report, at least one St. Thomas-St. John Board of Elections member is refusing to approve certification of the results, because of questions regarding their validity.
Abramson, reported to be on vacation, could not be reached for comment. But Attorney General Iver Stridiron said even if certification is held up, the election results will not change.
"Certification is really, at that juncture, a ministerial function or a formality," Stridiron said. Failure to certify, he said, "is not fatal to the election process, although it's not recommended."
Stridiron said he intends to investigate the matter "post haste."
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.
2 ST. CROIX RESIDENTS SEEK ELECTION INVESTIGATION
Nov. 27, 2002 – In the wake of the landslide re-election of Gov. Charles W. Turnbull this month, two St. Croix residents are questioning election procedures and requesting an investigation into the integrity of the voting tabulations overall, alleging that the results might have been rigged.
Hope Gibson, an unsuccessful senatorial candidate, and Juliete Liburd, president of the Crucian Coalition, a grass-roots political organization, sent a 12-page "inquiry" to Supervisor of Elections John Abramson and the territory's two district Boards of Elections last week.
In the document, the women make the argument that the election results drastically contradict the pre-election environment — marred by reports of government corruption and economic problems — and "clearly represented a completely different set of voter expectations."
"More specifically, the majority of incumbents blamed by their constituents for their unfortunate plight were not predictably removed" [by the voters], the document said.
It went on to say that incumbent and "like-minded" individuals were re-elected, "in spite of the overwhelming and long-standing public dissatisfaction, frustration and suspicion surrounding their official pre-election performance, personal conduct and network of associations."
The women charge that it is possible that the vote outcomes may have been arranged, because public officials' "desire for personal gain prohibits them from leaving election outcomes up to chance."
The "inquiry" includes a list of more than 100 questions about the election process and procedures that are directed to Abramson and the Boards of Elections. Gibson said copies of the document were delivered last week to the Election System office on St. Croix for distribution to the board members and Abramson. As of Monday afternoon, she said, "I've heard absolutely nothing" in response. She said that "several board members were unaware that the inquiry was left for them. We've gotten no response; we're getting stonewalled."
Gibson said she wants to see an investigation of the election, but "it appears we're not going to get a response." She added, "This is not going to go away. I cannot talk about future steps we'll be taking on it."
In their document, Gibson and Liburd asked that the election results not be certified until an inquiry is conducted into the alleged irregularities. The two Boards of Elections have five days after the tabulation of absentee ballots to certify the election results. For the Nov. 5 general election, that deadline came and went on Friday without certification being announced.
According to a Friday evening radio news report, at least one St. Thomas-St. John Board of Elections member is refusing to approve certification of the results, because of questions regarding their validity.
Abramson, reported to be on vacation, could not be reached for comment. But Attorney General Iver Stridiron said even if certification is held up, the election results will not change.
"Certification is really, at that juncture, a ministerial function or a formality," Stridiron said. Failure to certify, he said, "is not fatal to the election process, although it's not recommended."
Stridiron said he intends to investigate the matter "post haste."
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.
Hope Gibson, an unsuccessful senatorial candidate, and Juliete Liburd, president of the Crucian Coalition, a grass-roots political organization, sent a 12-page "inquiry" to Supervisor of Elections John Abramson and the territory's two district Boards of Elections last week.
In the document, the women make the argument that the election results drastically contradict the pre-election environment — marred by reports of government corruption and economic problems — and "clearly represented a completely different set of voter expectations."
"More specifically, the majority of incumbents blamed by their constituents for their unfortunate plight were not predictably removed" [by the voters], the document said.
It went on to say that incumbent and "like-minded" individuals were re-elected, "in spite of the overwhelming and long-standing public dissatisfaction, frustration and suspicion surrounding their official pre-election performance, personal conduct and network of associations."
The women charge that it is possible that the vote outcomes may have been arranged, because public officials' "desire for personal gain prohibits them from leaving election outcomes up to chance."
The "inquiry" includes a list of more than 100 questions about the election process and procedures that are directed to Abramson and the Boards of Elections. Gibson said copies of the document were delivered last week to the Election System office on St. Croix for distribution to the board members and Abramson. As of Monday afternoon, she said, "I've heard absolutely nothing" in response. She said that "several board members were unaware that the inquiry was left for them. We've gotten no response; we're getting stonewalled."
Gibson said she wants to see an investigation of the election, but "it appears we're not going to get a response." She added, "This is not going to go away. I cannot talk about future steps we'll be taking on it."
In their document, Gibson and Liburd asked that the election results not be certified until an inquiry is conducted into the alleged irregularities. The two Boards of Elections have five days after the tabulation of absentee ballots to certify the election results. For the Nov. 5 general election, that deadline came and went on Friday without certification being announced.
According to a Friday evening radio news report, at least one St. Thomas-St. John Board of Elections member is refusing to approve certification of the results, because of questions regarding their validity.
Abramson, reported to be on vacation, could not be reached for comment. But Attorney General Iver Stridiron said even if certification is held up, the election results will not change.
"Certification is really, at that juncture, a ministerial function or a formality," Stridiron said. Failure to certify, he said, "is not fatal to the election process, although it's not recommended."
Stridiron said he intends to investigate the matter "post haste."
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.
DUKE'S TROPHY RACE SETS SAIL
The St. John Yacht Club will hold its annual Duke's Trophy Race on Dec. 8. The monohull with the fastest elapsed time gets the honor of claiming the perpetual Duke's Race trophy.
The skippers meeting and pre-race party begins at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at Rumbalya Restaurant, located on the beach at Wharfside Village.
The race begins at 10 a.m. Dec. 8 at Two Brothers, located in Pillsbury Sound. The race takes place around the Pillsbury Sound Cays and finishes at Two Brothers.
A post-race party will follow at Rumbalya. The yacht club will provide launch service from boats to Cruz Bay beach.
Lee Morris, who serves as the yacht club's rear commodore, said that if anyone wants to participate but doesn't have a boat or a crew spot, they should attend the skippers meeting. Captains will be on hand to look for crews. "Just ask around," she said.
The entry fee is $30. If you, or your yacht club, are a member of a national yacht racing organization, the fee is $25.
For race instructions, entry forms and other information, call Morris at 776-6666.
The skippers meeting and pre-race party begins at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at Rumbalya Restaurant, located on the beach at Wharfside Village.
The race begins at 10 a.m. Dec. 8 at Two Brothers, located in Pillsbury Sound. The race takes place around the Pillsbury Sound Cays and finishes at Two Brothers.
A post-race party will follow at Rumbalya. The yacht club will provide launch service from boats to Cruz Bay beach.
Lee Morris, who serves as the yacht club's rear commodore, said that if anyone wants to participate but doesn't have a boat or a crew spot, they should attend the skippers meeting. Captains will be on hand to look for crews. "Just ask around," she said.
The entry fee is $30. If you, or your yacht club, are a member of a national yacht racing organization, the fee is $25.
For race instructions, entry forms and other information, call Morris at 776-6666.
HAVENSIGHT, PORT OF SALE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING
Join friends and family for an evening of old fashioned Christmas fun at the Havensight and Port of Sale malls when they host the annual Christmas tree lighting.
The program begins at 5:30 p.m. with a performance by the VIRCD Signatures and Spirits at the end of Building 2. The official tree lighting ceremony follows at 6 p.m., when Santa will arrive to distribute gifts to the first 600 children.
Entertainment will be provided by Cool Sessions, Imaginations, Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights, Mocko Jumbie Jamboree and the steel bands from Antilles, Bertha C. Boschulte and Charlotte Amalie schools.
Local foods and crafts will be on hand, and door prizes will be given away as island guests and residents do some Christmas shopping. The fun continues until 9 p.m.
The program begins at 5:30 p.m. with a performance by the VIRCD Signatures and Spirits at the end of Building 2. The official tree lighting ceremony follows at 6 p.m., when Santa will arrive to distribute gifts to the first 600 children.
Entertainment will be provided by Cool Sessions, Imaginations, Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights, Mocko Jumbie Jamboree and the steel bands from Antilles, Bertha C. Boschulte and Charlotte Amalie schools.
Local foods and crafts will be on hand, and door prizes will be given away as island guests and residents do some Christmas shopping. The fun continues until 9 p.m.
DUKE'S TROPHY RACE SETS SAIL DECEMBER 8
Nov. 26, 2002 – The St. John Yacht Club will hold its annual Duke's Trophy Race on Dec. 8. The monohull with the fastest elapsed time gets the honor of claiming the perpetual Duke's Race trophy.
However, the captain has to return the trophy to the yacht club so it can be used next year, according to Lee Morris, who serves as the yacht club's rear commodore.
Morris said the club has located the sterling silver perpetual trophy that dates to the race's earliest days.
The race is named after Duke Ellington – not the famous musician but the man who opened up the first Ellington's Bar where Gallows Point Resort now sits. When Ellington's Restaurant recently changed hands to Zozo's, the Ellington's owners packed up the trophy.
"It sat on the bar for years," Morris said. She said it took her hours to polish it up. They discovered it when they unpacked the boxes to have a yard sale, she said.
The skippers meeting and pre-race party begins at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at Rumbalya Restaurant, located on the beach at Wharfside Village.
The race begins at 10 a.m. Dec. 8 at Two Brothers, located in Pillsbury Sound. The race takes place around the Pillsbury Sound Cays and finishes at Two Brothers.
A post-race party will follow at Rumbalya. The yacht club will provide launch service from boats to Cruz Bay beach.
Morris said that if anyone wants to participate but doesn't have a boat or a crew spot, they should attend the skippers meeting. Captains will be on hand to look for crews. "Just ask around," she said.
The entry fee is $30. If you, or your yacht club, are a member of a national yacht racing organization, the fee is $25.
For race instructions, entry forms and other information, call Morris at 776-6666.
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.
However, the captain has to return the trophy to the yacht club so it can be used next year, according to Lee Morris, who serves as the yacht club's rear commodore.
Morris said the club has located the sterling silver perpetual trophy that dates to the race's earliest days.
The race is named after Duke Ellington – not the famous musician but the man who opened up the first Ellington's Bar where Gallows Point Resort now sits. When Ellington's Restaurant recently changed hands to Zozo's, the Ellington's owners packed up the trophy.
"It sat on the bar for years," Morris said. She said it took her hours to polish it up. They discovered it when they unpacked the boxes to have a yard sale, she said.
The skippers meeting and pre-race party begins at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at Rumbalya Restaurant, located on the beach at Wharfside Village.
The race begins at 10 a.m. Dec. 8 at Two Brothers, located in Pillsbury Sound. The race takes place around the Pillsbury Sound Cays and finishes at Two Brothers.
A post-race party will follow at Rumbalya. The yacht club will provide launch service from boats to Cruz Bay beach.
Morris said that if anyone wants to participate but doesn't have a boat or a crew spot, they should attend the skippers meeting. Captains will be on hand to look for crews. "Just ask around," she said.
The entry fee is $30. If you, or your yacht club, are a member of a national yacht racing organization, the fee is $25.
For race instructions, entry forms and other information, call Morris at 776-6666.
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.
NOVEMBER 2002 BRAINSTORM
I have recently returned from the States, where I saw and heard some things that sparked creative ideas that you might find helpful, too. Here we go:
Ten, nine, eight, seven…
In Las Vegas, they are testing pedestrian street lights that tell you how much time you have left to cross the road. When the green man comes on, so does an electronic countdown of how many seconds are left before the light turns red.
Idea: If you are working toward a goal that is some ways off, it might be useful to make some countdown signs for yourself, to help you keep track of where you should be in the process. This could be the number of weeks, days, or even hours left before your deadline.
Writing rights
Silicon Valley employs a lot of young temporary workers. Raj Jayadev, 27, was fired for trying to rally them against unsafe conditions and salaries without benefits. So he rounded up a collective to do the writing and artwork for a publication he called The Silicon Valley De-Bug: The Voice of the Young and Temporary Worker. As well as being entertaining, it educates temp workers as to their rights.
Idea: Is there an interest group in the field you work in that does not have a publication? If so, why not start one, or maybe just do a one-off? It could be used to educate, to entertain or even just to raise your profile in the arena within which you work.
Space and mood
A huge new night club called Ivar recently opened in Hollywood. But instead of being one big space, it is modular, with a loft-style dance hall, a blue-glass chill-out area, and a sexy orange room for intimate secluded conversations. There's a space to fit every mood.
Idea: Have you established areas in your home or working environment that match the different moods of your working and personal life? You do not necessarily need different rooms for different moods. For example, you might put a small tabletop fountain and some plants in one corner of your office, and sit in that area when you want to chill out or carefully consider your next course of action. In another corner you might have bright colors and posters that you frequently change, to stimulate you when you are brainstorming.
Behind the mask
A couple of welders in Long Beach, California, found their standard black helmets too boring. They decided to decorate them. Others saw them, wanted them, and thus a business was born five years ago: Hoodlum Welding. They have now sold thousands of the helmets that look like bulldogs, tigers, gorillas, even a burning skull. (You can check the wares out at their Hoodlum Welding Web site.
Idea: What is the most boring item that you use in your line of work every day? Is there a way to jazz it up, either just to make it more fun for yourself, or as the start of a business?
Create your travel experience
This item is not actually about America; I just happened to find out about it while there. Travelers at Gardermoen Airport, 30 miles outside of Oslo, can experience Sound Showers that bathe them in the sounds of the sea, nightingales, a baby or even voices whispering positive messages in English and Norwegian. The sound showers consist of a pole with a speaker at the top, with a dish facing down to direct the sound. The goal is to provide sound refreshment to weary or lonely travelers.
Idea: If, like me, you travel quite a bit and are finding it increasingly stressful, consider making up a tape or CD to take along so you can listen to the sounds you find most restful. (Another track could contain the sounds you find most energizing.)
A quote to think about
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind do not matter, and those who matter do not mind." — Dr. Seuss
A great Christmas present idea: the Power Trances CD by Jurgen Wolff can help your friends and colleagues relax, generate ideas and transform the inner critic. For information about content and ordering, e-mail Brainstorm. We can send the CD anywhere, with a gift card in your name.
Our Web site is BrainstormNet. You might also enjoy my book "Do Something Different," available from Amazon.com.
Contents copyright 2002, Jurgen Wolff
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.
Ten, nine, eight, seven…
In Las Vegas, they are testing pedestrian street lights that tell you how much time you have left to cross the road. When the green man comes on, so does an electronic countdown of how many seconds are left before the light turns red.
Idea: If you are working toward a goal that is some ways off, it might be useful to make some countdown signs for yourself, to help you keep track of where you should be in the process. This could be the number of weeks, days, or even hours left before your deadline.
Writing rights
Silicon Valley employs a lot of young temporary workers. Raj Jayadev, 27, was fired for trying to rally them against unsafe conditions and salaries without benefits. So he rounded up a collective to do the writing and artwork for a publication he called The Silicon Valley De-Bug: The Voice of the Young and Temporary Worker. As well as being entertaining, it educates temp workers as to their rights.
Idea: Is there an interest group in the field you work in that does not have a publication? If so, why not start one, or maybe just do a one-off? It could be used to educate, to entertain or even just to raise your profile in the arena within which you work.
Space and mood
A huge new night club called Ivar recently opened in Hollywood. But instead of being one big space, it is modular, with a loft-style dance hall, a blue-glass chill-out area, and a sexy orange room for intimate secluded conversations. There's a space to fit every mood.
Idea: Have you established areas in your home or working environment that match the different moods of your working and personal life? You do not necessarily need different rooms for different moods. For example, you might put a small tabletop fountain and some plants in one corner of your office, and sit in that area when you want to chill out or carefully consider your next course of action. In another corner you might have bright colors and posters that you frequently change, to stimulate you when you are brainstorming.
Behind the mask
A couple of welders in Long Beach, California, found their standard black helmets too boring. They decided to decorate them. Others saw them, wanted them, and thus a business was born five years ago: Hoodlum Welding. They have now sold thousands of the helmets that look like bulldogs, tigers, gorillas, even a burning skull. (You can check the wares out at their Hoodlum Welding Web site.
Idea: What is the most boring item that you use in your line of work every day? Is there a way to jazz it up, either just to make it more fun for yourself, or as the start of a business?
Create your travel experience
This item is not actually about America; I just happened to find out about it while there. Travelers at Gardermoen Airport, 30 miles outside of Oslo, can experience Sound Showers that bathe them in the sounds of the sea, nightingales, a baby or even voices whispering positive messages in English and Norwegian. The sound showers consist of a pole with a speaker at the top, with a dish facing down to direct the sound. The goal is to provide sound refreshment to weary or lonely travelers.
Idea: If, like me, you travel quite a bit and are finding it increasingly stressful, consider making up a tape or CD to take along so you can listen to the sounds you find most restful. (Another track could contain the sounds you find most energizing.)
A quote to think about
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind do not matter, and those who matter do not mind." — Dr. Seuss
A great Christmas present idea: the Power Trances CD by Jurgen Wolff can help your friends and colleagues relax, generate ideas and transform the inner critic. For information about content and ordering, e-mail Brainstorm. We can send the CD anywhere, with a gift card in your name.
Our Web site is BrainstormNet. You might also enjoy my book "Do Something Different," available from Amazon.com.
Contents copyright 2002, Jurgen Wolff
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.
NOVEMBER 2002 BRAINSTORM
I have recently returned from the States, where I saw and heard some things that sparked creative ideas that you might find helpful, too. Here we go:
Ten, nine, eight, seven…
In Las Vegas, they are testing pedestrian street lights that tell you how much time you have left to cross the road. When the green man comes on, so does an electronic countdown of how many seconds are left before the light turns red.
Idea: If you are working toward a goal that is some ways off, it might be useful to make some countdown signs for yourself, to help you keep track of where you should be in the process. This could be the number of weeks, days, or even hours left before your deadline.
Writing rights
Silicon Valley employs a lot of young temporary workers. Raj Jayadev, 27, was fired for trying to rally them against unsafe conditions and salaries without benefits. So he rounded up a collective to do the writing and artwork for a publication he called The Silicon Valley De-Bug: The Voice of the Young and Temporary Worker. As well as being entertaining, it educates temp workers as to their rights.
Idea: Is there an interest group in the field you work in that does not have a publication? If so, why not start one, or maybe just do a one-off? It could be used to educate, to entertain or even just to raise your profile in the arena within which you work.
Space and mood
A huge new night club called Ivar recently opened in Hollywood. But instead of being one big space, it is modular, with a loft-style dance hall, a blue-glass chill-out area, and a sexy orange room for intimate secluded conversations. There's a space to fit every mood.
Idea: Have you established areas in your home or working environment that match the different moods of your working and personal life? You do not necessarily need different rooms for different moods. For example, you might put a small tabletop fountain and some plants in one corner of your office, and sit in that area when you want to chill out or carefully consider your next course of action. In another corner you might have bright colors and posters that you frequently change, to stimulate you when you are brainstorming.
Behind the mask
A couple of welders in Long Beach, California, found their standard black helmets too boring. They decided to decorate them. Others saw them, wanted them, and thus a business was born five years ago: Hoodlum Welding. They have now sold thousands of the helmets that look like bulldogs, tigers, gorillas, even a burning skull. (You can check the wares out at their Hoodlum Welding Web site.
Idea: What is the most boring item that you use in your line of work every day? Is there a way to jazz it up, either just to make it more fun for yourself, or as the start of a business?
Create your travel experience
This item is not actually about America; I just happened to find out about it while there. Travelers at Gardermoen Airport, 30 miles outside of Oslo, can experience Sound Showers that bathe them in the sounds of the sea, nightingales, a baby or even voices whispering positive messages in English and Norwegian. The sound showers consist of a pole with a speaker at the top, with a dish facing down to direct the sound. The goal is to provide sound refreshment to weary or lonely travelers.
Idea: If, like me, you travel quite a bit and are finding it increasingly stressful, consider making up a tape or CD to take along so you can listen to the sounds you find most restful. (Another track could contain the sounds you find most energizing.)
A quote to think about
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind do not matter, and those who matter do not mind." — Dr. Seuss
A great Christmas present idea: the Power Trances CD by Jurgen Wolff can help your friends and colleagues relax, generate ideas and transform the inner critic. For information about content and ordering, e-mail Brainstorm. We can send the CD anywhere, with a gift card in your name.
Our Web site is BrainstormNet. You might also enjoy my book "Do Something Different," available from Amazon.com.
Contents copyright 2002, Jurgen Wolff
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.
Ten, nine, eight, seven…
In Las Vegas, they are testing pedestrian street lights that tell you how much time you have left to cross the road. When the green man comes on, so does an electronic countdown of how many seconds are left before the light turns red.
Idea: If you are working toward a goal that is some ways off, it might be useful to make some countdown signs for yourself, to help you keep track of where you should be in the process. This could be the number of weeks, days, or even hours left before your deadline.
Writing rights
Silicon Valley employs a lot of young temporary workers. Raj Jayadev, 27, was fired for trying to rally them against unsafe conditions and salaries without benefits. So he rounded up a collective to do the writing and artwork for a publication he called The Silicon Valley De-Bug: The Voice of the Young and Temporary Worker. As well as being entertaining, it educates temp workers as to their rights.
Idea: Is there an interest group in the field you work in that does not have a publication? If so, why not start one, or maybe just do a one-off? It could be used to educate, to entertain or even just to raise your profile in the arena within which you work.
Space and mood
A huge new night club called Ivar recently opened in Hollywood. But instead of being one big space, it is modular, with a loft-style dance hall, a blue-glass chill-out area, and a sexy orange room for intimate secluded conversations. There's a space to fit every mood.
Idea: Have you established areas in your home or working environment that match the different moods of your working and personal life? You do not necessarily need different rooms for different moods. For example, you might put a small tabletop fountain and some plants in one corner of your office, and sit in that area when you want to chill out or carefully consider your next course of action. In another corner you might have bright colors and posters that you frequently change, to stimulate you when you are brainstorming.
Behind the mask
A couple of welders in Long Beach, California, found their standard black helmets too boring. They decided to decorate them. Others saw them, wanted them, and thus a business was born five years ago: Hoodlum Welding. They have now sold thousands of the helmets that look like bulldogs, tigers, gorillas, even a burning skull. (You can check the wares out at their Hoodlum Welding Web site.
Idea: What is the most boring item that you use in your line of work every day? Is there a way to jazz it up, either just to make it more fun for yourself, or as the start of a business?
Create your travel experience
This item is not actually about America; I just happened to find out about it while there. Travelers at Gardermoen Airport, 30 miles outside of Oslo, can experience Sound Showers that bathe them in the sounds of the sea, nightingales, a baby or even voices whispering positive messages in English and Norwegian. The sound showers consist of a pole with a speaker at the top, with a dish facing down to direct the sound. The goal is to provide sound refreshment to weary or lonely travelers.
Idea: If, like me, you travel quite a bit and are finding it increasingly stressful, consider making up a tape or CD to take along so you can listen to the sounds you find most restful. (Another track could contain the sounds you find most energizing.)
A quote to think about
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind do not matter, and those who matter do not mind." — Dr. Seuss
A great Christmas present idea: the Power Trances CD by Jurgen Wolff can help your friends and colleagues relax, generate ideas and transform the inner critic. For information about content and ordering, e-mail Brainstorm. We can send the CD anywhere, with a gift card in your name.
Our Web site is BrainstormNet. You might also enjoy my book "Do Something Different," available from Amazon.com.
Contents copyright 2002, Jurgen Wolff
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.
NOVEMBER 2002 BRAINSTORM
I have recently returned from the States, where I saw and heard some things that sparked creative ideas that you might find helpful, too. Here we go:
Ten, nine, eight, seven…
In Las Vegas, they are testing pedestrian street lights that tell you how much time you have left to cross the road. When the green man comes on, so does an electronic countdown of how many seconds are left before the light turns red.
Idea: If you are working toward a goal that is some ways off, it might be useful to make some countdown signs for yourself, to help you keep track of where you should be in the process. This could be the number of weeks, days, or even hours left before your deadline.
Writing rights
Silicon Valley employs a lot of young temporary workers. Raj Jayadev, 27, was fired for trying to rally them against unsafe conditions and salaries without benefits. So he rounded up a collective to do the writing and artwork for a publication he called The Silicon Valley De-Bug: The Voice of the Young and Temporary Worker. As well as being entertaining, it educates temp workers as to their rights.
Idea: Is there an interest group in the field you work in that does not have a publication? If so, why not start one, or maybe just do a one-off? It could be used to educate, to entertain or even just to raise your profile in the arena within which you work.
Space and mood
A huge new night club called Ivar recently opened in Hollywood. But instead of being one big space, it is modular, with a loft-style dance hall, a blue-glass chill-out area, and a sexy orange room for intimate secluded conversations. There's a space to fit every mood.
Idea: Have you established areas in your home or working environment that match the different moods of your working and personal life? You do not necessarily need different rooms for different moods. For example, you might put a small tabletop fountain and some plants in one corner of your office, and sit in that area when you want to chill out or carefully consider your next course of action. In another corner you might have bright colors and posters that you frequently change, to stimulate you when you are brainstorming.
Behind the mask
A couple of welders in Long Beach, California, found their standard black helmets too boring. They decided to decorate them. Others saw them, wanted them, and thus a business was born five years ago: Hoodlum Welding. They have now sold thousands of the helmets that look like bulldogs, tigers, gorillas, even a burning skull. (You can check the wares out at their Hoodlum Welding Web site.
Idea: What is the most boring item that you use in your line of work every day? Is there a way to jazz it up, either just to make it more fun for yourself, or as the start of a business?
Create your travel experience
This item is not actually about America; I just happened to find out about it while there. Travelers at Gardermoen Airport, 30 miles outside of Oslo, can experience Sound Showers that bathe them in the sounds of the sea, nightingales, a baby or even voices whispering positive messages in English and Norwegian. The sound showers consist of a pole with a speaker at the top, with a dish facing down to direct the sound. The goal is to provide sound refreshment to weary or lonely travelers.
Idea: If, like me, you travel quite a bit and are finding it increasingly stressful, consider making up a tape or CD to take along so you can listen to the sounds you find most restful. (Another track could contain the sounds you find most energizing.)
A quote to think about
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind do not matter, and those who matter do not mind." — Dr. Seuss
A great Christmas present idea: the Power Trances CD by Jurgen Wolff can help your friends and colleagues relax, generate ideas and transform the inner critic. For information about content and ordering, e-mail Brainstorm. We can send the CD anywhere, with a gift card in your name.
Our Web site is BrainstormNet. You might also enjoy my book "Do Something Different," available from Amazon.com.
Contents copyright 2002, Jurgen Wolff
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.
Ten, nine, eight, seven…
In Las Vegas, they are testing pedestrian street lights that tell you how much time you have left to cross the road. When the green man comes on, so does an electronic countdown of how many seconds are left before the light turns red.
Idea: If you are working toward a goal that is some ways off, it might be useful to make some countdown signs for yourself, to help you keep track of where you should be in the process. This could be the number of weeks, days, or even hours left before your deadline.
Writing rights
Silicon Valley employs a lot of young temporary workers. Raj Jayadev, 27, was fired for trying to rally them against unsafe conditions and salaries without benefits. So he rounded up a collective to do the writing and artwork for a publication he called The Silicon Valley De-Bug: The Voice of the Young and Temporary Worker. As well as being entertaining, it educates temp workers as to their rights.
Idea: Is there an interest group in the field you work in that does not have a publication? If so, why not start one, or maybe just do a one-off? It could be used to educate, to entertain or even just to raise your profile in the arena within which you work.
Space and mood
A huge new night club called Ivar recently opened in Hollywood. But instead of being one big space, it is modular, with a loft-style dance hall, a blue-glass chill-out area, and a sexy orange room for intimate secluded conversations. There's a space to fit every mood.
Idea: Have you established areas in your home or working environment that match the different moods of your working and personal life? You do not necessarily need different rooms for different moods. For example, you might put a small tabletop fountain and some plants in one corner of your office, and sit in that area when you want to chill out or carefully consider your next course of action. In another corner you might have bright colors and posters that you frequently change, to stimulate you when you are brainstorming.
Behind the mask
A couple of welders in Long Beach, California, found their standard black helmets too boring. They decided to decorate them. Others saw them, wanted them, and thus a business was born five years ago: Hoodlum Welding. They have now sold thousands of the helmets that look like bulldogs, tigers, gorillas, even a burning skull. (You can check the wares out at their Hoodlum Welding Web site.
Idea: What is the most boring item that you use in your line of work every day? Is there a way to jazz it up, either just to make it more fun for yourself, or as the start of a business?
Create your travel experience
This item is not actually about America; I just happened to find out about it while there. Travelers at Gardermoen Airport, 30 miles outside of Oslo, can experience Sound Showers that bathe them in the sounds of the sea, nightingales, a baby or even voices whispering positive messages in English and Norwegian. The sound showers consist of a pole with a speaker at the top, with a dish facing down to direct the sound. The goal is to provide sound refreshment to weary or lonely travelers.
Idea: If, like me, you travel quite a bit and are finding it increasingly stressful, consider making up a tape or CD to take along so you can listen to the sounds you find most restful. (Another track could contain the sounds you find most energizing.)
A quote to think about
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind do not matter, and those who matter do not mind." — Dr. Seuss
A great Christmas present idea: the Power Trances CD by Jurgen Wolff can help your friends and colleagues relax, generate ideas and transform the inner critic. For information about content and ordering, e-mail Brainstorm. We can send the CD anywhere, with a gift card in your name.
Our Web site is BrainstormNet. You might also enjoy my book "Do Something Different," available from Amazon.com.
Contents copyright 2002, Jurgen Wolff
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.
DEMOCRATS SAY THEY'VE GOT IT ALL TOGETHER
Nov. 26, 2002 – Setting the tone for Tuesday's formal announcement of the newly organized 25th Legislature, its new president Sen. David Jones, predicted it will be "the best since the Organic Act created the first Legislature in 1954."
James O 'Bryan, Democratic Party territorial chair, said, "It's a great day for the Democrats and a great day for the Democratic Party." The 10 senators and senators-elect who will form the majority heartily agreed, pledging their determination to work together, an ethic notably absent in the 24th Legislature.
The event was upbeat, with the small meeting room at Palms Court Harborview Hotel overflowing with supporters, family, friends and more Democrats than you could shake a donkey at.
The eight-member Democratic majority elected on Nov. 5 swelled to 10 with the addition of Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and Emmett Hansen II, both of whom were re-elected running as independents.
Jones is the first naturalized U.S. citizen to be elected Senate president, a fact he described as a step in the right direction for the islands. He announced that the other officers of the new Legislature, which takes office in January, are:
Lorraine Berry, vice president.
Shawn-Michael Malone, legislative secretary.
Douglas Canton, majority leader and liaison to the White House.
Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, liaison to Congress.
Louis P. Hill, secretary for intergovernmental affairs.
Ronald Russell, charge d'affaires to Washington.
Jones, resplendent in a three-piece charcoal gray suit accented by a bright pink tie and handkerchief, underscored the unity theme. "Coming together is a beginning," he said. "Staying together is progress, and working together is success."
Noting that the 25th Legislature marks the silver anniversary of elected senates in the territory, he said it "will be one to remember, the epitome of democracy." Furthermore, he said, while the majority is in power in the next two years, "we will be observing the 50th year, the golden anniversary, of the Legislature. It is an awesome responsibility."
The organization of the new body reflects the majority's pledge to work together, not only among themselves but also with their fellow senators. Jones pointed out that for the first time, the formal resolution of organization includes an open invitation for any senator to "return to or join the Democratic Party."
Invitation gets two acceptances
Donastorg was the first to take Jones up on the offer. He stepped up to the microphone with a big smile and brought down the house with his opening words: "Good morning, fellow Democrats."
Although he is a registered Democrat, Donastorg has traditionally run as an independent — drawing the most votes of any Senate candidate in the last two elections — and remained unaligned in office. He is well known for his singular views on the Senate floor.
"I want you to know," he said after the applause and laughter had died down, "I am not back home, but at home."
Donastorg will chair the Finance Committee. He thanked his colleagues for granting him the powerful position, which he had publicly sought in recent weeks. "It will allow me to demonstrate my ability to work with my colleagues," he said. "You know, I have my ways."
"That's true," a voice in the audience replied.
Donastorg vowed to use the committee to develop programs that will put continuity in the government's coffers — but pointed out that he can't do it alone. He and colleagues continually quizzed government department officials about their finances in the 24th Legislature, with little success. "Corruption in government has to stop," he said, adding, "I don't mean to alarm anyone, but I've been told that help is on the way."
Hansen said, "It's the community's most ill-kept secret that Emmett Hansen is back with the party." To the surprise of many in the audience, the person he thanked for his alliance with the Democratic majority was Gov. Charles W. Turnbull. The two have been at odds for most of the last two years over two bills Hansen submitted, one to toughen penalties for crimes involving guns, which the governor vetoed the first time around then signed in a revised version, and the other the Infrastructure Act of 2001, which Turnbull vetoed.
"He extended the olive branch," Hansen said Tuesday of the governor, who also was re-elected in November, "and I took it. I've spoken more with the governor in the past two weeks than in the past two years."
He said Jones was the other deciding factor in his joining the Democrats. As a party lobbyist, Jones "was relentless," Hansen said.
Hansen ran as a Democrat in 2000 and was initially a member of the minority in the 24th legislature, but midway through the term he changed his allegiance to the independent majority. In the 25th Legislature, he will head the Committee on Housing, Parks and Recreation, which he said will allow him to keep tabs on his first love, the infrastructure of St. Croix.
New committee to cover safety, security, justice
The new majority reconfigured some of the old Senate committees and created a new one, the Committee on Public Safety, Judiciary, Homeland Security and Justice, which will be chaired by Berry.
Smiling widely, Berry, now the body's only female senator, told her colleagues, "I want you to know, I'm not 'one of the boys.' I'm one of the gang."
She was enthusiastic about her committee, saying she welcomed the new challenge. "Years ago, we used to have a Public Safety Committee," she said, "and it was known as the 'hot seat.'"
She said one of the first things she plans to do is create a new board to monitor police performance. "Instead of an Internal Affairs Committee, I want to introduce a police civilian complaint review board," she said. While the idea may seem revolutionary, she said, it has worked well so far in the states because it offers citizens prompt and impartial help.
Another item high on her agenda is to give the V.I. Office of Inspector General the authority to prosecute wrongdoers. I.G. Stephen van Beverhoudt pleaded with the 24th Legislature to grant his personnel peace officer status, but with no success. Berry said she has been told that the V.I. Justice Department is "40 years behind the times" on this issue.
Newcomers, returnees united on unity
The four freshman Democratic senators — Louis Hill and Shawn-Michael Malone of St. Thomas and Luther Renee and Ronald Russell of St. Croix — enthusiastically talked about their commitment to an economic turn-around for the territory.
"I like to work," said Malone, who will chair the Government Operations Committee. "We have a dynamic group, and I want us to set the standard for technology and democracy throughout the Caribbean" — a goal he had cited in his campaign. He said being the youngest senator mean he should be the most energetic, too. With the party having worked hard to put so many Democrats in office, he said, "it'll help me keep them in check."
Hill, who stepped down from his post as St. Thomas-Water Island administrator to run for office, will chair the Planning and Environmental Protection Committee. He reiterated the unity theme. "The era of individuals has had diminishing returns," he said. "The time has come for teamwork."
Hill said he will concentrate on getting a land and water use plan adopted, something that has been an on-again, off-again issue for more than two decades. "Standing on the balcony of this hotel and looking out at the view strengthens my commitment to protecting this environment, this jewel we should be proud of," he said.
Renee, an economist, will head the Economic Development, Agric ulture and Consumer Protection Committee, and Russell will chair the Education and Youth Committee. Both senators praised the united approach the majority is taking.
"We are so united that everything I could say has already been said," Renee quipped.
Russell hailed the "joyous occasion," vowing to focus on "collective" solutions for the territory's educational problems.
David will head the powerful Rules Committee, which must pass all bills from the other committees before they go to the full Senate for a final vote. He said his goal is to "reduce, if not eliminate, the rancor and contention that earmarked the 24th Legislature. He praised his colleagues on the Democratic Team 2002, which he headed and which was successful in placing a majority in the new Senate. "Next time, it will be 15 Democrats," he said with a nod to those party candidates in the audience who didn't make the cut.
Canton, who chaired the Health and Hospitals Committee in the current Legislature, has the same assignment, but the committee has been expanded to include Human Services. He said he welcomes the opportunity to address all those concerns, invoking the "24th Legislature as a good example of how not to proceed." Canton said he wants to "remove the veil of distrust" that has hung over the 24th Legislature.
In the preamble to the organizational resolution, Jones states that the majority caucus will operate "in the spirit of fairness, inclusiveness and transparency." Asked by reporters if the "transparency" would include providing the news media individual senator's staff salaries and budget allotments, Jones said it would. The media have never been able to get a full accounting of the 24th Legislature's budget.
Asked if he had any words for the incoming minority, Jones laughed and without skipping a beat, said, "Fear not."
Following are the committees of the 25th Legislature and their members.
Economic Development, Agriculture and Consumer Protection
Luther Renee, chair; Lorraine Berry, vice chair; Douglas Canton, Emmett Hansen, Roosevelt David, Carlton Dowe, Almando Liburd.
Education
Ronald Russell, chair; Shawn-Michael Malone, vice chair; Norman Jn Baptiste, Roosevelt David, Louis Hill, Luther Renee, Raymond Richards
Finance
Adlah Donastorg, chair; Luther Renee, vice chair; Norman Jn Baptiste, Roosevelt David, Louis Hill, Shawn-Michael Malone, Ronald Russell
Government Operations
Shawn-Michael Malone, chair; Carlton Dowe, vice chair; Lorraine Berry, Douglas Canton, Emmett Hansen, Louis Hill, Celestino White
Planning and Environmental Protection
Louis Hill, chair; Ronald Russell, vice chair; Roosevelt David, Adlah Donastorg, Carlton Dowe, Almando Liburd, Shawn-Michael Malone
Health, Hospitals and Human Services
Douglas Canton, chair; Lorraine Berry, vice chair; Norman Jn Baptiste, Adlah Donastorg, Emmett Hansen, Raymond Richards, Luther Renee
Housing, Parks and Recreation
Emmett Hansen, chair; Luther Renee, vice chair; David Jones, Raymond Richards, Celestino White
Labor and Veterans Affairs
Norman Jn Baptiste, chair; Louis Hill, vice chair; Douglas Canton, Raymond Richards, Celestino White
Public Safety, Judiciary, Homeland Security and Justice
Lorraine Berry, chair; Emmett Hansen, vice chair; David Jones, Almando Liburd, Shawn-Michael Malone, Ronald Russell, Celestino White
Rules
Roosevelt David, chair; Ronald Russell, vice chair; Lorraine Berry, Douglas Canton, Carlton Dowe, Louis Hill, David Jones
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.
James O 'Bryan, Democratic Party territorial chair, said, "It's a great day for the Democrats and a great day for the Democratic Party." The 10 senators and senators-elect who will form the majority heartily agreed, pledging their determination to work together, an ethic notably absent in the 24th Legislature.
The event was upbeat, with the small meeting room at Palms Court Harborview Hotel overflowing with supporters, family, friends and more Democrats than you could shake a donkey at.
The eight-member Democratic majority elected on Nov. 5 swelled to 10 with the addition of Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and Emmett Hansen II, both of whom were re-elected running as independents.
Jones is the first naturalized U.S. citizen to be elected Senate president, a fact he described as a step in the right direction for the islands. He announced that the other officers of the new Legislature, which takes office in January, are:
Lorraine Berry, vice president.
Shawn-Michael Malone, legislative secretary.
Douglas Canton, majority leader and liaison to the White House.
Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, liaison to Congress.
Louis P. Hill, secretary for intergovernmental affairs.
Ronald Russell, charge d'affaires to Washington.
Jones, resplendent in a three-piece charcoal gray suit accented by a bright pink tie and handkerchief, underscored the unity theme. "Coming together is a beginning," he said. "Staying together is progress, and working together is success."
Noting that the 25th Legislature marks the silver anniversary of elected senates in the territory, he said it "will be one to remember, the epitome of democracy." Furthermore, he said, while the majority is in power in the next two years, "we will be observing the 50th year, the golden anniversary, of the Legislature. It is an awesome responsibility."
The organization of the new body reflects the majority's pledge to work together, not only among themselves but also with their fellow senators. Jones pointed out that for the first time, the formal resolution of organization includes an open invitation for any senator to "return to or join the Democratic Party."
Invitation gets two acceptances
Donastorg was the first to take Jones up on the offer. He stepped up to the microphone with a big smile and brought down the house with his opening words: "Good morning, fellow Democrats."
Although he is a registered Democrat, Donastorg has traditionally run as an independent — drawing the most votes of any Senate candidate in the last two elections — and remained unaligned in office. He is well known for his singular views on the Senate floor.
"I want you to know," he said after the applause and laughter had died down, "I am not back home, but at home."
Donastorg will chair the Finance Committee. He thanked his colleagues for granting him the powerful position, which he had publicly sought in recent weeks. "It will allow me to demonstrate my ability to work with my colleagues," he said. "You know, I have my ways."
"That's true," a voice in the audience replied.
Donastorg vowed to use the committee to develop programs that will put continuity in the government's coffers — but pointed out that he can't do it alone. He and colleagues continually quizzed government department officials about their finances in the 24th Legislature, with little success. "Corruption in government has to stop," he said, adding, "I don't mean to alarm anyone, but I've been told that help is on the way."
Hansen said, "It's the community's most ill-kept secret that Emmett Hansen is back with the party." To the surprise of many in the audience, the person he thanked for his alliance with the Democratic majority was Gov. Charles W. Turnbull. The two have been at odds for most of the last two years over two bills Hansen submitted, one to toughen penalties for crimes involving guns, which the governor vetoed the first time around then signed in a revised version, and the other the Infrastructure Act of 2001, which Turnbull vetoed.
"He extended the olive branch," Hansen said Tuesday of the governor, who also was re-elected in November, "and I took it. I've spoken more with the governor in the past two weeks than in the past two years."
He said Jones was the other deciding factor in his joining the Democrats. As a party lobbyist, Jones "was relentless," Hansen said.
Hansen ran as a Democrat in 2000 and was initially a member of the minority in the 24th legislature, but midway through the term he changed his allegiance to the independent majority. In the 25th Legislature, he will head the Committee on Housing, Parks and Recreation, which he said will allow him to keep tabs on his first love, the infrastructure of St. Croix.
New committee to cover safety, security, justice
The new majority reconfigured some of the old Senate committees and created a new one, the Committee on Public Safety, Judiciary, Homeland Security and Justice, which will be chaired by Berry.
Smiling widely, Berry, now the body's only female senator, told her colleagues, "I want you to know, I'm not 'one of the boys.' I'm one of the gang."
She was enthusiastic about her committee, saying she welcomed the new challenge. "Years ago, we used to have a Public Safety Committee," she said, "and it was known as the 'hot seat.'"
She said one of the first things she plans to do is create a new board to monitor police performance. "Instead of an Internal Affairs Committee, I want to introduce a police civilian complaint review board," she said. While the idea may seem revolutionary, she said, it has worked well so far in the states because it offers citizens prompt and impartial help.
Another item high on her agenda is to give the V.I. Office of Inspector General the authority to prosecute wrongdoers. I.G. Stephen van Beverhoudt pleaded with the 24th Legislature to grant his personnel peace officer status, but with no success. Berry said she has been told that the V.I. Justice Department is "40 years behind the times" on this issue.
Newcomers, returnees united on unity
The four freshman Democratic senators — Louis Hill and Shawn-Michael Malone of St. Thomas and Luther Renee and Ronald Russell of St. Croix — enthusiastically talked about their commitment to an economic turn-around for the territory.
"I like to work," said Malone, who will chair the Government Operations Committee. "We have a dynamic group, and I want us to set the standard for technology and democracy throughout the Caribbean" — a goal he had cited in his campaign. He said being the youngest senator mean he should be the most energetic, too. With the party having worked hard to put so many Democrats in office, he said, "it'll help me keep them in check."
Hill, who stepped down from his post as St. Thomas-Water Island administrator to run for office, will chair the Planning and Environmental Protection Committee. He reiterated the unity theme. "The era of individuals has had diminishing returns," he said. "The time has come for teamwork."
Hill said he will concentrate on getting a land and water use plan adopted, something that has been an on-again, off-again issue for more than two decades. "Standing on the balcony of this hotel and looking out at the view strengthens my commitment to protecting this environment, this jewel we should be proud of," he said.
Renee, an economist, will head the Economic Development, Agric ulture and Consumer Protection Committee, and Russell will chair the Education and Youth Committee. Both senators praised the united approach the majority is taking.
"We are so united that everything I could say has already been said," Renee quipped.
Russell hailed the "joyous occasion," vowing to focus on "collective" solutions for the territory's educational problems.
David will head the powerful Rules Committee, which must pass all bills from the other committees before they go to the full Senate for a final vote. He said his goal is to "reduce, if not eliminate, the rancor and contention that earmarked the 24th Legislature. He praised his colleagues on the Democratic Team 2002, which he headed and which was successful in placing a majority in the new Senate. "Next time, it will be 15 Democrats," he said with a nod to those party candidates in the audience who didn't make the cut.
Canton, who chaired the Health and Hospitals Committee in the current Legislature, has the same assignment, but the committee has been expanded to include Human Services. He said he welcomes the opportunity to address all those concerns, invoking the "24th Legislature as a good example of how not to proceed." Canton said he wants to "remove the veil of distrust" that has hung over the 24th Legislature.
In the preamble to the organizational resolution, Jones states that the majority caucus will operate "in the spirit of fairness, inclusiveness and transparency." Asked by reporters if the "transparency" would include providing the news media individual senator's staff salaries and budget allotments, Jones said it would. The media have never been able to get a full accounting of the 24th Legislature's budget.
Asked if he had any words for the incoming minority, Jones laughed and without skipping a beat, said, "Fear not."
Following are the committees of the 25th Legislature and their members.
Economic Development, Agriculture and Consumer Protection
Luther Renee, chair; Lorraine Berry, vice chair; Douglas Canton, Emmett Hansen, Roosevelt David, Carlton Dowe, Almando Liburd.
Education
Ronald Russell, chair; Shawn-Michael Malone, vice chair; Norman Jn Baptiste, Roosevelt David, Louis Hill, Luther Renee, Raymond Richards
Finance
Adlah Donastorg, chair; Luther Renee, vice chair; Norman Jn Baptiste, Roosevelt David, Louis Hill, Shawn-Michael Malone, Ronald Russell
Government Operations
Shawn-Michael Malone, chair; Carlton Dowe, vice chair; Lorraine Berry, Douglas Canton, Emmett Hansen, Louis Hill, Celestino White
Planning and Environmental Protection
Louis Hill, chair; Ronald Russell, vice chair; Roosevelt David, Adlah Donastorg, Carlton Dowe, Almando Liburd, Shawn-Michael Malone
Health, Hospitals and Human Services
Douglas Canton, chair; Lorraine Berry, vice chair; Norman Jn Baptiste, Adlah Donastorg, Emmett Hansen, Raymond Richards, Luther Renee
Housing, Parks and Recreation
Emmett Hansen, chair; Luther Renee, vice chair; David Jones, Raymond Richards, Celestino White
Labor and Veterans Affairs
Norman Jn Baptiste, chair; Louis Hill, vice chair; Douglas Canton, Raymond Richards, Celestino White
Public Safety, Judiciary, Homeland Security and Justice
Lorraine Berry, chair; Emmett Hansen, vice chair; David Jones, Almando Liburd, Shawn-Michael Malone, Ronald Russell, Celestino White
Rules
Roosevelt David, chair; Ronald Russell, vice chair; Lorraine Berry, Douglas Canton, Carlton Dowe, Louis Hill, David Jones
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.
SEWAGE FLOWING FROM MANHOLES INTO STREETS
Nov. 26, 2002 – The Planning and Natural Resources Department issued a public advisory on Tuesday afternoon that raw sewage was flowing from manholes into the streets in the Barren Spot and Mon Bijou housing communities, as well as in the vicinity of Ricardo Richards Elementary School.
The statement said that Public Works personnel were taking steps "to alleviate the problem." But until further notice, it said, residents should avoid stormwater runoff such as guts, puddles and drainage basins in the areas.
"Standing or running water in these areas may contain contaminants or pollutants harmful to human health," the advisory said, and parents should steer their children clear of the areas cited.
Anyone wanting more information about water quality should call DPNR's Environmental Protection Division at 773-1082.
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 statement said that Public Works personnel were taking steps "to alleviate the problem." But until further notice, it said, residents should avoid stormwater runoff such as guts, puddles and drainage basins in the areas.
"Standing or running water in these areas may contain contaminants or pollutants harmful to human health," the advisory said, and parents should steer their children clear of the areas cited.
Anyone wanting more information about water quality should call DPNR's Environmental Protection Division at 773-1082.
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.
