The Salvation Army's storytelling hour continues at Tutu Park Mall every Saturday at 11 a.m.
Capt. Debra Sam, who launched the program in June, has decided to continue with the storytelling hour indefinitely because of the enthusiastic turnout she's been experiencing.
"I want to continue being there for those kids who look forward to this Saturday morning activity," Sam said.
Children who wish to participate are to be accompanied by an adult to the store next to Pro-Nails, left off the center court.
Pamela Morales, marketing director for Tutu Park Mall, said the mall management is proud to offer facilities to host such activities and she hopes more organizations will collaborate on future projects like this.
"Now more than ever we have to become more involved with our children," Morales said. "I just hope more organizations find value in designing activities like the Salvation Army's."
For more information contact Sam at 776-0070 or Morales at 775-4658.
LABOR FORUM TO ADDRESS HOSPITALITY CUTBACKS
Sept. 18, 2001 – The Labor Department will hold a town meeting at 6 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Holiday Inn Windward Passage Hotel on St. Thomas. Labor Commissioner Cecil Benjamin said the focus of the meeting will be on hospitality industry workers' concerns in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the mainland.
Labor Department officials will be on hand to answer questions and Benjamin has invited the St. Thomas/St. John Chamber of Commerce to send a representative.
Labor spokeswoman Rhona Martinez said the department expects the number of visitors to drop as a result of the Sept. 11 violence and the predicted war against terrorism. This will have a huge negative impact on the hospitality industry, she said, and hospitality industry workers need to prepare for the anticipated loss of jobs. "They need to know their rights," she said.
They also need to know what to do if those rights are violated, what Labor Department division is responsible for handling their claim or concern, and where they can go for specific services, Martinez said.
She said services that the Labor Department offers to help displaced workers include unemployment insurance, job training and help from the Dislocated Workers Unit, which assists those who lose their jobs with such things as contacting their banks to negotiate new loan-payment plans. "And we can direct them to other services," she said.
The town meeting, scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m., is the second is a series planned earlier this year by the Labor Department. The first was in July on St. Croix with Hovensa oil refinery workers. Martinez said another meeting is planned for St. John in October, but no date has been set.
Labor Department officials will be on hand to answer questions and Benjamin has invited the St. Thomas/St. John Chamber of Commerce to send a representative.
Labor spokeswoman Rhona Martinez said the department expects the number of visitors to drop as a result of the Sept. 11 violence and the predicted war against terrorism. This will have a huge negative impact on the hospitality industry, she said, and hospitality industry workers need to prepare for the anticipated loss of jobs. "They need to know their rights," she said.
They also need to know what to do if those rights are violated, what Labor Department division is responsible for handling their claim or concern, and where they can go for specific services, Martinez said.
She said services that the Labor Department offers to help displaced workers include unemployment insurance, job training and help from the Dislocated Workers Unit, which assists those who lose their jobs with such things as contacting their banks to negotiate new loan-payment plans. "And we can direct them to other services," she said.
The town meeting, scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m., is the second is a series planned earlier this year by the Labor Department. The first was in July on St. Croix with Hovensa oil refinery workers. Martinez said another meeting is planned for St. John in October, but no date has been set.
DEFINE 'ELECTION REFORM,' ABRAMSON URGES
Sept. 18, 2001 – Supervisor of Elections John Abramson, who's going to be talking about "election reform" at a public gathering Saturday, wants to know what people mean by the term.
"We need a working definition; it's a very ambiguous phrase," he said. "For most electors, it's a buzzword."
Abramson was discussing the issue in preparation for Sen. Lorraine Berry's Virgin Islanders for Democratic Action forum, where he will be a panelist.
The forum had been scheduled for last Saturday but was postponed in observance of the national and territorial period of mourning for victims and families of the Sept. 11 terrorist bombing attacks. The meeting, which is open to the public, starts at 10 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Windward Passage Hotel on St. Thomas.
Berry said the forum is intended to allow people to "share their recommendations" and to "develop viable alternatives to elect senators." She said all proposals will be discussed, including the idea of setting up a municipal-based government with town councils.
"Reducing the Senate or having a part-time Senate isn't enough," Berry said. She said she understands that St. John voters are "coming in carloads" to the forum to discuss their "perceived lack of representation" in the government at present.
According to Abramson, a lot more than the means of electing senators is at issue. "The first question is what do people mean by 'election reform'?" he said. "As administrator of the system, if I talk about it in perspective, it's how can I amend, change or improve delivery of services from the election system?"
But, he noted, "If I were a candidate, I'd view it from another perspective, and if I were an elector, then, obviously, again my perspective would be different."
In considering election reform, Abramson said, the entire system of government should be questioned. "Reducing the Senate has nothing to do with election reform; that's legislative reform," he said, "There are more than 20,000 methods of selecting senators, or hybrids of these. It's a massive undertaking. I don't think people understand how technical this is. I have 25 pages written on this already." He added, "I don't think Sen. Berry will be able to accomplish much in one short forum."
He continued, "Our present type of government is commander-in-chief type, like the previous naval administration of the territory. It's not a civilian regime. If we are thinking about changing that, we might need a completely different method of selecting our officials."
Abramson said that former Crucian senator Arnold Golden will talk about municipal government and about St. John getting its fair share. "Change can't be done in a vacuum," he said. "We're all stakeholders — the election system is a stakeholder with a role to fulfill."
In his view, "We need to have good dialog with all views represented. We should have a new commission, a group of people to come up with a comprehensive method of reform.
"If the candidates, the political parties and the general public all have their say, it's a piecemeal approach which will result in catastrophic confusion."
Abramson said a good example of what's wrong with the present system is the administrative burden put on the governor. "The governor has to sign every new hire," he said. "To make it more effective and efficient, this form of government has to change."
As far as referendums go, Abramson contends that "there is no such animal in the V.I." He said, "A referendum is a legislative activity. Only the Legislature can determine a referendum, and they can set the parameters for it. To get it on the ballot, you have to use an initiative with 50 percent of registered voters' approval, and 50 percent voting."
He said several other ways of electing representatives are feasible: "If representation is your goal, numbered seats could work. Districting is another option, requiring extensive mapping." The ultimate decision rests with the Legislature, he said; after a new commission made recommendations, the Senate would have to debate and decide on them.
Virgin Islanders for Democratic Action was founded in 1990. "I want to revitalize my club with this forum," Berry said. "Hopefully by January we can develop a new set of officers. We want to be catalyst — to get the information out."
Those slated to speak and offer short-term and long-term proposals to create an election system with more accountability are Abramson; Golden; Arturo Watlington, V.I. Democratic Party chair; Woodrow Green, Caribbean Democratic Alliance Club chair; Delia Smith, assistant attorney general; Maxwell MacIntosh, attorney; and Paul Leary and Malik Sekou, political scientists. Wanda Mills will serve as moderator.
"We need a working definition; it's a very ambiguous phrase," he said. "For most electors, it's a buzzword."
Abramson was discussing the issue in preparation for Sen. Lorraine Berry's Virgin Islanders for Democratic Action forum, where he will be a panelist.
The forum had been scheduled for last Saturday but was postponed in observance of the national and territorial period of mourning for victims and families of the Sept. 11 terrorist bombing attacks. The meeting, which is open to the public, starts at 10 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Windward Passage Hotel on St. Thomas.
Berry said the forum is intended to allow people to "share their recommendations" and to "develop viable alternatives to elect senators." She said all proposals will be discussed, including the idea of setting up a municipal-based government with town councils.
"Reducing the Senate or having a part-time Senate isn't enough," Berry said. She said she understands that St. John voters are "coming in carloads" to the forum to discuss their "perceived lack of representation" in the government at present.
According to Abramson, a lot more than the means of electing senators is at issue. "The first question is what do people mean by 'election reform'?" he said. "As administrator of the system, if I talk about it in perspective, it's how can I amend, change or improve delivery of services from the election system?"
But, he noted, "If I were a candidate, I'd view it from another perspective, and if I were an elector, then, obviously, again my perspective would be different."
In considering election reform, Abramson said, the entire system of government should be questioned. "Reducing the Senate has nothing to do with election reform; that's legislative reform," he said, "There are more than 20,000 methods of selecting senators, or hybrids of these. It's a massive undertaking. I don't think people understand how technical this is. I have 25 pages written on this already." He added, "I don't think Sen. Berry will be able to accomplish much in one short forum."
He continued, "Our present type of government is commander-in-chief type, like the previous naval administration of the territory. It's not a civilian regime. If we are thinking about changing that, we might need a completely different method of selecting our officials."
Abramson said that former Crucian senator Arnold Golden will talk about municipal government and about St. John getting its fair share. "Change can't be done in a vacuum," he said. "We're all stakeholders — the election system is a stakeholder with a role to fulfill."
In his view, "We need to have good dialog with all views represented. We should have a new commission, a group of people to come up with a comprehensive method of reform.
"If the candidates, the political parties and the general public all have their say, it's a piecemeal approach which will result in catastrophic confusion."
Abramson said a good example of what's wrong with the present system is the administrative burden put on the governor. "The governor has to sign every new hire," he said. "To make it more effective and efficient, this form of government has to change."
As far as referendums go, Abramson contends that "there is no such animal in the V.I." He said, "A referendum is a legislative activity. Only the Legislature can determine a referendum, and they can set the parameters for it. To get it on the ballot, you have to use an initiative with 50 percent of registered voters' approval, and 50 percent voting."
He said several other ways of electing representatives are feasible: "If representation is your goal, numbered seats could work. Districting is another option, requiring extensive mapping." The ultimate decision rests with the Legislature, he said; after a new commission made recommendations, the Senate would have to debate and decide on them.
Virgin Islanders for Democratic Action was founded in 1990. "I want to revitalize my club with this forum," Berry said. "Hopefully by January we can develop a new set of officers. We want to be catalyst — to get the information out."
Those slated to speak and offer short-term and long-term proposals to create an election system with more accountability are Abramson; Golden; Arturo Watlington, V.I. Democratic Party chair; Woodrow Green, Caribbean Democratic Alliance Club chair; Delia Smith, assistant attorney general; Maxwell MacIntosh, attorney; and Paul Leary and Malik Sekou, political scientists. Wanda Mills will serve as moderator.
THELMA ELEANOR BARNES PASSED AWAY
Thelma Eleanor Barnes, age 78, of Bay Gardens, Christiansted, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 13, at Gov. Juan f. Luis Hospital. Funeral services are pending.
Arrangements entrusted to James Funeral Home.
Arrangements entrusted to James Funeral Home.
DE CHABERT'S VISION WILL LIVE ON
Dear Source,
Monique and I read with regret of the passing of Mario de Chabert and we join the many others who have expressed their condolences to his family.
I have many memories of Mario but the most indelible of all is of my first summer as a law intern at the law offices of Hodge & Sheen when the de Chabert family sold some of their real property to Hess Oil on which the present Hovensa Refinery is located. At the time, Mario was working for the firm as an associate and I remember at the closing looking with awe at one check for $1,000,000 which was the first one we had all seen!
It was an important historical moment for St. Croix as it marked the opening of a new economic development strategy for the island and for the Virgin Islands, generally. It also provided the financial stimulus for the generous philanthropy of the de Chabert family which has helped to improve so much of the life of St. Croix.
Throughout his life, Mario had a vision of a better St. Croix and he worked tirelessly to bring it to fruition. An early gambit was the Yellow Cedar Corp. formed by a group of young Crucians including Jerry Christian, Winston Hodge, Albert Sheen, Hortense Rowe, Phillip Gerard and many others too numerous to mention. It was basically an investment company created to invest in St. Croix. Another was the formation of a Black Chamber of Commerce, an early precursor of the notion that Black people had to look to their own resources to improve their economic condition. He was also a signatory to the formation of the Unity Party on St. Croix and one of the strategists for its eventual victory over the then Democratic Party on the island.
All of his dreams were not realized, but the articulation of his ideas and the drive to implement many of them will leave a lasting legacy of his love for these islands.
May he rest in peace.
Derek Hodge
St. Thomas
Monique and I read with regret of the passing of Mario de Chabert and we join the many others who have expressed their condolences to his family.
I have many memories of Mario but the most indelible of all is of my first summer as a law intern at the law offices of Hodge & Sheen when the de Chabert family sold some of their real property to Hess Oil on which the present Hovensa Refinery is located. At the time, Mario was working for the firm as an associate and I remember at the closing looking with awe at one check for $1,000,000 which was the first one we had all seen!
It was an important historical moment for St. Croix as it marked the opening of a new economic development strategy for the island and for the Virgin Islands, generally. It also provided the financial stimulus for the generous philanthropy of the de Chabert family which has helped to improve so much of the life of St. Croix.
Throughout his life, Mario had a vision of a better St. Croix and he worked tirelessly to bring it to fruition. An early gambit was the Yellow Cedar Corp. formed by a group of young Crucians including Jerry Christian, Winston Hodge, Albert Sheen, Hortense Rowe, Phillip Gerard and many others too numerous to mention. It was basically an investment company created to invest in St. Croix. Another was the formation of a Black Chamber of Commerce, an early precursor of the notion that Black people had to look to their own resources to improve their economic condition. He was also a signatory to the formation of the Unity Party on St. Croix and one of the strategists for its eventual victory over the then Democratic Party on the island.
All of his dreams were not realized, but the articulation of his ideas and the drive to implement many of them will leave a lasting legacy of his love for these islands.
May he rest in peace.
Derek Hodge
St. Thomas
Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to source@viaccess.net.
DE CHABERT'S VISION WILL LIVE ON
Dear Source,
Monique and I read with regret of the passing of Mario de Chabert and we join the many others who have expressed their condolences to his family.
I have many memories of Mario but the most indelible of all is of my first summer as a law intern at the law offices of Hodge & Sheen when the de Chabert family sold some of their real property to Hess Oil on which the present Hovensa Refinery is located. At the time, Mario was working for the firm as an associate and I remember at the closing looking with awe at one check for $1,000,000 which was the first one we had all seen!
It was an important historical moment for St. Croix as it marked the opening of a new economic development strategy for the island and for the Virgin Islands, generally. It also provided the financial stimulus for the generous philanthropy of the de Chabert family which has helped to improve so much of the life of St. Croix.
Throughout his life, Mario had a vision of a better St. Croix and he worked tirelessly to bring it to fruition. An early gambit was the Yellow Cedar Corp. formed by a group of young Crucians including Jerry Christian, Winston Hodge, Albert Sheen, Hortense Rowe, Phillip Gerard and many others too numerous to mention. It was basically an investment company created to invest in St. Croix. Another was the formation of a Black Chamber of Commerce, an early precursor of the notion that Black people had to look to their own resources to improve their economic condition. He was also a signatory to the formation of the Unity Party on St. Croix and one of the strategists for its eventual victory over the then Democratic Party on the island.
All of his dreams were not realized, but the articulation of his ideas and the drive to implement many of them will leave a lasting legacy of his love for these islands.
May he rest in peace.
Derek Hodge
St. Thomas
Monique and I read with regret of the passing of Mario de Chabert and we join the many others who have expressed their condolences to his family.
I have many memories of Mario but the most indelible of all is of my first summer as a law intern at the law offices of Hodge & Sheen when the de Chabert family sold some of their real property to Hess Oil on which the present Hovensa Refinery is located. At the time, Mario was working for the firm as an associate and I remember at the closing looking with awe at one check for $1,000,000 which was the first one we had all seen!
It was an important historical moment for St. Croix as it marked the opening of a new economic development strategy for the island and for the Virgin Islands, generally. It also provided the financial stimulus for the generous philanthropy of the de Chabert family which has helped to improve so much of the life of St. Croix.
Throughout his life, Mario had a vision of a better St. Croix and he worked tirelessly to bring it to fruition. An early gambit was the Yellow Cedar Corp. formed by a group of young Crucians including Jerry Christian, Winston Hodge, Albert Sheen, Hortense Rowe, Phillip Gerard and many others too numerous to mention. It was basically an investment company created to invest in St. Croix. Another was the formation of a Black Chamber of Commerce, an early precursor of the notion that Black people had to look to their own resources to improve their economic condition. He was also a signatory to the formation of the Unity Party on St. Croix and one of the strategists for its eventual victory over the then Democratic Party on the island.
All of his dreams were not realized, but the articulation of his ideas and the drive to implement many of them will leave a lasting legacy of his love for these islands.
May he rest in peace.
Derek Hodge
St. Thomas
5 NOMINATED FOR GERS BOARD POSITIONS
Sept. 17, 2001 – Five persons have been nominated by Gov. Charles W. Turnbull to serve on the Government Employees Retirement System Board — two reappointed and three named to new terms. All would serve three-year terms.
Leona Smith of St. John and Vincent G. Liger of St. Croix have been named to second terms. Smith works at the Licensing and Consumer Affairs Department. Liger is a social worker with the Human Services Department.
Yvonne Bowsky, former St. Thomas-St. John district school superintendent and Peace Corps School principal, has been nominated o succeed Francisco Stapleton. She is a St. Thomas resident.
Raymond James, a St. Croix resident, has been nominated to succeed Corrine A. King. James is a special assistant to the Housing, Parks and Recreation commissioner.
Marvin L. Pickering of St. Croix has been named to succeed George A. Farrelly, who died while serving on the board. Pickering is the senior vice president and chief financial officer for V.I. Rum Industries Ltd.
Continuing to serve unexpired terms on the board are John de Jongh Jr. and Carver Farrell, its chair. All nominees must be confirmed by the Legislature.
Leona Smith of St. John and Vincent G. Liger of St. Croix have been named to second terms. Smith works at the Licensing and Consumer Affairs Department. Liger is a social worker with the Human Services Department.
Yvonne Bowsky, former St. Thomas-St. John district school superintendent and Peace Corps School principal, has been nominated o succeed Francisco Stapleton. She is a St. Thomas resident.
Raymond James, a St. Croix resident, has been nominated to succeed Corrine A. King. James is a special assistant to the Housing, Parks and Recreation commissioner.
Marvin L. Pickering of St. Croix has been named to succeed George A. Farrelly, who died while serving on the board. Pickering is the senior vice president and chief financial officer for V.I. Rum Industries Ltd.
Continuing to serve unexpired terms on the board are John de Jongh Jr. and Carver Farrell, its chair. All nominees must be confirmed by the Legislature.
NO GERS LOAN PROCESSING SEPT. 20-30
Sept. 17, 2001 – Loan applications from the Government Employees Retirement System will not be processed between Sept. 20 and Sept. 30, according to a release from GERS administrator Laurence E. Bryan.
The temporary loan suspension is an annual procedure to allow for the closing of Fiscal Year 2001 accounts. Processing of loan applications will resume on Oct. 1.
Loan applications are accepted Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the GERS Buildings on St. Thomas and St. Croix. Applicants must bring a valid picture ID and their last two check stubs with them.
The temporary loan suspension is an annual procedure to allow for the closing of Fiscal Year 2001 accounts. Processing of loan applications will resume on Oct. 1.
Loan applications are accepted Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the GERS Buildings on St. Thomas and St. Croix. Applicants must bring a valid picture ID and their last two check stubs with them.
PRISONER SENT TO WALLENS RIDGE SUES V.I.
Sept. 17, 2001 – A V.I. inmate incarcerated in the Wallens Ridge prison in Virginia has sued Attorney General Iver Stridiron and the V.I. government, saying the harsh conditions at the supermaximum-security institution violate his civil rights.
Roy Sylvester Parrott, who is serving a life-sentence on a 1978 conviction of first-degree murder, filed the suit in District Court last week. He was transferred to Wallens Ridge in August after being housed in the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind., according to court papers.
Parrott's complaint states that he is being held in a cell by himself and is allowed out for recreation just one hour a day, five days a week. Each time he leaves his cell, he must undergo a strip search that involves guards' checking his bodily orifices for hidden objects, he states.
He is led from his cell on a leash, in shackles, with three or four guards accompanying him, he states, and in his cell, a bright light shines 24 hours a day, causing harm to his eyes. He also claims that he is not allowed to make telephone calls and does not have access to Virgin Islands legal materials.
Parrott claims that he was sent to Wallens Ridge because he was falsely classified as a high-security risk in the Indiana federal penitentiary, where he was attacked and cut up by another inmate with a homemade shank.
Stridiron said Friday that he was not surprised by the lawsuit — and that he is expecting more such suits as a result of the decision to house local convicts in a prison known nationwide for its tough conditions.
"We anticipate we're going to get a lot of this," he said, adding that inmates frequently file lawsuits over their treatment. "None of them want to be there. It's intended to be a tough prison, but it's a constitutionally run prison."
Justice Department officials decided last year to send the highest-risk prisoners to Virginia, rather than to hold them at the Golden Grove prison on St. Croix. That decision came as local inmates being housed in federal prisons on the mainland were being returned to Golden Grove.
Fifteen V.I. inmates are being held at Wallens Ridge, which mostly holds people convicted of murder, Stridiron said. All of the V.I. prisoners are currently segregated from the general population and are being held under conditions similar to those Parrott cited.
An assistant attorney general will receive specialized training in prison law in anticipation of more suits being filed by inmates, Stridiron said. Nevertheless, he is confident that inmates' civil rights are not being violated at the prison, he said.
Stridiron noted that if prisoners at Wallens Ridge show that they can abide by rules and not cause problems, they can be transferred to Golden Grove. Meanwhile, inmates who are causing trouble at Golden Grove could get sent to Virginia, he said. Prison officials are currently considering sending one inmate at Golden Grove to Virginia because of bad behavior, he said.
Earlier this year, Connecticut officials decided to pull their inmates out of the Wallens Ridge prison after hearing reports of the harsh conditions, according to Eric Balaban, the staff counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project.
The ACLU had filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Connecticut prisoners housed at Wallens Ridge, citing rules that allowed individual officers to order inmates be tied down in five-point restraints for up to 72 hours, Balaban said. He also noted the frequent use by Wallens Ridge guards of electric stun devices.
Balaban said he sent letters to the V.I. Bureau of Corrections director, Horace Magras, urging the V.I. government not to send its inmates to Wallens Ridge. He said the ACLU would not hesitate to file lawsuits on behalf of the prisoners if it receives credible reports of civil rights violations.
Stridiron said Friday he stands by his decision to send some inmates to the Virginia prison. He said it will be a strong incentive for prisoners at Golden Grove to abide by the rules.
Roy Sylvester Parrott, who is serving a life-sentence on a 1978 conviction of first-degree murder, filed the suit in District Court last week. He was transferred to Wallens Ridge in August after being housed in the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind., according to court papers.
Parrott's complaint states that he is being held in a cell by himself and is allowed out for recreation just one hour a day, five days a week. Each time he leaves his cell, he must undergo a strip search that involves guards' checking his bodily orifices for hidden objects, he states.
He is led from his cell on a leash, in shackles, with three or four guards accompanying him, he states, and in his cell, a bright light shines 24 hours a day, causing harm to his eyes. He also claims that he is not allowed to make telephone calls and does not have access to Virgin Islands legal materials.
Parrott claims that he was sent to Wallens Ridge because he was falsely classified as a high-security risk in the Indiana federal penitentiary, where he was attacked and cut up by another inmate with a homemade shank.
Stridiron said Friday that he was not surprised by the lawsuit — and that he is expecting more such suits as a result of the decision to house local convicts in a prison known nationwide for its tough conditions.
"We anticipate we're going to get a lot of this," he said, adding that inmates frequently file lawsuits over their treatment. "None of them want to be there. It's intended to be a tough prison, but it's a constitutionally run prison."
Justice Department officials decided last year to send the highest-risk prisoners to Virginia, rather than to hold them at the Golden Grove prison on St. Croix. That decision came as local inmates being housed in federal prisons on the mainland were being returned to Golden Grove.
Fifteen V.I. inmates are being held at Wallens Ridge, which mostly holds people convicted of murder, Stridiron said. All of the V.I. prisoners are currently segregated from the general population and are being held under conditions similar to those Parrott cited.
An assistant attorney general will receive specialized training in prison law in anticipation of more suits being filed by inmates, Stridiron said. Nevertheless, he is confident that inmates' civil rights are not being violated at the prison, he said.
Stridiron noted that if prisoners at Wallens Ridge show that they can abide by rules and not cause problems, they can be transferred to Golden Grove. Meanwhile, inmates who are causing trouble at Golden Grove could get sent to Virginia, he said. Prison officials are currently considering sending one inmate at Golden Grove to Virginia because of bad behavior, he said.
Earlier this year, Connecticut officials decided to pull their inmates out of the Wallens Ridge prison after hearing reports of the harsh conditions, according to Eric Balaban, the staff counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project.
The ACLU had filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Connecticut prisoners housed at Wallens Ridge, citing rules that allowed individual officers to order inmates be tied down in five-point restraints for up to 72 hours, Balaban said. He also noted the frequent use by Wallens Ridge guards of electric stun devices.
Balaban said he sent letters to the V.I. Bureau of Corrections director, Horace Magras, urging the V.I. government not to send its inmates to Wallens Ridge. He said the ACLU would not hesitate to file lawsuits on behalf of the prisoners if it receives credible reports of civil rights violations.
Stridiron said Friday he stands by his decision to send some inmates to the Virginia prison. He said it will be a strong incentive for prisoners at Golden Grove to abide by the rules.
PRISONER SENT TO WALLENS RIDGE SUES V.I.
Sept. 17, 2001 – A V.I. inmate incarcerated in the Wallens Ridge prison in Virginia has sued Attorney General Iver Stridiron and the V.I. government, saying the harsh conditions at the supermaximum-security institution violate his civil rights.
Roy Sylvester Parrott, who is serving a life-sentence on a 1978 conviction of first-degree murder, filed the suit in District Court last week. He was transferred to Wallens Ridge in August after being housed in the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind., according to court papers.
Parrott's complaint states that he is being held in a cell by himself and is allowed out for recreation just one hour a day, five days a week. Each time he leaves his cell, he must undergo a strip search that involves guards' checking his bodily orifices for hidden objects, he states.
He is led from his cell on a leash, in shackles, with three or four guards accompanying him, he states, and in his cell, a bright light shines 24 hours a day, causing harm to his eyes. He also claims that he is not allowed to make telephone calls and does not have access to Virgin Islands legal materials.
Parrott claims that he was sent to Wallens Ridge because he was falsely classified as a high-security risk in the Indiana federal penitentiary, where he was attacked and cut up by another inmate with a homemade shank.
Stridiron said Friday that he was not surprised by the lawsuit — and that he is expecting more such suits as a result of the decision to house local convicts in a prison known nationwide for its tough conditions.
"We anticipate we're going to get a lot of this," he said, adding that inmates frequently file lawsuits over their treatment. "None of them want to be there. It's intended to be a tough prison, but it's a constitutionally run prison."
Justice Department officials decided last year to send the highest-risk prisoners to Virginia, rather than to hold them at the Golden Grove prison on St. Croix. That decision came as local inmates being housed in federal prisons on the mainland were being returned to Golden Grove.
Fifteen V.I. inmates are being held at Wallens Ridge, which mostly holds people convicted of murder, Stridiron said. All of the V.I. prisoners are currently segregated from the general population and are being held under conditions similar to those Parrott cited.
An assistant attorney general will receive specialized training in prison law in anticipation of more suits being filed by inmates, Stridiron said. Nevertheless, he is confident that inmates' civil rights are not being violated at the prison, he said.
Stridiron noted that if prisoners at Wallens Ridge show that they can abide by rules and not cause problems, they can be transferred to Golden Grove. Meanwhile, inmates who are causing trouble at Golden Grove could get sent to Virginia, he said. Prison officials are currently considering sending one inmate at Golden Grove to Virginia because of bad behavior, he said.
Earlier this year, Connecticut officials decided to pull their inmates out of the Wallens Ridge prison after hearing reports of the harsh conditions, according to Eric Balaban, the staff counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project.
The ACLU had filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Connecticut prisoners housed at Wallens Ridge, citing rules that allowed individual officers to order inmates be tied down in five-point restraints for up to 72 hours, Balaban said. He also noted the frequent use by Wallens Ridge guards of electric stun devices.
Balaban said he sent letters to the V.I. Bureau of Corrections director, Horace Magras, urging the V.I. government not to send its inmates to Wallens Ridge. He said the ACLU would not hesitate to file lawsuits on behalf of the prisoners if it receives credible reports of civil rights violations.
Stridiron said Friday he stands by his decision to send some inmates to the Virginia prison. He said it will be a strong incentive for prisoners at Golden Grove to abide by the rules.
Roy Sylvester Parrott, who is serving a life-sentence on a 1978 conviction of first-degree murder, filed the suit in District Court last week. He was transferred to Wallens Ridge in August after being housed in the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind., according to court papers.
Parrott's complaint states that he is being held in a cell by himself and is allowed out for recreation just one hour a day, five days a week. Each time he leaves his cell, he must undergo a strip search that involves guards' checking his bodily orifices for hidden objects, he states.
He is led from his cell on a leash, in shackles, with three or four guards accompanying him, he states, and in his cell, a bright light shines 24 hours a day, causing harm to his eyes. He also claims that he is not allowed to make telephone calls and does not have access to Virgin Islands legal materials.
Parrott claims that he was sent to Wallens Ridge because he was falsely classified as a high-security risk in the Indiana federal penitentiary, where he was attacked and cut up by another inmate with a homemade shank.
Stridiron said Friday that he was not surprised by the lawsuit — and that he is expecting more such suits as a result of the decision to house local convicts in a prison known nationwide for its tough conditions.
"We anticipate we're going to get a lot of this," he said, adding that inmates frequently file lawsuits over their treatment. "None of them want to be there. It's intended to be a tough prison, but it's a constitutionally run prison."
Justice Department officials decided last year to send the highest-risk prisoners to Virginia, rather than to hold them at the Golden Grove prison on St. Croix. That decision came as local inmates being housed in federal prisons on the mainland were being returned to Golden Grove.
Fifteen V.I. inmates are being held at Wallens Ridge, which mostly holds people convicted of murder, Stridiron said. All of the V.I. prisoners are currently segregated from the general population and are being held under conditions similar to those Parrott cited.
An assistant attorney general will receive specialized training in prison law in anticipation of more suits being filed by inmates, Stridiron said. Nevertheless, he is confident that inmates' civil rights are not being violated at the prison, he said.
Stridiron noted that if prisoners at Wallens Ridge show that they can abide by rules and not cause problems, they can be transferred to Golden Grove. Meanwhile, inmates who are causing trouble at Golden Grove could get sent to Virginia, he said. Prison officials are currently considering sending one inmate at Golden Grove to Virginia because of bad behavior, he said.
Earlier this year, Connecticut officials decided to pull their inmates out of the Wallens Ridge prison after hearing reports of the harsh conditions, according to Eric Balaban, the staff counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project.
The ACLU had filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Connecticut prisoners housed at Wallens Ridge, citing rules that allowed individual officers to order inmates be tied down in five-point restraints for up to 72 hours, Balaban said. He also noted the frequent use by Wallens Ridge guards of electric stun devices.
Balaban said he sent letters to the V.I. Bureau of Corrections director, Horace Magras, urging the V.I. government not to send its inmates to Wallens Ridge. He said the ACLU would not hesitate to file lawsuits on behalf of the prisoners if it receives credible reports of civil rights violations.
Stridiron said Friday he stands by his decision to send some inmates to the Virginia prison. He said it will be a strong incentive for prisoners at Golden Grove to abide by the rules.
