The Rotary Club II, which meets at 12:15 on Wednesdays, at Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort, will have Dr. Diane Brinker as guest speaker on August 1. The Family Resource Center will be the topic.

The Rotary Club II of St. Thomas, which meets at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesdays at Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort, will have Dr. Diane Brinker as guest speaker at the Aug. 1 meeting.
Her topic will be the Family Resource Center.

July 26, 2001 – Gov. Charles W. Turnbull Wednesday expressed shock and profound sadness upon learning of the passing of longtime Antilles School Headmaster Mark Marin and extended condolences on behalf of the government and people of the U.S. Virgin Islands to Marin's family, friends and the Antilles School community. "The territory has lost a conscientious and visionary educator who dedicated his life's work to the advancement of an enlightened generation, capable of meeting the challenges of the new century," Turnbull said.
"His sudden loss represents a major blow to the Antilles School family and the Virgin Islands community in general. He will be sorely missed," the chief executive continued. Marin succumbed to an injury to the head he sustained in a fall at home on Tuesday. He was airlifted to Miami where he died without regaining consciousness. He would have been 52 on Aug. 7. Prior to becoming headmaster at Antilles School, Marin taught at the Sts. Peter and Paul High School.
Gov. Turnbull noted that he served and worked several times on educational committees with Mr. Marin. The governor said that under Marin's leadership, Antilles School significantly expanded the number of scholarships it provided to deserving students of various backgrounds and achieved the prestigious designation of a Blue Ribbon Presidential School. The school achieved many notable awards in scholastic and athletic competitions and developed many progressive capital projects during his tenure, the governor said. In addition to the construction of a new state of the art library, the school is now building a new sports complex that is intended to serve the entire community.
"At this very sad time for the cause of Virgin Islands' education and for the Antilles School community, I extend profound condolences to all mourning this passionate and committed educator and offer my prayers that God will comfort and sustain his family, loved ones, the Antilles School community and all others mourning the untimely passing of this good and decent man. May he rest in peace," Governor Turnbull concluded.

July 26, 2001 – Gov. Charles W. Turnbull has extended the condolences of the government and the people to the loved ones, surviving relatives and friends of three long-time Virgin Islands residents who recently passed away.
The governor added his voice in mourning the passing of historian, hotelier and author, Samuel Boynes. He was the owner and operator of L'Hotel Boynes, who made a difference in the lives of many Virgin Islanders through his undaunted desire to document his research into his local family ancestry. "He has helped to encourage an awareness in the community on the importance of preserving our culture and history," the governor said.
Gov. Turnbull also mourned the passing of Jean Jorgensen Brown-Hendricks, who was one of the first tour operators in the development of the tourism industry in the Virgin Islands. During her outstanding career as a journalist she contributed to President John F. Kennedy's successful campaign in 1960 as a speechwriter, and was a writer for WSTA Radio "Town Crier" program. She and her late husband former police captain, Jens Hendricks, owned and operated several successful businesses including the Caribbean Travel Agency, Tropic Tours and Palm Passage Liquor Store. She was unwavering in her commitment to improve her surroundings, the governor noted.
The governor also cited the passing of Milton "Mac" Penn, former director of the Office of Civil Defense and Emergency Services (presently VITEMA). Penn was instrumental in the development of the Civil Defense Volunteer Corps, which later became the St. Thomas Rescue Squad. He was also a deeply spiritual and gentle individual. He dedicated his life to initiatives, which improved the quality of life for the people of this territory
Turnbull extended his deepest sympathies and prayers for comfort for those who mourn the passing of these three individuals, who gave freely of their time and energies to the benefit of this community. "May their souls rest in peace," the governor concluded.

July 26, 2001 – Gov. Charles W. Turnbull Wednesday expressed shock and profound sadness upon learning of the passing of longtime Antilles School Headmaster Mark Marin and extended condolences on behalf of the government and people of the U.S. Virgin Islands to Marin's family, friends and the Antilles School community. "The territory has lost a conscientious and visionary educator who dedicated his life's work to the advancement of an enlightened generation, capable of meeting the challenges of the new century," Turnbull said.
"His sudden loss represents a major blow to the Antilles School family and the Virgin Islands community in general. He will be sorely missed," the chief executive continued. Marin succumbed to an injury to the head he sustained in a fall at home on Tuesday. He was airlifted to Miami where he died without regaining consciousness. He would have been 52 on Aug. 7. Prior to becoming headmaster at Antilles School, Marin taught at the Sts. Peter and Paul High School.
Gov. Turnbull noted that he served and worked several times on educational committees with Mr. Marin. The governor said that under Marin's leadership, Antilles School significantly expanded the number of scholarships it provided to deserving students of various backgrounds and achieved the prestigious designation of a Blue Ribbon Presidential School. The school achieved many notable awards in scholastic and athletic competitions and developed many progressive capital projects during his tenure, the governor said. In addition to the construction of a new state of the art library, the school is now building a new sports complex that is intended to serve the entire community.
"At this very sad time for the cause of Virgin Islands' education and for the Antilles School community, I extend profound condolences to all mourning this passionate and committed educator and offer my prayers that God will comfort and sustain his family, loved ones, the Antilles School community and all others mourning the untimely passing of this good and decent man. May he rest in peace," Governor Turnbull concluded.

July 26, 2001 – Gov. Charles W. Turnbull has extended the condolences of the government and the people to the loved ones, surviving relatives and friends of three long-time Virgin Islands residents who recently passed away.
The governor added his voice in mourning the passing of historian, hotelier and author, Samuel Boynes. He was the owner and operator of L'Hotel Boynes, who made a difference in the lives of many Virgin Islanders through his undaunted desire to document his research into his local family ancestry. "He has helped to encourage an awareness in the community on the importance of preserving our culture and history," the governor said.
Gov. Turnbull also mourned the passing of Jean Jorgensen Brown-Hendricks, who was one of the first tour operators in the development of the tourism industry in the Virgin Islands. During her outstanding career as a journalist she contributed to President John F. Kennedy's successful campaign in 1960 as a speechwriter, and was a writer for WSTA Radio "Town Crier" program. She and her late husband former police captain, Jens Hendricks, owned and operated several successful businesses including the Caribbean Travel Agency, Tropic Tours and Palm Passage Liquor Store. She was unwavering in her commitment to improve her surroundings, the governor noted.
The governor also cited the passing of Milton "Mac" Penn, former director of the Office of Civil Defense and Emergency Services (presently VITEMA). Penn was instrumental in the development of the Civil Defense Volunteer Corps, which later became the St. Thomas Rescue Squad. He was also a deeply spiritual and gentle individual. He dedicated his life to initiatives, which improved the quality of life for the people of this territory
Turnbull extended his deepest sympathies and prayers for comfort for those who mourn the passing of these three individuals, who gave freely of their time and energies to the benefit of this community. "May their souls rest in peace," the governor concluded.

July 26, 2001 – Sen. Emmett Hansen II said Thursday that he had no knowledge of the video lottery terminal legislation being included in the 22-page amendment to the governor's supplemental budget bill approved by the Senate late on the night of July 19, although he was listed as a sponsor.
"I didn't realize it was there," Hansen said Thursday. "I have no idea how it got in there. I heard Sen. [Vargrave] Richards on the radio last night, and I had no idea what he was talking about."
A story in Wednesday's Source noted that Hansen sponsored an earlier video lottery bill, then subsequently asked the governor to veto it after getting feedback on the bill's possible consequences. The story said Hansen had done an about-face in becoming one of several sponsors of the new legislation, voted on as an amendment to the supplemental appropriations bill.
However, not all of the senators had a chance to read the entire 22-page amendment in the nature of a substitute which was handed out in the last minutes of a long day, after the legislative legal counsel's office had drafted several additional amendments.
Just as the session was closing, Hansen recalled, Sen. David Jones made a motion to override Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's earlier veto of the initial video lottery legislation. Hansen said he voted against the override, and the motion failed by about 11-4, he thought.
"I am going to the legal counsel's office right now to look at the legislation," Hansen said of the new video lottery measure. "I have no idea who sponsored the amendment."
Jones must not have realized the amendment was in the massive supplemental appropriations measure, either, Hansen said. "Otherwise, why would he have moved for the override?"
Hansen said, "We were all doing our best to keep up, with amendments flying fast and furious. But my name isn't on that," he stressed, referring to the video lottery amendment. He said it was possible the amendment had come up during a time when he was off the floor getting something to eat.
Calls to Jones's office Thursday morning were not returned.

July 26, 2001 – Sen. Emmett Hansen II said Thursday that he had no knowledge of the video lottery terminal legislation being included in the 22-page amendment to the governor's supplemental budget bill approved by the Senate late on the night of July 19, although he was listed as a sponsor.
"I didn't realize it was there," Hansen said Thursday. "I have no idea how it got in there. I heard Sen. [Vargrave] Richards on the radio last night, and I had no idea what he was talking about."
A story in Wednesday's Source noted that Hansen sponsored an earlier video lottery bill, then subsequently asked the governor to veto it after getting feedback on the bill's possible consequences. The story said Hansen had done an about-face in becoming one of several sponsors of the new legislation, voted on as an amendment to the supplemental appropriations bill.
However, not all of the senators had a chance to read the lengthy video lottery amendment, which was handed out in the last minutes of a long day, after the legislative legal counsel's office had drafted several additional amendments.
Just as the session was closing, Hansen recalled, Sen. David Jones made a motion to override Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's earlier veto of the initial video lottery legislation. Hansen said he voted against the override, and the motion failed by about 11-4, he thought.
"I am going to the legal counsel's office right now to look at the legislation," Hansen said of the new video lottery measure. "I have no idea who sponsored the amendment."
Jones must not have realized the amendment was in the massive supplemental appropriations measure, either, Hansen said. "Otherwise, why would he have moved for the override?"
Hansen said, "We were all doing our best to keep up, with amendments flying fast and furious. But my name isn't on that," he stressed, referring to the video lottery amendment. He said it was possible the amendment had come up during a time when he was off the floor getting something to eat.
Calls to Jones's office Thursday morning were not returned.

July 26, 2001 – Sen. Emmett Hansen II said Thursday that he had no knowledge of the video lottery terminal legislation being included in the 22-page amendment to the governor's supplemental budget bill approved by the Senate late on the night of July 19, although he was listed as a sponsor.
"I didn't realize it was there," Hansen said Thursday. "I have no idea how it got in there. I heard Sen. [Vargrave] Richards on the radio last night, and I had no idea what he was talking about."
A story in Wednesday's Source noted that Hansen sponsored an earlier video lottery bill, then subsequently asked the governor to veto it after getting feedback on the bill's possible consequences. The story said Hansen had done an about-face in becoming one of several sponsors of the new legislation, voted on as an amendment to the supplemental appropriations bill.
However, not all of the senators had a chance to read the entire 22-pagE amendment, which was handed out in the last minutes of a long day, after the legislative legal counsel's office had drafted several additional amendments.
Just as the session was closing, Hansen recalled, Sen. David Jones made a motion to override Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's earlier veto of the initial video lottery legislation. Hansen said he voted against the override, and the motion failed by about 11-4, he thought.
"I am going to the legal counsel's office right now to look at the legislation," Hansen said of the new video lottery measure. "I have no idea who sponsored the amendment."
Jones must not have realized the amendment was in the massive supplemental appropriations measure, either, Hansen said. "Otherwise, why would he have moved for the override?"
Hansen said, "We were all doing our best to keep up, with amendments flying fast and furious. But my name isn't on that," he stressed, referring to the video lottery amendment. He said it was possible the amendment had come up during a time when he was off the floor getting something to eat.
Calls to Jones's office Thursday morning were not returned.

Many journalists in the Virgin Islands have gotten so inured to being ignored by local officials that they’re stunned when they deal with public officials elsewhere.
We were reminded of this recently when following up on a national drug bust with local connections.
Imagine our surprise and delight when the lead prosecutor on the national case and a national spokesperson for the FBI returned our phone calls within a half-hour — a half-hour! — of our requesting information.
In contrast, the majority of local officials and spokespeople rarely return calls at all. We can call three, four, five times, but often our calls are ignored, if it's on a subject they don't want to talk about, as are those of other journalists.
A few recent examples: Louis M. Willis, director of the Internal Revenue Bureau, has failed to return repeated calls from the Source for information on tax rebates in the territory; Attorney General Iver Stridiron has not returned calls seeking information on a variety of issues, including the shortage of staff in his office; Tourism Commissioner Pam Richards hasn’t responded to repeated calls about the readiness of the Tourism web site.
These are important public issues that deserve full and accurate coverage by the press. But it’s difficult to provide full, accurate coverage if public officials don’t provide basic information or explain their side of a controversy.
Many of these officials, of course, are quick to call radio talk show hosts, perhaps because they can get their self-serving viewpoints across unfiltered by the tough questions that professional journalists are trained to ask. That is a form of selective dissemination of information that the courts have frowned on, including courts in the Virgin Islands. Public officials do not have the luxury of picking and choosing whom they will give information to; they are legally required to offer the same information to all media.
This is not to say that these officials have to spend an unreasonable amount of time dealing with the media. If they don’t wish to shoulder that responsibility, they can and should appoint spokespeople who can represent their views to the public — but those spokespeople must be in the know and be authorized to speak for their bosses.
The impact of stonewalling by local officials is obvious: Stories don’t get reported, or if they do get reported, they aren’t as thorough or accurate as they should be.
Until the people who elect these public servants demand full disclosure and hold elected officials to their campaign promises of "transparency" in government, as was promised over and over during the Turnbull-James campaign, it is unlikely that anything will change…leaving the press and therefore the public in the dark about government activities.
We wonder, does the public care?
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.