Over the holiday weekend, Governor de Jongh announced another important achievement on the path toward strengthening public education in the Virgin Islands. On Saturday, he announced that Central High School on St. Croix has received full accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools. “This is great news for the students, faculty and staff of CHS and I am pleased that through determination and hard work, critical areas were addressed to the satisfaction of Middle States and the once-issued probationary accreditation was lifted and full accreditation granted," he said. 

He commended the departments of Education and Public Works, who for months have worked diligently to address issues having to do with the school’s electrical system, the renovation of the vocation buildings and the installation of lockers. “These were long-standing issues and through a joint cooperative approach by the two departments, they have been addressed. The three areas require additional monitoring to see that the projects are brought to completion, but enough work was completed to satisfy the requirements of MSA.” 

The governor has maintained a hands-on approach in ensuring that the work was being done to secure accreditation for the St. Croix high school. Earlier this year, he met with officials of Middle States Commission both in Philadelphia and on St. Croix to discuss the ongoing efforts to ensure full accreditation for Central High School.

He also congratulated the students, faculty and staff of Central High on achieving full accreditation. “I am pleased that the students who graduate in June will head off to college knowing that we charted the course necessary to allow them to proudly say that they have graduated from a fully-accredited high school.” 

The Official Notification of Accreditation document from the Middle States Commission, President Henry Cram, noted that Central High meets all standards for accreditation; it adheres to all MSA policies and meets the requirements of the self-study protocol used. “The institution agrees to adhere to the requirements for maintenance of accreditation, and there are no outstanding issues related to the standards or requirements of the protocol that would require monitoring or on-site visits beyond the normal expected events required by the protocol utilized.” 

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Governor de Jongh today extended best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to all residents of the Virgin Islands. “Each year, on this day, we pause to give thanks and praise for the many blessings that we enjoy and reflect on the bonds of family and friendship.”

He said this is a time for the community to extend itself to those in need. “Many Virgin Islanders will be opening their hearts, their kitchens and their homes to others. We live in a loving community which has welcomed this holiday as a time to reach out to those in need and the less fortunate among us.” Let this Thanksgiving Day be no different, he added. 

On this Thanksgiving Day, we are most grateful for the islands having been spared the ravages of hurricanes and other natural disasters. 

“Despite our challenges confronting us as a people, we are filled with hope and optimism and share the belief that by working together, we will prevail. We also offer our deepest gratitude to the service men and women who are engaged in the theater of war and who are away from their homes and loved ones.”

He has also signed a proclamation declaring Thursday as a National Day of Thanksgiving in the Virgin Islands. “On November 20, President Obama, in recognition of the importance of Thanksgiving Day to U.S. citizens all around the world, proclaimed November 26 as a National Day of Thanksgiving, and asked all of the people of the United States to recognize and celebrate that day, and it is fitting and proper that the Virgin Islands participate in this recognition and celebration of Thanksgiving Day.” 

The governor said that on this Thanksgiving holiday, “Cecile and I join all Virgin Islanders, and all Americans, in giving thanks for our many blessings.” 

Last night, Governor de Jongh hosted the latest in a series of community town meetings for residents of Tutu and Anna’s Retreat. The session was an opportunity for residents to bring forward their concerns and issues which challenge life in their respective communities each day.

He said the series of town meetings have allowed residents to bring their concerns and questions directly to commissioners and agency heads as “we work to resolve as many of these challenges as possible.” The governor was joined at the meeting by Public Works Commissioner Darryl Smalls; Waste Management Authority Chief Operating Officer Steve Aubin; St. Thomas – St. John Police Chief Rodney Querrard and Sports, Parks and Recreation Commissioner St. Claire Williams. Many of the concerns focused on road conditions, sewage system challenges, incidents of crime and garbage collection.

Smalls addressed various capital development projects, road conditions, road striping, ongoing work on new public library and the development of the Leonardo Trotman Drive. The new roadway will provide more access to the Anna’s Retreat and Tutu areas as well as direct access to the new library and archives center. 

Commissioner Williams spoke of the territory-wide upgrade of recreation facilities that is now taking place and he pointed out that even though the Anna’s Retreat basketball court is not under the department’s purview, it was resurfaced and lighting systems were upgraded. Williams asked residents to work with the government in ensuring that the facilities are not vandalized. 

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Furthering Partnerships with the Department of Interior 
Posted by Jean Greaux on November 23, 2009 at 7:25 PM AST

Earlier today, Governor de Jongh welcomed Assistant Interior Secretary for Insular Areas Anthony Babauta during the grant presentation ceremonies Monday morning signaling the start of development of the Salt River Bay Marine Research and Education Center on St. Croix. As part of his first official visit to the Virgin Islands, Assistant Secretary Babauta presented the $1.25 million grant to the Territory for the development of the MREC project. The grant monies will fund the initial design phase of the project. 

Governor de Jongh noted that the project will support the research that is necessary to address the declining health of marine ecosystems all across the Caribbean region and in other tropical regions. “Science based management for the marine park on St. Croix will be supported by this grant and at the same time, the funding will provide continuing education to Virgin Islands students in the marine sciences.”

He welcomed this new strong and effective partnership for the Virgin Islands at a time when the Territory has the potential to become a center for research and study of not only coral reefs but mangroves and the overall health of the ecosystem. “We are developing partnerships to protect the environment, to educate our children and to diversify the economy of the Virgin Islands,” the governor noted as he spoke of the private-public partnerships with the Roseway training vessel to advance marine education in the public school system; partnerships to diversify the economy and our participation in the Coral Reef Task Force “to take the steps necessary to safeguard the marine environment.” The MREC project, he said, will lead to the development of a center of excellence for marine study and research.

The governor offered remarks as did Asst. Secretary Babauta, V.I. Congressional Delegate Donna Christensen, representatives of the consortium of universities and National Park Service Superintendent Joel Tutein was the master of ceremonies. “I am thankful for the continued support and friendship that Asst. Secretary Babauta has provided to the Virgin Islands during the time that he has been in this high-ranking position in the Interior Department. He has shown that he understands the unique needs of the territories and that he is indeed a true friend of the Virgin Islands.”

The project is a partnership between the National Park Service, the Office of Insular Affairs and the following universities: Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; the University of North Carolina, Wilmington; the University of the Virgin Islands and the University of South Carolina. Together, the four universities are known as the Joint Institute for Caribbean Marine Studies. 

Yesterday, Governor de Jongh and Congresswoman Christensen met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer to strongly rebuke Puerto Rico’s campaign of attacks and misinformation against the Virgin Islands’ economic development initiatives related to the landmark agreements with Diageo, the parent company of Captain Morgan and Fortune Brands, the parent company of Cruzan Rum. 

In a matter that should not occupy the time of federal legislators, Puerto Rico has launched a campaign designed to thwart a private-sector decision by Diageo, owner of the popular Captain Morgan rum brand, to terminate a supplier relationship with a private sector company in Puerto Rico for price and business reasons. Diageo has a supply contract with Puerto Rico’s Destileria Serralles for rum production that expires at the end of 2011. During negotiations to extend the agreement, Destileria Serralles refused to provide a reasonable value for rum production, leading Diageo to decide to move offshore. In the course of exploring production alternatives in other Caribbean countries, the company also approached Delegate Christensen, resulting in an agreement inked by Governor de Jongh to keep Captain Morgan in the United States by locating in on St. Croix for the next 30 years.

The meeting followed a strongly worded letter to Speaker Pelosi from Congresswoman Christensen earlier this week that countered mischaracterizations and false information from Puerto Rican officials and their allies regarding the cover-over program and the agreements. 

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Last week, in a letter to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, Governor de Jongh fired back at Puerto Rico for what he termed as a misinformation campaign as it related to the plans by Diageo to develop its distillery on St. Croix. 

On November 13th, the governor wrote that he felt compelled to correct the record and challenge much of the misinformation contained in an earlier letter to Rangel from Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi “The USVI did not lure Diageo away from Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico was unable to renew a contract with Diageo.” 

The governor described legislation that Pierluisi introduced as a terrible idea and emphasized the negative impact such legislation would have on the territories. The Puerto Rico legislation, if adopted, would radically transform the nature of the cover-over statute, which forms one of the foundations of the tax relationship between the U.S. and its territories, for the first time in nearly 100 years. 

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Yesterday, Governor de Jongh welcomed Consul General Honorable Klaus H.D. Ranner of the Federal Republic of Germany to Government House, St. Thomas. The historic meeting marked the first time in over thirty years that a representative of the German Consulate has visited Government House and the Territory. Consul General Ranner is based in Miami, Florida with jurisdiction over the Florida, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands region. 

“Over the years the people of Germany have progressed this European nation to its current standing as the fourth largest economy in the world. As a leader in both European and global affairs, Germany enjoys a harmonious relationship with the United States and is recognized for its scientific and technological systems worldwide. I applaud Consul General Ranner’s initiative in personally visiting the Territory in order to learn more about our people, our culture, and our economy."

Monday’s discussion at Government House focused on a wide variety of topics, including: tourism as a driving force in a nation’s economy; cultural foods and celebrations; German businesses operating in the U.S. mainland and territories; international technology systems; the opening of Cuba; the German economy; and the possibility of establishing an Honorary German Consulate in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Tourism Monique Sibilly-Hodge was also present for the courtesy call with the Chief Executive.

Consul General Ranner, a self-described “Career Diplomat,” has held posts in the Foreign Service in Poland, India, Iran, and the United States. He departs the Territory on Sunday. 

Yesterday, Governor de Jongh welcomed 47 students affiliated with the Rotary International’s Interact Service Club for young people ages 14-18 to Government House, St. Croix.. The students, or “Interactors,” discussed a variety of community issues and current events with the Chief Executive and shared their perspective on priorities for the V.I. Government.

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This week, Governor de Jongh welcomed ten student participants of his Summer Reading Challenge to a special congratulatory luncheon onboard the Disney Magic cruise ship in St. Croix and St. Thomas Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. The students participated in the program over the summer and after reading twenty or more books, were randomly selected to join the Chief Executive onboard the cruise ship as a reward for their achievement. Each child was chaperoned by a parent or guardian.

“With this program, our goal was to encourage students Territory-wide to read more as an educational activity. Although the challenge was to read five or more books, these students went above and beyond that benchmark, and read over twenty books during the program. It was important to recognize their accomplishments and reward their achievements in a unique and special way This was a great day for the students, and I look forward to bringing back this reading program again next year."

On Tuesday, the following students from the St. Croix District joined Governor de Jongh and Education Commissioner Dr. LaVerne Terry onboard the Disney Magic cruise ship: Merlin Sarah Valery, Charles B. Valery, Caldena Louisa Blake, Chrystal Angelic George, Mireille O. Sankatsing-Smith, and Mikaela Sharifa-Joyce. 

On Wednesday, the following students from the St. Thomas/St. John District joined Governor de Jongh, First Lady de Jongh, Education Commissioner Dr. LaVerne Terry, and Education Assistant Commissioner Donna Frett-Gregory: Myroon S. Hosein, Sumaiyah-Nadira Richardson, Pamela A. Raymond, Diarra A. Raymond, Delta Matthews, and Diantha I.M. Matthews.

The 2009 Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge was a partnership between the Governor’s Office, the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Education, and Learn-It Systems Corporation. Learn-It donated 200,000 books to the program, and all students who participated in the challenge received books for free.

This morning, the Governor and First Lady Cecile launched their official pages on Facebook. The social networking site will enhance interaction with constituents on the World Wide Web and establishes an additional avenue for members of the Virgin Islands community to interact and communicate with the Chief Executive and the First Lady. 

The Governor and First Lady believe in utilizing the latest in technology, equipment, and software to enhance interaction with constituents.

"In this age of new technologies and instant communications, Facebook enables tremendous opportunities for individuals to connect throughout the Territory, nation, and worldwide. With computers and the Internet being used more and more, Virgin Islanders are logging onto Facebook for community news, updates, and for social networking purposes. With that in mind, it’s important to provide even greater access and communications between our offices and the Virgin Islands community,” Governor de Jongh said. 

 “Social networking has truly skyrocketed in recent years, and the power of new media enables communications to be more efficient and responsive, around-the-clock. Cecile and I are delighted to launch our official Facebook pages as part of our commitment to maintaining an unprecedented responsiveness to the Virgin Islands community"

• Governor’s Facebook Page
• First Lady's Facebook Page

After attending ceremonies to honor our veterans, Governor de Jongh said he was pleased with the large turnout of Virgin Islanders at events on St. Croix and St. Thomas which commemorated Veterans Day today. 

Listen to Governor de Jongh's remarks .mp3 (5.1 MB)

“In both island districts, we saw what could easily be described as the best turnout in a long time for both the military parades and the official ceremonies. The ceremonies today paid tribute to the veterans of our country and the men and women of the Virgin Islands National Guard as we saluted them for their dedicated, loyal, and devoted service to our citizens.”

The governor marched in the St. Croix parade this morning and returned to St. Thomas to take part in both ceremonies and a military parade on St. Thomas this afternoon.

He said he was also delighted to see the vast number of young people who followed him on the two parades routes today. 

“These scores of young people participating in events such as Veterans Day indicate to us that the young people of our community have embraced our efforts and have embraced the Armed Services. It was delightful to see the numbers of young Virgin Islanders marching as members of the JROTC programs, in marching bands, as police cadets and as members of the high school flag corps.” 

At ceremonies on St. Thomas, the governor also acknowledged the presence of a cadre of BVI military police who participated in the annual parade. “We also celebrate Veterans Day this year at a very interesting time in our history,” he said, as he noted the irony of the solemn ceremonies yesterday to mark the lives of those servicemen killed in Fort Hood and “later this week the fact that we will be laying to rest, one of our own V.I. National Guardsmen who was tragically taken from our midst a few days ago.

Respect and gratitude for these brave men and women should not be limited to one day or one week, he said, adding, “Our personal liberties have been guaranteed by the soldiers, sailors, marines and all other military personnel who have served in armed conflicts since the formation of our country.” 

The governor thanked all citizens who played their part in remembering the sacrifices and contributions of all those who, when called upon to do so, served this Nation honorably in wartime to preserve our heritage of peace and the most profound reward which we might bestow upon our veterans. 

Governor de Jongh today expressed great sadness upon learning of the death of former U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, Virgin Islands businessman, hotel manager, developer and philanthropist Henry Kimelman.

 “Henry Kimelman’s relationship with the Virgin Islands was long lasting and in many regards, he contributed much to the development of this territory."

“Ambassador Kimelman always held the best interests of the Virgin Islands at heart. He provided the initial funding for the development of The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, was a long-time contributor to Partners for Health and together with his wife, Charlotte, contributed the start up monies for the cancer center at Schneider Regional Medical Center which is today named in Charlotte Kimelman’s honor. He also recalled that on February 4, 1998, former governor Roy L. Schneider proclaimed “Henry Kimelman Day.” 

In a statement, the governor recalled that Kimelman served for ten years as the president of the V.I. Hotel, one of the first luxury resorts constructed after the World War. He later developed the West Indies Corporation as a premier beverage, wine and liquor business and served as its Chairman and CEO from 1969-1980. He was also Chairman and CEO of the Island Block Corporation before becoming deeply involved in national politics. de Jongh said Kimelman served as the first Commissioner of Commerce, Industry and Tourism for the Virgin Islands. “His tenure was a defining time in Virgin Islands history during which Henry Kimelman launched significant promotion of the territory as a tourism destination.” Kimelman was also director and chairman of the executive committee of Diners Club and served on the board of the American Hotel Association. 

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A four day conference focusing on an end to domestic violence opened on St. Thomas today. The conference at the Marriott Frenchman's Reef resort will examine topics from what the criminal justice system can do to beef up its response to incidents of domestic violence to what the community can also do to help. 

Featured speakers in the discussions include representatives from local agencies such as the Family Resource Center and the Women's Coalition of St. Croix, along with national agencies such as the Missouri Police Department and the Maryland Human Resources Department.

Opening ceremonies were held Monday with remarks from the president of the National Network to End Domestic Violence Sue Else, Lynn Spencer of the VI Council on domestic violence and sexual assault as well as Governor de Jongh and Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen. 

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On Saturday, Governor de Jongh welcomed over three hundred students from grades K-8 to Emancipation Garden on St. Thomas. The students were invited to attend the special ceremony with the Chief Executive after reading five or more books as a participant in the Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge. He and Education Commissioner Dr. LaVerne Terry delivered remarks to praise and congratulate the students.

“I am so proud of all the students who took up the challenge to read five or more books this past summer. Reading is incredibly important in promoting better language development and opens up new worlds for the imagination, providing entertainment and education. This was a unique opportunity to recognize the tremendous accomplishments of students and the importance of reading for enjoyment every day and throughout the year. Today everybody is a winner,” he said.

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On Sunday, Governor de Jongh lauded the historic vote by the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the biggest and most important health care reform bill in nearly half a century. The House voted to approve the bill by a vote of 220 to 215. 

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Over the weekend, Governor de Jongh took to the airwaves to address issues surrounding security improvements made to his private residence in Estate Mafolie following his election as the Territory's 7th Governor in November 2006. 

You can read the entire radio address here or listen to it here.

Yesterday, Governor de Jongh signed into law an agreement which fosters a 30-year public-private partnership and will continue both the diversification and growth of the V.I. economy. The agreement with Cruzan VIRIL Ltd. locks in an expansion of production capacity for Cruzan Rum in the Virgin Islands. At the same time, this renewed alliance marks the strengthening of the relationship between the government and Cruzan Rum which dates back to the 1700’s.

Listen to the Governor's Remarks .mp3 (4 MB)

The economic development and investment agreement, which was approved by the Legislature on October 27, will help grow production of Cruzan Rum and generate a significant long-term revenue stream for the government. 

“The passage of this significant bill forecasts a better future for all residents of this Territory, as its effect spans from providing job security to cleaning the environment. It was the combination of the potential for this Cruzan agreement, along with the existing Diageo agreement, that provided the basis on which banking institutions approved a $250 million dollar Government loan previously authorized by the Legislature. As a result, government employees have not been faced with the furloughs or layoffs endured by many of their state and local government counterparts,” the governor wrote in a transmittal letter to Senate President Louis Patrick Hill.

“With financing in place for the development of its needed wastewater treatment facility, Cruzan will be able to comply with the Territorial Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit which will result in the removal of the infamous “brown stain” from the south shore of St. Croix and at the same time allow for increased production at the Cruzan facility,” the governor added.

Under terms of the agreement, the government has committed to continue to share the costs of molasses, a critical input in rum production, as it has for the past several decades. 

“Additionally, the government will continue to invest a portion of the tax revenues generated from the sales of locally-produced Cruzan Rum and the Virgin Islands rum industry,” the governor said, adding that the government “will also provide financing for the construction of a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant and to expand capacity of the Cruzan distillery by more than 50 percent.”

“With today’s signing, we continue the effort to advance my Administration’s strategy of forming partnerships between the government and business. The rum sector in the Virgin Islands remains one of our most important and successful industries and one that Congress has provided as an economic incentive to all U.S. territories as a vehicle for growth. This agreement will provide stability to the finances of the Virgin Islands Government,” he said.

Yesterday, Governor de Jongh expressed his appreciation and commended the members of the Virgin Islands National Guard who assisted in a recent fuel depot fire in Puerto Rico. 

“I am grateful to the ten members of the hazardous material team from St. Croix who were deployed on October 23rd to assist fellow guardsmen in Puerto Rico contain the damage caused by the catastrophic fuel depot fire.” 

He said he was pleased to see VING personnel reaching out to our Puerto Rico neighbors and assist during their time of need. “The team from St. Croix assisted in monitoring toxins in the air in the general vicinity of the blaze. The team mobilized quickly once the request came in from Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuno to my office."

The governor congratulated all members of the VI National Guard and saluted Major Kenneth Alleyne who brought the team to Puerto Rico, carried out their mission using their extensive training and experience and returned the team home safely. 

The 23rd Civil Support Team from St. Croix is trained to respond to major disasters and terrorism attacks that include chemical, biological, nuclear and high-explosive weapons.

Earlier today, Governor de Jongh said that finalizing mold remediation, rehabilitation and renovation of the Frederiksted Health Center on St. Croix is a priority for his administration and by the beginning of 2010, the requests for proposals for both phases of work at the FHC should be completed. 

Listen to the Governor's Remarks .mp3 (1.85 MB)

He said the board of directors of the FHC and the Public Works Department have been working on finalizing the request for proposals for the mold removal phase of work and have established a November 9 deadline for the requests to be returned to the department. 

“Once the RFP is completed, the government will advertise for bids and that process will be driven by whether the mold will be remediated through chemical treatment or by removing mold-infested areas of the center.” The governor said once the bids have been returned for the mold remediation, the requests for proposals for the renovation and rehabilitation of the center will be developed. “I believe that by early 2010 we will have the RFP for the renovation phase completed and then it will be advertised for bids.”

He said that the extent of the work to be completed at FHC was of a larger magnitude than originally estimated “and while there has been a delay, we wanted to make certain that both phases of work are completed for those who seek services at the center and those who work at the FHC. We wanted to avoid any situation where the work was rushed to completion, have the staff begin to work there and then have to relocate them to complete or revisit the repairs a second time.”

 The clinic's Frederiksted facility has been closed for mold remediation since April 2008, when operations moved to a wing of the Herbert Grigg Home for the Aged in Kingshill.

The clinic is run as a private non-profit organization with federal and local funding along with revenues it generates from the fees it charges for services. It has a mandate to provide health care without regard to ability to pay.