Earlier today, Governor de Jongh released
his New Year's Message to the people of the Virgin Islands:
Governor John P. de Jongh,
Jr.
New Year's Message
December 30, 2011
Each New Year, like each new day, dawns under the weather of the moment. But whether it is cloudy or bright, anxious or calm, each New Year also holds the promise of what lies ahead: the hope that each of us, each of our families, our friends, our community, indeed the world at large, will be able to find a way forward toward peace and prosperity.
And although 2012 begins under a cloud of uncertainty and difficulty for our territory as we grapple with our many challenges and continue to struggle towards a more secure footing, I want each and every resident to know that what we do not lack is resourcefulness and what we do not lack is resolve.
I know and believe that better days lie ahead. I know that with God’s help and the combined effort of all men and women of good will, we will build the better tomorrow together we all wish for and pray for.
And so, as we welcome in the New Year, Cecile and I, and all in our family, wish you and your family best wishes for a year of good health, and a year of peace. May 2012 bring us together and move us ahead.
Governor de Jongh ended 2011 with an announcement he had hoped to avoid: the 29th Legislature's failure to address the territory's financial crisis has prompted him to initiate layoffs of government workers.
With Finance Commissioner Angel Dawson and Office of Management and Budget Director Debra Gottlieb by his side, Governor de Jongh emphatically stated that senators forced his hand, as they knew they would when voting down a package of emergency measures proposed to avert insolvency.
“They flatly rejected those measures and at the same time, offered no solutions of their own,”
the governor said at today's press conference. “What they did was decide that the dismissal of government workers was the best solution.”
The bill voted down last week in special session included provisions to raise the Gross Receipts Tax to five percent, repeal forgiveness of hospital debt, issue 2010 property tax bills at 1998 rate assessment levels, reduce the dollar threshold of the Insurance Guaranty Fund and authorize additional borrowing.
"The continued lack of appreciation of the depth of the present financial and cash crisis and the effect that their continued failure to act will have both on government employees and their families and provision of government operations, is troubling,"
he said, "as it leaves us with an ever-narrowing range of options all of which will cause great hardship on many now employed by our government and on our private sector as well.
We will be back to work next week to do what must be done given the Legislature's continued failure to act."
Governor de Jongh said today the territory was awarded $33,000 to help low income Virgin Islanders pay their energy bills.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released more than $845 million to states and territories as part of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, a block grant timed to assist struggling families during the holiday season.
“This money will be dispersed in such a way that will help Virgin Islanders, including families with children and seniors, make their homes more energy efficient and reduce their energy costs,” the governor said.
On Wednesday evening, the governor and first
lady participated in a ceremony commemorating the second night of the Jewish holiday of Chanukah by lighting a historic menorah.
Governor John P. de Jon
Jr. and Mrs. de Jongh with (left to right) Rabbi Stephen Moch, Rabbi Arthur Starr and Rabbi Usher Federman,
December 21, 2011.
As part of the celebration of the festival of lights, Government House hosted its first-ever kosher meal, and children sang traditional Chanukah songs.
“Last night's Chanukah celebration was an incredible opportunity for all of us, Jews and non-Jews alike, to share the message of this beautiful holiday and learn from the ancient traditions that together we carry on into the present day,”
the first lady said.
The first lady talked about the holiday's message of religious freedom and resistance to oppression. Chanukah is an eight-day holiday commemorating the re dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt freed the Jewish people from foreign oppressors. The holiday is marked by lighting a new candle each night on a nine-stemmed candelabrum called a menorah.
A 250-year-old menorah used by one of the first Jewish communities in the Caribbean, in St. Eustatius, was loaned to Government House for the lighting ceremony and display.
Government dignitaries were joined by St. Thomas Jewish leaders, including Rabbi Asher and Henya Federman, Rabbi Stephen Moch and Rabbi Arthur Starr.
“Across our islands, we see the lights of menorahs flickering from the windows of Jewish homes, reminding us that our community enjoys having among it a vibrant Jewish population. The fact that Jewish families across the world continue to revel in the joy of Chanukah; that we lit at Government House on St. Thomas a centuries-old menorah from the Honen Dalim Synagogue on St. Eustatius; that the beautiful synagogue on St. Thomas, one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere, still stands; it is all testament to the strength and resilience of the Jewish people,” Governor de Jongh said.
This afternoon,
Governor de Jongh announced that he has called the 29th Legislature into Special Session
on December 23rd to approve an agenda of financial measures that
are necessary for the financial sustainability and the long term financial health of
the territory.
The the text of
the Governor's
address is posted here.
On Saturday, hundreds of children converged on
Emancipation Garden for the annual Children’s Christmas Party hosted by the
governor and first lady. The headliner item in the gift bag each child
received from Santa Claus was a children’s book, The Lesson Box, written by
author Treganza Roach.
Ms. Roach
was encouraged to develop the book as part of the first lady's ongoing efforts
to help improve the Virgin Islands literacy rate. She is the spokesperson for
the territory’s Big Read initiative sponsored by the National Endowment for
the Arts.
Earlier today, Governor de Jongh, members of the Cabinet and Government House
staff were entertained by the choir of the Ulla Muller Elementary School. It was the
second time in as many days that Governor de Jongh hosted the school choirs at Government House. The choir serenaded those in attendance with a medley of Christmas carols.
Governor de Jongh was one of 16 state and territorial governors who signed a
letter sent today to congressional leaders urging them to extend federal unemployment benefits.
The letter to Senator Harry Reid, Senator Mitch McConnell, House Speaker John Boehner, and Representative Nancy Pelosi requests a one-year extension of the emergency Unemployment Compensation Program, and full federal funding of the Extended Benefits Program. Both programs are set to expire at the end of the year.
“We are extremely concerned about
the potential impact of the expiration of these programs on families and our
economic recovery as a whole,” the governors' letter reads. The letter
states that unemployment benefits are quickly injected back into the economy,
speeding up a recovery.
“The Congressional Budget Office
numbers make clear that these federally extended benefits provide the best
'bangs for buck' for stimulating economic growth,” the governor said.
The governors express concern that unless the unemployment benefits are extended, in January nearly 2 million Americans will lose the only financial support they receive.
“Now is not the time to turn our
backs on hard-working Americans. Individuals who are laid off through no fault
of their own rely on these funds to support their families,” the letter
reads.
The letter also notes that Congress has never in its history failed to extend benefits when the national unemployment rate has been higher than 7.2 percent. The territory's rate currently is over nine percent.
Governor de Jongh said today that the Division of Personnel is in the process of making the third and final payments to public employees who acted on the incentive to retire which was included in the Virgin Islands Economic Stability Act
(VIESA).
Personnel Director Kenneth L. Hermon, Jr. said the recent retirees can expect to receive their final payments on Thursday, December 22, 2011.
He explained a delay in the payment schedule.
“While my team made a valiant
effort to stay on the original schedule, we did not finish calculating the
unionized salary increase owed to recent VIESA retirees in time to transmit
the data to the Department of Finance,” he said.
The delay was due in part to the
multiple contracts which had to be reviewed and his team’s desire to ensure
the new retirees received accurate salary increase payments, Herman added. The
recent VIESA retirees are entitled to a unionized salary increase.
“I'm happy to know that the public
employees who chose to take advantage of the retirement incentive will receive
the money due to them before Christmas,” the governor said, adding, “I
wish them the best for the holidays and in all their future endeavors.”
Governor de Jongh and members of the Government House staff were serenaded by the Gladys A. Abraham Elementary School choir today. The serenade is one of several by public school choirs during the holiday season. The Gladys A. Abraham Elementary School choir is under the direction of Mrs. Naomi Toussaint Williams.
The territory’s Health Reform Implementation Task Force
is asking residents to provide input on their healthcare
experiences as it nears completion of an intensive
outreach campaign to gauge the feasibility of
establishing a health insurance exchange, or a
marketplace for individuals and small businesses to
purchase health insurance.
Since late October,
representatives of the Task Force have made a targeted
effort to seek the input of many of the territory’s
sub-populations, to include the homeless, senior
citizens, residents ages 18 to 30, medical providers,
and the Hispanic and French Creole communities. Through
the use of public outreach meetings and the media, the
Task Force is capitalizing on numerous opportunities to
encourage Virgin Islanders to be involved in improving
the territory’s healthcare system and also to gather
data that will be used to determine whether a health
insurance exchange is the best option for the
territory.
Feedback from the
meetings is providing valuable information that will be
used to shape health reform initiatives throughout the
U.S. Virgin Islands. According to Task Force
Coordinator, Taetia Phillips-Dorsett, a lack of access
to health insurance has been a primary complaint among
many of the residents who have participated in the
outreach meetings held to date. “Across the board,
Virgin Islanders have expressed their concerns about the
unavailability of health insurance, which combined with
the costs of healthcare, presents a challenge to many,”
she stated.
Data collected through the public meetings also suggests that residents would like additional support to help them navigate the health and social services system, with the goal of a one stop-shopping experience. In addition, early feedback indicates that many residents who do not have private insurance are not eligible for Medicaid, thereby creating a gap population that is uninsured.
The public outreach
meetings are an outgrowth of the territory’s Health
Reform Implementation Task Force, which was created by
Governor de Jongh in June 2010 by Executive Order, to
guide the territory’s implementation of the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act. Through the
meetings, the Task Force seeks to educate the community
about the Affordable Care Act and solicit feedback about
the current state of the healthcare delivery
system.
In a recent radio interview,
Goveror de Jongh said that a District Court ruling barring the Virgin Islands government from cutting salaries could result in hundreds of public employees losing their jobs.
Earlier this year, the 29th Legislature passed legislation mandating an eight percent pay cut for all public workers as a means to balance the territory's budget while avoiding a large number of dismissals.
The governor believes the across-the-board salary reduction affecting every employee of every branch of government was a fair method to share the sacrifice of coping with the territory's current fiscal crisis while remaining financially solvent and poised for fiscal recovery. But the measure was challenged by several labor unions, who argued a week ago before District Court Chief Judge Curtis V. Gomez that pay cuts are in violation of their labor agreements.
“There is
no doubt that to dismiss hundreds, possibly more than
a thousand public workers, will be another blow to our
economy. More Virgin Islanders will depend on
unemployment insurance and social services that are
all already stretched thin from budget cuts, while
contributing less to the overall economy,” he said.
“Unfortunately,
if the legal process bars us from following through on
this measure, there will have to be dire consequences,”
he added.
The territory's
unemployment rate already stands at 9.7 percent—an
alarmingly high number that is stretching services and
reducing income tax revenues.
If Judge Gomez finds the pay cut act cannot legally be implemented, and the decision is upheld on appeal, almost $30 million in obligations will be returned to the Virgin Islands government. In light of that number,
Governor de Jongh said he will have little choice but to make the decision to terminate many employees.
The territory has grappled with a financial crisis since the country fell into recession near the end of 2007. Federal stimulus funds obtained through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act helped sustain some government services and retain employees, as did borrowing against future revenues of rum production agreements. But it was clear that with reduced tax revenues, a serious cost cutting commitment would be necessary to avoid shortfalls.
Government spending on education, law enforcement and social services has already been seriously trimmed,
the governor said, and there is no more room for compromise on defunding services that so many Virgin Islanders depend on.
“The labor
unions who filed suit have every right to seek relief.
We have presented our case, and in the end, I hope the
Virgin Islands can avoid hundreds more joining the ranks
of the unemployed,” he said.
Governor de Jongh has submitted to the
Legislature a lease between the government and Alpine Energy Group that if
approved, would facilitate the development of refuse-derived fuel processing
plants. The governor’s transmittal follows on the Waste Management Authority
and the Water and Power Authority’s entering into an agreement with Alpine
to build trash processing facilities on both St. Thomas and St. Croix. The
lease is for 30 years with renewal options.
He said this weekend that the goal is “to
move in a direction away from 100 percent dependence on oil to generate
electricity. These facilities will turn trash into energy and begin to replace
the almost half a million barrels of oil we burn each year in generating
electricity. At the same time, we will be implementing a federal government
mandate to close the Estate Anguilla landfill on St. Croix.”
“As I said back in
August, this project represents an alignment of both WAPA and WMA
combining their efforts to jointly address problems that we have really not
had solutions for over the past twenty to thirty years.” He said this is the
beginning of a commitment to addressing the territory’s energy sources while
tackling landfill closures at both Bovoni on St. Thomas and Anguilla on St.
Croix. For years, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has called on the
government to close the Anguilla landfill due to its proximity to the Rohlsen
airport and its effect on airport operations.
Under terms of the project, AEG will fund the
entire $210 million cost of the project upfront and will earn revenue from
both disposing of the territory’s solid waste and from selling lost-cost
electricity to WAPA. The agreement reached with WAPA a few months ago
guarantees electricity at 10-15 cents per kilowatt hour. The current retail
price is around 41 cents per kilowatt hour.
Governor de Jongh attended a fundraiser for the VIPD tactical and K-9 teams on Wednesday night at the Galleon restaurant on St. Croix. The event was supported by the St. Croix Foundation and the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce.
(L-R) Sergeant Walton Jack; Officer Ralston Wright; Kevin Brandt, President, James River Capital Corporation; St. Croix Police Chief Christopher Howell; Governor John P. de
Jongh, Jr.; Paul Saunders, Chairman, James River Capital Corporation; Officer Nickia Samuel; Officer Dirk Marshall, and Special Assistant to the Chief Lynn Hunt at the VIPD fundraiser on St. Croix,
December 7, 2011..
The governor was part of an engaging dialogue with event attendees, who asked questions regarding crime prevention techniques and technologies.
"A tremendous amount of the successes of the police department are due, in large part, to the close collaboration of the community in working together with our men and women in uniform to accomplish shared goals. As we focus on quality of life issues and concerns, we are mindful of the challenges that we have financially, while at the same time ensuring that we prioritize resources to continue to set a foundation for the future."
He complimented the Crimestoppers organization and the support of the broader community, including the James River Capital Corporation and the St. Croix Foundation, as partners in the battle against crime in the Virgin Islands.
A team from the Virgin Islands is participating
in a National Governor’s Association Summit on Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics, commonly referred to as STEM, held in Durham,
North Carolina from December 7 - 9. Members of the team include the Governor’s
Education Advisor, Luis Sylvester, the Department of Education’s Deputy
Commissioner for Curriculum and Instructions, Dr. Sarah Mahurt, the Department
of Education’s STEM State Director, Dr. Ann Richbourg, and University of the
Virgin Islands Mathematics faculty member, Dr. Adam Parr.
Topics covered at the summit will include,
“What is STEM, and why is it important and how does it impact state and
territories economies,” “Employers perspective on STEM skill demand” and
“Developing State STEM Plans.”
“The Virgin Islands is in the process of
actively drafting a STEM plan. The advice and guidance that the team will
receive at this summit will ensure that the territory’s plan is
comprehensive of those practices and approaches that will best achieve our
goals,” said Dr. Mahart, the STEM State Director. “The digital age has
made it compulsory that STEM education is provided from pre-kindergarten to
post-graduate and therefore we need to ensure that we develop a plan and its
implementation.”
Governor de Jongh said Thursday that the summit
comes at an ideal time, one month after he issued an Executive Order to
develop a Science and Technology Council, whose mandate includes drafting a
Science and Technology Plan for the territory. “To achieve a competitive
standing in the fields of science and technology requires a consistent
investment in the professional development of our teachers, the creation of a
business climate to foster investment and a commitment to our students. This
mix will allow us to be a player in the economy of the 21st century,” he
said. “According to the Department of Labor statistic, STEM jobs are growing
33% faster than non-STEM jobs in this economy, and with our increased focus on
a STEM curriculum, the expansion of our RTPark and the broadband investment,
we are poised to achieve this objective.”
Governor de Jongh offered comments on last evening on the potential impact to both government services and personnel should the federal court
rule against the government and orders the reinstatement of the eight percent which was deducted from Executive Branch employees' salaries earlier this year through legislation passed by the 29th Legislature.
Earlier today, Governor de Jongh said that the
reopening of the Ingeborg Nesbitt Clinic represents an important day for the
residents of St. Croix’s Frederiksted community. A formal reopening ceremony
was held today, some three years after the clinic closed for rehabilitation
and renovation. “I hope today's event, for those of you who count on the
Frederiksted Clinic for dental, neonatal, primary care and specialty services,
is the beginning of easier accessibility to your health care services, and one
that brings anticipation and jubilation.”
Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. and Lt.
Governor Gregory Francis participate in a ribbon cutting to mark the
reopening of the Ingeborg Nesbitt Clinic in Frederiksted, St. Croix,
December 7, 2011.
In his prepared remarks, he said, “the
state-of-the-art equipment and new expanded examination rooms make the
Frederiksted Clinic better equipped than ever before to meet the medical needs
of its patients, and deliver the services that this community deserves and has
waited for patiently.” Frederiksted Health Care Inc. for so many years now
has been an involved and indispensable partner to the Virgin Islands
Department of Health. “Throughout the years, the clinic has filled in
crucial gaps in the territory's health delivery services. As a Medicaid
provider, the clinic is always there for the 8,500 Virgin Islanders enrolled
in the program, always providing services on a sliding fee scale to the
uninsured, underinsured and undocumented residents of the island."
Governor de Jongh today extended condolences to the family and friends of 17-year-old Kimberley Brin who died in Virginia on Monday as a result of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident the day before.
Kimberley Brin, the daughter of Albert and Celeste Brin of St. Thomas, was a 2011 graduate of All Saints Cathedral School and in her first semester at Christopher Newport University,
CNU.
“In times as these, words are futile to
express the great sense of loss a family experiences on the death of a loved
one, especially when death comes at such a tender age.” the governor said
Kimberley Brin’s death has left an incredible void in the lives of her
parents, her sister, her extended family and a host of classmates, friends and
acquaintances. “Since Sunday, social media outlets such as Twitter and
Facebook have been recording countless expressions of shock and dismay and
since Monday, sadness, sorrow and great loss. Clearly, Kimberley was both
well-known and well-liked.”
He recalled that Kimberley was a well-rounded
individual who had begun to focus on developing her career by enrolling in
pre-law studies at CNU. “In addition to her academic pursuits, she excelled
in athletics: volleyball in particular as well as softball and basketball. I
remember her as an altar server at my family’s church, Our Lady of Perpetual
Help Parish and her being crowned Miss Carenage 2009 during the annual Father’s
Day festivities in Frenchtown.”
My wife Cecile, my family and the people of
the Virgin Islands join me in offering deepest sympathies to the family of
Kimberley Brin. “May the never-ending memories of Kimberley’s time with us
be a source of constant comfort and solace during these dark and difficult
days. Our prayers are for her eternal rest,” he said.
Last Thursday, Governor
de Jongh hosted participants in the Caribbean Media
Exchange conference which was held on St. Thomas this
weekend. “I welcome to the island of St. Thomas the 55
delegates in attendance representing a wide variety of
journalists, public relations broadcasting and film
production professionals. Let me also thank New York
University for partnering with us to make this
conference a great success,” he said in brief remarks
at the Government House reception.
Governor John P. de Jongh,
Jr. speaks during a welcoming reception for participants in Caribbean Media Exchange conference. To the governor's right is Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty and Bevan Springer of Caribbean Media
Exchange, November 30, 2011.
The governor noted that
this conference serves many purposes of great benefit to
the professions represented in the delegation, and the
people and governments of Caribbean destinations like
the Virgin Islands. “First of all, it provides us with
a chance to introduce all of you—professionals who are
deeply rooted in the affairs of this region—to the
latest research in sustainable tourism development. This
research provides a contextual backdrop from which we
can discuss topics important to all of us over the
coming days: media relations, social media, crisis
management, airlift, emerging markets and many others,”
he said.
The complex relationships
between the media, government and private sector are
important to us all. “Each sector profoundly affects
all the others, and as we all work to maintain our
professional obligations and serve our specific
interests, we find ourselves frequently crossing paths
with each other. Sometimes these diverse groups appear
conflicted and at odds, but in many ways that is the
inherent brilliance of our system. We all push against
each other to stand higher and do a better job,” he
added.
Governor de Jongh hosted the Elrod Hendricks West Little League 11-12 Champions on
last night at a reception at Estate Catharineberg. The team won both inter island tournaments on St. Thomas and St. Croix and made it to the Caribbean Little League tournament where they fared well until falling to Aruba in a championship game.
Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. chats with members of the Elrod Hendricks West Little League 11-12 champion team at a Denmark Hill reception,
November 30, 2011.
The governor said he was pleased at the opportunity to host the Little League Champions, "At a time when our community is faced
with many challenges involving young men, I stand here with as much pride as any one of you parents --- that these young men have made us proud. The road to this championship was not an easy one, you won both the inter-island tournaments on St. Thomas and on St. Croix, and represented the Virgin Islands well in your match against Aruba."
