In a landmark achievement for the Virgin Islands emergency management system, Governor de Jongh and VITEMA Director Elton Lewis, during a brief ceremony this week, signed the territory’s first Tsunami Incident Annex which establishes guidelines for a widely-coordinated response to tsunami. The annex serves as addendum to the Territorial Emergency Operations Plan.
Governor
John P. de Jongh, Jr. and VITEMA Director Elton Lewis this week signed the Tsunami Incident Annex, a component of the Territorial Emergency Operations Plan. Photographed with de Jongh and Lewis are Bill Proenza, Regional Director of the National Weather Service, Crista von Hillebrandt-Andrade, Manager of the Caribbean Tsunami Warning Program and retired UVI professor and oceanographer Roy Watlington.
“The Tsunami Incident Annex outlines the activities of the government response agencies within the emergency management system in the event a tsunami threatens or impacts the territory. It embraces the capabilities and resources in the broader emergency management community that includes individuals, businesses, nongovernmental organizations and the federal government,”
the governor said. “The devastation a tsunami can cause, makes planning for it one of the highest priorities today in emergency management. The impact is often sudden and results in numerous casualties and evacuees. It can strain and overwhelm our resources and capabilities and require us to seek life support from outside the territory. Time is often of the essence. Today, we can say, the Virgin Islands has a plan for response and recovery from the widespread catastrophic impact of a tsunami.”
Governor de Jongh met this morning with officials of HOVENSA and its owners, HOVIC, a subsidiary of Hess Corporation and PDVSA, VI, a subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, SA, to discuss the closure of what is one of the world's largest oil refineries and the Territory's largest private sector employer.
Governor John P. de Jongh,
Jr. convened a meeting with officials of HOVENSA, HESS and PDVSA to discuss closure of St. Croix oil
refinery, February 2, 2012
“Today’s meeting with the senior officials of the three companies was the first of what I believe will be several meetings to address their closure of the oil refinery, their proposed use of the facility as an oil terminal and their obligations under the existing agreement. I expressed my deep concerns about the economic impact of this decision on the Territory, their view of the obligation to provide fuel to meet the needs of WAPA and the general community and the basis of under which we preserve a relationship into the future under a business model that makes sense to them and is beneficial to us,”
the governor said after the meeting.
The topics reviewed at the meeting included the future of HOVENSA's St. Croix site, fueling for the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, approaches to meeting the local needs of the Territory, the operations of the proposed oil terminal at the site and the continuing legal obligations of HOVENSA under its agreements with the Government of the Virgin Islands.
Earlier today, I released the following
statement to the media:
Statement by the Office of
the Governor
February 2, 2012
Government House Director of Communications Jean P. Greaux, Jr. on Thursday reconfirmed that he had spoken to Matthew Boyle of the Daily Caller, a partisan on-line publication, prior to its publishing or posting of a lengthy story containing allegations of wrong-doing. “The reporter was told that what he was proposing to print was totally false, outrageous and, absurd on its face.”
Government House today reaffirmed that the allegations put forth in the politically-charged story by Matthew Boyle are simply untrue.
The Government believes the allegations are slanderous and the reporter has shown reckless disregard for the truth. The Governor and Attorney General are seeking a retraction of the posted story.
On Wednesday, Governor de Jongh was pleased to meet with Japan’s Consul General in New York, Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki, at Government House.
From right to left: Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr., Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki, Consul Yasuyuki Matsui, Political Affairs Division, and Chief of Staff to the Governor Pamela Berkowsky at Government House,
February 1, 2012.
“It was a pleasure to host Ambassador Hiroki, especially given my recent signing of our Tsunami Annex agreement to our Territorial Emergency Plan and the challenges we are facing with the closing of the HOVENSA oil refinery. Ambassador Hiroki was an essential participant in Japan’s recovery efforts after its tsunami in March 2011. We also discussed the opportunities for broadening our tourism outreach to the Japanese-American community,”
the governor said.
Ambassador Hiroki began his diplomatic career in 1979 and has held many important positions in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including national security policy; developing Japan-Korea relations; managing Ministry budgetary affairs; and supervising Japanese foreign policy toward Europe. In the aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001, he led the crisis management team in Tokyo as director of the consular policy division.
Ambassador Hiroki has served at several posts abroad, including as Second Secretary in The Hague, Netherlands; Economics Minister in London, England; Ambassador in Charge of UN affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Ambassador to Afghanistan. This is Ambassador Hiroki’s first visit to the Virgin Islands.
This evening, Governor de
Jongh will deliver his annual State of the Territory Address before a formal session of the 29th Legislature at the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Chambers on St. Thomas.
In his remarks, the Governor will discuss some of the very hard truths facing all of the residents of our Territory. He will speak to the challenges that our business community and their employees, and our government workers are facing today, including the effects of the recent closing of the HOVENSA refinery on St. Croix.
The governor will also lay out the Administration’s plans to ensure recovery for the Virgin Islands and call upon all who care deeply about our future to come together and make that recovery a reality.
He will also use his State of the Territory Address to update the public on his administration’s plans in the areas of education, energy, law enforcement and public safety, as well as economic
development.
The State of the Territory Address, which begins
tonight at 7 p.m., will be televised on a number of local and cable television channels and will be broadcast live on several Virgin Islands radio stations.
Residents can also watch live coverage of the State of the Territory Address online at
GovernordeJongh.com/sott. Highlights of the Governor’s State of the Territory speech can also be tracked in real time through our Twitter account
(@GovernorDeJongh.com) and our Facebook page
(Facebook.com/GovernorDeJongh).
Commissioner Albert Bryan, Jr. told the 29th Legislature today that the Virgin Islands Department of Labor has prepared a response plan to assist the thousands who will lose jobs when the HOVENSA oil refinery closes its doors on St. Croix.
The approach to deal with the displaced workforce is three-pronged: respond, retrain, re-employ. That means
the Labor Department will ensure laid off workers receive essential social services and monetary support, will be provided access to educational resources, and will receive assistance in connecting to companies with job openings either in the territory or abroad,
Commissioner Bryan explained to members of the Committee on Housing and Labor.
While the government will do all in its power to mitigate the economic shock,
the commissioner warned that Virgin Islanders will feel the impact of HOVENSA's closure at gas pumps, in their WAPA bills, and even at the market.
“Well, our worst nightmare is now a reality, and the serious implications for the Virgin Islands, especially the island of St. Croix, is cause for grave concern,”
he said. “This event will affect every man, woman and child in the territory as its implications are far reaching.”
Governor de Jongh has signed an agreement that will allow the Virgin Islands to install and operate communication towers on sites managed by the federal government on both St. Thomas and St. Croix. The agreement caps almost three years of negotiations with the federal government for use of the sites which will greatly enhance the administration’s efforts in upgrading the territory’s communications network and the service provided to emergency responders: police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians.
The Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) and U.S.Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) gives the Virgin Islands Bureau of Information Technology authorization to install its equipment atop Crown Mountain on St. Thomas and St. George Hill on St. Croix.
“This MOU gives the Bureau of Information Technology access to hilltops with unimpeded line-of-sight views between towers, allowing the communications system that police, firefighters and first responders depend on to become more effective and more reliable. It will enhance public safety and security throughout the territory,”
the governor said.
A lack of unimpeded lines-of-sight between communication centers has caused problems for local public safety and law enforcement agencies in the past. For that reason, the de Jongh-Francis administration had been pursuing this partnership with the federal government.
“I thank Homeland Security and ICE for recognizing our need to use those locations to augment our own system, and working with us toward a solution that is beneficial to all parties,”
the governor added.
At the two sites, the Virgin Islands government will install dipole and microwave dish antennae, pre-fabricated huts, electrical and mechanical equipment and ancillary devices near the ICE buildings. A study by USDHS concluded there should be no frequency interference issues affecting the operations of federal agencies also using communication equipment at Crown Mountain and St. George Hill.
This evening, Governor de
Jongh released the following statement in response to
today's action by the 29th Legislature:
The Legislature has acted. They passed a bill to authorize borrowing the funds necessary to maintain a level of cash flow that would permit this government to operate in the coming weeks and months. And then they voted not to provide the basis by which this essential borrowing would be repaid. This negated their earlier vote. To authorize a borrowing without providing the means of repayment is the same as offering to lend one’s car and then removing the tires.
Every senator at the session today understood what they were doing. Each senator understood fully that to vote against the increase in the Gross Receipts Tax in the absence of any other revenue generating alternative was a vote to dismiss government workers. The administration and their colleagues made it clear that the banks have stated that they will not lend money where there is no demonstration of the commitment to do what it takes to repay the loan they were being asked to make. Eight members of the Legislature voted to not show that commitment to repay the money we sought to borrow.
Without the cash from such a loan we do not have the cash to maintain government services and to pay the workers who provide those services, to pay tax refunds and to pay WAPA so they can buy fuel. In our system of government the so-called “power of the purse” is in the Legislature. Under our law the Executive Branch cannot issue checks that cannot be covered -- and we shall obey the law.
To those seven senators who took the most difficult of votes in voting to raise taxes to save jobs, pay tax refunds and support WAPA, I applaud your commitment to the people of these islands and the seriousness of purpose which has guided your actions.
Governor de Jongh and Senate President Ronald E. Russell hosted a joint meeting of the 29th Legislature at Government House on St. Thomas. Also attending the meeting were Lt. Governor Francis and by telephone, Congressional Delegate Donna Christian Christensen.
“The Legislature and I came out of today’s meeting with a shared commitment to define clear strategies as we work through the economic challenges presented by HOVENSA’s decision to close its refinery on St. Croix’s south shore,”
the governor said this evening. The governor noted that all were in agreement on a plan to establish working groups to address five initial areas of focus. These are: alternative uses of the HOVENSA facility; legal issues surrounding the closure; labor and workforce issues; the leveraging of available federal resources and economic sustainability.
At the meeting, Senate President Russell announced that HOVENSA officials had agreed to participate in a Senate Committee of the Whole hearing which is now scheduled for January 26. “This meeting will provide one forum at which all information about the refinery’s closure can be publicly disclosed and discussed. I proposed a single meeting in order to preclude each Senate oversight committee from holding separate and fragmented hearings,” Russell said. “I am pleased at how the
legislature, the governor and the delegate have begun to work together to address the different impacts that the refinery’s closure will have.”
Earlier today, the governor granted an on-camera interview to CBS TV 2 to talk about government's efforts in assessing impact of HOVENSA's refinery closure.
He recapped the government's
efforts in response to the closure, retooled the impact from 60 to closer 100 million
dollars, spoke about this morning's meeting with the business community and talked about this afternoon's meeting with the Senate.
Governor de Jongh and Lt. Governor Francis met with the leaders of the St. Croix and St. Thomas-St. John business community this morning as the administration continues to assess the economic impact of HOVENSA’s decision to close its oil refinery on St. Croix within the next three months.
The governor, joined by Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson Doty, Energy Office Director Karl Knight, EDA Chief Executive Officer Percival Clouden and EDA Assistant Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Nugent-Hill, opened the discussion with an overview of the administration’s efforts in responding to the HOVENSA announcement.
He addressed the financial impact of HOVENSA’s closing as “more on the order of $100 million.” The governor said that WAPA is identifying alternative suppliers of oil and that HOVENSA will continue to supply fuel and other petroleum products to retailers in the St. Thomas-St. John district.
Concerns raised by the business community leaders included the need for consideration by the VI Economic Development Authority to fast track applications from companies seeking benefits, the need to increase lending, the need for further development of public-private partnerships, and a call for an improved tax structure in the territory. President of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce Richard Berry said he will submit for the governor’s review “about 15 or so initiatives” that have been developed by the business community and the hotel industry that could be implemented in relatively short order. Many of the business leaders asked the governor to work with the business community “to level the playing field for on island small businesses” by proposing an import users tax. Several asked for greater public messaging to urge residents “to buy local” as a means of stimulating local businesses. There was also a call for sustained messaging about the value of the territory’s tourism product and the need for public safety.
Governor de Jongh is fully aware of the numerous reports, rumors, speculation and worries with respect to an immediate interruption of gasoline and fuels for vessels and other equipment as a result of HOVENSA’s announcement.
The governor is in communication with HOVENSA officials who have acknowledged that they have rescinded an earlier letter issued to St. Thomas and St. John customers loading at the truck rack and that they will be supplying their customers based on previous purchase
histories. Governor de Jongh remains fully committed to working with HOVENSA to ensure a regular and steady flow of gasoline products to customers in the two island districts.
Both Government House and the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs will be monitoring the supply and pricing of these fuels going forward, he added.
This
morning, Governor de Jongh, along with members of his cabinet and senior
staff, held a teleconference with reporters to address the news that Hess Corporation
has decided to close the HOVENSA refinery on St. Croix. The text and audio of
the governor's statement are posted below.
Governor John P. de Jongh,
Jr. meets with members of both his senior Staff and cabinet to assess the impact of the announcement by HOVENSA that it will cease operations at the refinery on St. Croix. The meeting was held at Government House, St. Thomas
on January 18, 2012.
Statement
by Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. During
a Teleconference with Reporters
January
18, 2012
On Tuesday night, I was informed by John Hess, Chief Executive Officer of The Hess Corporation that the management of the HOVENSA oil refinery on St. Croix would be meeting with its employees at 8:30 this morning to announce that the St. Croix refinery will be closed.
Mr. Hess stated that after losing over a billion and a half dollars, over the last three years, the Hess Corporation has decided that the refinery would cease its refining operations and close in the next 90 days. The HOVENSA workforce includes over 2,000 men and women on the island of St. Croix who will be affected. The workforce includes both refinery employees and sub-contractors.
Even after the terrible economic realities of these past several years, it is hard to imagine any single piece of economic news worse for this territory than that delivered by Mr. Hess. Now more than ever, the residents of our Virgin Islands will be tested. We must come together as a people and as a community, and we must work together, first to support those workers who will be immediately affected by these actions, as well as the rest of our community who will suffer the economic and social consequences of the loss of our territory’s largest private employer.
To begin the process of responding to this news, this morning, I convened an emergency meeting of key government officials who will be charged with assessing both HOVENSA’s actions and identifying what actions we can take to mitigate its impacts. Present at the meeting this morning were the leaders of the VI Water and Power Authority, Office of Management and Budget, Bureau of Internal Revenue and the departments of Justice, Labor, Planning & Natural Resources, Finance and Human Services.
Additionally, I have spoken to Senate President Ronald E. Russell and I have asked him to organize an immediate meeting of the full membership of the 29th Legislature with me. I have also urged him not to postpone, or delay, Senate action on the agenda items set for their consideration at their session scheduled for this Friday. The last thing our territory needs at this time is to endure the dismissal of more government workers on top of the 2,000 people who make up the HOVENSA workforce. I have also had initial talks with the leadership of the St. Thomas-St. John and St. Croix Chambers of Commerce about how we can work together to counter the effect of the loss of the HOVENSA refinery and how to immediately stimulate economic growth on St. Croix. I will be meeting with these business leaders later this week.
The coming days will be challenging for our community. I pray that all Virgin Islanders will see that our way forward can only be found if we work together for each other, not against each other, for our common good and for our common future.
Earlier today, Governor de Jongh announced that the Virgin Islands has joined a legal brief the state of Maryland filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of President Obama's landmark health care reform law.
Virgin Islands Attorney General Vincent Frazer, along with attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and the District of Columbia, joined Maryland's amicus brief. The states and territory are advocating the nation's high court find the Affordable Care Act—and specifically its mandate for all Americans to purchase health insurance—as constitutional. They ask the Supreme Court to invalidate a lower court's decision striking down the law.
Governor de Jongh said the Affordable Care Act is critical to his administration's larger efforts to reform the territory's health care delivery system, lower costs of coverage and improve the health of Virgin Islanders.
“Like many other parts of the country, the people of the Virgin Islands are relying on the Affordable Care Act to help us solve a public health crisis, namely the large number of uninsured and under-insured citizens in our territory,”
he said.
On Wednesday evening, Governor de Jongh and members of his Cabinet met with the civic organization Our Town Frederiksted (OTF) to discuss topics of shared concern, including economic development projects and revitalization initiatives for the historic St. Croix town.
Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. listens as
Our Town Frederiksted President Hugh Payne makes a point during a meeting on St. Croix,
January 11, 2012
The follow-up meeting with OTF’s members and board of directors was held at the Arthur Able Complex and focused on resolving several issues of concern that had been raised at the first such meeting in November 2011. Topics included: economic development; expanding an enterprise zone in the town district; street and beach cleaning; garbage removal; public safety and fire protection; the status of the Paul E. Joseph stadium; the William and Punch hotel development project; repaving and resurfacing of roads in the town district and the overall development and implementation of a Frederiksted town plan.
Governor de Jongh joined a cross-section of the St. Thomas community
this afternoon at the opening of the latest attraction for both visitors and residents alike, the Magic Ice Gallery in downtown Charlotte
Amalie. He said this new venture is “a tremendous addition to our business community and to the diversity of tourist activities offered on St. Thomas. Many Virgin Islanders will also find visiting this gallery a fascinating
experience."
He said he was pleased to be at the grand opening of what he believes might be the best ice sculpture attraction “this side of Norway—certainly the best in the Caribbean.”
He recalled that not too long ago, Kristen Holmen wrote him and raised the possibility of locating Magic North's sister gallery on St. Thomas. “While the request to display “art below zero” caught me a little off guard given our climate, I thought it was an exciting idea and encouraged Kristen and her partners to explore the possibility. It brings me so much pleasure today, almost two years later, to see Magic Ice ready to welcome its first round of visitors and open its doors to patrons who want to enjoy the magical experience of world-class ice sculpture on St. Thomas.”
The sculptures, carved from shimmering Nordic ice by renowned artisans, are truly spectacular. Touring the underwater-themed displays, the Ice Bar, the Norwegian history sculptures, the many works conveying the history of our region and home islands is almost another-worldly experience that is sure to mesmerize all. “And the kids will love it more than anyone, especially when they get to go slide down a hill of ice.”
“This tour may be the first time in a long time that many of us will don some warm clothes on St. Thomas. Never before has the history of the Virgin Islands been portrayed in a sub-zero environment. To tour this gallery is an educational and inspirational experience—one that will be a must-stop attraction for the thousands of tourists that come to our islands every week. While we have no shortage of unique attractions here on St. Thomas, Magic Ice may just be the most unique and unexpected of them all, and those who return to the Virgin Islands year after year will eagerly anticipate visiting this gallery on their next vacation,”
the governor said.
He also noted that the development of the Magic Ice Gallery attraction is a pivotal part of his administration’s ongoing effort to revitalize downtown Charlotte Amalie. “Revitalizing the western end of Main Street is an initiative we have all been wanting to see come to fruition, this is the first step in that direction,” he noted.
As part of the holiday Festival activities on St. Croix, Governor de
Jongh and Lieutenant Francis participated in various events to commemorate the 2011-2012 Crucian Christmas Festival, including the annual food, arts and crafts fair, the
Children's Parade and Adults' Parade.
Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. congratulates Miss Popularity and Miss Alexander Henderson at the
Children's Parade on St. Croix, January 6, 2012.
In advance of the Children’s Parade on Friday morning, the governor and first lady presented gifts to children with physical and developmental disabilities at the Queen Louise Home for Children on St. Croix.
Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr.
and Lieutenant Governor Gregory R. Francis congratulate Vera Falu, the 2011-2012 Crucian Festival
Adults' Parade Grand Marshall, January 7, 2012.
Governor de Jongh and Senate President Ronald E. Russell today held a meeting of the members of the 29th Legislature and the Governor’s Financial Team to discuss the financial challenges confronting the Territory. Lt. Governor Gregory Francis and Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen were also present.
“Today’s meeting was the latest in a continuing dialogue between the Senate and my Administration on means by which we can secure the financial footing of the Virgin Islands. Senate President Russell and I believe that today’s meeting was a very productive discussion of the options available. This was a joint effort to see whether we can avoid further termination of government employees this month,”
the governor said this evening.
Various proposals were discussed at the meeting to both provide additional revenue and to further reduce the budget deficit. “My primary motivation in asking the
governor to meet with us today was to see if, together, we can find a way to avoid additional terminations. All of my colleagues in the Legislature, and I, accept that the terminations so far have been necessary to reduce the cost of government, but we are all concerned that further dismissals will have an increasingly detrimental effect on our community and that is what we are working diligently to minimize,”
the senate president said today.
The governor said he believes that the members of the Senate will continue to discuss the options available and will soon take action on those measures that they believe can reduce the deficit and provide additional revenue for the government.
