Governor and Lt. Governor of the United States Virgin Islands

1/30/07 - Gov. John deJongh and Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis met with the 15 members of the Legislature to advance talks on the administration’s legislative priorities and to expand on some of the broader themes offered in the State of the Territory address on January 22nd.

“We want this to signal a new working relationship between Government House and the Legislature with our aim being to improve government operations, stimulate our economy, improve lives for our children,” deJongh said as he began the luncheon meeting held at Estate Catherineberg.

Governor names Island Administrators

1/30/07 - Gov. John deJongh today announced the appointment of his three island administrators in the persons of Barbara Petersen, former Sen. Pedro Encarnacion and Leona Smith.

Petersen named as St. Thomas - Water Island Administrator comes from a marketing and public relations background with emphasis on operational management. “A detail-oriented problem solver, Petersen will bring the ability to tackle some of the frustrating problems of residents of the St. Thomas and Water Islands communities,” de Jongh said in making the appointment on Tuesday.

Governor mourns the passing of former Attorney General

1/29/07 - Gov. John deJongh, on behalf of himself, his wife Cecile, their family and the people of the Virgin Islands extends condolences to the family of Godfrey R. de Castro who died on St. Thomas on January 24th. Mr. de Castro had served the people of the Virgin Islands as Attorney General during the administration of Gov. Alexander A. Farrelly.

Governor visits C.A.H.S. campus after Wednesday night fire

1/25/07 - Gov. John deJongh today lamented the loss of classrooms at the Charlotte Amalie High School on St. Thomas after the Wednesday night fire at the high school campus in Estate Thomas.

Governor directs flags at half-staff as territory mourns the death of two VI guardsmen

1/25/07 - Gov. John deJongh, Commander-in-Chief of the Virgin Islands National Guard, today directed that flags on all public and private buildings in the Virgin Islands remain at half-staff.

“The flags were to be returned to a full-staff status on the morning of January 26 following the period of mourning for former U.S. President Gerald Ford, however, the confirmation of the death of two V.I. National Guardsmen on Wednesday led the Governor to extending the period of mourning in the territory,” according to Government House Communications Director Jean Greaux, Jr.

Governor and Lt. Governor offer condolences on death of VI National Guardsmen

1/24/07 - Gov. John deJongh and Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis, in a joint statement this afternoon expressed great sadness and profound sorrow at having received military confirmation of the death of two Virgin Islands National Guardsmen in the theater of war in Iraq.

Virgin Islands guardsmen Lt. Colonel David Canegata, III and Staff Sergeant Floyd Lake were among the military personnel killed on the afternoon of January 20th when their Blackhawk helicopter was involved in a mishap. Both deJongh and Francis offered condolences on behalf of a grateful Virgin Islands community. “The death of these two Virgin Islands soldiers is a reminder that even as we do our work here, our men and women in uniform who have served and are now serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan are putting their lives on the line for our country and for the freedoms we hold so dear,” deJongh said Wednesday.

Governor names three Cabinet Members during State of the Territory Address

1/23/07 - Gov. John deJongh used his first state of the territory address on Monday night to make public his selections for three cabinet posts.

Named to serve as Attorney General is Attorney Vincent Frazer, Albert Bryan, Jr. was announced as Labor Commissioner and attorney Jessica Gallivan as Chief Labor Negotiator for the Virgin Islands government.

Labor Department Accepting Proposals for 2006 Youth Services

1/19/07 - Proposals are now being accepted by the Department of Labor for youth services in the program year 2006. The Labor Department is the administrative entity of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.

DLCA no longer inspecting taxis

1/16/07 - In accordance with provisions of Act 6839, the Taxicab Division of the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs will no longer conduct vehicle inspections. All inspections of taxi vehicles will be conducted by the Motor Vehicle Bureau before they are registered, according to Acting DLCA Commissioner Grace Fahie.

Unit of Personnel Division to close for training

1/16/07 - Division of Personnel Acting Director Kenneth Hermon, Jr. advises that the Division’s Recruitment and Classification unit will not be accepting applications or seeing the public during the week of January 29-February 2, 2007. The closing of the unit during this one week period is a result of intensive in-service training and additional in-house clean up, according to Hermon. The unit will resume normal operations on Monday February 5, 2007.

The Group Health Insurance Unit will maintain its normal operating schedule during this period of time.

Governor meets with Williams Delight’s Residents to Discuss Drainage and Road Improvements in Frederiksted Community

1/15/07 - Gov. John deJongh and officials of the Public Works department on Sunday assured residents of St. Croix’s Williams Delight community that work on major drainage problems in their neighborhood will begin in earnest by the middle of this week.

The contractor, Tip Top Construction, has already begun to prepare the work site for a nine-month project that will be dominated by the installation of underground concrete box culverts. The culverts will take run off water from the hillside out to sea and away from the Frederiksted community which has been subjected to flooding for years. The governor was joined at the meeting Sunday afternoon by Acting Public Works Commissioner Robert Moorhead, PWD Asst. Commissioner for Engineering Aloy Nielsen and Public Works Project Manger Roberto Cintron.

Robertson named to head Licensing and Consumer Affairs

1/11/07 - St. Croix attorney Kenrick E. Robertson has accepted the position of Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner in the deJongh-Francis Administration.

Robertson is currently the staff attorney at Legal Services of the Virgin Islands. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Third Circuit. Robertson has practiced law in: public housing, property, labor, individual rights, consumer financing and benefits. Prior to his current assignment at Legal Services, Robertson was director of renovation at the Health Department. He has held positions in real estate management in New York and served as a program analyst and tax auditor.

deJongh names Chris Finch to lead Human Services

1/11/07 - Gov. John deJongh, Jr. today announced that Chris Finch has accepted the position of Commissioner of Human Services.

Finch has served for more than 15 years as Executive Director of Lutheran Social Services and while presiding over the largest non-profit social service organization in the Virgin Islands, he has seen the service grown in the areas of residential care, housing, disaster response and outreach programs for children, seniors and persons with disabilities.

Nicholson Doty to head Department of Tourism

1/11/07 - Gov. John deJongh announced Thursday that long-time hospitality industry executive Beverly-Nicholson Doty has agreed to accept the position of Commissioner of Tourism.

Flags to remain at half-staff through January 25

1/10/07 - Government House today issued a reminder that both the American and Virgin Islands flags must continue to remain at half-staff until January 25th, 30 days after the death of former U.S. President Gerald Ford.

Governor deJongh announces Senior Staff Appointments

1/9/07 - Governor John deJongh, Jr. today announced the appointment of several persons to fill key positions in the Office of the Governor. deJongh named Louis Penn, Sr. as his Chief of Staff and Pamela Berkowsky as Deputy Chief of Staff.