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May 23, 2007
Governor mourns the death of Alfonso E. Nibbs Gov. John P. deJongh, Jr. said Wednesday he was saddened to learn of the death Alfonso E. Nibbs. Nibbs, 59, served as a government attorney in a career that spanned over 30 years. "Alfonso will be remembered for his many years of dedicated service as Staff Attorney and General Counsel to the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs and its predecessor agency, Consumer Services Administration," deJongh said, noting, that Nibbs provided sound advice to Commissioners and Directors on legislation that would protect consumers in the Virgin Islands as well as on issues that directly impacted residents of the islands. In fact, deJongh said he had the opportunity to work with Alfonso Nibbs and to have the benefit of his counsel when he served as Commissioner of Finance, Executive Assistant to Governor Farrelly and while he served on the GERS Board of Trustees. Most recently and since 1998, Nibbs was Staff Attorney to the Government Employees Retirement System. It was in that position that Nibbs perhaps made his biggest contributions to the Virgin Islands. deJongh said. "When the history of the retirement system is written, it will acknowledge Alfonso Nibbs as one of the persons who most passionately advocated for the financial solvency of the GERS." DeJongh said Nibbs’ sound legal advice to trustees of the retirement system will be sorely missed. Nibbs attended Dober Elementary School and graduated from Charlotte Amalie High School in 1967. He attended Howard University School of Law and attained a J.D. in 1982. He held two Master’s Degree from the then College of the Virgin Islands as well as a Bachelor of Arts and an Associate in Arts degree. A U.S. Navy Veteran, Nibbs was honorably discharged after four years of service. He returned home after serving in the Vietnam War to open his own business, The Virgin Islands Credit Bureau. In addition, Nibbs served as an Adjunct Professor of Law and Business Administration at the University of the Virgin Islands. He held Bar Memberships in the Virgin Islands, the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First, Second, Third, Fifth, Sixth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits in addition to affiliations with a number of professional organizations. Nibbs is survived by five children, five sisters and one brother. Eight of his 14 siblings preceded him in death. "A grateful community mourns the loss of this outstanding Virgin Islander. Our prayer is that his family be comforted during this time of great sorrow," deJongh said. |
