The V.I. Government Employees’ Service Commission Group Health Insurance Board,which negotiates government health insurance contracts, will hold a special election May 14 and 15, with retirees voting to select one St. Croix and one St. Thomas/St. John retiree representative, according to the Division of Personnel.

“This is an opportunity for all government retirees covered by the Group Health Insurance Program to actively participate in the elections of persons to represent their interest on the GESC/Health Insurance Board," V.I. Division of Personnel Director Kenneth Hermon said in a statement. "I encourage retirees to visit the Division of Personnel’s website to view the profiles of the candidates and participate in all aspects of this very important process," he said.

The V.I. Legislature passed legislation in 2012 increasing the board from seven to nine members, with the two new members to be government retirees from each district. The measure was one of a dozen or more unrelated legislative items attached to a mundane, uncontroversial bill, including an increase in tobacco excise taxes. (See related links below)

Senate supporters of the measure argued at the time that retirees should have a seat at the GESC board because its decisions affect many government retirees who continue to receive health insurance through the employee system.

Gov. John deJongh vetoed several of the legislative actions codified in the bill, including the aforementioned tax increase, but enacted the GESC change and other portions of the bill in December.

The retiree candidates for St. Thomas are: Glen J. Smith and Lori D. Anderson. The retiree candidates for St. Croix are St. Croix Board of Elections Chairman Adelbert Bryan, V.I. Board of Education member Winona Hendricks and Debra Ann Christopher.

There will be a videoconference candidate forum May 3 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., on St. Thomas in the University of the Virgin Islands Administration Building Room 142 and on St. Croix in UVI’s Great Hall. The Personnel Division is expected to provide more details of the voting process.