One theme has come through loud and clear from the territory's college students in these three days of Senate hearings on the bid by Southern Energy Inc. to acquire 80 percent of the Water and Power Authority: a plea for the economic opportunity they think the mainland power company can provide.
The students have been consistent and articulate in their presentations. Their fear is that after graduation they will be forced to go off island to pursue careers not available in the territory.
Merle Fenton, a junior at the University of the Virgin Islands, said she spoke in the spirit that drove labor leader Valdemar Hill. "I feel pain in my heart every time I hear someone from my generation say that they are moving to the states to find a better job," she said. In her view, SEI is offering youth an economic program model which would be a "jump-start into the 21st Century."
Victor Provost, speaking Tuesday on St. Thomas and again Thursday on St. John, invoked the spirit of former St. John senator Theovald Eric Moorehead. Provost said he expects to graduate from the University of Pittsburgh in two years with a degree in computer science. However, he said, returning to the territory to practice the profession for which he is preparing isn't an option as things stand. "Southern Energy utilizes technology which requires workers skilled in computer science and engineering," he said. "WAPA does not!"
Joseph Hodge cited the spirit of his 18th Century ancestors, the Maroons, who are said to have jumped off the cliffs of St. John rather than let the Danes enslave them again. He said, "Today we aren't like the Maroons – we have options." He asked the senators to choose the option which will "connect us to a network which can showcase the Virgin Islands to the world."
Some of the territory's politicians took issue with the students' statements. On Tuesday, St. Thomas senatorial candidate Norma Samuel said she was "appalled at the students selling their own souls down the river in prepared statements." St. Croix senatorial hopeful Raymond "Usie" Richards said he was "ashamed the students would use the names of local heros."
Donnie Dorsett, UVI Class of 2000 president, gave a definitive "no" Wednesday when asked if he had been offered money or approached in any way to make his statement.
Samuel and Richards "are well-respected people in the community," he said. "It's tough to think they would think that. The students spoke how they felt."
St. Johnian Lydia Haynes prefaced her presentation Thursday on St. John with the comment, "Before I say anything, I want it to be known that I am not a corporate puppet." She said SEI's plan to provide $1 million to establish an economic development program would attract new businesses and industries to the territory. She added, "St. John definitely needs this."
The full Senate is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Friday on St. Thomas to hear testimony from the Turnbull administration and SEI, and then to vote on whether or not to accept the proposal submitted by the administration. SEI has set Friday as the final date for the territory to resolve the issue.