Dear Source,
Through this medium and other media in the territory, I call upon Governor Charles W. Turnbull to examine the composition of the Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands to ensure that the Court's panel of judges reflects the diverse make-up of the Virgin Islands population. While the present Court reflects a degree of diversity in its composition, which includes judges who are male, female, black and Hispanic and who are native Virgin Islanders, black American and Eastern Caribbean, the current composition glaringly leaves out any judge who is neither black nor Hispanic.
In the interest of creating a sense of fairness and balance, while demonstrating mature judgment in this whispered about and delicate matter, I believe that the Governor should address this issue during his deliberations on new appointees to the territory's local Court. Such action by the Governor would reconcile differences between the complexion of today's Territorial Court and the Court of the past.
It is my belief that Governor Turnbull should appoint a qualified individual from the racial group with a significant presence in the territory, but not currently represented on the Court, to become a member of the panel of judges of that Court. I believe that this should be done in the spirit of building bridges together through inclusion of all segments of our Virgin Islands population in the territory's governance.
Gaylord A. Sprauve
Senatorial Candidate