When senators lament that the Legislature gets no respect from the Virgin Islands public, they might want to consider the pappyshow that took place last week involving Alphonse Nibbs.
Knowing full well that Nibbs could not be there to testify before the Housing, Parks and Recreation Committee — that in fact he had a previous legal appointment in Louisiana — Committee Chairman Celestino White nevertheless used his position to stage an exhausting, time-consuming and cynical sham. White even went so far as to tell media before the meeting that Nibbs would appear, despite Nibbs’ repeated public statements to the contrary.
Nibbs, as most people know, had made serious allegations about corruption within the territory’s housing agencies. White apparently does not want Nibbs to testify publicly about his charges. Sen. Lorraine L. Berry does.
Aside from trying — and failing — to embarrass Berry, his political nemesis, before and during last week’s fiasco, what was the point of White’s holding a hearing on Nibbs’ allegations on a date when Nibbs couldn’t attend? That kind of cynical behavior undermines respect for the legislative body, for the Virgin Islands government and, ultimately, for democracy itself.
Are the people of this territory supposed to support this behavior with votes and money? Unfortunately, many do, as evidenced by the makeup of the Legislature. But many don't — and with more performances like last week’s, we predict that more people will be joining the ranks of the disgusted. People may laugh at the antics, but increasingly it is a derisive kind of laughter, directed at the players and the process that put these players in place.
The only hope is that out of these embarrassing scenes will arise leaders who want to do things differently; leaders who give the people of these islands more credit than this, leaders who are committed to effective, responsible conduct of the public’s business.
Senators, more and more people are laughing at you, not with you. Don’t you get it? Or don’t you care?