April 22, 2005 – Team St. Croix, an organization of community activists, is calling on government officials and members of the private sector to deliver a first-quarter, status report on the progress of legislation, capital improvement projects and other private sector initiatives. The governor, the delegate to Congress, the St. Croix senators, the senator-at-large and private sector developers are on the agenda.
The summit will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the St. Croix Educational Complex. In the morning session, the 16 Team St. Croix member agencies will report on their progress. In the afternoon session government officials and developers are scheduled to make reports. The informational meeting is designed to provide the public with an understanding of the government's accomplishments for the first three months of the year.
Besides those mentioned above, invitations were sent to Lorraine L. Berry, senate president, commissioners of Public Works, DPNR, Tourism, Health, Education and Public Safety; directors of the Economic Development Authority, Public Finance Authority, Port Authority, Waste Management Authority, Water and Power Authority, and the Public Service Commission. Private sector invitees include mangers of Williams and Punch, Robin Bay and Golden Gaming. Speakers have five to 10 minutes to make their presentation.
Delegate Donna M. Christiansen, on Wednesday, said she would not be able to attend because of a long-standing commitment to speak at a health conference in California. Michael Thurland, Congressional staff member, will attend as her representative, she said. Christiansen said she supported Team St. Croix' "insistence on accountability" and urged other organizations with a "community purpose" to follow their example.
Samuel J. Baptiste, president of Team St. Croix said Thursday the governor has not yet confirmed his attendance. Some senators also have a conflict in their schedule, he said. The Democratic Territorial Committee meeting is happening on the same day. In the previous territorial meeting, held in January, Democrats voted to sanction democratic Sens. Berry, Allah "Foncie" Donastorg and Shawn-Michael Malone for forming a consensus majority with independents and ICM senators. (See " Democrats Sanction Break-Away Senators ").
Baptiste said Sen. Ronald Russell wrote him asking him to postpone the summit, but Team St. Croix members decided not to change the meeting date. Baptiste said government officials who decide not to attend would have to "explain" their absence to the people. The summit will be carried live on WRRA radio. The first quarterly summit will "develop momentum and demonstrate the seriousness" of Team St. Croix, Baptiste said.
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