Sept. 17, 2007 — Gov. John deJongh Jr. Monday named four people to serve on the St. Thomas-St. John Horse Racing Commission.
DeJongh named attorney Leonard B. Francis Jr. to replace Leon Battiste, who has resigned. He also named three commission members to replace ones whose terms had expired: Le’Vette Hedrington to replace Lionel V. Roberts Jr., Joel Fleming to replace Elton Chongasing and Eltino Pickering to replace Angel M. Corneiro.
“I am hopeful that these new members, once confirmed, will be able to ensure that my administration’s goals and objectives for horse racing in the Virgin Islands are achieved," the governor said, according to a Government House news release. "We are embarking on a new journey in this area, with the advent of improved facilities and after straightening out the relationship between a third-party promoter, the Department of Housing, Parks and Recreation and the horse owners."
Francis is a well known St. Thomas attorney who has operated his private law office since 1979. Hedrington works at Schneider Regional Medical Center as an accountant. Fleming has served as a race-track volunteer since 1980 and teaches physical education at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School. Pickering is an instructor and arranger for the Superior Court Rising Stars Steel Youth Orchestra and has held positions of owner/trainer, trainer and groom at Bovoni Stables. Pickering previously served as secretary and member of the Horse Owners Association.
The governor’s submission on Monday came just a few weeks after he signed off on a near-$300,000 contract with Boschulte Design Studio for the new Clinton Phipps Race Track at Bovoni. The contract will provide for the architectural and engineering services for a completely revamped facility.
“There is a definitive need for us to bring about significant improvement to the overall facilities at Phipps race track," deJongh said. "The sport of kings attracts large numbers of Virgin Islanders on race days, as well as visitors from both the British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and the present appearance of the track is not what it should be.”
The required actions will call for some forceful commissioners, and the governor believes these individuals are up to the task in accepting this responsibility, the news release said. The four nominations are subject to the advice and consent of the 27th Legislature.
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