Jan. 26, 2009 — Gov. John deJongh Jr. wrapped up his third State of the Territory Address Monday to mixed reviews from members of the 28th Legislature, who said that while the speech did outline the territory's current economic woes, it didn't include a detailed solution to all the problems.
A few, however, said the speech — delivered at the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall on St. Thomas — gave them hope, even though deJongh made it clear throughout that the territory is about to weather some even tougher economic times.
"Overall, I enjoyed the speech," said St. Croix Sen. Sammuel Sanes. "I think there were a few things omitted — like the governor didn't talk about the closing of the health clinic in Frederiksted, which is a huge concern for residents who have to drive to the middle of the island to get health care — but overall, the speech inspires me, because even though I now know that the future is going to be bleak for the next year, I do see hope in the ability of all of us to work together as one to get through it. So I'm still very optimistic."
The governor said Monday that the state of the economy, like a hurricane, is hard to track and may not turn around for another year or more. During that time, job losses, cutbacks in funding for programs and a decrease in revenues could become a reality.
"Nothing is off the table," deJongh said. "Circumstances will determine how far we must go. But recognize that none of these options will be easy, be it holidays without pay, consolidating smaller schools, laying off workers or shortening their hours. This we may be forced to do by the economic situation … in the weeks and months ahead, we will have new economic data that will dictate the extent of the measures that we will be forced to collectively consider. The choices will not be easy — indeed many will be painful. But our challenge will be to assure that the choices we make bring us out of the recession, poised to grow and compete."
What must be avoided, the governor said, is repeating the same old mistakes, with the government failing to live up to its responsibilities and passing its problems on to future generations. On Monday, several senators said they are ready to work with the governor to make sure his call for a unified Virgin Islands — where community members and officials alike work alongside one another — becomes a reality.
"I felt that the speech was realistic and at the same time inspiring, in complete control of the facts, and it touched on almost all the major issues facing the territory," Sen. Craig W. Barshinger said. "I was particularly happy with the attention given to energy and the many benefits that our people and businesses will accrue from the use of modern, green electricity. It will definitely be an involved process — one that I pledge to help with as much as I can — but it will produce rich rewards for the territory."
In his speech, deJongh spoke of the need to continue to reduce the government's energy costs and pursue alternate-energy sources and policies that would ultimately cut out the territory's dependence on fossil fuel.
Stimulating the local economy also means pushing through various territory-wide capital-improvement projects — many of which are either currently in the works or submitted for inclusion in the new federal economic-stimulus package, according to the governor.
"I enjoyed the speech," St. Croix Sen. Michael Thurland said Monday. "I thought that the governor touched on many things that I wanted him to touch on, and I was extremely interested in the capital-improvement projects he discussed for St. Croix. My concern is, however, is the accreditation of the St. Croix Central High School, and the projects associated with it that are included in the bond package that the governor has sent down to us. Now, the governor talked about appropriating $25 million for the construction of the new Addelita Cancryn Junior High School on St. Thomas, and more money for a new school on St. John — that's millions of dollars for just one district. Cancryn is the sister school to Central — it suffers from many of the same disabilities. So if he's sending down money for one, he should send down the money for Central High School on St. Croix."
Looking at job force and small-business development is also critical in times of economic distress, Thurland said.
"The governor needed to include some specific language that spoke to small-business development and the development of infrastructure throughout the territory," he said. "The new bond issue that the governor is going to want us to authorize is based on gross-receipts revenues — and if they're depleting, like he says, then we have to build the small-business infrastructure to help it."
While the speech dissected all the realities of the current economic crisis, the governor presented no "rollout plan" to show how the territory would push forward, Sen. Shawn-Michael Malone said.
"I thought the speech was good," he said Monday. "The governor anticipated all the realities of the things we're facing and the vision of what he sees happening. But one thing that was gravely absent from the speech was his plan for workforce development. We're losing jobs — so we have to make sure we're training the people in other areas. Also, what are we going to do if we get the $700 million package from the federal government — is it going to help with creating more jobs within the various industries, within the tourism industry?"
During the address, deJongh explained that the government has, over the past few months, worked with President Barack Obama's administration on the makeup of the proposed economic-stimulus package, and had submitted $700 million worth of capital-improvement projects for funding. The governor has said the projects run the gamut of what's needed in the territory, from ports to road maintenance. (See "DeJongh Upbeat on V.I. Stake In Stimulus Plan.")
But deJongh's message of trimming the fat from government — illustrated Monday evening by his call for senators to pass a bill transforming the V.I. Waste Management Authority into the semi-autonomous Waste Management Agency — is dead on, Malone said.
"I'm the primary sponsor of that bill," he said. "We need to save that money that we're putting in and look at creating other ways of using the revenue."
Meanwhile, Malone said, the governor could have been harsher when he capped off his speech with a message to members of the Fifth Constitutional Convention.
"They need to scrap a lot of what they're doing and adopt the non-controversial sections of the fourth constitution," he said.
In the State of the Territory, deJongh called for the convention's delegates to "present the voters of this territory a document that celebrates and guarantees the liberty for which so many have sacrificed."
"A document that guarantees as well the equality of opportunity and treatment — that is to say fundamental justice — each of us is bound to pursue every day we go to work as public officials," the governor said, adding that one of his priorities is to continue to press national leaders to give Virgin Islanders the opportunity to vote for president.
"On my recent trip to Washington, D.C., I spoke at two inaugural balls," said Senate President Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg. "I said that we should forge a good relationship with Congress and make sure the Virgin Islands doesn't continue to be treated like a second-class citizen. I'm glad to see that the governor agreed with me in his speech."
Many senators said the State of the Territory was exactly what they expected.
"It was basically what I anticipated," Donastorg said. "I
think we all recognize and share the concern of the governor with regards to the economic climate, and understand that the people of the Virgin Islands have to collaborate on a number of initiatives and projects that will help get us through this economic crisis. But I would have liked to hear more about making safe working environments for our employees. I wanted to hear more about the issues of preservation and conservation, and how we're protecting those things that our visitors look for. And I wanted know more about the state of transportation in the territory."
Senate Majority Leader Neville James shared many of the same sentiments.
"Being governor is not an easy job," James said. "I always want to give deference to the person who has responsible for the territory. I thought that the governor has matured since he gave his first address in 2007, and I thought that it was a leveled speech. I was focused really on what he was saying about the issues that affect us as a territory and his relationship with the mainland — hopefully we really will have a good relationship with the federal government. So, overall, it was on par with other State of the Territories."
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