I have been urged by others who have seen this open letter to the governor and senators that I submitted to them this past Thursday evening to get it before as many people as possible. After it was sent I was contacted by Deputy Chief of Police Chris Howell, and I have had an email from Senator Richards. In my response to the senator I told him that, “It (my email)was written in the hope that each of you in the legislature as well as our governor would be challenged to lead us on a road that begins to create a much different perception of St. Croix and the VI that currently exists. It was also written so that others could find a way to release their emotions and frustrations in a constructive way and to perhaps challenge everyone to be more creative in moving all of us forward. ” I also try to assure him that the only THEY vs. US issue is one of the lawless vs. the rest of the VI public. I urge each and every one to let our officials know that now is the time for change. The following is the complete text of that Open Letter:

Subject: An Open Letter To Our Government – Reflections on the death of
Peter DesJardins

“Brenda, are you still loving STX? I’m so angry over this tragedy and
find myself looking at the locals differently! This is horrifying. How
can we ever go out to a restaurant at night? I feel so bad for Tonya. I
found out the news via the radio Wed. a.m. and called Joel crying. He
thought I’d been in an accident or something. Along with the 4 burglaries
here at Coral Princesse while people were sleeping, and now this, I could
use a change of scenery. Thanks for listening. Let me know how you and
Alex are feeling about this. Hope you had a great time in Charleston.
Love,
Rose”

That was the content of an email from a friend that caused me to write
this open letter to each of you. Brenda and I have been part of this island
since 2005. Not a long time by any means, but long enough to develop a
clear perception about life and death on this island. The tragedy of the
senseless death of Peter des Jardis speaks volumes about the overall
climate that prevails today. This island and the rest of the VI is
controlled by the lawless, the weak minded judicial system, and the
toothless law enforcement that the precious people must endure day in and
day out. The local law enforcement has been so short sited and power mad as
to nearly cut themselves off from the federal help that was here. You in
the legislature have not been proactive in seeing that approved funds have
been used wisely and expediently for projects that are meant to bring some
semblance of law enforcement to most of the communities, and you have been
exceptionally quiet when it comes to crimes such as the one that just
happened at the Pickled Greek Restaurant. Shame on you.

I cannot tell you the number of stories I have about the rampant
burglaries and break-ins of not only the continentals like ourselves but
mainly of the locals and their families. Thefts from cars and thefts of
cars are so plentiful that if it hasn’t happened to you all it means is
that you aren’t driving on the island. The string of hold-ups and shootings
on the north shore of St. Croix seemed to go on forever over the last two
years. The only people who have been served by all of this is the small
vocal minority that want this island to be handed back to them as everyone
else does not belong here.

We have criminals safe in their homes and roaming our streets unabated as
our judges seem to think that the criminal’s spirit will be broken and self
esteem will suffer if one actually have to be punished and do time. They
are laughing stocks of the judicial community, and contribute to the poor
and deteriorating image of the VI.
The time has come, not for more rhetoric from you, nor for more excuses
from you about how busy you have been; it has come for the real and
complete enforcement of the laws that are on the books; it has come for
riddance of the crooked and shameless government officials that have sucked
the life blood from the peoples of this island and have impeded needed
improvements and progress; it has come for the judiciary to exercise
judgments that protect the people from the criminal elements; it is time
that the local law enforcement bodies demonstrate they are using their
resources where it counts, not where it is easy; it is time for those same
folks to forget their egos and find ways to entice cooperation from every
organization they can to help bring order to these islands; it is simply
time to give the island back to the law abiding citizens that are daily
being abused, forgotten, or harassed, and who are getting afraid to go out
at night and simply have a meal at a restaurant because they are fearing
for their lives. We simply must have change NOW, not tomorrow or the day
after – NOW!!! It is you who must lead the way by example, and it is you
who must encourage those in authority throughout this island to be bold and
place the people first.

Is this the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back for me and my
wife? I hope not. We don’t want to leave this beautiful island, we don’t
want to leave our friends that we have and will have in the future that
continue to live here. We don’t want to go back to the rat race and the
commutes and the real pollution. What I do know is that I must see signs
that things are changing and criminals are not ruling and St. Croix has
been removed from the list of War Zones in this world.

I hope you take up the challenges I have laid before you. I hope that you
feel some basic responsibility for seeing that these changes come soon.

Sincerely,
Alex Taylor
St. Croix

Obviously this didn’t quite happen as the organizers envisioned. Wonder why?

Well, what good is making a chain and holding hands? That’s about as helpful as praying. Who has time for that?

What needs to be done is taking action. Remember, actions speak louder than words. Not holding hands. But going after those that are supposed to be responsible for our community’s safety and welfare.

Try that.