The V.I. Legislature approved a slew of legislation on topics from vehicle emissions testing to regulating physical therapy during a 16-hour session Wednesday.
It approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Sammuel Sanes to amend a law he sponsored in 2013 prohibiting the family of chemicals used to make intoxicants sold over the counter as “bath salts” and so-called "synthetic marijuana." Sanes’ bill expands it to include "any chemicals manufactured "with the intent to circumvent the criminal penalties for synthetic cannabinoids or other substances banned."
It passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Myron Jackson to transfer the former Massac Nursing Home on St. Thomas from the Department of Human Services to the Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation for conversion to a sports facility, boxing gymnasium and housing for visiting athletes. [Bill 30-0377]
A private citizen will be able to file suit against a person or company that submits false claims for payment to the V.I. government, allowing private citizens to seek damages on behalf of the government and to take a share of any court judgment if certain conditions are met, if a bill sponsored by Sen. Nereida "Nellie" Rivera-O’Reilly and approved by the Senate on Wednesday is signed into law. It also establishes certain protections for whistleblowers. The bill summary says it is modeled after the Washington, D.C., False Claims Act and the federal False Claims Act. It is very similar to a bill approved in committee, but never acted upon, in 2012.
Long-delayed work upgrading the La Reine Fish Market and renovating the Estate Profit Recreation Center may get under way soon, because the Legislature passed a bill from Sanes to reprogram $200,000 of funding for the Durant Tower construction in Frederiksted and devote $150,000 to upgrade the La Reine Fish Market and $50,000 to renovate the Estate Profit Recreation Center. [Bill 30-0343]
Another measure from Sanes approved Wednesday [Bill 30-0188] would create $5,000 scholarships to students who study emergency management and agree to return to the territory to work in that field.
It sets aside 2 percent of the Peace Officer Training Fund and the Internal Revenue Matching Fund (but doesn’t touch any of the Internal Revenue Matching Fund) to be held by the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency and doled out in cooperation with the V.I. Board of Education, which handles about $1.5 million in scholarships annually.
Students who do not return to work in the territory would be liable for the full scholarship amount, plus and additional 10 percent.
Senators approved another bill from Sanes to gives the Bureau of Motor Vehicles the authority to create an emissions testing system.
They approved a bill reforming the law that oversees the practices of physical therapists to current norms. It had last been addressed in 1969. The bill allows physical therapists to treat patients for up to 45 days or 12 visits without a doctor’s referral.
Senators also approved a bill requested by Government House authorizing the establishment of a public corporation to receive and hold the assets of Lonesome Dove Petroleum Company Inc. to provide for any income for the corporation. The territory was awarded the leases, which generate around $1 million annually, as settlement in a tax case.
Attorney General Vincent Frazer said in committee hearings that the government needed a vehicle to oversee the assets so the court will turn them over and out of receivership. Sen. Myron Jackson proposed an amendment, which was approved, placing the new entity under the Government Employee Retirement System and devoting its revenues to shoring up the ailing pension plan.
The Senate also approved legislation affecting University of the Virgin Islands Research and Technology Park tax benefits; increasing government cash subsidies to Cruzan Rum; repealing school calendar changes; and authorizing new borrowing, that are discussed elsewhere in the Source.
They just continue to create ways to spend money the VI does not have and find new ways to implement new taxes to attempt to cover the shortfall. Seriously, how much more can they borrow? Virgin Islanders pay a lot of taxes and we get very little services for our money in return because it continues to get misused, misappropriated, mismanaged, wasted and stolen.
On another note: Is the VI Goverment going to pay for imissions testing on all their government owned vehicles? Ha!
Tesing should be mandatory for buses, safaris and big trucks.
Hey Senators, how about going 1 whole yr. without creating new ways to spend money we don’t have?
Give us a break!
These naive and under-informed members of the 30th Legislature are so dull and so predictable. They are in most cases blindly ruining so many people’s lives, in so many underhanded and deceitful ways, again and again.
There is however one issue that needs to be addressed honestly, directly, and without any political engagement. This needs to be a discussion WITH AND AMONG the People of the Virgin Islands. St. Croix and St. Thomas in particular.
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Are you aware that with the un-vetted (no due diligence, again) blind approval of this senate, at the direction of this governor, Mr. Hugo Hodge of WAPA is building ten 350 thousand gallon (3 million gallons on each island) storage tanks of extremely combustible, highly explosive PROPANE right above Krum Bay with the only power plant on St Thomas, above the only water plant on St. Thomas, above large gasoline and other fuel gas storage tanks, overlooking the only airport on St. Thomas and the only cargo port, and cruise ship docks and retail locations, across from Water Island, and all surrounded by homes, offices, full of your family members??
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– Has anyone heard about the health and safety effects of Propane? Have they told you it is a silent odorless killer, that rolls down hill and kills every person along the way?
Has anyone been told about the highly volatile nature of Propane?
– Has anyone heard about the safety procedures that WAPA, the Fire Department, EMS, the Police and the Hospitals are preparing for, and putting in place??
– Have you heard how they will all come together with all of the necessary lifesaving, rescue and firefighting equipment, in the event of any emergency?
– Do you know if the airlines are aware of what is being built at the end of the runway, below flight paths? And they are all OK with this?
– Do you know if the cruise lines are aware of the building of 3 million gallon Propane storage tanks right over the hill from where they dock their ships and where they pass by? How about their insurance companies?
– Are the cruise lines and the insurance companies all good with this decision by Hugo Hodge, the Governor and the current bunch of senators? They find this project acceptable?
– Has our Port Authority been fully in the loop on this extremely dangerous adventure? Has Port Authority signed off on it?
– How about the US Army Corps of Engineers? Have they given permission to transport in open seas, then by smaller boats into Krum Bay and piped up to the top of the hill (above WAPA plant remember) into massive 350 thousand gallon storage tanks?
– Has the Environmental Protection Agency issued all the right permits, and agrees with this project?
– Has the Department of Homeland Security (who has people and facilities that would be directly impacted too) been informed about the project and its’ proximity to air, cruise and cargo ports, plus the only water plant, only power plant on the island? And they have given their official approvals to this WAPA project that everybody is rushing to complete?
– Has the government figured out how, if something catastrophic was to occur, they would get help from other islands or the States? No airport, no power plant, no cargo facilities, no VITEMA. Would they have to call the US Navy?
– Has the US Navy, Department of the Interior and the US Coast Guard ALL agreed to this really dangerous venture of this government? In writing??
– Has WAPA received all necessary and required permits form all interested agencies?
– Has anybody spoken to the PEOPLE of the Virgin Islands, to explain all sides of this project, not only the dubious cost savings, and what to do in cases something should go wrong, as can be seen by how WAPA is currently running, or not running?
– Has anyone seen any news about WAPA ordering additional or specialized firefighting equipment, and the fireboats??
– Has anyone learned of any additional positions available at the Fire Department that are necessary for this type of fuel disaster?
– Has anybody been hired at the hospital to handle both mass casualties and major burn injuries?
– Has anybody mentioned how the Virgin Islands would survive given the absolute danger these massive gas bombs hold?
There are so many many unanswered questions and issues that require immediate attention.
This is not a political game or anything but a call to all that before the very first drop of this very dangerous and highly explosive gas fuel is brought to the USVI, everybody needs to know they are safe and secure, and that all aspects of everyone’s safety has been addressed. The People need to know how all of the various agencies are prepared.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT 3 MILLION GALLONS OF PROPANE EXPLODING ON A HILL MIGHT DO? IS WAPA AND THE GOVERNMENT PREPARED? WHAT HAVE THEY DONE SO FAR? HAVE THEY DONE ANYTHING AT ALL?
WE NEED ANSWERS! OUR VERY LIVES DEPEND ON IT!!