Seeking Full Citizenship for Virgin Islanders

Today, I am off to the Republican National Convention. We have been working tirelessly to make arrangements to meet with our fellow Colonial Subjects from Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Marian Islands, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Our hope is that we can gain support of leading Republicans to support and promote the full citizenship of Virgin Islanders.

Please keep up with this blog over the next few days, as we will update you on our progress. Also, please participate in our Facebook Blog Network (link to the right). We are soliciting your suggestions for how best to approach these politicians and elected officials.

Now is the time to promote our agenda! Who cares whether the assistance comes from Republicans or Democrats? All we need is progress for the VI! I'm counting on your assistance.

Virgin Islands for the Virgin Islanders...those at home and those abroad!

VI Athletes Not Capitalizing

I saw an article today that probed my thinking. They were speaking of UVI's new sports recruits. I couldn't help but think of the recent Olympics. Through the whole time, I had the pleasure of seeing only one of our athletes: Tabarie Henry, in track and field.

Now, I don't want to take anything away from his performance. He didn't win, he didn't place. But, he did make it to the Olympics - and that's more than I can say for myself.

Here's my problem. As I watched the Olympics - especially Track and Field, I noticed how competitive the Caribbean Nations were. Who can deny the domination of Jamaica? Trinidad made a good showing. So did the Bahamas. Even St. Kitts & Nevis made a good showing.

It makes sense. In the Caribbean, we benefit from weather conducive for year-round training. However, for some reason we don't seize the opportunity. The rest of the Caribbean is producing great track athletes...providing them with a means to college scholarship. Latin America is producing great baseball players...providing them with opportunities unthinkable in their homeland.

Where are we? What are we doing?

When I was in school, we didn't even have tackle football. Professional scouts rarely - if ever - came to watch our baseball prospects. The track program died.

Like it or not, athletics provides people an opportunity to climb economic ranks. If we empower our promising athletes, we can give them a better future. And, if we educate those athletes properly they could use some of their millions to empower our homeland. Just a quick thought...

Virgin Islands for the Virgin Islanders...those at home and those abroad!

Quick Tidbit of VI Pride!

Did you see the VI Plate on the screen at MSNBC during Biden's speech? If they post a picture, I'll try to put it up here. If you find the picture, let me know so it can be uploaded!

For the Perfectionist in You...

Maybe the new graduates can apply for a proofreading job?

Do you see the error in this picture? Do you sense the irony? Could this be why we're in such want?

Virgin Islands for the Virgin Islanders: those at home and those abroad!

Lack of Oversight with Schneider Regional Medical Center

I'm sure by now you've heard of the egregious violations of the Board and Leadership at the Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas. More than $1.8 million of taxpayer money was transfered to the personal account of Rodney Miller between March and November of 2007. Between 2002 and 2007, Mr. Miller was paid $1.3 million more than his allotted for in his contract. Other hospital executives, Amos Carty, Jr. and Peter Najawicz received overpayments of $456,000.00 between 2005 and 2007.

This is ridiculous! These people milk our community at the expense of Virgin Islanders. But, what's worse about the situation at Schneider Regional Medical Center is that the Hospital Board was complicit in these activities...contributing to the cover-up with blatant deception. Here's what the Daily News had to say:

While board members represented Miller's salary was $150,000 as reported on his NOPA, his salary and perks actually had mushroomed to $1.07 million by 2007, the audit states.

The audit report on the situation at the Schneider Regional Medical Center stated the following:

The District Board further perpetrated the secrecy of the executive compensation plans by omitting from District Board minutes, their decision to award lucrative compensation packages and overpayments, and the effect of those payments on the Medical Center's limited financial resources

So, apparently these actions had the support and cooperation of the Hospital Board. The buck would stop with the Hospital Board if this was a private hospital. But, the Schneider Regional Medical Center is not private.

According to the St. Thomas Source:

The medical center averaged losses of $25.4 million annually from 2002 to 2006. Based on "faulty and misleading information" provided by board members and hospital executives, the Legislature appropriated an average of $21.8 million to help with operations and personnel costs, the report said.

This $21.8 million was an annual amount appropriated by the VI Legislature, from taxpayer funds. The Legislature should have a vested interest in seeing how their investment - how taxpayer dollars - are being managed. So, where's the oversight?

Not to mention that the Governor's office should have been on top of this. But, ultimately the Legislature is entrusted with the responsibility of representation. They are the ones who are supposed to protect us from government infringement. Part of that infringement is a mismanagement of trust. And, that mismanagement of trust is equated to a mismanagement of the people's funds.

Senator Baptiste (Cmte. on Health, Hospitals and Human Services), Senator Nelson (Cmte. on Finance) and Senator Malone (Cmte. on Government Operations and Consumer Protection) - we needed to have hearings on the hospital before this mess happened! While the hospital was obtaining annual appropriations of $21.8 million, the Hospital Board gave Miller what the audit report stated was an "excessive and fiscally irresponsible" compensation package.

We need accountability. Rodney Miller's compensation package did not become "excessive and fiscally irresponsible" only after the audit. It was always excessive and irresponsible - especially for an agency in financial turmoil! And, we should have questioned this from the jump. Had this been done, we could have prevented our community from being pimped and raped.

Ultimately, the fault lies with us - Virgin Islanders. We are the ones who must hold these people accountable. The defense of our people and our community starts with us. Let this be the beginning.

Virgin Islands for the Virgin Islanders...those at home and those abroad!