regular general election in 1982. The Judicial Commission shall be constituted by law,
which law shall include provisions for the election of members at a special election
within ninety days after the effective date of this Constitution. Each member of the
Judicial Commission elected at the initial election shall serve for a term as provided by
law, notwithstanding the provisions of section 4 (a) of Article VI of this Constitution.

 Section 3. Continuity of laws, executive orders, and regulations.
 Laws, executive orders, and regulations in force in the Virgin Islands on the effective
 date of this Constitution that are consistent with this Constitution shall continue in force
 until they expire or are amended or repealed. Laws, executive orders, and regulations
 that are inconsistent with this Constitution shall be void to the extent of the
 inconsistency.

 Section 4. Continuity of government employment and operations.
 Employees of the government of the Virgin Islands on the effective date of this
 Constitution shall be employees of the constitutional government on the same terms
 and conditions of employment as were enforceable previously against the Virgin
 Islands, unless otherwise provided by law. Employees of the government of the Virgin
 Islands shall have the same functions and duties after becoming employees of the
 constitutional government, unless otherwise provided by law.

 Section 5. Continuity of judicial matters. On the effective date of federal
 legislation regulating the relationship between the local courts of the Virgin Islands
 and the federal judicial system, the Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands shall become
 the constitutional Territorial Court and the judges serving on the Territorial Court shall
 become judges of the constitutional Territorial Court. Appeals on civil and criminal
 matters shall continue to vest in the United States District Court of the Virgin Islands
 until such time as the Supreme Court is constituted and assumes its functions under
 this Constitution, at which time they shall vest in the Supreme Court. Civil and criminal
 matters pending before the Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands on the effective date of
 federal legislation regulating the relationship between the local courts of the Virgin
 Islands and the federal judicial system shall remain pending before the constitutional
 Territorial Court. Civil and criminal matters pending on appeal before the United States
 District Court of the Virgin Islands on that date shall remain within the jurisdiction of
 that court until finally decided. Rules of the Territorial Court consistent with the
 provisions of this Constitution shall remain in force until they expire or are altered or
 repealed by the Supreme Court.

 Section 6. Administrative districts. Notwithstanding the provisions of
section 1 (a) of Article VII, there shall be three administrative districts established in the
Virgin Islands on the effective date of this Constitution: the Administrative District of St.
Croix; the Administrative District of St. John; and the Administrative District of St.
Thomas. These administrative districts may not be changed until after the expiration of
the first term of office of the first mayor elected under this Constitution, except that, if
within 180 days of ratification of this Constitution, a petition signed by at least fifteen
per cent of the qualified voters of any of the above administrative districts and filed with


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