date of this Constitution shall be employees of the constitutional government on the
same terms and conditions of employment as were in effect and enforceable
previously, 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.

 CONTINUITY OF JUDICIAL MATTERS
 Section 5. Until the Senate otherwise provides, the appellate court created by
 Section 1 of Article VII shall consist of the two United States District Court judges for
 the Virgin Islands and one judge appointed in accordance with the provisions of
 Section 3 and Section 6 of Article VII of this Constitution. The judge so appointed shall
 serve as the chief judge of the appellate court until the appellate court created by
 Section 1 is fully implemented.

 The Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands shall continue as a trial court of
 original jurisdiction in the same manner as existed prior to the date of adoption of this
 Constitution until and unless changed by law. The qualifications for judges set forth in
 this Constitution shall not be retroactively applied to any sitting judge of the Territorial
 Court. All rules of the judicial system consistent with this Constitution and in effect
 upon the adoption of this Constitution shall continue or may be modified or terminated
 in the same manner as existed prior to the adoption of this Constitution until and
 unless changed by law.

 PROSPECTIVE OPERATION OF RIGHTS
 Section 6. All rights or obligations, procedural or substantive, created for the first
time by this Constitution shall be prospective and not retroactive.

 SUCCESSION
 Section 7. The constitutional government of the Virgin Islands shall succeed to
all rights and obligations of the Government of the Virgin Islands that existed prior to
the effective date of this Constitution. The validity of all public and private bonds, debts,
and contracts, and of all claims, actions, and causes of action, shall continue as if no
change had taken place.

 Signed and Witnessed by the Delegates to the Fourth Constitutional
Convention of the Virgin Islands, at Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, United States Virgin
Islands, on this 1st day of August, 1980.

Rupert W. Ross, Jr., John James
President Wilfred James
Ruth H. Beagles Sidney Lee
Bent Lawaetz, Lucien Moolenaar
Secretary Alva McFarlane
Toya Andrew, Thyra Hodge Smith
Assistant Secretary Clement Sackey,
Clarice Bryan 2nd Vice President