14 = St. John Tradewinds, December 14-20, 2009 Letters to St. John Tradewinds Ina Lee Sends Special Thanks To All I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following peo- ple of St. Thomas and St. John for their generous donations towards my trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey, to participate in the Ms. Senior America Pageant. I had a wonderful time participating in such a prestigious pageant and at the same time representing my beautiful Virgin Islands. It was a great experience that could not have happened if not for your gen- erosity. Sylvia Samuel; Claire Hunt; Jean Bessette; Myrah Keating Smith clinic Staff; Dana Bartlett; Mari Mathis; Christine and Luben Davis; Martha Cherry; Andrea Joseph; Dr. Kimberly Moore; Woody’s Sea- food Saloon; Jerry Kootcher, Eulita Jacobs; Diane Walker; Smithy; Geneine Moorehead; Nick Hippolyte; Mary Smith; Skinny Legs; Sandra Donali; Connections; Dr’s Alla and Lashmi; Spencer Stapleton; Margarite Hodge; Lone Eagle Superette; Herbert Frett; Sue Vosbein; Mr. Rene; Rawle Rogers Jr; Karl Pytlik; J.°S Texas Coast Restaurant; Kenneth Louis; Enid Williams; Helen Peltier; Ira Wade; Doreen Callwood; Darin Ritz; Ronnie Jones; Carl Powell; Mano Boyd; Jean Thomas; Carl Freeman; Lisa Brucker; Joe’s Diner; Rupert Marsh; Kim Parsil; Lime Inn; Jane Johannes; Dr. Less; John Anthony; Edwin (Starfish Market); Brenda Sonson; Shirley Sewer; Corine Mathias; Pine Peace Market; Cameo Club Sisters; Eleanor Josiah; Ce’ce Burns; Debbie Schnell; Kehen Family; Mathew (Hos- pitality Rental); Barr Family; Tony Severin; Athena Swartly; Edwin Hill; Jackie Clendenin; Kaliedoscope; Challo Leon; Vernell Powell; Island Blues; Weston Powell; St. John Car Rental; Deny’s; Ferman Blake; and Lauren Jones Thank you also to those of you who wished to remain anonymous and to those I may have left off the list in error. (Honorable Mention): My Chaperones Corine Mathias and Eleanor Josiah. Respectfully, Ina V. Lee TRADEWINDS PUBLISHING The Community Newspaper Since 1972 EDITOR/PUBLISHER MaLinda Nelson malinda@tradewinds.vi NEWSLINE Tel. (340) 776-6496 Fax (340) 693-8885 www.tradewinds. vi editor @tradewinds. vi NEWS EDITOR Jaime Elliott Jaime@tradewinds.vi MAILING ADDRESS Tradewinds Publishing P.O. Box 1500 St. John, VI 00831 WRITERS Andrea Milam, Susan Mann, and Mauri Elbel COLUMNISTS/ CONTRIBUTORS Sis Frank, Eliza Magro, Afrika Anhtony, Chuck Pishko, Vern Tonge, Jeff Smith, Paul Devine, Jerry Runyon, Andrew Rutnik, and Dustin Prudhomme SUBSCRIPTIONS US. & U.S.V.I. only $70.00 per year THIRD CLASS PERMIT US. Postage PAID Permit No. 3 St. John, VI 00831 ADVERTISING advertising@tradewinds.vi © COPYRIGHT 2009 All rights reserved. No reproduction of news stories, letters, columns, photo- graphs or advertisements allowed without written permission from the publisher. CIRCULATION Rohan Roberts Not Feeling Jolly This Season Tis the season to be jolly but I don’t feel that way. A sense of hopeless seems to be pervasive. Why? It is because I have absolutely no faith left in the possibility for change for our islands under the present system of governance. I do not believe that a new Gov- ernor or new Senators can ever break through this thick dysfunc- tional system that has been in op- eration for many years now. It is a cancerous monster of bureaucracy with re-cycled people being moved from one position to another — year after year, admin- istration after administration — of- ten when they have already proven to fail in their previous role. This system is old, badly broken, incapable of meeting the needs of it’s constituents, top heavy with administrators, and spends all of our monies on “too many chiefs and not enough Indian,” expendi- tures, here is so much talk, non- stop talk, we talk issues to death, then move onto the next problem and begin the talk process again. There is rarely any action or timely solutions. It has been proven to fail the people — time after time. It does not work. It does not get the basic needs of each individual and each unique Virgin Island problems addressed. Why do we not see and under- stand this? You will not find too many people happy with the hoped for changes on St. John since Gov. de- Jongh was elected. I do not fault the governor for this. I believe that he is a great man who is trying to work hard with a failed system of representa- tion. Add 15 Senators to the mix — one at-Large from St. John who has to run from island to island to somehow balance the decisions made — and it only adds to the probability of failure. An island Administrator with no power — meeting with citizens over concerns then writing down problems then sending them over to St. Thomas to be discussed (yet again) does not work. Have our roads been fixed? Do we have better parking on St. John? Do we have a striped Centerline Road yet? Why are our citizens left with the burden — time after time — meeting after meeting, tes- tifying about the same problems that have plagued us for the last 10 years — yet get no solutions? A lack of faith and hope by the people in government is a very serious issue that can no longer be ignored. Something has got to change and soon. It impacts ev- eryone, especially our youth who look to us to be positive role mod- els of change. We do not need 15 Senators for a VI population of approximately 120,000 people. We do not need commissioners with assistant commissioners who then have deputy commissioners and further assistance to once again organize meetings to discuss the (same) problems — once again and reach the usual consensus: we have no monies. We do not need to spend $85,000 a year for salaries for each Senator who is elected to legislate laws- when many are not enforced (no money!) or appropriate money (no money!). With every challenge comes op- portunity to think outside the box. There is an opportunity for someone in a leadership role to summon the courage within their hearts to address this issue. Sadly, our Constitutional Con- vention failed us miserably — and we are in “the twilight zone” of “what now?” Who will pick up this lead and become a true voice for the people of the Virgin islands? In a letter I have written to in- dividual Senators concerning my frustrations. I am being told that our Governor holds the power to create Island Councils on each is- land, through executive order to identify needs and find solutions on each island by the individuals who live there. Governor deJongh, we need you to address this possibility. Why can’t we have a Town Council on each island dealing directly with island issues with an elected council to solve problems directly? Why can’t we have our own budgets? There does not need to be an- other layer of government...God knows that is not what anyone wants! All that we need to do is own the fact that our present system is an absolute failure. There are plen- ty of facts that support this. I suggest anyone in our islands that is absolutely tired with the lack of evident change still — to write every Senator as well as our Governor to ask for leadership now in making the change that brings the power and control of each island back to the people who reside there. We know the problems, we have made suggestions for years on what is needed to make things better however no one is listening. This is an election year. We have to find a way to get our voic- es heard. Local Island Government must be at the top of issues that every person demands. There must be a referendum on this. Anyone who refuses to look at this issue just might be more concerned about self-preservation or in keeping their job and the status quo. Those are the individuals that we should dismiss. We have far too many problems for these kind of individuals. If not, we will continue to “spin our wheels” and get nowhere like we have done for years and years now. We will continue the downward spiral of a lack of faith and hope in government. We, the people, deserve so much better. Is anyone in power out there or up there listening? Bonny Corbeil, St. John What Do You Think? Send your letters to editor @tradewinds.vi