76.7 F
Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesSENATORS IGNORE PETITION FOR PSC MEETING

SENATORS IGNORE PETITION FOR PSC MEETING

Not one senator other than the author, Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, signed the petition that Donastorg circulated this week calling for a Committee of the Whole meeting to review the practices of the Public Services Commission.
"It is extremely disturbing to note that my colleagues are afraid to consider this important matter," Donastorg said. "We were elected by the people of the Virgin Islands and the people may be entitled to more than $50 million as a result of being overcharged on their phone bills.
"The PSC dismissed this important information and the PSC needs to be investigated. It is our job as senators to get to the bottom of this, if we can."
Senate President Vargrave Richards, who had been approached three times according to Donastorg to call a Committee of the Whole meeting and who voted in October for such a meeting, said he was not bound by an
action of the 22nd Legislature — something he has said before.
Richards also said he had to be "guided by
the majority" in deciding whether to call a meeting.
In explaining his refusal to call a meeting he previously voted for on the PSC's handling of an investigation into the V.I. Telephone Corp.'s rates, Richards said the PSC issue was a significant one six months ago but has since been supplanted by the territory's fiscal crisis.
Sen. Roosevelt David said Tuesday that he hadn't seen the petition because he had been in a Senate Finance Committee hearing all day.
Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole said he didn't feel it was necessary for him to sign the petition. He said the matter should be addressed by the majority senators in caucus or in a committee meeting, such as the Rules Committee.
Besides, Cole said, he didn't see a problem with the PSC's past actions because "the PSC has authority as a commission to do what it wants."
Donastorg said he thinks some senators may be trying to put off a hearing until the terms of certain PSC commissioners expire in June. The terms of Dora S. Hill and Walter L. Challenger expire June 2. (See Community/Data/Boards and Commissions for a complete list of PSC members and their terms.)
"The appointment of new commissioners may benefit us in the future, but it will not necessarily right the grievous wrongs committed over the past few years," Donastorg said. "It will not return the $50 million stolen from the consumers of this territory."
He added, "I have said it before and I will say it again — this is not over."

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.