73.7 F
Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesA New Kind of Governance Is Essential

A New Kind of Governance Is Essential

Dear Source:
I applaud the incisive observations that were boldly made by Lawrence Boschulte in this forum. For too long we have been led away from a decisive government that actually interacted with the voting public to the self-serving, know-all-that-is-good for-us, semi-exclusive country club of government officials both elected and appointed that we serve today.
I want a governor and lieutenant governor who are responsible to serve the people who voted them in.
I want a team that will work together and provide the examples of leadership that we can follow and understand.
I do not want to see the same faces in the same positions.
We want to see structure, savings and responsibility in all government departments.
No longer do I want to stand among friends and neighbors who can discuss current problems, come up with cost-effective common sense solutions, but then have to watch the current group of commissioners and department heads spend hundreds of thousands of tax dollars in studies that tell them what we, the ordinary people, already knew.
Why can't a budget be made to cover a whole year without supplements?
And how can a government department be able to circumvent the legislative and executive branches to get funds from public finance. Is this the new general fund?
Like you, I need to feel good about the amount of money expended in these huge budgets. A budget of 749 million dollars should give us the best schools with teachers who actually have degrees; electricity costs without the LEAC; beautiful paved, wider roads that have room for bikes, runners and walkers, etc.; and a commitment to fund the future with customer service and satisfaction as priorities.
We want a police department that has a more visible presence throughout these islands: one that can improve the quality of our lives rather than hinder it.
Virgin Islanders live on the cusp of anarchy because of the inability to enforce simple laws. We allow people to bully their way around our laws under the guise of popular opinion.
I implore every person of voting age to participate in this most important of elections. Apathy can no longer be tolerated. You must pay attention or pay the consequences!
Furthermore, as we learn how contacts turn into contracts in the Turnbull administration, as evidenced by GRM and Elite, I would implore the current legislature to avoid passage of any initiative made by this "lame" duck executive branch and save these important decisions for the new administration.
The Turnbull legacy must continue to go unfulfilled. In fact, a legislator's ability to be re-elected may count on it.
These concerns and more are what move me to support John Dejong and Greg Francis as the front-runners this year.
I remain open to hearing programs of action from all of the candidates but feel comfortable with the man that many of us voted for in the last big election. The addition of St. Croix's own Greg Francis to the ticket ensures a big dose of integrity that can be counted on.
Perhaps it is time to participate in the Democratic primary.
All changes do come from within….
I remain concerned.
Steve Nisky
Virgin Islands

Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to source@viaccess.net.

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.