Dear Source:
I would like to respond to Mr. Marvin Titus's calculation of how population would be the determining factor when creating senatorial districts for the Virgin Islands.
Mr. Titus contends that the St John population is the basis for the number of senators. Of course, using the approximation of 4197 St John residents (large increases since 2000 most likely puts the population at 5000) and using the approximate populations of both St Croix and St Thomas there would be have to be an actual increase in Senators. Of course, no one wants to increase the number of senators and the proposed number of senators at nine was derived from a referendum question passed by Virgin Islands voters in 2003. The senate rejected that referendum as the Virgin Islands has no provisions at law for a referendum to be binding.
The real issue is representation. St John has never had a true representative in the legislature. Rather, an at-large senator spoke for all the islands which is not true representation. Having a representative to the legislature that has only one duty, which is to represent St Johnians puts St John on an equal footing with the rest of the Virgin Islands, a privilege it never had before.
The Constitution could provide for language where St John would be excepted from any reorganization of Senate districts based upon increases in population and only St Croix and St Thomas would have to re-establish districts based on any change in population trends.
I believe that nine senators is enough because many delegates want to relegate the senate to a part-time body to say, ninety days per year. This could be a very possible part of the Constitutional language because municipal governments will certainly be part of the Constitution thereby reducing the need for central government law making as the municipalities create there own local bylaws. The idea is to REDUCE the size of the central government (the legislature, executive branches), provide mechanisms where locals can have a greater amount of control over their needs through municipalities and thereby reduce the need for central government control. Of course, the central government, like any state, would have the function of collecting revenues and having fiscal control over the appropriation of revenues which will include disbursement of those revenues back to municipalities. If the Constitution stated so, municipalities would have control over nearly every department necessary to provide for its citizens. The central government must, through a logical formula, provide the necessary revenues needed to fund municipal operations.
The issue is not simply how many senators should be elected to represent, the issue is representation itself. St John, because it has grown so rapidly, must have a representative to ensure that needed funding and other issues are provided for the people of St John. I am suggesting four senators from St Croix which would, if the census numbers are correct, provide one representative (Senator) for every 13250 citizens. On St Thomas the split would be one senator for every 13000 citizens. This is not very comparable to say, Puerto Rico which has a population of approximately 4 million people. There, they have a bicameral legislature with the house having 51 representatives or approximately 78,000 citizens per representative and the senate, with 27 members, represents approximately 148,000 citizens each. For California, with a population of 38 million and which has a legislature (lower house) of 80 members or 475,000 persons per legislator. For the United States, with over 300 million people, each member of the house (435 by law) would represent approximately 690,000 persons each. Of course, some states have greater or fewer numbers of citizens and the split would be different for every state but the idea is to show that the Virgin Islands would have a much greater degree of representation than any state or the entire United States with a senate of 9 members.
Having MORE senators in the Virgin Islands legislature would even further reduce the number of persons each senator must represent. Approximately 13,000 persons, as can be seen is a very low figure in comparison to almost any other place. The fact that St John would have a senator who only represents 5000 is really a moot point. In reality nine senators for the Virgin Islands comes to a representation for each senator of approximately 12,100 citizens.
St John has always been under-represented and the time has come to allow St Johnians to have that representation. The Constitution can provide for this and can also provide other compelling modifications to government that are long overdue.
It's easy to use mathematics to calculate just about anything but we cannot calculate or even attempt to calculate under-representation and the effects it has on the real issue-people.
Paul Devine
St. John
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