Jan. 1, 2008 — Source Mascot Idle the Iguana managed to make it through 2007 dodging cars on the wrong side of the road – or in the middle on curves — potholes and marauding dogs to welcome 2008 with some wishes for his favorite politicians, officials and community members.
In case you're wondering, Idle had to abandon some of his wishes from previous years due to the pain and frustration of never seeing them come true.
In the category of forget-about-it, Idle wishes:
– that the Public Services Commissioners understand they are public servants;
– that our public education system meets the needs of our children in a rapidly changing world;
— that our senators find the integrity to enact meaningful legislation designed to improve the lives of average Virgin Islanders, instead of spending most of their time posturing in the hope of being re-elected;
— that most people will give up 10 percent of their self-interest in exchange for what's best for all concerned;
— for a V.I. Constitution.
But there are lots of things Idle hasn't given up hope on. He wishes for:
— a phone company that provides dial tone, repair service, bandwidth for all and connectivity instead of million-dollar Camille Pissarro paintings, diamonds, Bentleys and jets for a very few (Idle is giddy in anticipation of this actually happening — and soon);
— the companies that turned tail and ran rather than deal with our dysfunctional telephone system to return;
— a Public Services Commission made up of salaried professionals;
— 15 people to run for Senate whose only interest is the public good;
— a majority of voters to support the new candidates;
– a new plan legislated by the aforementioned that will allow May Cornwall to come up with a fair plan to pay for waste disposal;
— or better yet, legislation that removes the Senate from the process (fat chance!) and allows experts to decide the fate of our waste disposal system fee structure. (Idle may be slow, but he remembers it was senators who came up with the most recent lame plan);
— a plan to be implemented now for alternative power to wean us off expensive foreign oil (Idle would like to see that left to the experts, too);
— a government that pays its utility bills;
— failing that, a tough-as-nails debt collector for both their government and private overdue accounts;
— 200 new police officers, and Idle doesn't give a damn where they come from and hopes the unions and senators don't either –- Idle is pretty sure the voters care more about being safe on the streets and in their homes;
— union leaders who consider the community's well-being in their negotiations;
— failing that, people who have the fortitude to stand up to the above leaders;
— a hotel project on St. Croix that can get the approval of the CZM and the environmentalists;
— the airlift to St. Croix that will come with that;
— the PFA money that was promised to rebuild the condemned stadium seats at the Paul E. Joseph Stadium;
— Darryl Smalls to make good on his word to fix potholes within five days of them being reported (Idle would accept 10 days, 15 days… heck, this year would do);
— the historic preservationists to ease up on their demands a bit so derelict buildings in our towns can be restored;
— that the owners of those buildings make a real effort to do something about them with the approval of the newly relaxed historic preservationists (see above wish);
— that Ed Thomas and Darlin Brin kiss and make up (Idle really wants to see that one)!
This year Idle has come across something odd he's rarely dealt with before: improvements!
This is disturbing to the iguana's sense of humor because he says it's so much funnier to criticize than to praise, but he's forced to admit:
— we seem to have a cabinet of incorruptible people dedicated to improving the community instead of lining their own pockets (Idle says that's a first impression and reserves the right to be wrong – but hopes he isn't) ;
— we now have a true first lady, welcoming and full of grace. Cecile deJongh is an asset to all of us. Idle commends her for opening Catherineberg, the people's home, to the people and Idle's relatives for Easter Egg hunts and parties. (And she's pretty too.)
— we now have a tourism commissioner who brings experience, tact and openness to the post. (And, she's pretty, too.)
— we have hope for the future.
With all that we still have some stupidness – and for an iguana to call something stupid, well, that's saying something.
Stupidness awards go out to:
— the vandals that keep breaking the mirrors at dicey intersections on St. Thomas;
— (see above) senators and union leaders who think residents care about where police officers willing to serve and protect the community were born;
— drivers who think the people in front of them at the traffic light are colorblind to green and must be helped to see by honking a nanosecond after the light turns;
— parents who can't be bothered to show up for PTA meetings or to be otherwise engaged in their children's education;
— people who throw garbage out of their car windows (Idle is particularly awed by their stupidness);
— government workers who are rude to the people whose bucks ultimately pay their wages;
— public information officers who don't return phone calls….hello?
In the spirit of his newfound hope, Idle has come up with another new category this year: the Grace Under Fire awards, which go to:
— Cassandra Dunn for her constant availability and unfailing sense of humor under the periodic state of "powerlessness" in which she finds herself;
— James McCall for his ingenuity and willingness to face the wrath of everyone while trying to clean up a morally decayed and demoralized V.I. Police Department, and for standing up to the attacks of a family in mourning abetted in their unfounded accusations by lawyers and the national media;
— Lynn Spampinto — Idle thinks that needs no explanation;
— May Adams Cornwall, for not blasting the senate that left her holding their WMA-legislated fee bag while running for cover;
— all the hardworking, competent Vitelco employees who have done the best they could with what they were left to work with after the ludicrously extravagant needs of their company's (former) owner were met.
Idle is sure he left someone out here, and welcomes input from his loyal readers on this one or any of the above wishes or awards.
Meanwhile, we at the Source have our own wishes that are mostly the same as usual:
— that we never have to report that a young person has killed or been killed by another young person;
— that we never have to report that a woman was killed by her domestic partner;
— that we never have to report that anyone was killed;
— that this year's Kids Count shows a decrease in children living in poverty;
— that we do get to report that those guilty of white-collar crimes and thus of stealing from this community are brought to justice;
— that the new PSC referred to above will break up the telecommunications monopoly and force Vitelco to sell bandwidth at reasonable cost to other internet service providers, thus allowing Virgin Islanders to have affordable truly high-speed Internet access.
There's more, but in our newfound spirit of hopefulness we simply wish that everyone will do what's right. We believe most people truly know what that is.
Happy New Year!
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