Dear Source:
Everything that Paul Devine says about St. John having absolutely no power or say in it's many problem or solutions is right on, honest and exactly how most St. Johnians feel.
So how do solve this problem….what can we do next? These issues have been expressed appropriately and clearly for so long now…yet sadly and exasperatedly to all who live here; nothing changes!
Interestingly, Paul and I with the St. John Youth Committee showed our DVD to the St. John AARP a few months back. These St. John's elders shook their heads in disgust. The questions came rapidly and in succession: Seniors asked: "Where has the money gone that was given to_____fill in the blanks"… there were many recalling monies for many ideas and plans never to reach fruition on St. John. It was actually quite depressing…our Seniors and Youth still crying out for the changes that have been promised for decades.
The Youth Committee also went on the Addey Ottley show "Face to Face" Channel 12 last week to show the same DVD. It not only focuses on our Youths frustration at no programs or facilities…but the overall rapid growth of our Island with no consideration to our desperately deteriorating infrastructure issues…. and what do we do? We keep on building! Look at Wapa's service to St. John alone.
Very soon, we have Grande Bay and Sirenusa ready to open, followed by others.
Mr. Ottley just kept shaking his head; he can't believe that things are still the same for our Youth over here–the same issues that he knew about 20 years ago still exist. He said we don't have the "political will" to change things, that we must find this.
May I ask how we can find this important "political will"?
Our Senator-at-Large Carmen Wesselhoff promised a moratorium on building when she voted for Sirenusa. Where did that get lost?
It seems that our only hope is with Anne Golden who chairs the Constitutional Convention on Government systems. Please call her; let your voice be heard! Tell he that each Island must have more autonomy over it's decisions.
I understand that our sister Island of St. Croix feel pretty much the same way as do St. Johnians.
Do we all need to make signs and march to St. Thomas with our frustrations? In my 56 adult years I have never felt so powerless to attempt to make positive changes where they are so critically needed. I continue to support our Youth in being positive and going through the proper channels to help change for the future.
The truth is, I have exhausted my resources and options.
Can someone out there tell us what our next steps should be? Should we take out a Want Ad in our newspaper saying" Political Will desperately needed!
Big reward Offered: Trust and Faith for all of our people in our Future"?
Bonny Corbeil
St. John
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