Thecla Altemis, a.k.a. “Virgil,” of Mutual Homes transitioned into eternal life on April 8, 2026. She was 80 years old.
Thecla Altemis
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bella Altemis and Henry Rosemond.
She is survived by her companion, Edwin Poleon; Daughters, Jacinta A. Gussie, Jackline J. Romain and Pacline Ranches; Son, Vernon Jackman; Grandchildren, Jahidi and Jahmoya Gussie, Thema Liverpool, Alston “Mashup” Lake, Tishawn , Diquan, Tariq and Keshara Romain, Ishmael Jackman, Kwanna Clad, Marissa Ranches, Natsha Nicholas-Jackman; Great Grandchildren, Jah’Makye Liverpool, Sha’Myrah and Sha’Mayrah Elmes, K’Lanie and Kaylee Auguste, Jahidi Jr. and Ja’Dayah Gussie, Ryleigh Lake; Sister, Olympia Valmont; Brother, Augustin Dantes; Nieces, Lena Valmont, Marissa Estes, Thecla Dantes, Paula Valmont, Natalie Valmont, Thessa Dantes, Madeliene Mitchell, Marcella Dantes, Marcia Dantes, Pauline Edwards, Paulina David; Nephews, Alexis Valmont, Tim Valmont, Barney Dantes, Ferdinand Dantes, Jonathan Dantes, Augustin Dantes Jr., Edmond Dantes, Rudolph Reuben; Daughter-In-Law, Debra Jackman; Son-In-Law, Darille Gussie; Special Friends, Vita Samuel, Cordella Elvin, Lucretia Christine Vigier, Yvonne Tompkins, Ernest and Shearan Felix, Milded “Glory” Edgar, Joycelyn Lionel, Doreen, Shamonica Anthony, Sophia Arthur, Valentine “Valor” Peters, Samantha Charley, Kathy, Roy, Janet, Celia, Chris, Cynthia, Esther, Angela, Dr. Robin, Lucy, Ms. Mary, Posey Smith, Paulette, Sylvia Clovis, Sony, Tanya Barnett, Vivian, Sandy Poleon, Popaire Irie, Vern. Other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
A viewing will be held on Thursday, April 7, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at James Memorial Funeral Chapel.
Funeral service will be held on Friday, May 8 at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Viewing will begin at 9am with service at 10am. Interment will follow at Kingshill Cemetery.
Professional arrangements are entrusted to James Memorial Funeral Home, Inc.
In a special announcement Tuesday, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said the government has reached an agreement with Southland Gaming to rebuild and operate the long dormant Randall “Doc” James Race Track on St. Croix.
“This is a big deal. It is $25 million of private money and investment to rebuild the facility and restart racing on St. Croix,” he said. “That means resurfacing the track. It means rebuilding the grandstand. It means building the barns and the paddock facilities. It means putting the pieces into place to support a certified horse racing operation with the safety standards and professional standards that the sport requires.”
The agreement, which Bryan is sending to the 36th Legislature for consideration and approval, comes more than a year after the Virgin Islands Government wrested legal control of the race track from developer VIGL. Bryan said the agreement includes deadlines for track resurfacing and barn renovation within eight months and substantial project completion within the next three years.
“And if it can be done safely and responsibly, it calls for at least one race day before Dec. 30, 2026,” Bryan said, adding that Virgin Islanders have already seen “the proof in the pudding” through Southland’s operation of the Clinton E. Phipps Race Track on St. Thomas. “This is a real plan and a real way forward, and for the taxpayers out there — all of you in the Virgin Islands — this agreement does not require any additional public money. Not one cent.”
Horse racing returned to the territory in time for the 2024 St. Thomas Carnival, but several race days were marred by horse injuries and euthanizations. The Clinton E. Phipps Race Track temporarily closed last year amid a St. Thomas-St. John Horse Racing Commission investigation into track conditions after three horses had to be put down following a race in December 2024. Prior to the track’s reopening, lawmakers in the 35th Legislature suspended the territory’s anti-doping regulations, and a subsequent attempt to repeal the suspension failed.
Bryan said Tuesday that anti-doping provisions are “absolutely” included in the government’s agreement with Southland.
“As a matter of fact, we want to make sure that as soon as there’s an opportunity for there to have horse racing, that all of those things are immediately put back in place,” he said.
Brett “Mac” McClafferty, the St. Thomas businessman free on bail as he faces bank fraud charges, was granted permission by a Superior Court judge to travel to the mainland after filing an emergency motion earlier this week seeking to assist a family member recovering from surgery.
While the details of that motion and four exhibits filed on the docket in support of it are not available for public view, when contacted Monday night, McClafferty told the Source he is needed stateside to help his cousin recover from surgery.
“The motion is clear. My cousin and best friend is having anywhere from eighteen inches to six feet of his intestines removed, and someone is gonna have to wipe his ass after his mother returns to Arizona for her own medical appointments,” McClafferty said via text. “No further comment, thanks for reaching out.”
Judge Denise M. Francois granted the motion in an order issued April 27, allowing McClafferty to travel from St. Thomas to San Francisco from May 4 through May 10 under specific conditions, including providing his itinerary to probation and maintaining contact while off-island. The order notes that the purpose of pretrial release conditions is to ensure a defendant’s appearance in court — not to serve as punishment — and found the requested travel consistent with those standards.
The emergency travel motion comes two weeks after McClafferty filed an emergency motion to have his driver’s license returned so that he may “complete routine and necessary personal and business transactions that require a valid identification,” which the judge did grant. McClafferty noted in that motion that the license is not a “Real ID” and cannot be used for travel or federal identification. He also filed an extradition waiver along with Monday’s motion for emergency travel, meaning he would not fight efforts to return him to the Virgin Islands to stand trial in his bank fraud case, currently scheduled for Nov. 3.
McClafferty, 38, was arrested Feb. 21 by the Virgin Islands Police Department’s Economic Crime Unit in connection with an $888,500 fraud investigation. Authorities allege that between January and June 2024, McClafferty deposited counterfeit and fictitious checks — including instruments drawn on entities in the British Virgin Islands — and issued bank drafts that were later returned for insufficient funds or subject to stop-payment requests. Police say funds were withdrawn and wired to third parties before the instruments were returned unpaid.
McClafferty, a co-owner of St. Thomas Social, a restaurant in Yacht Haven Grande, is charged with grand larceny, passing or possession of forged bills, obtaining money by false pretenses, making and passing fictitious bills and notes, and drawing and delivering worthless checks. He has denied wrongdoing, is free on $150,000 bail, and has filed a lawsuit against Banco Popular, accusing it of negligence, defamation, abuse of process, false arrest and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
McClafferty also faces numerous civil lawsuits as the owner of Mac Private Equity — investors in that endeavor claim it was nothing more than a Ponzi scheme — and has filed for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection in the District of Delaware. A confirmation hearing in the Chapter 13 case, April 10, was continued after objections by the Delaware Division of Revenue and Chapter 7 Trustee George Miller, who reported to the court that, as far as he can tell, “None of the records obtained to date demonstrate anything other than Mr. McClafferty using corporate funds for personal expenses.”
William F. Jaworski Jr., the Chapter 13 trustee, said in his motion to dismiss or convert the case to Chapter 7 that under the “‘totality of the circumstances’ test, the Debtor’s conduct, characterized by the failure to list all assets, concealment of income, the maintenance of a lavish lifestyle, and the funding of personal political ambitions while in bankruptcy falls far short of the ‘honest debtor’ standard. Such conduct warrants immediate dismissal.”
Additionally, 17 of his alleged victims — investors in Mac Private Equity who say their money vanished, including two who were awarded judgments in Virgin Islands court — have joined the call to have the Chapter 13 case converted to Chapter 7.
A subsequent hearing in the bankruptcy cases is scheduled for May 18.
Meanwhile, McClafferty has also launched a campaign for Virgin Islands Senate, though in recent days has said he might run for Delegate to Congress instead after Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes said she is seeking Attorney General Gordon Rhea’s opinion on whether McClafferty is ineligible to run for a seat in the Legislature because of his lengthy criminal past in Ohio where he served time in prison on fraud charges before moving to the Virgin Islands in late 2020 or January 2021 with the intent, he told a reporter at the time, “to open a family office, buy a catamaran, and sail. That’s it. No plans beyond that.”
In a letter to Fawkes regarding McClafferty’s qualifications for office, his attorney, Bradley Lehman of Delaware, wrote that while some of the Ohio charges against McClafferty resulted in felony convictions, he brought three appeals in which the judgments of the trial courts were reversed and remanded. “The State of Ohio and Mr. McClafferty subsequently entered into a ‘global resolution’ that resulted in Mr. McClafferty pleading guilty to several misdemeanor violations of the [Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act] in lieu of being tried or retried on the felony counts of the indictments,” Lehman wrote.
Because misdemeanors are not felony convictions, Lehman reasoned, an individual does not forfeit his civil rights, and furthermore, “Mr. McClafferty submits that convictions arising from violations of the OCSPA do not rise to the level of ‘crimes of moral turpitude,’ as they are criminal and civil penalties relating to the operation of a consumer-related business in the State of Ohio,” thus making him eligible to run for office under the Revised Organic Act of 1954 that is the Virgin Islands’ de facto constitution.
Rhea had not issued an opinion on McClafferty’s eligibility as of Tuesday.
Traffic restrictions will be in place Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Crown Bay area for a Cultural Food Fair event, the Virgin Islands Police Department announced.
Addie Ottley Drive will operate as a one-way roadway between the Department of Public Works and the Crown Bay intersection. No vehicles will be allowed to enter the Crown Bay facility during the event.
Only taxis will be permitted to travel along the roadway in front of the Crown Bay facility, facing the Training Academy, from both directions.
One-way traffic will also move westward along the roadway in front of Public Works, passing the School Lunch area and exiting onto Sara Hill toward Ambassador Terrance Todman Drive.
All restrictions will remain in effect until the conclusion of the event. For more information, contact the V.I. Police Department Communications Division at 340-514-8006.
Joeltica Rogers gives crowd a lively performance at the National Poetry Out Loud Competition today. (Photo courtesy James Kegley)
Joeltica Rogers, an 11th-grade student at Charlotte Amalie High School on St. Thomas, has advanced to the national finals of the Poetry Out Loud competition in Washington, D.C.
Rogers will be one of nine finalists competing for the national championship and a $20,000 grand prize. The competition is organized nationally by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation and is hosted locally by the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts.
Rogers began preparing for the competition after winning her schoolwide contest in November. Her training routine has focused on consistent daily rehearsal. “Every lunchtime, I would go to my coach, Mrs. Wendy Bougouneau-Andrews, and recite each of my poems in order, over and over again,” said Rogers. In recent weeks, she has balanced Poetry Out Loud rehearsals with track-and-field and moot-court practices. To maintain consistency, she now uses audio recordings of her own performances at home for practice.
The Virgin Islands Council on the Arts oversees the territorial competition, which determines the student representative to nationals. According to Shahnaaz Al-Ameen, administrative specialist at VICA, once a student wins the territorial title, the organization shifts its focus to preparing the competitor for the national stage. “We focus on preparing them not just to compete, but to truly represent the Virgin Islands with confidence. Poetry Out Loud is no longer seen as something distant or purely academic. It’s become something alive and personal,” said Al-Ameen.
Al-Ameen emphasizes that Poetry Out Loud is not limited to students who already enjoy poetry. She described the program as accessible to students, building confidence, developing public speaking skills, or learning self-expression. “You don’t have to write poetry to be part of it. You just have to be willing to use your voice,” said Al-Ameen.
The council aims to reframe the program as focused on life skills, presence, and personal growth. She also noted that local businesses and community members can support the program by sponsoring school competitions, providing student prizes, or promoting events publicly.
When asked what it means to represent the Virgin Islands at nationals, Joeltica described the role as significant. “To represent not just my school, but the whole territory of the United States Virgin Islands is such an honor. I’ll go up on that stage and do my best because I represent something that is bigger than me. I will make myself, my coach, my school, my family, and the territory proud,” said Rogers. She also noted that programs like Poetry Out Loud provide an outlet for students who may not participate in sports, choir, or band.
Governor Albert Bryan Jr. has signed Executive Order No. 546-2026, establishing a clear and commonsense policy for the carrying of firearms in government buildings and workspaces across the territory.
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr.. (Photo courtesy Government House)
The executive order amends Executive Order No. 54-1961, the longstanding policy governing the responsibilities and conduct of Government of the Virgin Islands officers and employees. The new policy will be incorporated into the Government Employees Handbook and will apply to government employees, contractors, visitors, and members of the public in government buildings and interior offices.
Governor Bryan said the order addresses a basic but important issue. Government buildings are public workplaces where residents seek services, employees carry out essential duties, and official proceedings take place. Until now, the Government of the Virgin Islands did not have a uniform policy governing the presence of firearms in those spaces.
“Government has a responsibility to look ahead, identify gaps, and act before those gaps become problems,” Governor Bryan said. “This executive order is a practical, commonsense step to make sure our employees, residents, and visitors know what to expect when they enter a government facility. These are places where the public’s business is conducted, and clear safety standards matter.”
Under the order, officers and employees of the Government of the Virgin Islands, contractors, visitors, and members of the public may not carry, possess, or have a firearm or ammunition in any government building or interior office, including adjacent secured areas used for official proceedings. The restriction applies regardless of whether an individual has an active concealed carry license or any other firearm license.
The order provides two limited exceptions. It does not apply to duly sworn law enforcement or peace officers acting within the scope of their official duties. It also allows a licensed gun owner to receive a limited Attorney General Government Building Waiver when there is a specific need and when safety considerations justify it. Such waivers must be approved in writing by both the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands and the Virgin Islands Police Commissioner, must be for a specified purpose, may not exceed 12 months, and may be revoked in writing by the Attorney General at any time.
“This policy respects the difference between responsible firearm ownership and the need to maintain safe, orderly public facilities,” Governor Bryan said. “It does not take away anyone’s rights. It simply makes clear that government buildings are not ordinary spaces. They are workplaces, service centers, hearing rooms, offices, and places where sensitive public matters are handled every day.”
For purposes of the order, a government building includes any permanent or temporary structure, or portion of a structure, owned, leased, operated, or controlled by the Government of the Virgin Islands and used for official government functions. That includes administrative offices, executive branch agency buildings, semi-autonomous agency buildings, legislative facilities, courthouses, hearing rooms, judicial and quasi-judicial chambers, interior corridors, lobbies, secured screening areas, and rooms or spaces where government employees perform their officialduties.
Employee violations may result in disciplinary action, up to and including removal, in addition to any other remedies available under law.
The executive order comes as the territory continues its broader work to update and modernize its firearm carry laws. Earlier this year, the Bryan-Roach Administration proposed the Second Amendment Rights and Public Safety Act, a comprehensive measure to update the Virgin Islands Code and provide clearer rules for firearm ownership, licensing, registration, concealed carry, safe storage, and sensitive places where firearms may not be carried.
That proposal was developed in partnership with the Virgin Islands Department of Justice and with the support of Senators Angel Bolques and Clifford Joseph. It reflects several years of work to create a modern firearm framework that is clear, enforceable, and suited to the needs of the Virgin Islands.
Governor Bryan said the executive order is part of the same forward-looking approach.
“We cannot govern by waiting for confusion or conflict to force our hand,” Governor Bryan said. “Responsible leadership means putting clear policies in place before there is a crisis. This order gives employees, residents, visitors, agency heads, and law enforcement a consistent rule to follow.”
The Governor said his administration will continue working with the Legislature, the Department of Justice, the Virgin Islands Police Department, and other stakeholders to advance firearm laws that protect rights, support public safety, and give the community clear guidance.
“This is the kind of practical work government is supposed to do,” Governor Bryan said. “It is not complicated. Employees deserve safe workplaces. Residents deserve safe public offices. Law enforcement deserves clear rules. And the public deserves a government willing to act thoughtfully and ahead of the curve.”
Executive Order No. 546-2026 takes effect upon execution.
The Virgin Islands Trail Alliance’s second free fruit tree giveaway brought out an extraordinary community response on Sunday, with all 160 fruit trees distributed in just 1 hour and 15 minutes.
One tree was provided per person, with varieties including Acerola Cherry, Bell Apple, Cacao, Coconut, Golden Apple, Jackfruit, Mammee Apple, Mango, and Seagrape. (Submitted photo)
Held in the large field across from the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture, the event’s central mid-island location provided safe, convenient access, ample parking, and plenty of space to accommodate both the large number of fruit trees and the strong turnout from across the island. Community members began lining up even before the 9:00 a.m. start time, reflecting St. Croix’s enthusiasm for opportunities that support a greener, healthier future.
One tree was provided per person, with varieties including Acerola Cherry, Bell Apple, Cacao, Coconut, Golden Apple, Jackfruit, Mammee Apple, Mango, and Seagrape. The trees distributed were grown by two local growers, supporting local agriculture while helping place more fruit-bearing trees into neighborhoods across St. Croix.
For many attendees, the giveaway was about more than receiving a tree. Fruit trees can provide food, shade, beauty, and long-term environmental benefits, helping strengthen community resilience for generations to come. Trees also support healthier ecosystems, help protect the land, and contribute to a more sustainable Virgin Islands.
The Virgin Islands Trail Alliance works to connect people with nature through community-centered projects that expand access to greener spaces, support environmental stewardship, and help build a stronger, more resilient Virgin Islands.
“We are deeply grateful for the incredible turnout and for the appreciation so many people shared with us,” said Alma Winkfield, Vice President of the Virgin Islands Trail Alliance. “Seeing families line up early, excited to take home trees that can provide nourishment, beauty, and lasting value was truly moving. Trees are an investment in resilience. They strengthen communities, support future generations, and remind us that small actions today can create something meaningful for years to come.”
Because of the overwhelming response and the many community members who asked for more opportunities like this, the Virgin Islands Trail Alliance plans to host another tree giveaway in the future.
The Virgin Islands Trail Alliance extends sincere thanks to the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture for use of the field, our dedicated VI Trail Alliance crew, the St. Croix Hiking Association volunteers, new community volunteers, local growers, and everyone who came out to make this event such a meaningful success.
The incredible turnout exceeded all expectations and reflected something powerful: St. Croix is ready to grow a greener, more resilient future together.
Funding for this project is provided by through funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. USDA and Virgin Islands Trail Alliance Inc. are equal opportunity providers and employers.
About the Virgin Islands Trail Alliance
The Virgin Islands Trail Alliance is a nonprofit organization based in St. Croix, dedicated to creating multi-use pathways, nature trails, parks, and environmental projects across the Virgin Islands.
Our work connects communities, promotes healthy lifestyles, and enhances the natural and built environment for residents and visitors alike.
Our mission is to create, design, and build multi-modal pathways with residents, government, and community leaders across St. Croix and the territory for people of all ages and abilities. Our vision is to enhance access and connectivity while promoting health, wellness, and environmental stewardship.
Participants gather to organize cleanup groups before the cleanup effort begins on Mandahl Bay. (Photo courtesy Ella Chandler)
Students and parents from several homeschool pods removed an estimated two to three truckloads of garbage from Mandahl Bay on St. Thomas during a cleanup event organized by the Good Leaf Forest Pod, a nature-based homeschool program.
The event lasted approximately two hours and covered the entire beach area. In addition to collecting trash, participants used data collection sheets to record the types of litter found, including plastic bottles, glass beverage containers, food wrappers, and other common items.
The cleanup was led by Ella Chandler, lead educator for the Good Leaf Forest Pod, which serves kindergarten and first-grade students. Supporting the effort were middle school pod guides Adam Quandt and Trecia Berry, and pod coordinator Sarah Haynes. Multiple homeschool pods participated, including students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
A colorful Earth Day sign, designed by homeschool students, signifies the need to protect the Earth and its natural resources. (Photo courtesy Ella Chandler)
Mandahl Bay was selected for two primary reasons, according to Chandler. First, the site contains a mangrove ecosystem that students have been studying through the “Mangroves in the Classroom” program, a yearlong curriculum. Second, Chandler had observed a noticeable increase in trash at the bay since a DPNR-led cleanup in November of the previous year. Chandler holds a background in biology and sustainable development and is a frequent visitor to Mandahl Bay for birding.
She noted that the mangroves serve several ecological functions, including acting as nursery grounds for fish, sequestering carbon, providing wildlife habitat, and buffering coastlines against storm surge. However, the root systems of the mangroves also trap debris. Mandahl Bay is a public space used for fishing, camping, boating, birding, paddleboarding, surfing, and other recreational activities. Chandler noted that the area remains a public green space as a result of past community advocacy against development.
A student holds up a decades-old Blockbuster membership card during the recent Mandahl Bay cleanup. (Photo courtesy Ella Chandler)
The cleanup incorporated two levels of data collection sheets, designed to accommodate different age groups. Younger students practiced tallying and counting. Older students will use the collected data to graph and identify waste trends. According to Chandler, the most commonly tracked categories were plastic and glass beverage bottles and food wrappers, which were among the most frequently found items. Unusual items recovered included an iPad, a crockpot, a Blockbuster membership card, and a ketchup packet estimated to be from the 1980s. Chandler stated that data collection serves multiple purposes, including identifying waste trends, informing policy decisions, and encouraging accountability at both the community and individual levels.
Adam Quandt, a middle school pod guide who has organized cleanups for over 25 years, added that data collection supports citizen science and demonstrates the connection between math, science, and real-world environmental issues. “Having data helps get government support and funding to help support environmental projects,” said Quandt.
At the conclusion of the cleanup, students participated in a reflection session and made personal pledges to reduce waste and protect the environment. One student, Viggo (age 8), offered the following statement: “Don’t litter. Pick up trash. When you see it, or even better, don’t even get the thing that would become trash. Don’t need, don’t use.”
According to Quandt, the group plans to make the cleanup a recurring event, with at least two cleanups per year. The next event is scheduled for Coast Week in September, with additional cleanups planned for Earth Day and potentially throughout the year. Chandler noted that the group may rotate locations or partner with additional organizations to cover more areas. She also stated that individual trips to the beach can serve as informal cleanup opportunities.
The Anderson Stewart Family Foundation has announced the first round of grantmaking from its $1 million endowment fund established with the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands in 2025, further reinforcing its long-term commitment to the future of the territory.
Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands
Established to provide sustainable support for nonprofit initiatives across the Virgin Islands, the donor-advised fund is designed to grow over time and generate annual distributions based on investment performance. This approach ensures a reliable and enduring source of funding for charitable causes throughout the territory.
As a result of interest earned on its initial investment, the Anderson Stewart Family Foundation’s first round of annual grantmaking will see over $100,000 distributed to organizations across the community, supporting initiatives the family has long been committed to advancing. This portfolio reflects a balanced investment in education, youth development, culture, and environmental sustainability in the U.S. Virgin Islands—delivering both immediate community impact and long-term strategic value.
This milestone builds on the Anderson family’s decades-long relationship with the U.S. Virgin Islands and highlights the strength of its longstanding partnership with CFVI, which has made this initiative possible. While the family has recently divested from local business interests, its dedication to creating a lasting, positive impact across the islands remains steadfast.
“On behalf of the Anderson family, we are truly honored to continue our 40-year investment in the Virgin Islands,” said Richard Berry, spokesperson for the Anderson family. “Through our partnership with CFVI, we are proud to support organizations that are making a meaningful difference in the community. We are grateful for CFVI’s leadership and expertise in helping guide this work, and we look forward to continuing these efforts for generations to come.”
CFVI President Dee Baecher-Brown expressed appreciation for the family’s generosity and enduring partnership.
“The Anderson family has a long history of supporting charitable initiatives in the Virgin Islands, and we are proud to partner with them in this important work,” Baecher-Brown said. “This first round of grantmaking reflects both their deep commitment to the community and their appreciation for the role CFVI plays in identifying and addressing local needs. Together, we are helping to ensure a lasting and meaningful impact across our islands.”
This first distribution marks an important step in the fund’s long-term vision—one that will continue to grow and provide sustainable support for the Virgin Islands community for years to come.
Imagination Brass vocalist George Whyte sings “All Out Posse” during Monday night’s Carnival Village opening, drawing an immediate singalong from the crowd before the band received its honor. (Photo by Ananta Pancham)
Building on calls from fans in the crowd, Imagination Brass vocalist George Whyte broke into a few lines of “All Out Posse” Monday night — and the crowd picked it up instantly, singing along — before the band stepped forward to receive its award as this year’s St. Thomas Carnival Village honoree.
The moment came early in the opening ceremony at the Fort Christian parking lot in Charlotte Amalie, where the 2026 St. Thomas Carnival Village was officially named Imagi Music City in recognition of the band a band whose music has been part of the festival for more than five decades.
It didn’t take long for the crowd to respond. The song carried, people sang along, and the ceremony — still in its opening minutes — shifted into something more familiar.
Director of Festivals Ian Turnbull said the recognition had been a long time coming, pointing to years of working alongside band leader Daril Scott and others connected to the group.
“The person I was working with was Daril Scott,” Turnbull said, describing him as “like a father or uncle,” and adding that honoring the full band — rather than a single individual — felt overdue. “I couldn’t believe that we didn’t honor Imagination yet… it was the perfect time.”
Turnbull also noted that the moment carried personal meaning, recalling his connection to the band and the people behind it, and calling the decision to recognize the full group “history” for the festival.
Formed in Frenchtown more than 50 years ago, Imagination Brass has grown from a small group of musicians into one of the territory’s best-known bands, performing across the Caribbean and internationally while building a catalog that remains closely tied to Carnival.
That connection was evident as the band’s history was read aloud. When songs like “Theresa Rocking,” “Zoom Zoom,” and “Back for the Road” were mentioned, the reaction came immediately from the crowd, with many recognizing the titles before the descriptions could finish.
Speakers throughout the ceremony returned to that same idea — not just the band’s longevity, but what it has meant to people over time.
Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett described Imagination Brass as part of the sound of Carnival itself, recalling the songs that defined her own experience growing up.
“For years, Imagination Brass has shown the world what Virgin Islands music looks and sounds like at its finest,” she said. “Their artistry, discipline, and enduring commitment to this community has made them ambassadors around the world.”
She added that songs like “Theresa Rocking” and “Zoom Zoom” remain tied to personal memories for many in the territory, pointing to the band’s ability to carry those moments across generations.
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. struck a similar tone, reflecting on the role bands like Imagination Brass have played in shaping Carnival itself.
“Carnival is something to be talked about throughout the Caribbean,” Bryan said, pointing to the territory’s reputation and the role local musicians have played in building it.
He spoke about the evolution of the festival over time, but returned to the experience many in the crowd share — waiting for certain bands to take the stage, and knowing what that meant for the night.
Lt. Gov. Tregenza Roach also acknowledged the band’s impact, thanking its members for their contributions to the territory.
“I have known so much of your incredible music over… 50 years,” Roach said, calling their work part of what has helped shape the Virgin Islands’ cultural identity.
Scott kept his remarks brief when he took the microphone, turning to acknowledge the musicians behind him — many of whom have been part of the band for years — before stepping aside.
“Thank you to all these guys who stayed behind me all these years,” he said, pointing to the group’s longevity as a collective effort.
Others followed in a similar tone, offering thanks to the Department of Tourism and the community without extending the moment beyond what it needed to be.
For Whyte, the focus remains on the crowd.
“When I’m up there, I want to see the people move,” he said after the ceremony. “I want people smiling and enjoying the music. That’s what I’m here for.”
He pointed to “All Out Posse,” released in 1992, as one of the songs that continues to resonate.
