Dr. Charles Wesley Turnbull and Gerard Luz James II launched their inaugural activities on St. John over the weekend before taking the oath of office Monday.
An inaugural ecumenical service Sunday at St. Ursula's Anglican Church in Cruz Bay was followed by a reception in Cruz Bay Park.
St. Johnians began their celebration of the Turnbull-James inauguration with a ball Saturday night at the Westin Resort. Three balls are scheduled tonight in St. Thomas, a decision that some critics have said sends the wrong message when the territory's coffers are bare.
Inaugural festivities shift Tuesday to St. Croix where Gov. Roy L. Schneider gave administrative leave to non-essential workers. Schneider granted leave to non-essential workers on all three islands for today's inaugural activities.
Turnbull has not yet announced any Cabinet appointments. However, the names of some nominees have begun to surface. Among them:
— Ruby Simmonds, a former senator and University of the Virgin Islands professor, as Education commissioner.
— Clement "Cain" Magras, another former senator and now executive director of the Legislature, as Tourism commissioner. Magras was Licensing and Consumer Affairs commissioner in the Farrelly administration.
— Ira Hobson as Housing, Parks and Recreation commissioner, the post he held in the Schneider administration before resigning in June, citing disrespectful treatment from Scheider. Hobson was an early and fervent Turnbull-James supporter.
Juel T.R. Molloy, who also resigned from the Schneider administration, is expected to be Turnbull's chief of staff, though Rudolph Krigger, a former Finance commissioner, is expected to play a key role at Government House too. Both have been instrumental in the transition process.
