Senate President Vargrave Richards has asked V.I. Delegate to Congress Donna Christian-Christensen to try to recover federal education funds for the territory that have not been released in recent years.
"Funds originally authorized through a General Assistance Program in November 1985 to provide for assistance to improve public education in the Virgin Islands have not been received in the territory for fiscal years 1996 through 1999," Richards wrote in a letter to the delegate.
"A second program authorization under the Delugo Territorial Education Improvement Program, for fiscal years 1994 through 1999, has never been received" either, he said.
Richards wants to know why the funds weren’t allotted to the territory, if they can be retrieved and whether the Virgin Islands could get a lump sum payment.
"We cannot justify striving for excellence at the teacher or student level if there is a lack of appropriate funding to buttress teacher salaries, training and much needed supplies," Richards said. "We urgently need to find solutions that will supplement local funds to meet the needs and demands for effective schooling."
