Swearing-in ceremonies were held Wednesday afternoon at the Territorial Court Building on St. Croix for three Turnbull-James Administration officials — Labor Commissioner Sonia Jacobs-Dow, Fire Services director Pedro Encarnacion and Deputy Police Chief for St. Croix Novelle Francis Jr.
Family, friends, co-workers and well-wishers filed into the courtroom to witness the three take their oaths of office, administered by the new presiding judge of the court, Maria Cabret.
Encarnacion’s swearing in was delayed because of illness that required his being hospitalized off-island for several months.
Jacobs-Dow, his cousin, opted to wait for his recovery so they could be sworn in together.
Francis was recently appointed to the newly created post of St. Croix deputy police chief after Gov. Charles Turnbull approved a restructuring of the Police Department upper management.
Newly appointed Territorial Chief of Police Jose Garcia, St. Thomas Deputy Chief Theodore Carty and Assistant Police Commissioner Bruce B. Hamlin are to be sworn in Tuesday at Government House on St. Thomas.
Dow, in brief remarks, said her primary goal is to bring Labor to its "rightful place as the economic development agency that it was established to be."
Encarnacion, while mindful of the government's fiscal crisis, called for financial support to acquire adequate equipment and supplies for firefighters. He also expressed thanks for support shown him during his illness.
Francis, who served for three years as acting deputy police chief and two years as acting chief, said that the Police Department faces a huge job on a "long and rocky" road full of "fiscal restraint potholes, lack of manpower potholes and lack of equipment potholes." He asked that the administration give priority to Police Department goals.
Both Turnbull and Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II were present at the swearing-in proceedings.
