Delegate to Congress Donna Christian Christensen said Wednesday that she is supportive of the civil rights housing case recently filed against the U. S. Department of Agriculture with regards to reported acts of discrimination against applicants for housing for almost two decades.
The Delegate said that she has followed this issue since it first surfaced in 1997 and has pursued congressional and other federal channels with several of her colleagues to support the group's attempts to get administrative and legislative remedy.
"I believe that they have exhausted those avenues and the matter is now in the proper arena. The legislative process is a slow one and the courts are there to provide a speedy resolution to those who have been wronged," Christensen said. "I applaud the diligence of Gail Chiang and other parties to the suit for taking this step."
In the meantime, Christensen reiterated her commitment to working with the USDA to increase its services to the Virgin Islands.
"Since I have been in office we have continuously pressed all federal agencies, including USDA to increase its services and to ensure that we have full participation in all programs to which we are entitled. Additionally, we have persistently lobbied for the Territory to have its own state office and will continue to do so until action is taken," the delegate said.
In response to recent questions about the impending consolidation of the territory's USDA office, Christensen said that she was informed by the agency that the consolidation is an economic decision based on management initiatives across the U.S. to consolidate into one-stop shopping service centers.
"On the federal level, St. Croix is classified as a rural jurisdiction, while St. Thomas is considered urban for some assistance programs, therefore this move is in line with federal reorganization of its resources. All USDA offices are being consolidated to Gallows Bay, St. Croix to take advantage of facilities including microwave dish technology that will enable them to improve their service to the territory," Christensen said.
There are other federal agencies, namely Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) who maintain a presence only on St. Thomas. The Rural Development Office has promised to maintain office hours on St. Thomas, however they will lease a smaller office or share an office with another federal agency in order to service their on-island clientele.
The office will schedule appointments on St. Thomas as demand requires. USDA also informed the Delegate that no employees will lose their jobs.
