Voters in the Virgin Islands should focus on what each candidate seeking elected office has to say on the very basic issues that face these islands. There are many more issues to be addressed, but by choosing three to focus on, the solutions of every other problem that continues to persist on our islands can be addressed.
Election Reform, Education and the Economy
Election Reform: The system for electing public officials does not work and the voter(s) must admit that. So what should be proposed as a solution for
providing better representation and accountability to the people?
Our islands are already divided into school districts.
Can I suggest that we look at the school districts and divide or group them into seven districts from which to elect seven senators each from both St. Thomas and St. Croix and give St. John one full time senator?
By electing individuals from the different districts, we will attract a wider cross section of our community and increase participation of voters in elections. Their participation will have a greater impact since they will be voting for an individual who is best qualified to represent their own communities.
Every community has common ground and it is this common ground on which to build a working relationship among other elected officials and residents of a community.
Too often we as a community we are letting the issues that divide us effect movement on the issues that can unite us and provide solutions to issues that continue to perplex us.
Some of the current elected officials are guilty of just that, fanning the flames of discontent for personal gain and media attention. This must change.
Voters young and old must send a clear message that fish fries, and large parties with big bands will not earn a vote.
Education Reform: We have a problem with public education. Failure to admit this will continue to be met with the continued failure of our public education system, and more importantly failure to meet our obligation as parents to the children are of our islands. An educated voter who has the ability to reason, once given the facts on an issue, can make a decision without the influence of others. We must look at our education system as a vehicle to empower young minds to think, debate, reason and talk in a manner that makes them eligible to join the worldwide job market.
A strong academic program focused on reading, writing, math, science, computers must be standard in all public schools.
Politics must be removed from the public school system.
A board should be set up in each school of teachers, and parents to provide oversight for directing management of the school on a day to day basis
by the principal.
The upper management within the Department of Education must be taken apart and more resources allocated directly to the school. A fee should be applied to each school and those same fees administer by the school’s board to address maintenance and improvements within the school.
The department of education can measure each school's progress with standardize testing to be done every two months at each school. Empower, with the proper training, parents, teachers and students in public school to contribute to a better school community.
Economy: We must realize that without a strong economy, we have no hope of addressing the financial demands on our communities. Effective tax collection, enforcement of current laws, and privatization of some government
functions are a must.
Government should not being doing what private enterprise can do. Government must encourage environmentally safe business to set up in the islands. The IDC program should be overhauled. Tourism promotion must be adequately funded. We must aim and do what is necessary to achieve a year round occupancy of 90 percent at our resorts and hotels. The downtown shopping area must come under some control to improve the shopping environment. Cruise ship arrivals should not be a measure of our success or failure as a destination.
Vinnie Mohannai
St. Thomas
