Most Virgin Islanders agree they don't need 15 senators to represent the 100,000 men, women and children of these islands.
Fifteen senators cost taxpayers close to $1 million apiece to maintain, including central staff. From rabbit warren offices in the overcrowded Legislature Building on St. Thomas, they spend much of their time running for re-election. They like their $65,000 salaries and the perks that tag along. Truth of the matter is, most of them don't accomplish that much. The Senate is not an admirable institution as presently constituted.
There now is a good chance all that will change, possibly as early as 2002.
That persistent proponent of a smaller legislature, Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, succeeded early this month in attaching to an appropriation bill an amendment calling for a referendum on the subject. The bill was passed.
If Gov. Charles W. Turnbull signs it — and there’s no reason he won't, inasmuch as he wants the appropriation — the referendum will be carried out in conjunction with the general election next November.
Voters will be asked whether they are in favor of reducing the Legislature and, if so, whether they favor a senate of 11 or 9 members. The only question in our mind is not whether they'll vote for reduction but whether they will opt for 11 or 9 senators.
The legislature then must, under the terms of Donastorg's amendment, petition Congress once again to amend the Organic Act, the closest thing to a constitution the Virgin Islands has, to give the Virgin Islands the authority to reduce the size of its Senate.
Congressional approval is not a certainty. It will be up to Delegate Donna Christian-Christensen and the governor to steer the legislation through Congress and convince the new president to sign it.
If Christensen and Turnbull can manage that next year, Virgin Islanders could be voting for only 11 or 9 senators in November of 2002. If they have to wait until 2002 for Congress to vote, implementation might not be until 2004.
Donastorg's amendment doesn't propose to change the way Virgin Islanders elect their senators. There would still be one at-large senator, and either four or five each representing the St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix Districts.
However, word from Donastorg's office this week was that the senator had asked that another piece of legislation be drafted which would provide for 100 percent at-large voting for the Senate members. Say the Senate had 11 members. They would include one resident of St. John, five residents of St. Croix and five residents of the St. Thomas/St. John District. But all eligible Virgin Islands voters would be able to vote for all 11, whereas now you vote only for those in your own district plus the at-large senator.
All of this is going to excite local political observers. What would happen under such a system to such hardy Senate perennials as Lorraine Berry, Adelbert Bryan and Chucky Hansen? If Chucky is too much for you to take in a 15-member senate, consider her as one of 11 members or, heaven forfend, as one of only 9.
Notwithstanding, reduction is good. Four-year terms would be even better, but that hasn't made it even to the drawing board yet.
Before departing the subject of the Senate, we take note that last week members of that august body discovered they could no longer make off-island telephone calls from their offices. Seems the Senate hadn't paid its long-distance bill, and the provider cut off service.
Serves 'em right.
Frank J. Jordan is a local radio commentator and a former UVI journalism professor.
