Dear Source,
It is unfortunate that former senator and current senatorial candidate Michael Paiewonsky does not know that persons who used to be convicted in the Federal District Court of local offenses were imprisoned by the local and not the federal government. The District Court used to enforce local laws; this did not make those convicted federal prisoners. They were still our responsibility, they were incarcerated in our local facilities and, if they were sent off-island, we paid for them.
The courts on St. Thomas have become seriously backlogged because there was a period of several months when there were only two judges available to deal with criminal and civil matters as the two vacant positions had not yet been filled.
I would think that someone who wants to play a policy-making role in our government, i.e. be a legislator, would have done their homework before speaking out on such a issue.
I would also hope that we are politically mature enough to recognize that we must take responsibility for carrying out our basic governmental functions ourselves, and not look to shirk that responsibility just because the situation becomes a little difficult. No person or group becomes capable by avoiding difficult situations, we grow by facing and overcoming such obstacles.
Judith L. Bourne
