Gov. Charles Turnbull confirmed rumors Tuesday evening that Tourism Commissioner Rafael Jackson has submitted his resignation.
In a statement released from Government House at approximately 7 p.m., Turnbull said he accepted "with regret" Jackson’s resignation, effective Oct. 20.
For the past week, rumors have been rampant that Jackson was preparing to quit the post that he officially assumed July 27, although he had been the acting commissioner since March.
At a meeting last Friday, Jackson reportedly told the governor that he wanted to resign then, but Turnbull is said to have asked him to remain for one week. Jackson then reportedly asked for leave to seek medical attention.
According to the Government House release, Jackson met with Turnbull twice last week to discuss the resignation and Jackson’s "health concerns."
"During the meetings, the chief executive requested that Jackson take whatever leave he required and reconsider his decision," the release said.
Jackson’s departure likely stems from the law that requires the commissioner of tourism to chair the Industrial Development Commission and the V.I. Port Authority boards of directors. Jackson said last week that he never wanted to serve on the IDC and told the governor so when he took the job as commissioner.
Two weeks ago Jackson went public with his criticism of the way the IDC made a major policy shift –– voting to make timeshare projects eligible for tax benefits. He said the move was made without sufficient public input. Although he stopped short of calling names, Jackson suggested that the governor pushed the issue through the commission.
In an apparent move to placate Jackson, Turnbull had legislation ready to go for last Friday’s Senate session that would have removed the Tourism commissioner as the chairman of the IDC and the Port Authority. Turnbull later pulled the measure.
Prior to Jackson’s July swearing-in ceremony, the Tourism Department had been without a commissioner for nearly 14 months, Turnbull’s entire tenure up to that point. Turnbull first nominated Democratic Party stalwart Clement "Cain" Magras, who served in an acting capacity until mid-1999 when the Senate rejected his nomination in the wake of sexual harassment allegations lodged by a female Tourism employee.
The governor then nominated St. Thomas businessman Michael Bornn, who ran the department in an acting capacity until Turnbull withdrew his nomination last October, citing personal incompatibility after Bornn publicly disagreed with him about floating a $300 million bond issue to deal with government debt.
With Jackson’s resignation, Assistant Tourism Commissioner Monique Sibilly-Hodge will take over again as acting commissioner. Sibilly-Hodge has said repeatedly that she is not interested in being commissioner.
