The Senate Rules Committee will meet next week to consider the nominations of three Territorial Court judges, including the replacement for St. Croix Judge Alphonso Andrews.
St. Croix Judge Patricia Steele and St. Thomas Judge Brenda Hollar are up for another six-year term each. Gov. Charles Turnbull has picked Assistant Attorney General Darryl Donohue to replace Andrews.
That nomination, however, may face difficulties because of Andrews’ popularity among St. Croix senators, especially Sens. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen and Adelbert Bryan. They strongly criticized Turnbull for not reappointing Andrews for another six-year term. They claimed Andrews was ousted for political reasons, in particular his December decision blocking Beal Aerospace from developing public land on St. Croix to build its world headquarters.
Turnbull supported the Texas-based company’s venture. Beal pulled out of the St. Croix project two weeks after Andrews granted plaintiff Hansen’s request for a permanent injunction against the deal. Turnbull announced in mid-August that he wouldn’t reappoint Andrews.
Donohue is an assistant attorney general in the V.I. Justice Department on St. Croix, where he supervises the criminal-prosecution team.
The Rules Committee will also consider the nomination of Brig. Gen. Cleave McBean to head the V.I. National Guard and become adjutant general of the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency.
Pedro Williams will be considered for a spot on the Housing Finance Authority board.
Rules Committee Chairwoman Anne Golden, who lost her re-election bid, said that over the last two years the committee has heard more than 90 nominations.
She said Wednesday’s meeting will essentially clear all of Turnbull’s nominations pending before the Rules Committee of the 23rd Legislature.
"I want to assure all residents of the Virgin Islands that if additional work comes before this committee before the end of this Legislature, this Rules Committee will make every effort to consider it so nothing is left in limbo," Golden said.
All the nominations will be considered at 10 a.m. Wednesday on St. Thomas by the Rules Committee and if approved, will be forwarded to the full Senate for confirmation.
