April 16, 2003 – Elton Lewis received the unanimous support of the Senate on Tuesday as he sailed though the final hurdle to becoming the territory's new Police commissioner.
Lewis also got the unanimous support of the Rules Committee last Thursday – in what some anticipated could be a tenuous process because of criticism from three victim advocate groups.
The approval for Lewis was almost palpable as senators poured hopes and praises on his tenure. "Things are already happening under his leadership," Sen. Celestino A. White Sr. said. "This is about working. He has demonstrated that he is a 'true cop'."
Sen. Lorraine Berry called Lewis "the best qualified at this time to be the commissioner of Police." Berry had investigated Lewis' background and, at the Rules Committee meeting, offered testimony from Lewis' ex-wife recommending him for the job. See "Lewis, glowingly endorsed, wins Rules approval."
St. Croix senators implored Lewis, a Crucian, to crack down on crime on their island. Senate President David Jones said, "It seems the only thing that's rising on St. Croix is crime. I know Mr. Lewis will be the man to arrest that rise."
The Senate also gave its unanimous support to Lawrence Lewis as the new Agriculture commissioner. Henry Schuster, former commissioner, spoke on his behalf. Lewis has been deputy commissioner since 1995, and has been acting commissioner since Schuster's retirement in December.
The senators endorsed the nominees for several boards and commissions as well, all of whom breezed through until the name of Horace Brooks, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's personal assistant, came up for re-nomination to the V.I. Government Hospitals and Health Facilities Corp.
Brooks has a poor attendance record – 30 to 35 percent – for his first term, senators said, and that simply wouldn't cut it in the view of the eight senators who voted against his re-nomination.
Senator Douglas Canton said he would like to support Brooks' nomination, "But you can't get involved with 30 percent attendance." And Sen. Raymond "Usie" Richards spared no words: "I don't believe he deserves to be a representative of the people on the Schneider Hospital board."
Jones defended him, sort of. He called Brooks, who is in his late 20s, a "work in progress, notwithstanding his attendance record." Jones said he would give Brooks another chance.
Senator Shawn-Michael Malone said he would stand behind Brooks' re-nomination – this time. "He is a colleague of mine, but if he doesn't attend more meetings, I can't support him in the future," Malone said.
Voting for Brooks' nomination were Senators Roosevelt David, Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, Louis Hill, Jones, Almando "Rocky" Liburd, Malone, and Luther Rennee; voting against Brooks were Senators Berry, Canton, Carlton Dowe, Emmett Hansen II, Norman Jn Baptiste, Richards, Ronald Russell and White.
The senators also confirmed Cedric Swan and Lowell A. Thomas Sr., V.I. Lottery Commission; Fred Vialet Jr., Board of Land Use Appeals; Lisa Davis, Government Employees Service Commission and Health Insurance Board of Trustees; Lawrence Lewis, Agriculture commissioner; Roy D. Jackson, Auguste Rimpel Jr. and Henry Smock, University of the Virgin Islands board of trustees; and Natalie Thomas and Samuel Topp, V.I. Government Hospitals and Health Facilities Corp.
Senators passed resolutions to honor and commend: Mr. Clarence E. Hansby Jr.; Dr. Orville Kean; Mr. Liston Bernard Monsanto Sr.; and Mr. James Nathaniel Brewster Sr., "Jamesie and the Happy Seven."
Resolutions to petition the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to increase the number of Section 8 vouchers given to the Virgin Islands in order to increase the number of participants in the program, and to support the people of Taiwan in their fight for the right to self-determination and to participate in the United Nations and World Health Organizations were also approved by the Body.
Wednesday's continuation of the session promises some surprises. Listed on the agenda is a bill "To provide for several appropriations, and for other purposes."
When Richards asked Jones exactly what that meant, since he had no further information before him, Jones said computer problems were delaying the completion of the bill. He also told senators they would be able to attach amendments to the bill. This means that the bill has an excellent chance of becoming a "Christmas Tree" bill, with endless appropriations and special interest legislation. This is the type bill that almost automatically gets sent back from Government House with vetoes and stern warnings about unfunded appropriations.
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