Dear Source:
It is time that our government begin to tap into the "underground economy". It is considered that our underground economy which runs parallel to the legitimate economy, and is possibly stronger. This economic phenomenon pays no taxes and uses all the services of the legitimate economy. If the local authorities do not have the will or the wherewithal to address this situation maybe the federal government, which is ultimately responsible for our economic survival should intervene and put some law and order in our territory. Since the underground activities involve illegal activities that affect and infect our community morally and legally, we as a people should decide if we want law and order in our community or standby and watch the deterioration of our society. I personally believe the federal government should not be giving our government any more grant until such a time we have exploited all available sources of income locally, including the underground economy.
We are now on our fifth "constitutional convention" and many of the delegates, from their own expressions have indicated they have not grasp the concept of what it really entails. That it is a body of legal principles upon which our laws will be made and which will give character to the type and form of government that will govern our territory for the foreseeable future. It is not intended to be a code of laws rather a body of principles for our governance. In my view, for any constitutional draft to be even considered it should address: Customs, immigration, income taxes, official language and at least a "compact of federal relations" with the federal government. Outside of those considerations it will be another exercise in futility, our condition will remain the same. We need change, if we want change we need to fight for change. Change does not come easy; we have to fight for what we need, for what we want.
Presently, our leaders are showing very little vision for the territory. We are experiencing a very low level of law enforcement. We have not met the challenge of our prison system. We have serious problems in our Department of Justice. We have a judge that is being reviewed for what is perceived to be his leniency with criminal suspects. We have rulings by the court, the Superior and Supreme courts that identified the illegal act of the St. Thomas/St. John Board of Elections but failed to exercise their authority to have the act reverse. It appears that the courts condoned or at least chose not to act on the illegal action of the Board of Elections. People wake up! It is later than you think. Exercise your democratic duties and take control of your government, collectively.
Let us send a definite message to our representatives in government, let them know that we would not stand for their misdeeds any longer. Since they lack vision we need to provide ours to them, let them know the direction we want our territory to go, not downhill but uphill. We want a society that is progressive, that is just, one where there is law and order, where there is harmony and peace. I am appealing to all persons of goodwill, young and the not so young to join together in a community effort to correct the downhill course our politicians are leading us. It is written: "Without vision the people perish…" And we certainly will perish as a society if we do not take correction action soon, very soon. Democracy involves participation of the govern in their government. Are we up to the task? Do we have confidence in ourselves, collectively?
J. J. Estemac
St. Thomas
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