April 18, 2008 — The Committee on Rules and Judiciary passed forward Gov. John deJongh Jr.'s nomination of Yolander Samuel-Deterville to the Government Employees Service Commission Friday in Frederiksted.
The board oversees the authorization and operation of the government's group health insurance plans. It renews the government's employee insurance contract every year, and, by law, puts the contract out for new bids every five years, Deterville said. It meets at least twice a year and pays a nominal per-diem of $75, making it essentially a volunteer position.
Deterville recently completed a term on the board of the V.I. Water and Power Authority. "My goal in ensuring the proper operation of the government's healthcare plan would be to find the right balance between cost and benefits without sacrificing accuracy and affordability," Deterville said during her testimony to the committee. "I realize that gray areas will surface that do not clearly fall into a yes or no category. It is these cases that will be transmitted to the board and should serve as eye-openers to help us understand the problems that are faced by insured participants."
Sen. Usie R. Richards asked Deterville to follow up on the location of $15 million in funds set aside in escrow by the insurance company to ensure medical coverage if the plan fails.
"We passed legislation saying … they [the insurance company] need to deposit the $15 million in a bank in the Virgin Islands," Richards said.
Sen. Carlton "Ital" Dowe concurred.
"What people fail to understand is by bringing the funds to an institution in the territory, that same institution has $15 million more to loan and use in this territory," Dowe said.
Voting yea were: Richards, Dowe, Sens. James Weber III and Alvin L. Williams. Absent were Sens. Celestino White, Carmen Wesselhoft and Shaun Michael Malone.
The committee forwarded a bill to establish customer service standards in executive agencies. The bill directs the chief negotiator of the Office of Collective Bargaining and the directors of Personnel and of Management and Budget to jointly develop both standards and performance measures by which to judge customer service.
"One of the bright spots of living in the Virgin Islands is nine out of 10 times you are greeted and acknowledged simply because of your presence," said Weber. "We say good morning, good afternoon and good evening to everyone. If we ever come to a point where we don't do that I think we will have lost some of what we are."
The bill passed out of committee without dissent. It will be considered by the full Senate Monday. Voting yea were: Richards, Weber, Dowe and Williams. Malone, White and Wesselhoft were absent.
A bill entitled the Elder and Dependent Abuse Prevention Act was also forwarded to the full Senate. The bill repeals and replaces existing law on the subject to clarify and enhance the ability of Human Services, the Police Department and other agencies to investigate and prosecute cases of elder and dependent abuse.
"Hopefully, this will intimidate those who would even think of acting in such a way," said Sen. Neville James, a sponsor of the bill and non-committee member.
Voting yea were: Malone, Richards, Weber, Williams and Dowe. White and Wesselhoft were absent. The two bills and Deterville's nomination and will be voted upon by the full Senate Monday on St. Thomas.
Bills to establish a holiday celebrating the Fireburn labor action of 1878 and to establish a gasoline assistance voucher program for seniors were both held in committee for modification.
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