Democratic Party candidates for the offices of delegate to Congress and lieutenant governor attempted to persuade an attentive standing-room-only crowd at the Comanche Hotel of their merits to hold office in the Aug. 2 primary election.
The participants were Stacy Plaskett, Shawn-Michael Malone and Emmett Hansen running for the Congressional office.
Basil Ottley, Winston Braithwaite, Calford Martin and Hubert Frederick were the lieutenant governor candidates attending the forum. Their gubernatorial partners are Donna Christensen, Gerard Luz James, Marvin Pickering and Moleto Smith, respectively. Patrick Sprauve, running with Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis, and Angel Torres, running with Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, were absent.
Anthony Weeks, event organizer and St. Croix Economic Development Initiative founder and director, spoke before the candidates answered questions from the moderator, Dale Browne, panelists and the public.
“This is the most critical election in the history of the Virgin Islands,” Weeks said. “We cannot continue to do business as usual.” He said office holders will need to have specific skills and experience to “innovate our way out” of a bad economy.
The candidates were given two minutes to introduce themselves to the audience of more than 100 and then were asked about their qualifications.
Ottley, who works for the U.S. Interior Department and has worked for the Legislature, said his team – with the current Delegate to Congress – has “contacts and relationships” to help run the V.I. government. He said his degrees in public policy and international development have taught him “how to create a nation, including an economy.”
Braithwaite said his team’s first priority is the economy and they plan a government of “inclusion, not exclusion.” He is currently legal counsel for Coastal Zone Management and works with public and private entities, negotiating contracts and leases.
Martin and Pickering are accountants by education and have been involved in the banking, insurance and business administration. Martin is an accountant with the Small Business Administration. Between them, they have 50 years of management experience, Martin said, and their first priority is to lower the cost of living. He said they also would focus on “rebuilding the private sector.”
Frederick said he also has a banking background and he and Smith have worked within the V.I. government and as business owners. As a lender, Frederick said he was responsible for $100 million in loans to the community.
Plaskett has been an attorney for 20 years, was general counsel for the Economic Development Authority and has worked in Washington, D.C. She said she has the “experience, will power and ability to make change.”
Malone, current president of the Legislature, has an education in political science, he said. He has already been working with the federal government and said he has a “record of economic development.”
Hansen, who has served in the Senate, worked in the local government and is a business counselor, said voters should “demand background” from candidates. He said that small business owners should get similar tax breaks as Economic Development Commission beneficiaries for hiring local employees.
“Stop giving away money that comes in. It is not impacting the quality of our lives,” he said.
The audience quietly listened to candidates’ suggestions for dealing with the budget shortfall. There was agreement that a reduction of expenses is necessary and better financial management.
“One billion dollars to run the Virgin Islands – a population of 110,000 – is unacceptable,” Martin said, adding that his team would first pick apart the budget and then reward people for saving money for the government.
Ottley said, “We can inspire and train them but, at the end of the day, people have to be accountable.” The large budget does not reflect the quality of life for the general population, he said.
A question about the lack of insurance options for Virgin Islanders was answered in several ways. Most agreed more competition is needed and participation in a health exchange would lower rates.
Frederick said the cost is high because fraud is a big problem.
Martin said the biggest problem is the cost of windstorm insurance – almost 10 times more than premiums in Puerto Rico.
Ottley said the local health care system needs to be reformed to attract more insurers and the Health Department should be “revamped.”
Plaskett suggested medical visas be granted to attract patients from other islands to the territory for health services.
How to increase federal funding was another question with a variety of answers. Hansen called for a permanent partnership with the Interior Department to manage grants. He supports districting and said each town would be able to apply for grants as a result, not just one grant from the territory.
Malone said he would hire a federal grant coordinator to oversee the $400 – $500 million in funds allocated to the Virgin Islands annually.
Plaskett said more funding would be available if matching funds from the V.I. were available and technology requirements were met.
The forum was sponsored by the St. Croix Economic Development Initiative, the Christiansted Restaurant and Retailers Association, Our Town Frederiksted and the V.I. Democratic Party. There has been one previous forum for Senate candidates, and events with delegate, governor and lieutenant governor hopefuls will be televised on Channel 12 on Wednesday and on July 17.
