IS THERE SELECTIVE JUSTICE IN THE UNITED STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS? On January 19, 2010 the US Department of Interior Acting Inspector General, Mary L. Kendall, stated in her Final Inspection Report Security Improvements at the Governor’s Private Residence (No. VI IS VIS 0004 2009) the following: We found that the funds used for the purpose of providing security at your private residence were set aside for road repairs in the Virgin Islands by the Legislative Branch of Government. In using those funds, the Executive Branch of Government improperly diverted roughly half-a-million dollars of specifically earmarked public funds and usurped the authority of the Legislative Branch of Government. Under Virgin Islands law, only the Legislature is authorized to determine how public funds should be spent. According to Virgin Islands law, no officer or employee of the Government can enter into a valid contract before an appropriation is made for that specific purpose. Since the appropriated funds should never have been used to finance security improvements at the Governor’s private residence, all contracts and agreements issued for that purpose are invalid. The Virgin Islands Code contains definitive penalties for Government officers or employees who violate the law. It specifically prohibits the spending of funds for reasons other than intended in a legislative appropriation and specifies penalties for violation, including fines and imprisonment. Why havent the Virgin Islands Attorney General or the US Attorney for the Virgin Islands brought criminal charges against Governor John P. deJongh, Jr. for violating the law which specifically prohibited him from spending public funds on his private residence for reasons other than intended in a legislative appropriation? The law clearly states that specifies penalties for violation, including fines and imprisonment exist but neither of these law enforcement entities have brought our governor to face justice. Why not if other residents are facing justice every day for lesser offensives against the people of the Virgin Islands? We must ask ourselves again, IS THERE SELECTIVE JUSTICE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS?
Posted on: Sun, 16 Feb 2014 14:52:10 +0000
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