When will we investigate the Virgin Islands Legislature

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Written By ML Scotland
 

For decades, the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands have asked for little more than honest, accountable governance. Yet, time and time again, some members of the Virgin Islands Government have violated that trust through corruption, financial misconduct, and disregard for transparency. These aren’t speculative accusations; they are backed by court records, federal convictions, and audit findings. However, often the “smoke” for these actions is reserved for the executive branch while the legislature skates by with no calls for accountability.  Ironically, during a recent trial on bribery against members of the current administration’s cabinet, we learned during testimony that a senator (unnamed) may also be involved. While this may go unnoticed by many, as a former journalist, it does not sit well with me. And with this, I say the time has come for an independent investigation into the operations and practices of our Legislature.

This editorial does not come from a random place. It comes from being tired of this callous disregard for the people of the Virgin Islands, and repeated exploitation of our trust.

One of the most notable and recent examples of this is the conviction of former Senator Wayne James, who in 2018 was found guilty of wire fraud and theft of government funds. James had received approval to conduct research on the 1878 Fireburn, but instead used taxpayer money for personal luxuries and to fund his re-election campaign. In fact, James intended to keep the vast majority of the research for himself to further his screenwriting venture. His conviction followed a federal investigation and trial that revealed how easily public money can be abused without adequate oversight.

James is not alone. In 2012, former Senator Alvin Williams Jr. was indicted for operating and participating in a criminal enterprise. The illegal activities included: bribing a Virgin Islands public official, soliciting and receiving bribes from numerous St. Thomas construction project developers, fraudulently soliciting and increasing staff members’ salaries and using the increase of funds for his personal use, and having staff members fraudulently do his University of Phoenix online course for him during legislative work hours.

I’ll be clear, indictments don’t always mean guilt nor end in an arrest. For example, both former Senators Alicia Hansen and Carlton Dowe were indicted for charges related to bribery (Hansen) and theft of government funds (Dowe) in unrelated cases in 2004. Though both senators were acquitted of their charges, the allegations alone underscored a disturbing pattern found in the Virgin Islands Legislature.

Beyond criminal cases, there was only ONE audit to date by the Virgin Islands Inspector General against the Virgin Islands Legislature and that audit alone was enough to flag the entity for fiscal mismanagement. The 2011 audit revealed widespread misuse of legislative credit cards for undocumented personal travel and other questionable expenses.

This erosion of public trust demands more than just editorials and public outrage. It demands action. The Virgin Islands Legislature must be subject to a comprehensive investigation by a credible, independent agency—ideally a federal body. The investigation must look beyond individual wrongdoing to uncover the systemic weaknesses that allow corruption and mismanagement to persist.

We must ask: Why has this been allowed to continue for so long? Why are there still no enforceable ethics reforms and no real consequences for misuse of public funds unless the federal government intervenes? We have seen time and time again that these individuals, after serving a miniscule amount of time in jail(if any), re-insert themselves into the community without a hint of remorse for their actions. In due time, they may even have a facility or street named after them as their biographies redact these criminal offenses.

The citizens of the U.S. Virgin Islands deserve better. They deserve a Legislature, a government, that works for them, not for itself. Until an independent investigation is launched, the cloud of suspicion hanging over the territory’s highest legislative body will only grow darker.

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ML Scotland
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