The Guardhouse
There has been a lot of buzz about this on the talk radio circuit and on the web regarding the use of public funds for security enhancements on his home. For more information on what all the hubbub is about, here’s a link to the Virgin Islands Daily News article. There are several things I want to offer my own opinion on, which I’m sure will draw fire. Heck, nobody said being a blogger was a cake walk. So here goes.
- I’ve heard many people cite the VI Code as a justification for the governor shouldn’t be staying at his personal residence. Unfortunately the citations are often misquoted. Here’s the actual language taken from Section 11 of the Revised Organic Act of 1954:
- There’s a lot of focus on the entire bill for the enhancements. But I thought the Daily News did a good job of breaking down the individual components to make it more digestible:
$98,829 for a perimeter fence, $82,143 for a guard house and $156,100 for driveway construction
Now someone on the web (I won’t say who but I think most of you reading probably already know where to find it) posted a Word document which compares the security enhancements provided to previous governors with an emphasis on their guardhouses. A closer look reveals something the previous governor’s residences had that the current governor’s residence didn’t: a fence. I can’t really comment on the driveways but they appear to be already quite accessible.
- The latest round of attacks are for change orders that provided the guardhouse and area with three more enhancements: a septic system and shower room for the guardhouse and exterior lighting for the residence. At face value people have further perpetuated the notion that the guardhouse is nothing more than an efficiency apartment. Again, let’s break it down. The easiest is the septic system. It’s not uncommon to build a bathroom into a guardhouse. Why not use the one in the house? Just because you’re security doesn’t mean you have carte blanche access to the premises. Security should only enter the residence if there’s a security concern. Oh, one more thing. If you look carefully at the picture of the last governor’s guardhouse you’ll see a small pump in the back. I’m fairly certain that was either for a septic system or some sort of running water. (Note: just by me even mentioning the pump in the pic that pic may well disappear…no worries, I have a copy
).
Exterior lighting is also easy to explain. Exterior lighting does indeed deter those with ill-intentions from getting near the property. Why do you think most crimes take place under the cover of night?Now the toughie is explaining the shower. When I first heard about the show myself I was a little confused. That was when I was reminded of my days working in the chemistry lab back at UVI. Any area where you are required to or may be exposed to hazardous chemicals must be with a certain distance from an eye wash and emergency shower facility. This is from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) where the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) derives its standards from. What hazardous chemicals could a security guard possibly be exposed to? You’d be surprised. Pepper spray is on that list.
Now I can’t confirm for certain if this was the true intent of the shower or if really were provided to make the guardhouse “livable”. I’m just working on logic here.
- As far as we can determine, no crime has been committed here. The work went through legal review. It was put out to bid as most government contracts are. The only thing wrong was that this cost a lot. I’d be surprised if another legal review of this matter would reveal a misuse of public funds.
- This project was completed an entire two years ago! The words “economic crisis” wasn’t even the topic du jour. Why the heck are we worried about the cost of it NOW? Oh yeah, next year is an election year. Kinda makes you wonder if the individual who put a new spotlight on the governor isn’t gunning for the job himself.
The Governor shall maintain his official residence in the Government House on Saint Thomas during his incumbency, which house, together with land appurtenant thereto, is hereby transferred to the government of the Virgin Islands. While in Saint Croix the Governor may reside in Government House on Saint Croix, which house, together with land appurtenant thereto is also transferred to the government of the Virgin Islands.
You can guess where the error takes place. The Governor is only required to maintain the official residence (and since there’s no mention at all of Catherineberg as the official residence that too can be debated…but I digress). Maintain simply means “to keep in an existing state”. There is no mandate that the governor must reside in either of the residences on St. Thomas or St. Croix.
So it’s my analysis that while this was a rather expensive project (as most construction projects are in the Virgin Islands), nothing illegal took place. Let’s not take my word for it though. I’m sure there’s something legal brewing as we speak for an inquiry into this matter. I’m not saying that we should just all let it go and move on with our lives. It these kind of dialogs that make the great democracy we live in. People have a right to know what their government is doing and things should be as transparent as possible. But let’s not sink to the level of name calling, finger pointing and blame gaming. Let’s ask serious, logical questions and expect serious, logical answers. I do believe answers are forthcoming. We will learn if indeed those security enhancements were necessary and if the taxpayers did indeed save money as a result of the governor choosing to remain at his residence instead of relocating to Catherineburg. Let’s wait until then to do the condemning.
I find your analysis (logic) to be severly incomplete. The same location on the Web where the Word document (with pictures) is located, reported that the PFA had intended to spend $250,000 on a guardhouse at the Governor’s Mafolie residence way back in March of 2007. So your observation and emphasis on it being brought to the public’s attention is not accurate. However, I don’t believe it was a deliberate to mislead, on your part, but that you honestly were not aware.
i found it somewhat curious that you make no reference of the letter sent from Attorney General Vincent Frazer to Attorney Adam Christian that accompanied the original contract for the guardhouse. That letter clearly states that the work will be done at the Governor’s residence on Denmark Hill. I don’t know if you’re familiar with St. Thomas, but Denmark Hill is wher Catherineburg is located. It is not Estate Mafolie. Additionally, I saw no mention of the fact that the aunt, whom the Governor has cited on several ocassions was the obstacle that kept him from occupying Catherineburg, passed away on January 31, 2007 (10 weeks before the 4/12/2007 request to the Daily News to publish the Guardhouse RFP, and 5 months before the 6/4/2007 execution of the Guardhouse contract) Cleary, if the ability of Catherineburg to accomodate the elderly aunt was the main reason for the Governor electing to expend public funds on his private property, that issue became mootg on January 31, 2007 (1 month into the Governor’s term in office). The documents I referenced are ALL public records, and the aunt’s Death Certificate is the only one that wasn’t part of the package submitted to the Legislature, by the administration.
As you most accurately stated, this is a democracy and we all are entitled to OUR opinion. However, we are not entitled to our own facts. the documented facts are what they are. ACT 6917, signed into law by Governor DeJongh, did mandate that the funds in question be transferred from the PFA to the Department of Public Works by the end of fiscal year 2007. I clearly heard Commissioner Smalls testify on October 20,2009 that the funds were still sitting in the PFA’s coffers. I don’t see how ANYONE can deny that clear violation of law.
Differences of opinions will always exist. Differences in actual facts don’t