On this episode of Comes With the Territory.

What we want fair contract.

will sit with leaders from three notable labor unions in the Territory to explore the reasons behind their recent demonstration disputes and calls for actions, plus the months long search for the University of the Virgin Islands sixth president has been narrowed down to three finalists.

We'll have more.

And later, victims of Jeffrey Epstein are suing the Virgin Islands government and former high ranking officials claiming they enabled Epstein's sex crimes while reaping the benefits of his wealth.

We'll have the details.

Joining this week's Panal discussion to analyze these issues and more are VI Source reporter Sian Cobb and radio talk show hosts Jamila Russell and Sheldon Turnbull.

Comes with the territory.

Starts now.

Comes with the territory.

Starts now.

Welcome to comes with the territory I'm Lesley Comissiong We begin with a closer look at the challenges confronting labor unions that represent the majority of the Territory's workforce.

We got a stand for our rights for our children & our educators Multiple public schools on Saint Croix were shut down in mid-September as teachers and union leaders joined students in sidewalk demonstrations to highlight poor learning in working conditions and overdue contract negotiations.

The union has been filing grievances for years now and we file OSHA complaints.

We had meetings with the Department of Education.

Consistently.

We meet with the superintendents office with the commissioner, and yet they failed to take action.

AFT union leaders listed several issues that needed to be resolved with the Virgin Islands Department of Education, including mold, mildew and air quality issues in classrooms and workspaces, potable drinking water in public schools and employee shortages.

The Virgin Islands Department of Education responded to the job actions with proper checklist and timelines for some of the most pressing issues.

The things that we must address and when we're called on it, we have to accept and own it and fix it.

Meanwhile, the United Industrial Workers Union, which has represented public and private sector employees in the Virgin Islands for decades, is facing its own set of challenges.

Despite signing a collective bargaining agreement with the Virgin Islands government last year on behalf of the Territory's corrections officers.

Disputes stemming from overtime calculations have continued.

The matter has made its way to the courts with lawsuits and counter lawsuits.

The union's legal representative recently petitioned the court to compel the government to engage in discussions, citing months of unsuccessful attempts to address the ongoing issues.

Union O.

Union.

Oh.

Yet another notable union, the United Steelworkers rallied outside Government House in both legislatures in September to demand contract negotiations.

What do we want and when do we want it?

Union representatives appeared before the Senate in November.

Our members simply want the security that a collective bargaining agreement brings.

They desire the ability to plan and to know that their contract is for three years.

They will know what their wages and benefits will be for that time frame.

The Office of Collective Bargaining was not at the meeting.

In a letter declining the Senate's invitation, chief negotiator Josh Spring, it wrote, I am very disappointed that they have not contacted me to have these discussions.

Instead, they have opted to disregard the CBA and risk divulging confidential information about their members in one of the most public forums.

I'm now joined on set by Jacqueline Dickinson, vice president of the United Industrial Workers Seafarers International Union.

Welcome to the show and joining our feature discussion virtually, let's welcome Rosa Soto Thomas, president of the St. Croix Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 1826.

And in our Saint Croix studio is Gerard Jerry Jackson, staff representative of the United Steelworkers.

It's good to have you both with us remotely.

But let's start with you, Miss Dickinson.

Our viewers may not necessarily be familiar with your union and the different, you know, industries you represent.

So present us with the overview of your union, the sectors that you represent in the territory as well.

Certainly are union representing approximately 1500 employees in the Territory with roughly a ratio of 10 to 1 public employees, to private employees.

We represent non supervisory employees in the executive agencies, departments of Education, Health, Human Services, Assistant Attorney General, DOJ, and we also would represent sports, Parks and Recreation Department of Labor DPNR BOC support staff VITEMA and Veterans Affairs.

Wow.

That's a lot of appointees and departments.

That's not all.

Wow.

We also represent post certified peace officers and first responders at the Bureau of Correction.

Both the Corrections and YRC Youth.

Rehabilitation Center.

Yes, and also at the Port Authority.

We would represent the law enforcement officers and firefighters.

Also the EMT is the V.I.

EMS.

We also would represent health professionals, the E.R.

physicians.

We'll get back to some of the other representatives.

But I want to pose the same question to you, Mr. Jackson.

Tell us a little bit about your union.

The United Steelworkers and the workforce you represent in the Territory as well.

Under the United Steelworkers, we we represent close to over 2200 members within the territory.

Out of that 2200, we represent close to 1600 in the V.I.

government and close to 600 in the private sector and some semi-autonomous agencies.

And question to you, Ms.. Rosa Soto Thomas We're familiar, of course, with the AFT, but in addition to teachers, are there paraprofessionals or any other support staff that are represented by your union?

Yes, we have school psychologists, counselors.

We have speech therapists.

We also have support staff and we have kitchen managers who are also part of the AFT.

Okay.

So we have three units within the overall professional unit, proper final unit and the support staff unit.

And within those units, we have different disciplines.

They not only teachers alone, I'm sure they didn't call each and every single discipline.

It's quite a number of people that are in the truck drivers, bus drivers, bus aides, and you know, it goes on a lot of people.

So, Ms.. Dickinson, recent news reports have highlighted the challenges in the disputes you're having with calculating overtime with your employees.

Let's talk a little bit about that.

Certainly the union back in 2000, 12, 2013 filed several grievances regarding the way they would have calculated overtime after a decade and three arbitrators, a term arbitrator, Goldman came up with a decision that the government did not like.

So they went to court and sued to vacate that decision.

We countersued and the government at this time is not really cooperating into having a scheduled time in which we can actually go through the way in which we can calculate.

So therefore, just recently we would have actually filed a suit to bring them back to the litigation table on ms. soto Thomas We saw the at the beginning of the school year major protests brought on by the students and we see that your unions have been protesting the conditions in the school.

The government of the Virgin Islands has promised to improve things.

They've provided lists and some timelines.

What grade would you give them being a teacher of the job they've done since their protests?

And now the members will give them a F plus because a lot of the things that they said they would have done within the 30 day mark they haven't done yet.

So there's still some concerns that members have regarding that situation.

And there has there been any communication as to why the delay on getting some of these things done?

And let me ask, on the positive side, has there been any improvements that you have observed in your members?

Well, they they would say the school is still out, and that's a major issue because you have Central High and Woodson School on split sessions and that is causing a problem because our students are not getting the full hours that they need in terms of instruction as indicated in the VI codes regulated the VI codes And that's a problem as students have missed a lot of instructional time and they continue to because there's no plan in place to fix our public schools while we wait for the new buildings to come online.

Mr. Jackson, you represent the school monitors in our public schools in the Territory, and we've seen a rash of events on social media that have circulated throughout the territory.

And there have been calls for more support for those for those monitors and the fact that situations are getting a lot more violent in terms of the types of fights and the amount of fights on school campuses.

How were your members voicing their concerns to you and in turn, how are you working with the government to improve the working situation for those monitors?

Well, let me say that we had filed grievances against the Department of Education with respect to the safety and conditions of monitors in the schools, both throughout the whole territory.

We just received communication from the Department of Education yesterday with respect to resolving those issues by actually ordering the equipment that are needed to assist the monitors and controlling what is actually actually happening within the school.

Let me say that the other thing that we have discussed with them is basically how the conditions are and how they're going to be treated in the schools now, like it's like a prison, because now basically you're telling us now that they're going to give them body armor and everything to that effect.

At one time, they're bringing in Tasers.

They wanted to bring in batons.

And we need to remember one thing that we are dealing with children and we have none of our monitors to be affected basically at this junction to be third rate, because one of the other issues that we're having is that the parents are getting involved.

So it's not just the kids, it's just the parents that are coming in now and trying to attack the monitors.

So these are things that we have to be very careful about when we meet with the Department of Education when that time comes up, because we don't that looking for disciplinary action basically against the monitors when they actually try to deal with the kids during these altercations.

Understood.

Ms.. Dickinson, what are some of the other issues we mentioned the overtime issue and the fact that you have sued once again to bring the government back to the table.

But what are some of the other issues are you facing working conditions issues as well, like the other unions that are represented on the show today?

Certainly we do.

In most of these government agencies, these departments, you face more and not only that, you find mold.

There is very little done to remediate the mold situation in in these offices.

And we also have wages problem, cost of living, you know, is through the roof.

And it's taken a bit for us to get back to the table to negotiate.

And also we have work place.

Justice when I said that, it would mean that back in March of 2022, we, OCB would have had two attorneys at that point, they became one one attorney to actually deal with the union issues that would arise.

And since then, it's just one attorney who is handling all these litigations, all these arbitrations.

So we've just been having some challenges and there seems to be no end in sight right now.

Understood.

Ms.. Soto Thomas, do you have delayed wages with the AFT right now?

Tell us when did you negotiate your latest wage increase?

I know that there were some wage increases that were negotiated a few years ago, but have they not been received or have some been received?

Where exactly are you with the government in terms of these delayed waiting wage increases?

Okay.

Right now, the union we were at the table on Tuesday.

We were set to proceed with the negotiations Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

But things went south.

And when I say things went south, we had our language proposals and we spent a lot of time going over the language.

Management was supposed to counter and they still haven't done what they're supposed to do.

You know, they they didn't do their homework.

They came to the table.

They weren't prepared to move forward.

They weren't resolving the issues or even trying to counter and, you know, come to some amicable agreement with some of the languages.

So what the union decided to do was withdraw a lot of stuff.

It was so hard for them to tackle.

And the idea had a huge team and they hold a lot of degrees.

You know, a lot of them have PhDs, the doctors.

So I don't know why it was such a challenge for them to work out simple language when it comes to educators, the teachers, paraprofessionals, the support staff was a big challenge for them.

So the union withdrew it because withdrew a lot of the proposal, thinking that, okay, the chief negotiator said, you know, I wanted to start first with a salary proposal.

So we're like, okay, we have a few language.

Let's begin with this and then we'll get to the salary.

And lo and behold, she was the department was not ready o c be the chief negotiator just spring in.

She's having a challenge in that role.

I don't think she's a person for that role.

I'm going to say she's not the person for that role.

Well, I really think she doesn't have the experience, you know, and then the issue of fairness and representing all sides, we will in the future have the Office of Collective Bargaining.

And they also sent a note for this particular show stating that they are they wanted to stress they're currently in negotiations with the AFT and they're negotiations are private and confidential.

And both sides have signed ground rules agreeing not to discuss, you know, in-depth details with the media of the negotiations.

But we appreciate you sharing with us what is taking place so we get a better sense of where things are.

Mr. Jackson, coming back to you, you mentioned the fact that you're concerned about the schools being created, being sort of like prisons, having a prison type environment and almost kind of like the militarization of school campuses.

And this is an issue that quite frankly, exists around the country with violence in schools, with the school shootings that are taking place.

Tell us a little bit about the types of training that your members go through to to prepare them to deal with the what we see as an increase in school fights on campuses throughout the territory?

Well, basically, I don't know how the training is developed.

All I know is that they do go through the training once a year and basically at this point, we have spoken to the Department of Education and I actually look at the school, Central High School on St. Croix and I make sure I told them that every time I pass in the evening, those gates are always open.

Those gates are not supposed to be open at any given time in the evening.

You don't know who is climbing the fence.

You don't know who is planting anything behind behind those gates.

So people are talking about having metal detectors and everything to that effect.

They're not going to come with anything if you planted it directly in the school.

Has there been discussions with the Department of Education in terms of improving the school's infrastructure from a safety perspective as a start to, you know, deter weapons being planted, like you mentioned?

Yes, we have.

And they assure us that they're going to be they will keep those kids locked at all times in the evening when school is over.

But I can still pass and see Central High, especially still open in the night.

Yeah, that's definitely an issue.

Ms.. Dickinson, what are the top priorities for your union from, you know, starting right now at the moment?

Then you mentioned getting back to negotiations on overtime calculations, but are there other issues that are priority for your union right now?

the union's concerns, really not unique to the territory.

We would want the government to actually do better in the work place where it would have environmental issues like mold and derelict facilities and everything else.

You'd think that by basically them paying attention to the issues that they need to doing their job, the union workers could certainly enjoy better working conditions, etc.. Getting back to you, Ms.. Rosa Soto Thomas, we see that across the nation this year.

There's been the, you know, auto employee strikes.

There's been an actor's strike, writers strikes, unions all over the country almost seem to be, you know, having issues.

And certainly we here in the Virgin Islands does not seem to be a far departure from what we've observed on a national level.

But do you feel that there is progress that can be made with the attempt to Department of Education and the Virgin Islands government?

Because given the, you know, standardized test scores that we're seeing now and hearing I heard some just a few days ago from an unofficial source, some test scores that were really frightening to me and the learning loss that we've experienced with COVID and with you know, the hurricanes, I don't think especially in the education area, this is a area we can afford to falter.

Well, I think that there's so many variables impacted, standard scores, you know, that teachers shouldn't be blamed for everything.

I think teachers are vilified and they're blamed for everything because educators, the management failed to fulfill their role and responsibilities in terms of securing, you know, health and safety in our classrooms and our working environment and learning environment for our students.

All right.

So there's a lot going on with the standardized test.

Even right now.

We're looking at, you know, are we going to do the electronic version on St Croix versus St Thomas?

Because?

That's a challenge that we're facing right now.

You know, we can have one district doing one version and the other district doing another version.

That's a problem.

How are they comparable?

Okay, so our students need a lot of intervention and we have a lot of problem with the Internet.

There's so many interruptions during the day at our schools.

You see the demonstration that took place, the protests that took place.

They took place because of the piscal working conditions that exists in our public schools.

We're fighting not only for the educators, but our students as well.

We want to see them make the mark, but educate the leaders of education via the leadership team has got to do better.

You know, we want to see results.

And that's why the teachers stood up and demanded that even though they lost pay, we stood up for our cause because, like you said, they produced these 30 day lists that they weren't able to meet many of them, but we got them moving.

So there is a step in the right direction and, you know, things are beginning to happen.

So is it happening at a fast pace and at the pace that the community would like?

Of course not.

We saw the commissioner when she was before the Senate saying to the community that, hey, you know, it's a long time it takes to secure our bonds and it costs money and what have you.

But we're tired of the excuses.

It's time to move forward because they're demanding high scores.

They're demanding better scores.

They're demanding that teachers are certified.

So they got to fulfill their end of the bargain as well.

And they're falling short.

They continue to fall short, but yet they want to hold the bar high for everybody except themselves.

And that's a problem.

And we have to also add parents to that equation.

But I only have about a minute left, so I'm going to go to you, Mr. Jackson, for the last or the last question.

What would you like to see in terms of progress being made with your union and its relationship with the Virgin Islands government?

Let me say first of respect, because that is something that this administration failed to show to the people that actually come out of the work that came forth.

Let me say that we have almost the same identical problems like Ms.. Soto and Ms.. Dickenson, but like I said, when the membership stand up Dickenson, but like I said, when the membership stand up and look what happened at BMV, BMV, the employers said okay, because basically at that point they were working in unsafe condition.

Our contract is clear and explicit.

They can not supposed to be working in unsafe conditions.

People falling were falling to the holes of the tree that have been there for years.

Again, I would piggyback on what they're saying.

The Office of Collective Bargaining is in right now.

It's a waste.

Okay?

We're not being respected through the collective bargaining agreement.

We have contracts that is out there over two and three years waiting to get to the table.

And up to now we can not get dates to get back to the table.

And we'd love to have you, Ms.. Dickinson, back.

Of course you, Mr. Jackson.

And of course, Ms.. Rosas, Rosa Soto, Thomas, thank you all for voicing the concerns of your members throughout the territory.

Coming up, this week's power panel joins the conversation.

But first, a quick rundown of other important news in the territory.

The committee tasked with finding a successor to Dr. David Hall as president of the University of the Virgin Islands has identified three finalists for the position, UVI alumnus Dr. Safiya George Dalmida.

presently serving as dean and professor at Florida Atlantic University's Christine Evelyn College of Nursing.

Virgin Islands native Dr. Claudia Schrader, the current president of Kingsbury Community College in New York, and Dr. Lawrence T Potter, the chief academic officer and provost at the University of the District of Columbia.

All three finalists visited UVI campuses on Saint Thomas in Saint Croix in November to engage with faculty, staff and students, according to UVA's website.

The visits capped a months long search process, which apparently began in February when UVI announced the creation of a presidential search committee to find the best candidate to succeed Dr. David Hall, whose contract ends in July 2024.

UVI Board of Trustees also enlisted the services of higher education search firm Isaacson Miller to guide the search process.

300 potential candidates were contacted with 105 submitting materials for consideration, according to UVI's website.

Following a series of initial interviews, UVI announced in October that the list had been narrowed down to Dalmida, Schrader and Potter.

The next step in the process involves the presidential search committee forwarding a recommendation to UVI's board of trustees, who will ultimately make the final selection.

A recent lawsuit filed by victims of Jeffrey Epstein accuses the Virgin Islands Government of actively participating in a conspiracy to aid Epstein's sex trafficking activities.

According to the 37 page complaint by Jane Doe's one, through five top officials in the Territory facilitated Epstein sex crimes and misconduct from 2001 through 2019.

The lawsuit names several key figures, including former first lady Cecile De Jongh and her husband, former Governor John De Jongh, former Governor Kenneth Mapp.

Former Senator Celestino White Virgin Islands Port Authority director.

Cartlon Dowe, in his then capacity as senator, former Attorney General Vincent Frazer, delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett and John Doe's one through 100.

The complaint alleges that the Virgin Islands provided special treatment to Epstein and his sex trafficking ventures through various means, including special interest laws, airports, seaports and government officials.

The lawsuit contends that the Virgin Islands government was influenced and dependent on Epstein's financial contributions, giving him unchecked freedom to operate in the territory in exchange for financial favors.

Epstein allegedly gained influence over laws meant to restrict his actions.

The suit further accuses various government officials from police officers to Coast Guard agents of neglecting standard procedures so accommodate Epstein's request while disregarding pleas for help from his female victims.

The Jane Doe's one through five filed a lawsuit on November 22nd in New York's Southern District Court on behalf of themselves as a class action representing women.

Traffic to the Territory by Jeffrey Epstein from 2001 to 2019.

Virgin Islands GOP Chairman Gordon Ackley recently fended off an attempt by some state committee members to remove him from his position.

The controversy unfolded when National Committeeman Javon Williams claimed Ackley was ousted by majority vote during a November 4th meeting for violating an RNC rule prohibiting state parties from holding a caucus or primary before March 1st.

The party's caucus is currently slated for February eight, but the RNC chief counsel, Matthew Ramer, questioned the validity of the November 4th meeting and stated that the RNC would still recognize Ackley as chairman of the Virgin Islands GOP.

In a telephone interview with WTJX Radio News Feed, Ackley accused Williams and others of attempting a hostile takeover of the local party.

It's quite simple.

I think their call for the meeting was illegal, their meeting was illegal.

And the RNC decision that, you know, I was never removed as chairman because they did not have the authority to have that meeting take place.

This was a real coup.

Joining our panel for this episode, we have Sian Cobb, the executive editor and reporter at the VI Source.

Welcome to the show Sian.

And joining us from our studio in Saint Croix, let's welcome popular radio talk show host Sheldon Turnbull of 107.9 FM, The Vibe.

And joining us virtually, we have Jamila Russell, the voice behind the long running political radio show just Jamila on WSTX AM 970.

It's great to have you all again, especially you, Jamila.

But let's start with you shed so let's wrap up basically the last segment of the show with the unions.

The fact that all three of these unions are experiencing the same issues, basically of three different sectors.

Some overlap there between the AFT and the steelworkers.

Yes.

And that they represent so many employees.

There seems to be some common themes in the discussion with their experience with the Virgin Islands government.

What do you think about that?

I think the fact of respect that that was mentioned and the government following through on what it says it's going to do, I mean, it seems with the schools that this is a perennial problem.

Every year you think, okay, you've had all summer to get facilities ready and we come back and it's the same story over and over again.

Absolutely.

I'm going to our studio on St Croix, Mr. Turnbull, as a radio talk show host, I know you've probably covered these issues, but the same question to you in terms of the themes that we're seeing, disrespect, no progress being made.

These lawsuits with these are labor unions.

What do you think can be done on both sides to improve the relationships so that we could get some forward progress?

I think part of it is just the myopic view in many of the cases where they with the actual labor unions, if you think about some of the situations that occur, is not necessarily something as you just speak about the schools, the infrastructure of the schools of 40, 50, 60 years old.

We we talk about a situation at BOC in that overtime situation is something I've heard about a long time ago and how to calculate calculated.

Do you calculate overtime after 8 hours for the day, after 40 hours for the week?

So there are a lot of different kind of ways you can look at it.

I think communication is key as it refers to respect, I think does open an in a in a realistic fashion as to what can or cannot be done.

I take maybe one of the options that unions need to look at before making such movement.

Jamila basically the same question.

These issues, like Sian said, they almost seem perennial and we've been here before.

How do we take a positive step forward and any ideas and suggestions on both sides as to how we could approach these things better so that we don't spend time and resources on simple squabbles, that if we really get down to the meat and potatoes of things could actually be solved?

Trimble just said, I think that we all need to be cognizant of what happened when we did the 8% cut.

The court was very clear.

The Virgin Islands government has to negotiate in good faith and we have to be realistic with the revenues that the government is collecting.

And we have to ensure that there is a new revenue stream coming in, because when you negotiate for salary increases, that means that you have to match government revenues for that new additional expense.

It's not you know, I know a lot of people think that the government has money on a tree that they can just lop off.

However, with every union negotiated increase that's implemented, you have to have the necessary revenues coming in to be able to cover that expense.

And a lot of times people don't understand that.

And, you know, the Office of Collective Bargaining can do a better job in communicating the government's financial position to the unions and make it clear where the government is financially in terms of negotiating wages.

And, you know, we cannot continue to just view, negotiate as salary increases.

We have to take a look at other benefits, because when we only talk about salary increases, it begs the question where are we going to get the money to sustain those increases?

I'm going to stick with you for our next topic, Jamila.

UVI has narrowed its search down for a new president to three individuals and one of those individuals, Ms. Schrader.

That's a very famous name on Saint Croix.

What do you think about the three individuals?

Have you had any chance to look into their backgrounds?

It seems like they all have solid, solid CV's, but do you have a preference or favor that you'd like to see for the leadership of the university in the future?

Well, I do have a preference, but, you know, in there, you know, I'd like to be fair.

And so I have done a review of the candidates.

And there are three candidates, one male, two females.

The two females happen to be from the Virgin Islands.

And I think that most importantly, it's the time is right for us to place the leadership, the highest educational post in our territory, back within the purview of a Virgin Islander.

We asked our children to go away to school, get educated and come back home to make a difference.

And we have two very capable women who are putting themselves out and making themselves available to return home.

As of the two of three candidates.

There is only one candidate who has experience as a president, and that's the former name that you just called.

And so she comes with that experience.

But I think that we need to look at what we're the messaging we have as a territory, and we need to ask Virgin Islanders to return home.

And we have two women that's very capable that can return home and inspire the next generation Virgin Islanders, especially young girls, to attend school, Let me jump in.

Let me jump in one second and get to Mr. Turnbull.

I have a quick question for you, Sheldon.

What do you think the educational priority should be for the next president of the University of the Virgin Islands?

Well, educational priority, I think just growing the in the different schools that they have currently.

I think UVI has done a great job in moving things forward and they have the Ph.D. degrees as well now.

So I think it's educationally I think they're on the right track.

You have the medical school and some of the different things they have applied to and have been moving forward just to see do some of those come to completion as it pertains to the presidency?

I'm going to stick with it.

Stick in local.

If we have individuals of the Virgin Islands who are knowledgeable of our people, how we how we move, how we commute, how we move together as a people and you have somebody who has that knowledge, that knowledge and experience to do the job.

Let's just get somebody from the VA. We've got a guy, but I'm going to stick with who any of the two ladies, one that's presidential experience.

The next one has the necessary skillset and experience to do the same.

Let's just keep it all.

Looking at the three finalists, have you reviewed any of their by hand, and do you have a preference for who you would like to see?

And also, what direction would you like to see them take the university?

I have not in-depth, but yes, I've looked.

I've taken a look at the candidate and I have to agree.

I think the two women, I think it's really wonderful that they're both from here and have extensive backgrounds in education, but also in fundraising, in management, in overseeing programs, which I think will be important, especially to get the medical school off the ground.

Yeah, the fundraising aspect would be very and building community.

I think one of the things I'd like to see on a personal level for the university is better catering of the programs to the economy that we have here and the economy that we would like to see in the future.

I think that there are courses that are absent from there, from the university, that curriculum that are pertinent to who we are as Virgin Islanders and where we'd like to see ourselves go that aren't being offered.

And hopefully that could be a goal and agenda of the of the new university president.

But you covered the GOP story, and I got to tell you, the Virgin Islands GOP, there's only 1122 of them in the territory, but they make the National Party on a regular basis.

It seems like from 2006 they've made up The Daily Show.

They've been HBO with Jon Stewart, right?

I mean, it's the never ending story that keeps on giving.

So having kind of not having that being that you've covered this last outage, what do you think is the source of all this acrimony within the GOP?

I don't know I think it's some personalities.

Some people have pointed to the executive director, Dennis Lennox, who is from Michigan, a passionate Republican, you know, very smart, very connected.

But I think that's caused some rifts, Uh, locally.

Yes, but what about.

Yes, but does this reflect what we're seeing on the national right?

And I was going to say that I do think it's a microcosm of the splits that we're seeing in the National Republican Party.

It it almost makes you wonder if it's time for them to split their party.

Sure is.

Is to that there's just such a right wing faction.

Maybe it's time for them to branch off.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Jamila, same question.

I know you've probably paid very close attention to the power struggle that has basically been going on since 2016, and then we have this latest.

It seems like every once in a while they just pop up and there's issues right now from a national perspective, it looks like the GOP is going to probably go with Donald Trump.

I think the only candidate that might have a chance of becoming the nominee is Nikki Haley.

And in recent days, she's picked up some support for some key from some key Republicans.

But what do you think is the source of all this?

Normally we're like to go along to get along, got gang down here.

But the GOP has more fighting than any other political party, the Virgin Islands.

What do you think that is?

And that's because a lot of people who live stateside, that may be Republicans, they they recognize that the Virgin Islands allows them the platform to attend a national convention wearing as if they were in their home state, they would be competing against other Republicans.

Are there other better known Republicans?

And there are some fresh I know some local Virgin Islanders who've been Republican all their lives.

Yes, their families have been Republicans.

We have two Republican Virgin Islands family here that predates the influx of Republicans into our territory.

And what's happening just reminds me of, you know, when the Democratic Party in the Virgin Islands split and the mortar and pestle and, you know, the Democrats and then a new party formed from that.

Yeah, except in this case, it's people who weren't necessarily born and raised in the Virgin Islands, but more so people who chose to call the Virgin Islands home.

That's bringing the national issues here in the Territory to the territory.

We're in the Virgin Islands.

It's very we're very conservative people.

And so there are a lot of people who affiliate with the Republican Party here locally that believe in the conservative values of the party.

And they don't necessarily agree with the national platform that the Republican Party of late has taken.

And so I think that's been a lot of the infighting here.

But it's for prestige getting to that national core of being able to have a voice.

And this territory affords them the opportunity to have that platform to become, you know, a power broker within the party nationally.

Well, Sheldon, one of the things that's causing the infighting in the party is the fact that Gordon Ackley as a new executive has actually moved up the caucus, making the delegates from the Virgin Islands, as Jamila just alluded to in the national convention, even more valuable and having more influence on who the nominee might be earlier on.

Because, you know, Iowa is first, then New Hampshire.

And guess what?

The Virgin Islands is now third versus south Carolina or Nevada.

So those delegates become more important.

And I know I'm sure you're familiar in 2016 to 2016 where we had individuals move to the Virgin Islands just to become delegates.

And that was all well documented and basically a plan for the Trump campaign to gain some delegates here in the territory.

So do you think that's basically, you know, what we're seeing now is a spillover from that?

Yeah, definitely.

I think Jamila's point about individuals coming to the Virgin Islands, recognizing their the ability and the ease of which to become to be actually the delegates is a key part of this.

I don't think it's the same late as the split nationally with the far, far far right the MAGA Republicans as compared to the more moderate Republican.

So I don't think it's a situation of that sort.

But more so of just getting that opportunity to be a representative, I think automatically got the okay from the RNC to see this was a it was an illegal vote.

And as such, he's the one that they have in charge.

So it goes from there.

Sian, I want to bring up one point, though, because money is the mother's milk of politics.

That's what I learned when I studied my political science for my political science degree and the Republican Party has done a phenomenal thing in that they have managed to get the presidential candidates to pay, I think, something like a $30,000 to 20 $20,000 to be on the ballot, and then several of them committed.

So this was a big fundraiser for them by moving their their caucus up and a huge influx of cash.

I mean, for I can tell you right now, the Republican Party of the Virgin Islands with 1122 members, has more money than the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands with over 30,000 members.

So do you think that the money is also a factor?

And do you think that there may be some machinations behind the scenes by some of the national campaigns and they're dabbling and that's causing the stir ups?

You know, I hadn't really considered that, but I'm sure that could be.

But we're still so small compared, you know, to to some of the operations out there.

But like you said, it gives people a chance to have influence.

Well, I think we are.

It is Virgin Islands.

Absolutely.

And it made us more attractive because, as Gordon Ackley has said, if the other two give their delegates proportionately but it's like will be a winner take all here.

So somebody could pick up nine delegates if they didn't do well.

Yes, somewhere else, somewhere else change the entire dynamic because we know the first three forces before Super Tuesday, yet they actually historically have set up who the candidate was.

Right.

And so the Virgin Islands could actually influence, Yeah, being a major decision maker who the Republican nominee is.

Now, I understand that they're going to have national coverage.

I understand that CNN, Fox major networks are committed to being here in February.

Have you heard anything like that?

Heard?

Yeah.

And that I'm sure they're working on it, you know, trying to draw that kind of interest.

Yeah, but what do you think that would mean for us?

I mean, if we have that kind of coverage and will, you're publication be covering the caucus on that day?

Absolutely.

Yeah, I think it would be.

I mean, it's always good to make people aware that we're here and possibly to highlight some of the issues, which has been good because they have been getting they got representatives from while they had Ron DeSantis meet them, virtually, they had Nikki Haley's rep, they've had Trump and they're generating interest.

And to make people aware of things like the inequalities here, especially it comes to being able to vote for president, you know, to make people aware of the inequities when it comes to Medicare or Medicaid or Social Security programs.

Sure, Jamila, this week, of course, in the news we saw that over the Thanksgiving break, a new lawsuit was filed by five gene donors and Joe Jane, those in the state of New york.

I understand that there's a deadline of tomorrow to file any such lawsuits within new York state.

And we have former governors, men who are listed as defendants in the suit, former senators.

We have our delegate to Congress, the former first lady, this Jeffrey Epstein episode, chapter and Virgin Islands history does not seem to have an ending.

Have you had a chance to review the suit at all?

It's a 37 page document that was filed in the Southern District of New York.

Have you had a chance to see what allegations are being made there?

And what do you think about the argument that the plaintiffs are making that the Virgin Islands government literally aided and abetted, aided and abetted, rather, his activities here in the territory, his illegal activities?

Well, yes, I have reviewed it.

But before I get to that, just I wanted to mention something that sian mentioned.

I don't think that any of the people that are that's coming to visit the territory that when they visit well, under Republican visit, there are issues regarding the inequality when it comes to voting or to Medicare that that's a priority for them.

I think this is just a means to the end to gain delegates.

And I don't truly think that the party has any discussion about the Virgin Islands position, nor have I heard the local Republican Party voice what their issues would what issues they would bring to the National Party to address some of the issues that we believe we face here as a result of our relationship with the federal government?

That being said, but just a little correction.

It's Sian just so you know.

But go ahead on that topic and thank you, Sian.

Sorry, I like to pronounce people's name correctly.

I get it wrong all the time, too.

All right.

So I have reviewed the I think that the documents I think that lawsuit of the lawsuit, does not understand that the United States, the Virgin Islands of the United States, that the local government is not in control of immigration, nor are we in control of Customs and Border Protection.

So the lawsuit does not mention the United States Immigration Office, nor does it mention the United States Customs and Border Protection.

And those are the individuals that have to have to clear Mr. Epstein to come to our territory.

I'm going to defend the Virgin Islands from for all enemies, foreign and domestic.

And while I, I, I can empathize with any victim of sexual abuse as a woman, I think that's the most that's the absolute most awful thing that can happen to a female.

However, I think that the lawsuit is reaching I don't think that the government of the Virgin Islands, whether or not Mr. Epstein lobbied for laws, there are people who lobby for laws for their benefit every day.

Whether or not he did that, if that's a crime, I don't think that in of itself is a crime, and nor do I think that the Virgin Islands government proper had any control of immigration or customs.

And so I don't understand the claims that are being made in the lawsuit, because we we just everybody that travels through the territory knows you have to go through customs and, you know, and we don't issue our own passports, so I or visas.

So I'm at a loss as to the foundation that was laid.

And I'm hoping that the Virgin Islands can come back with us.

Very strong filing to make it clear and make it clear that due to our status as a as a unincorporated territory of the of the United States, that the lawsuit is improper.

Okay.

So so then I'm going to come to you, but I'm going to first start with Sian here on set.

What do you think about the suit?

What do you think about some of the points that were made?

Agree completely with Jamila.

It's so thin.

I read it.

I was just what are they thinking?

I think it's something I think it's a publicity stunt for for the attorney really.

And talking to one of my sources who's an attorney, he said it can't be a money grab because with the tort laws here, they they would only be a 20 to get 25.

Is that the limit?

So even if he got, you know, 20 victims.

And the other thing is, is that it it's not showing it.

Why did they file it in New York versus here versus here?

Yeah.

And so it could be that he's trying to generate some publicity to get more clients, clients to add to the process.

Yeah, that's that's an excellent angle on Mr. Turnbull.

Your take on the whole situation and what your fellow hosts, your fellow panelists have said on.

I totally agree with them.

I think it's a frivolous lawsuit.

The tort laws here dictate what the max would be.

I think it's just a reach.

And I think part of it probably stems from that which was done from the Vas and with the former attorney general suing the bank, you know, and that maybe he gave somebody an idea they can try and do it the other way.

But totally frivolous.

The points made by Sian Jamila, excellent and nothing else to see on that.

Well, one of the soapboxes that I've gotten on because I think this new lawsuit has ginned up and I'm you being a talk show host here on Saint Thomas, you know that folks have they usually call up with their ire.

And I think there's been a rehashing of emotions.

But the one thing that I'm very frustrated about is the fact that there's protests going on and people have decided to protest now, I guess every Tuesday until they see some result as a result of this lawsuit.

But we have our own elephant rhinoceros and like whale, blue whale in the room in our local case involving Bruce Smith.

And not a single soul has protested about the fact that the Department of Human Services promised an investigation into whether administrators at the school knew about this situation.

We haven't heard that same attorney general had that information, didn't prosecute anybody, didn't bring a case forward.

So why is it we go so hard in the paint on this Epstein issue, but we're not doing the same for our own children?

Why do you think that's the case?

Sheldon It's it's so funny.

We had on this show in the morning just recently the same type of commentary where we we blow up certain things and don't look at the things that are right here at home.

And I guess sometimes it just sounds better.

It looks better, or you don't want to bring it upon yourself.

But we we make a big issue about is Epstein case.

But like you said, other cases here locally we are relatively mum.

Correct.

I feel you what you're saying.

But it's a good question as to why we don't, you know, check those as well.

Jamila, same question to you.

The issue is there is no national attack, there is no national attention on the Bruce Smith issue.

We like to condemn our own publicly.

You know, people used to say close your door and beat your child however that old saying was but we we don't do that anymore.

We there's a certain mentality in our territory that we like to you know to to cane tar and feather our own out publicly for everybody else to see.

And because the Epstein case is getting national attention, they want their 15 minutes of fame.

I tell people all the time, social media, you know, having access to information at your fingertips almost immediately has made everybody an expert in everything, has made everybody an activist in every situation and has made given everybody a voice, which is which is fine if it's used to promote positivity and good in our community.

But so many are using it to, you know, to tear down that divide instead of build up our Virgin Islands.

And like I said, I will defend the Virgin Islands from all enemies, foreign and domestic.

And what they're doing doesn't help our territory.

And if this case school, which you and I discussed this on my show, just on on my show, you know, just Jamila, But I discussed this on my show.

Who's who's going to pay if this frivolous lawsuit moves forward?

It's the people of the territory that's going to lose.

That means we're going to have reduced services at our hospitals, reduce services to fix our roads, reduce services in the classrooms.

Let me let me get I've got to jump in because we we only have a few seconds left.

But, Sian, real quickly, do you think as a reporter, have you inquired with the Department of Human Services as to what the status of that investigation that we have not heard a word about?

I have not, but that's a very good point.

Do me a favor to do a follow up and love to have you back on the show to hear what they have to say, because I think that it's incredulous that we can get answers.

Yeah, but too often and that is my pet peeve, we can't get answers.

Thank you, Sian.

Thank you all.

And that's all we have for the show today.

But be sure to tune in next Sunday at 1 p.m. for part two of our State of the Union series, featuring representatives from the Law Enforcement supervisors union and the Police Benevolent Benevolent Association.

In the meantime, for your news updates, tune into news feeds every weekday at 5 p.m. on 93.1 FM or by downloading the WTJX app.

I'm Lesley Comissiong for all of us here at WTJX Channel 12.

Have a great Sunday.

~MUSIC~ I like those human moments, but I prefer nailing that opening.

Okay welcome to comes with the Territory.

I'm Leslie Commission.

We begin with a closer look at the challenges confronting labor unions.

The represent the majority of the territory's workforce.