It's 2026, another election year, and the League of Women Voters is here again on WTJX-TV to interview candidates seeking elected office in the US Virgin Islands.

Our goal with these programs is to help you, the voter, make well-informed choices for your precious votes.

My name is Dr.

Andrea Dorsey, a member of the League of Women Voters of the US Virgin Islands.

Today, we are speaking with three candidates for the position of senator in the St.

Thomas, St.

John District.

Candidates, thank you for being here with us today.

Please introduce yourselves only with your name, political affiliation, and ballot number, starting with Dr.

Sinai Hastie.

Dr.

Sinai Hastie, independent candidate, and number 11 on the ballot.

Thank you.

Senator Dwayne DeGraff.

Dwayne DeGraff, independent candidate, number four on the ballot.

Thank you.

Attorney and Delegate Rudel A. Hodge Jr.

Thank you.

Delegate Rudel A. Hodge Jr, Esquire, number 12 on the ballot, Democrat.

Thank you.

To learn more about you, can you now state how your education, your professional experience, and relevant accomplishments have prepared you for the position of senator?

Also state how you think this makes you stand out among all the other candidates, please.

Starting with Dr.

Hastie.

Thank you, Dr.

Dorsey.

I grew up here in the Virgin Islands on St.

Thomas.

I went to Antilles.

My education history is I went to the University of North Carolina, where I received my bachelor's in environmental science and marine science, and then my PhD in oceanography from the University of South Florida.

I've been a professor of oceanography at UVI, and currently am the Chief of Fisheries for the Division of Fish and Wildlife at the Department of Planning and Natural Resources.

My history has been learning about the ocean and understanding how the ocean works in those systems.

I went abroad to the United States to get my degree and to come back home to the Virgin Islands, because we're a territory surrounded by water, and I thought we should have people that are learning about it and how it influences us.

Thank you, Dr.

Hastie.

Senator DeGraff, you have 60 seconds.

Thank you.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four on the ballot.

I grew up here in the territory in Savan.

Spent years coaching high school students, carnival king, a PTA president, police department, and a soldier in the Virgin Islands National Guard.

In my career as senator, I have championed for the seniors, veterans, and the youth.

I've had the opportunity to hire over 100 youth in my tenure as senator for summer employment.

Those are some of my great accomplishments.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four on the ballot.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator.

Attorney Hodge.

Thank you.

So I graduated from Charlotte Amalie High School.

I then went away to Binghamton University in upstate New York, where I got my degree in philosophy, politics, and law.

I then went on to law school at Florida International University College of Law, class of 2022.

And then shortly after, returned to the territory because, seeing as the world after COVID, it was time for a new Virgin Islands, a renaissance in the Virgin Islands' politics, a renaissance in the Virgin Islands' living.

And that's why I decided to return home after getting those higher degrees.

I was elected in 2024 to be a delegate to the Sixth Constitutional Convention to draft the Constitution of the Virgin Islands, and in that role, I saw some of the many pain points that the Virgin Islands structurally, currently exists.

And thus, because of that experience, I decided it was time for myself to enter into the race as one of the few digital natives in the race currently, because it's time for a new Virgin Islands with new leadership, new ideas, and improved quality of life.

Thank you, Attorney Hodge.

Now, a word to viewers about our approach in these programs.

Surely, one hour is insufficient to address all the issues of concern.

So the league's approach is to have candidates demonstrate how they think and what skills, ideas, and meaningful strategies they can bring to the table.

We have selected some talking points which we hope can demonstrate that information for you.

To ensure that each of them have equal time to answer these questions, they will be provided with 60 seconds to respond.

If there is a difference of opinion, you will encourage candidates to make a rebuttal for up to 45 seconds.

After all the rebuttals are made, the candidate will have 45 seconds to address them all.

We ask for respectful treatment of each other.

Your interactions will certainly say much to the viewers about what to expect of your behavior as a senator in the legislature.

Candidates, as we begin, will you affirm that you have not been privy to our questions in advance in any way?

Starting with Attorney Hodge, can you please affirm?

Yes, I have not seen any questions before this meeting.

Thank you.

Senator DeGraff?

I affirm.

I have not seen any questions for this event.

Thank you, Senator.

Dr.

Hastie?

I have not seen any questions before the taping of this.

Thank you, Dr.

Hastie.

So let's get started.

And we will start with the big elephant in the room that is stomping on everything, WAPA.

So let's be frank.

Don't you think that there's more to WAPA's colossal failures besides lack of money?

So let's call the beast by its name and identify other factors you think that contributes to this horror story.

How would you, as a senator, address these other concerns?

You may still include financial issues as a minor point if you wish.

Each candidate will have 60 seconds to respond, starting with Dr.

Hastie.

Thank you.

I think beyond just the financial, there's been a lack of long-term planning that's been used to understand how we can fix and move towards a more reliant power and energy system in the territory.

There's also a lack of accountability and transparency in how decisions are being made that are affecting the people of the Virgin Islands.

Finding a better structure for how those decisions can be made and making sure that there's no influence on decisions that influence how WAPA makes its decisions is a priority that we need to focus on.

That means identifying if the board structure still works for how WAPA can control and manage our energy systems in the territory.

In addition to that, learning how we can restructure power to make sure that it is equitably distributed across the territory is an important factor that I don't think we talk about enough.

Thank you, Dr.

Hastie.

Senator DeGraff?

Thank you.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four on the ballot.

I think with WAPA, it needs to be structured in two elements.

One for power generation and water, and two for administration.

Because there's a lot of money now in WAPA through the federal government, and we're moving forward.

I definitely don't agree with privatizing WAPA.

Let's make that clear.

But I think when we get it into two elements, we can audit each individual element separately and keep better tabs on WAPA going forward.

That's my solution toward WAPA right now.

Thank you.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four.

Thank you, Senator.

Attorney Hodge.

Rudel A. Hodge Jr, Esquire, number 12 on your ballot.

The issue with WAPA is a multifaceted issue.

As we stated, finances is one, but I do think it's structure.

If you look at the start of WAPA, it was created by a legislative act to create this semi-autonomous company that was just responsible and had a sole monopoly on power generation and power transmission in the territory.

This was made in the 1960s, and we're now in 2026, and it's time to upgrade and update the structure.

I think updating and upgrading the structure takes a lot of work and effort by the people of the Virgin Islands, and it's going to take some learning pains.

But I would suggest that It will be in the best interest to look at what other rural communities in the United States have done with the power generation by moving from a for-profit company that has a monopoly over power generation and power transmission, to a cooperative owned by ratepayers in the Virgin Islands.

And also, designing a power system that actually functions for a modern day.

Everybody uses computers, everybody uses cell phones, everybody uses, hopefully, AC and fans and cooling devices.

Thank you, Attorney.

Based on the approaches provided, do you have a rebuttal, any of you, from what you've heard so far?

Any rebuttals at this time?

All right.

Thank you.

Well, let's move on to the next topic, impact of demographics.

What impact do you see resulting from a continuing outward migration and an aging population on our future?

Are there strategies addressed in your platforms about these impacts?

If so, can you please explain them, starting with Attorney Hodge.

Thank you.

Rudelle Hodge Jr, number 12 on your ballot.

I think we have to look at it at a holistic approach, not just our rising age of the population, but also declining birth rate.

And it's time to really consider how can we bring Virgin Islanders back home to the territory with the skills necessary to actually advance this territory.

I like to call this time the Virgin Islands Renaissance, because we have been in this downward spiral for many, many years.

But as you hit the bottom, the only place you can go is up.

And I think my platform, which is PROPT, preparation, respect, opportunity, and preparation, it deals with those core issues of how can we prepare the Virgin Islands, return respect to Virgin Islanders, and give opportunity to Virgin Islanders, and also preserve the Virgin Islands.

So this is my platform, and I think this is how it would work in the senatorial standards.

Thank you, Attorney Hodge.

Dr.

Hafiz?

Senai Hafiz, number 11 on the ballot.

Beyond the fact that we are not bringing enough Virgin Islands home, we have to really inspire them.

And to inspire them, we have to build the structures that are necessary.

That means listening to young people and understanding what types of industry they want to move into, what economic sectors they want built in the territory.

We're seeing that focusing solely on tourism and hospitality is leading to diminishing returns.

And what we need to do is create a better workforce development program, as well as economic incentives to bring new sectors to the territory.

Expanding things like the blue economy, having creators and makers be able to be developed here in the territory, moving towards better industrialization in areas that will bring people home to grow our healthcare sectors.

But that means realistically looking at our systems and understanding what we need to do to better them.

Instead of having siloed approaches in government, create coordinated networked systems that allow people to understand how they see themselves coming back to the territory.

Thank you, Dr.

Hafiz.

Senator DeGraff?

Yes.

Thank you.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four on the ballot.

I think we have to go back to what got me here.

I've lived here all my life.

I grew up here.

We have to go back to the core where we realize that people matter.

We're going into a time of AI where many people are going to be replaced, so we have to show our children right now that we care about them, and we're making our infrastructure and setting goals for them.

And let our seniors know that, "Hey, we intend to take care of them as they get older."

Because right now, everybody has to leave for everything else, because we look at maybe tourism, but we look at different things.

So invest in our people.

Start with elementary schools and go forward.

I've had the opportunity to hire some of the students, and when you give them that opportunity, that pride, put some money in their pocket, give them responsibilities, it makes a big difference.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four on the ballot.

Thank you, Senator.

Candidates, are there any disagreements to the strategies being shared here today?

All right.

So next question.

With a significant decrease in population, our tax base has plunged, and that has worsened all our woes.

What economic stimuli or strategic approach to increase the tax base would you advocate for as a senator?

You have 60 seconds to respond, starting with Senator DeGraff.

Yes.

Thank you.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four on the ballot.

To increase the tax base, right now, we have to deal with collections.

We have delinquent taxes in our property taxes.

We have income taxes where people can't get their returns.

We have to deal with the things that already are law and address those rather than implementing new taxes.

I'm against new taxes just to fill a gap.

Continue with what we are supposed to be doing by enforcement and collections, and I think we can move forward, going forward into the future.

We've just completed a budget, and these are the things that I've seen over the many years where we look to tax our people just to fill a gap.

Let's collect and enforce.

Thank you.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four.

Thank you, Senator.

Attorney Hodge?

Thank you.

Rudelle Hodge Jr, number 12 on your ballot.

I think it is going to take a strategic plan to return the population to what once was the Virgin Islands.

Based on our last census data, we was at approximately 80,000 people, and we previously was hovering around 100,000 to 110,000, depending on the estimates that you look at.

But it will take a strategic plan to return Virgin Islanders to the territory and also to increase our birth rate.

Again, I think a giant elephant in the room is not just our aging population, but it's also that our population that lives here do not want to have any more kids to replace that aging population.

So a strategic plan to increase the quality of life in the Virgin Islands, introduce those new sectors, invest in our blue economy, invest in agriculture, so we can feed our people in the territory versus importing 98 or 97% of our foods to the territory.

And also really working on creating a circular economy in the Virgin Islands.

Right now, a lot of money that comes into the territory leaves the territory, and that needs to be changed.

Thank you, Attorney.

Dr.

Hafiz?

Thank you.

Dr.

Senai Hafiz, number 11 on the ballot.

I agree with Rudelle that we need a strategic plan, and what we need to do is stop being reactive and actually be proactive, developing a clear idea of the sectors that we want to build so that we can recruit and bring in new businesses.

A large area that is underserved in our sectors of the economy is the blue economy.

But you can't simply say the blue economy, you have to understand what that means.

That means creating the right rules and regulations, limiting the amount of bureaucratic red tape that keeps new businesses from starting, and really focusing on creating a regulatory environment that welcomes those new businesses into the territory without disturbing and destroying our natural resources.

In addition to that, we have to build workforce development programs that are building the students as well as the workforce that we need to fix those areas.

Beyond that, what we really need to do is find out a better way of broadcasting that to the world and letting them know that we are open for business in the right areas.

Thank you, Dr.

Hafiz.

Is there a different perspective from any of our candidates?

All right.

So let's shift into the topic of affordability.

I'm sure you all would agree, the cost of living in the U.S.

Virgin Islands has always been high and has skyrocketed recently.

Two questions for you.

First, what factors do you see have contributed to this?

And two, indicate how you would assist families, especially those struggling with eldercare.

A survey by AARP indicated that 70% of such families lamented the little support from the government for family care support.

So what is your strategy, if elected, to increase support for struggling families, in particular, in meeting the high cost of elderly care in the U.S.

Virgin Islands?

Starting with Dr.

Hafiz.

Thank you.

Dr.

Senai Hafiz, number 11 on the ballot.

One, I think we have to build, and this is a long-term strategy, the healthcare workforce that's necessary to support those needs.

Two, I think what we have to do is build systems into our sectors for business.

That means we have to give people the ability to take care of aging relatives and create either leave or incentive programs that allow them to have the structure where they're not running around as much and are limited by those needs that take on their time.

Three, I think we need to make it easier on people.

The structures and systems in our current government requires so much moving around without being online, that it takes away from the few days and times that people have available.

And what we have to do is create a coordinated system that moves things online, that's a fully enterprise system across the government, so it doesn't require as much of people's time, so that they do have time to go back to their families and help with an aging population.

Thank you, Dr.

Hafiz.

Senator DeGraff?

Yes.

One thing the Senate has done for many years is support nonprofit organizations who provide great services to this territory.

So one, we'll continue to support nonprofit services in the territory.

You know, when it comes to taking care of our elderly, that's where we need to have a strategic plan going forward to decide what are we going to do with our elderly, how are we going to do it, and then we can move forward on taking care of our elderly.

The opening up for businesses that can come in to address our families and our elderly, also is what we need to do.

And our hospitals and so forth, when we get those up and running, to get those immediately, as fast as we can, to help our seniors going forward and the people in the community.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four on the ballot.

Thank you, Senator.

Attorney Hodge?

Thank you.

Rydel A. Hodge, Jr., Esquire, number 12 on your ballot.

In terms of helping our Virgin Islanders with assisting their elderly population, elderly family members, I think it's a multifaceted solution.

One, we need to bring down the cost of food, and I think agriculture, locally based agriculture, and Caribbean based, regional based agriculture would do that.

Right now, we import almost 98% of our food into the territory, which is currently facing hyperinflation and the pressures of a globalized world, and also the current conflicts that's going on in this world.

And because of those factors, we need to make sure that we are able to feed ourselves locally with the resources here.

Moreover, I do agree with Senator DeGraff in terms of our hospital systems have to be rebuilt and structured properly to give the best quality of life to our aging population, and also, UVI needs to expand and build a medical school, and also build better partnerships with other medical schools around the nation, especially the HBCUs.

Thank you, Attorney.

So based on the strategies as well as factors identified, would any of you have a concern concerning any of them being shared here today?

Thank you.

So, as you know, corruption in government has become a big concern.

Has it increased because we are better at finding it, or has it actually increased?

So what role do you see for the legislature in addressing the issue, and what would you do as part of your plan as a senator?

You have 60 seconds to respond, starting with Attorney Hodge.

Thank you.

Rydel A. Hodge, Jr., Esquire, number 12 on your ballot.

In terms of corruption, I think based on the pulse of the community, corruption has always existed in our government in some shape or form, and this uptick that is being publicized is because of the new transparency that has been allowed and the new technologies.

Some things I would think that was once able to be swept under the rug or hidden are now available because we do have a much more transparent government.

But that's not where we need to be.

We actually need to be even more transparent as a government with better dashboards, online ledgers, things of that nature to actually truly weed out corruption.

And then we also need to be using more modern tools with enforcing those things, enforcing payments or materials, so things that have happened in the past few years and few months does not happen in the near future.

Thank you, Attorney.

Dr.

Hatiz?

Thank you.

Dr.

Sania Hatiz, number 11 on the ballot.

I think it's both.

I think probably there has been increases in corruptions, but there are better tools and better investigative activities occurring in the territory.

A renewed focus from the federal government on investigations probably hasn't hurt in finding that corruption.

I think to address it, we need better transparency and accountability in our government systems.

I think we can all see that the additional bureaucratic and administrative steps that we've taken really haven't stopped the level of corruptions that's occurred.

Creating new systems to track how we do spending and how we do requests for procurement or the GVI buy doesn't really catch the type of corruption that we've been seeing.

What we need is to create systems that allow the people of the Virgin Islands to better understand how money is being spent in the territory and create systems that allow us to track, along the four-year term of the executive branch, what they plan to do and how they plan to do it, and how that money will be used.

Thank you, Dr.

Hatiz.

Senator DeGraff.

I think first and foremost, Dwayne DeGraff, number four on the ballot.

Corruption, if you're going to do it, be prepared to pay the time.

You do the crime, pay the time.

Does it exist in the territory?

Yes, we have seen it.

Has it increased?

I don't know whether to say it has increased or not, but we are seeing more prevalent situations where our leaders are being caught in corruption.

So there are laws that already exist.

There are federal laws and local laws.

There are investigations that are going on every day, especially with the large influx of the federal monies that we have in the territory.

We continue to see every dollar being investigated.

So, don't do it is my best answer for you in terms of corruption.

But going forward as a senator, we can continue to tighten up some of the laws that we have that may be draconian and are antiquated to come in line more with some of the federal laws for more disciplines as to how we do things going forward in the territory.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four.

Thank you, Senator.

In your opinion, of what significance is the Epstein case to the US Virgin Islands?

If significant, what are the issues that should be addressed, and what will be your approach as Senator?

If it's not significant, explain how would you address concerns raised.

You have 60 seconds each to respond.

We'll start with Senator DeGraff.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four on the ballot.

I think it's very significant.

I have female children, grandchildren.

That's one, the exploitation and misuse of anyone, period, but females, we have to stand up for our young going forward and our females in the territory.

That's one.

Two, going forward, there has been much talk, and I think a lot of it has gotten blown out of proportion because we need to actually sit down and do our own investigation and address issue by issue in the territory.

What caused it?

What led to it?

How did it begin?

And the problem that it put the territory in and make us all look bad.

So I think it is of very great significance for us to address.

But how are we going to do it?

We should actually do it systematically and address step by step.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator.

Attorney Hodge?

Thank you.

Rydel A. Hodge, Jr., number 12 on the ballot.

I agree with the sentiments by Senator DeGraff.

The Epstein case is huge of significance to the Virgin Islands because it happened in the Virgin Islands, and I think the Virgin Islands has a responsibility to properly audit, track, and document what transpired during his time in the Virgin Islands and how we can make sure that it never happens again.

I am a board member of the Family Resource Center, currently serving as the secretary, and working with individuals who have similar situations or circumstances of abuse and being taken advantage of, I think it's very important that the Virgin Islands does its best to correct the history that it allowed on its watch, on its purview, in its jurisdiction, and we have to do a better job of actually documenting what exactly happened, auditing what exactly happened, because there was a huge financial tie to the territory because of Epstein.

Thank you, Attorney.

Dr.

Hatiz?

Thank you.

Dr.

Sania Hatiz, number 11 on the ballot.

I do think it's significant.

I don't think you can say that abuse of minors and illegal transport of minors across state lines is not a significant thing because it did happen in the territory.

So I think first we need to strengthen our laws and support of our police so that we can have better investigations so these types of things don't happen again.

I think we need to do a review of a lot of the structural incentives that were provided to the businesses that didn't allow us to understand better who this person was and using those things within the territory.

And I think a lot of it comes down to providing the necessary tools to the government agencies that review and revise these things because we don't have enough officers, we probably don't have enough detectives, we don't have enough information systems that allow us to track these things across the territory.

So building better tools that allow cooperation across agencies is extremely important to keeping these things from happening, and building a better plan going forward to make sure these things don't happen again would be my focus as a legislator.

Thank you, Dr.

Hatiz.

And so candidates, clearly you have indicated the significance of this case.

Based on the commentary heard, is there any approach that you may have disagreed with or strategy you've heard that you may be of a difference of opinion with?

All right.

Okay, so our next topic is on waste management.

As a small territory that imports most things, waste accumulation is a big problem.

Is waste management authority still the best solution, or should it return to public works?

Are there other ways to tackle waste in the Virgin Islands?

What can you do as senator to address these issues?

So starting with Senator DeGraff, you each have 60 seconds to respond.

Dwight DeGraff, number 4 on the ballot.

Thank you.

Waste management, whether it should go back under public work or not, it is still an issue where we basically have to catch up with time and pay for garbage in the territory.

We have to pay for collection.

We have to pay to keep our islands clean.

Our islands are filthy.

Waste management, as it is structured by itself, has a hard job.

I wouldn't particularly say it should be put back under public works now, but we need to get into fee structures and a revenue source, which we have been looking at for many years.

But right now, as it is now, we have a new person in charge.

We have the board in support of him.

We're in support of that person.

I think we can give waste management another chance to continue forward in collection, charging fees.

Some of the fees we may need to raise, or we may have to end up going down that road where we pay for services and keeping our territory clean.

Dwight DeGraff, number 4.

Thank you, Senator.

Dr.

Hatiz.

Thanks.

Dr.

Sania Hatiz, number 11 on the ballot.

I do think we need to revisit whether it should be a semiautonomous agency.

I think the development of many semiautonomous agencies has taken away the efficiency that's necessary within government.

If you have a lot of the same administrative structures and a lot of the same work that's being done across two agencies, it doesn't make sense for them to be under one house so that we can have cost savings.

But I think what we really need to focus on is another strategy that we haven't done enough on, which is limiting the amount of waste that is coming into our territory.

And also to improve our ability to create production here in the territory.

That means through agricultural practice, but also through industrial creation.

And so I think having people that can manufacture, I think we all remember when I was a child, there were many local businesses that created sodas, ice creams.

That's limited now because we're not creating the incentives for that to happen because it's cheaper to import everything in.

So we have to build that structure to limit the things that are coming into our territory better.

Thank you, Dr.

Hatiz.

Attorney Hodge.

Thank you.

Rydel A Hodge Jr, Esquire, number 12 on your ballot.

In terms of revisiting the structure of waste management and bringing it back to public work, I do agree with Dr.

Hatiz.

I do think it's time to think about our semiautonomous agencies and how they are serving or not serving the community.

I do think it is also time that the legislature should place on the books recycling laws in the territory.

We need to recycle, especially as a territory that imports 97 to 98% of its goods, and to be actually able to sort and be able to reuse some of that product.

Specifically, we also think about the car problem that the territory currently has, where a lot of these abandoned, decrepit cars.

That needs to be addressed.

And also lastly, in terms of fees, in terms of funding, we do understand that the Virgin Islands is one of the unique places in the world where we do not pay for garbage collection in most cases.

It is time to change that and modernize.

One solution I have thought about is implementing the blue bag system.

That is basically a government sponsored or structured trash bag that if you want your trash to be picked up by the government, you have to put your trash in that trash bag.

Thank you.

Thank you, attorney.

So the next question is, what one committee do you especially want to be a member of in the 37th legislature?

Please explain to us why.

What issues do you want to address in that committee?

Why would you be considered a member who can be of great significance in terms of your contributions?

We'll start with Attorney Hodge.

You have 60 seconds to respond.

Thank you, Dr.

Darcy.

Rydel A Hodge Jr., number 12 on your ballot.

When I think about the structure of the legislature and where I would best fit in, right now I'm leaning towards rules and judiciary, especially because of my legal background.

I think I would be a great asset to that committee and be able to help push forward a lot of action through that committee.

I also think it's time for us to reconsider some of the structures of our committees and actually create a new committee that's based on technology, that looks at the technological advancement of the Virgin Islands, and I would love to be a part of such a committee.

Thank you.

Thank you, attorney.

Dr.

Hatiz.

I think most likely I'd fit best with planning and natural resources, obviously, because that's where I am now.

But I think the committees focused on disaster recovery, and planning would be where I would fit best.

But I agree with Attorney Hodge that I think we really do need to revisit some of the structures for our committees to ensure that they're focused on the right things within the territory and the missions that our agencies focus on.

Thank you, Dr.

Hatiz.

Senator DeGraff.

Dwight DeGraff, number 4.

I do agree with the restructuring.

I will always want to be a part of the finance committee.

The funds generated in the territory go to the finance committee.

That runs how the territory operates and the services that are provided for the people of the Virgin Islands.

Personnel and fringe is your two heaviest parts of the finance committee in terms of funding.

Your employees are the backbone of the government of the Virgin Islands.

So going forward, I would always like to be a member of the finance committee.

Follow the funds, keep them assessed, and going forward for the territory to maximize the use in the territory for production.

Dwight DeGraff, number 4 on your ballot.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator.

So let's talk about disaster recovery.

How do you feel we're doing as a territory?

Are we fairing well?

Are we lagging behind?

How would you address the many issues Virgin Islanders face with respect to disaster recovery progress to date?

Let's start with Senator DeGraff.

Dwight DeGraff, number 4 on the ballot.

Thank you.

On a scale of A to F, F. We should have been a lot farther for the amount of money that we have allotted for the territory.

And with this president in line, we may lose a lot of it.

But to get this, we take the hospitals, just for instance, where we need healthcare.

We're losing a lot of our seniors, and people have to leave the territory for healthcare.

That's a major issue.

So the disaster recovery funds are not being spread throughout the territory fast enough.

The money is there, but the projects are just held up, I think.

So again, I say I give a F. So going forward, we need to push this new administration.

Let's get on board with that.

And as a senator, I'm in full support of any legislation or anything we have to do to get some of these projects moving forward.

Dwight DeGraff, number 4 on the ballot.

Thank you, Senator.

Dr.

Hatiz?

Yeah, Dr.

Sania Hatiz.

I don't think anyone would disagree with Senator DeGraff.

I don't think our recovery has gone well, and I think that's primarily because we didn't plan it.

You can't be ready for a disaster unless you've put and implemented the right type of plan in place.

That means building up the necessary technical capacity so that people can plan and build the systems that are necessary to execute programs after disasters hit.

I happened to be doing my PhD out in the Gulf of Mexico when Deepwater Horizon's oil spill blew, and I watched as the Gulf Coast and the University of South Florida, where I was getting my PhD, changed almost overnight.

Within five years, they had used that money to create new programs, shifted entire focuses of academic sectors, and used it to build the best natural resources program in the south.

I think we need to be ready to do that for when disasters hit, and we simply weren't because we didn't plan it out.

I think the legislature, if I'm elected, we can plan new ways that we can build up the technical capacity quickly, create new ways of employing people and hiring people to get things on the ground moving faster, which was our biggest problem, was the bureaucracy holding everything up.

Thank you, Dr.

Hatiz.

Attorney Hodge.

Thank you.

Rydel A Hodge Jr, number 12 on the ballot.

In terms of rating our recovery efforts, I also rate it very low on the scale, between a D and an F. But I do want to give some grace because of COVID.

I think that was an unexpected reality that happened to the territory.

And also, I do see, and I do hope, and I believe that this new recovery plan, especially with the new percentage that we have to pay back or match is much lower than the standard 50%.

It's only a 3% match at this point, will allow us over the next 10 years to expedite our recovery.

But as Dr.

Senait Hattis stated, we did not plan accordingly.

We didn't have time for COVID.

We didn't plan our industries properly for the needs that currently face the territory.

We don't have enough workforce right now for construction for a lot of the major school and hospital projects that need to come online for us to actually move forward in our recovery process.

Thank you.

Thank you, Attorney Hodge.

I have one rebuttal.

Sure.

Senator DeGraff for 45 seconds.

Thank you.

Rebuttal with respect.

When I think of workforce, I think of a hotel was built here on Havensight Dock in 18 months.

I don't see why we can't get schools built, hospitals built in the territory.

So tell me, about workforce, I don't think that's viable to me.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator.

Dr.

Hattis, Attorney Hodge, do you have any additional comments on this topic?

Yes.

In terms of workforce, I think it's very important to look at the difference between a private entity for a private corporation building versus the government of the Virgin Islands building a project at the scales that we're trying to build.

I can't tell you the exact number that was invested in the building of the hotel in approximately 24 months, because it took about two years.

It wasn't exactly 18.

We have a dire need for the technical skills and the workforce in the Virgin Islands.

And if we had planned 10 years ago or nine years ago, because we just passed nine years recently, to actually train our construction industry properly in the territory, we would not be having the issue of saying that we don't have enough people to actually complete the numerous projects in the territory versus just one project.

Thank you, Attorney.

Dr.

Hattis?

Yeah.

I would say that while we saw a hotel go up, we've seen several other things not being able to be built.

We have a high cost of construction.

Many government agencies simply have to move instead of rebuilding their agencies because we do not have the capacity to hire out small construction to do it because there aren't any.

We also see most of our large construction companies now starting to either partner with places in Puerto Rico or companies in the States to bring the workforce down, because we aren't building the workforce development and training programs that we need here to meet those demands.

So I don't think we can adequately say that we have all the workforce development that we need, though we can do amazing things.

We are an amazing place.

So Senator DeGraff, if you'd like to do so, you have an opportunity to provide any final thoughts on this discussion.

Yes, I would just like to say all the projects are going to be built by private entities, not local entities, not the government.

So the same resources that they have, the people that they used are here in the Virgin Islands.

A hotel is a big item.

Look at it for yourself.

Make a determination.

But I think we have a workforce.

Let's use what we have and then tell me we don't have to get these things done.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator.

Now let's discuss our educational system.

How would you address the many issues Virgin Islanders encounter with respect to education?

Starting with Dr.

Hattis.

Thank you.

Dr.

Senait Hattis, number 11 on the ballot.

I really do think we need to value it more.

That's a large part.

Both of my parents were educators.

I've seen my mother through the public school system.

My father was a professor of education at UVI, and so I talk to them regularly about our problems with the public education system.

There's a lot of great things in it as well.

We have amazing teachers, but we're not giving them the tools necessary to build good systems of education in the territory.

That means finding ways to better co-create curriculum.

That means making sure that they have the funding necessary and cash on hand to make fixes to their schools, so that their administration can focus on teaching and preparing our youth rather than having to worry about community fundraising to fix air conditioning systems in the gym or a backup generator so that the students don't have to go home every time it rains.

I think these are problems of structural issue that I think we need to revise how we set up the board of education to deal with those things, as well as create improved accountability across our government for our teachers by raising their pay and creating better union contracts that allow them to have the things that they need and work in places that truly value them.

Thank you, Dr.

Hattis.

Senator DeGraff?

Yes.

Thank you.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four on the ballot.

Education has to be dissected into many areas.

Teaching of our children, we have to take it serious going forward, go back to the elementary level and provide them with all the services that we need from the elementary level so they can see when they get to middle school, it's an extension of, not something new.

When they get to high school, it's an extension of elementary school, not something new.

Teachers, we have to incentivize and bring in teachers.

We need so many teachers in the territory.

Nationwide, it's a problem.

So to try to incentivize our teachers going forward and our infrastructure.

Right now, we have old infrastructure, mold, crumbling buildings.

Those are some things we have to shore up.

But for immediate address right now, let's go back to our children in elementary school level and start a program with them from elementary straight through to the university, because we have free tuition going forward.

Dwayne DeGraff, number four.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator.

Attorney Hodge?

Thank you.

Ridell Hodge Jr, Esquire, number 12 on your ballot.

I think education is of the utmost importance in the Virgin Islands, and I think one of the ways that the Virgin Islands can differentiate itself from other places is actually starting education earlier, starting from a pre-K three or pre-K four.

Because I think it's time that we really focus on the data, and we have learned through the human existence that the investment that you put into a child from the age of two, three, four, has lifelong effects in terms of the educational outcomes.

Furthermore, I think our structure in terms of our very politicized board of education needs to be addressed, and that's something that is being addressed in the Constitution that is being drafted by the Sixth Constitutional Convention.

And lastly, in terms of our infrastructure, in terms of our buildings, educational settings, students do not want to go to those schools with mold, with no AC, with teachers who don't want to teach.

We have to really fix those things.

And lastly, we have to return to a world where being an educator should not cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for certifications.

Right?

We need to bring it back to a level that elderly can teach or people in that profession has more accessibility.

Thank you, Attorney.

So based on the feedback provided here concerning education, is there a slight difference of opinion that you've heard from any of the candidates that you'd like to speak to in terms of your approach?

No.

Great.

All right.

Well, time is almost up for discussion with these three candidates seeking a seat in the 37th legislature.

So here is our final talking point for 60 seconds each.

Of course, there's an opportunity for a rebuttal.

So candidates, you are allowed to select one of the following topics that's not been addressed in our discussion and explain your approach in terms of responding to it as a senator.

You each have 60 seconds to do so.

The topics are crime, food security, and hospitals, starting with Dr.

Hattis Thank you.

Dr.

Senai Hatis, number 11 on the ballot.

I'd like to take food security.

I think we really need to create more innovative systems that help expand the way that we think about food in our territory beyond simply importing it in.

We have really great fisheries programs.

We can move towards aquacultural production.

We have food that is created by our farmers all across the territory, but we're not giving them the systems to succeed and build production.

That means creating incentives that can grow produce and make them bigger, and that means re-examining our relationship with the food that we're consuming in the territory and understanding that there's a different way.

I just participated in the VI Good Food Innovation Summit that they had last weekend, and it was amazing to see so many practitioners rethinking the way we think about food, moving it towards something that is self-determinative, and creating a better Virgin Islands going forward.

And that's the approach that I would support, bringing our community together to create ideas and systems together, not just government focused.

Thank you, Dr.

Hatis.

Attorney Hodge?

Thank you.

I would do hospitals.

I think our hospital crisis is something that has to be a major concern of the government, especially with the current status quo of the hospitals not being something that most Virgin Islanders use, especially Virgin Islanders who can pay for services.

They actually leave the territory and leave money on the table for the territory to go to hospitals elsewhere in the continental United States, sometimes even Puerto Rico, so forth and so on.

And that has to be changed.

We have to rebuild our hospitals to actually benefit the Virgin Islanders because right now we basically have a hospital that is universal healthcare, because the individuals who are most actively using our current hospitals do not have the means or funds to actually pay their due with the hospital systems right now.

So we really do have to restructure, re-innovate, and develop, and modernize our hospital systems for collection, for services, and so forth and so on, so we can have a modernized hospital system in the Virgin Islands.

Thank you, Attorney Hodge.

Senator DeGraff.

Dwight DeGraff, number four.

Thank you.

I think crime.

One, I relate crime to everything.

It's a societal problem, not just the police, but one we can incentivize more of our local individuals to become police officers to address crime.

But again, take it back to the elementary schools where we start to teach our children right from wrong and address things, and incorporate in crime, incorporate the police department, incorporate education, incorporate tourism, incorporate waste management, incorporate public awareness of our elders, of our young, our culture.

It becomes a community investment, the way we grow our food, because all of these things intertwine.

So in crime, to address one issue of crime, hospitals, or food security, we start with our young generation, moving them up, get away from AI.

Let them know they are people, and they have high value.

And we want to move it where we address all the issues together.

Dwight DeGraff, number four.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator.

I see, Attorney, you have a rebuttal for 45 seconds.

Yes.

Thank you.

Please proceed.

Thank you.

Rudel Hodge Jr., number 12 on the ballot.

I just want to rebuttal just the point of getting away from AI.

I think it's actually very important that the Virgin Islands actually uses AI to our best interest and the best efforts.

I don't think we should follow down the same trend of not using AI like we didn't use computers and decide to be late laggers in this modern society.

I do think it is important to have a grasp of the modern technologies and actually put our children in the most advantageous place by allowing them to use and explore, in controlled environments, AI, machine learning, and eventually quantum computing, because this is just the reality of this new world.

Thank you, Attorney.

Senator DeGraff?

Yes.

Thank you.

When I talk about get rid of AIs or not following AI, AI is the future.

I do agree.

But imagine I came from an era where I made a future for the young generation.

Now it could seem as if the generations now are making a future for AI, robots, everything to replace us.

That's what I'm talking about.

Let's make our children realize the value that they have from young, so when they go right through their life, they understand where AI has its place, and it's a great effort going forward, a great tool, AI is.

But just remember, you have a brain and you are somebody.

Dwight DeGraff, number four.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator DeGraff.

Any additional thoughts shared here by candidates that you would like to provide additional insights on at this time, candidates?

Well, for me- Sure, Senator ... Dwight DeGraff, number four.

I would like to say that the ideas of hearing the two candidates on both of my sides were very good.

I think there's hope for the future of our territory.

So I am very much pleased with what I've heard from them.

But I would just like to say, remember, besides think global and act local, don't forget about where we came from.

We have a unique culture here.

It's who we are.

Let's keep that in mind.

Let's don't give up who we are to figure we're going to move forward into the society and into the world going forward.

Remember us, the Virgin Islanders, going forward.

Thank you for the time.

Dwight DeGraff, number four.

Thank you very much, Senator.

We now invite each candidate to make a closing statement, and you will be provided with 60 seconds, starting with Attorney Hodge.

So good day, everybody.

My name is Rudel A. Hodge Jr.

Esquire.

I am a candidate for the 37th Legislature of the Virgin Islands, and my campaign slogan is Keeping the Virgin Islands Home.

I implore every single person who's watching this to go to my website, electrudi, E-L-E-C-T-R-U-D-I.com.

Again, that is E-L-E-C-T-R-U-D-I.com to explore my platform, to get to know me a little bit better.

But I think it's very important that every single person goes out and do their civic duty to go out and vote this upcoming election because this is one of the most important elections in modern-day history.

Again, my name is Rudel A. Hodge Jr., number 12 on the ballot, and I am here to serve the Virgin Islands in the capacity as a senator.

Thank you, Attorney Hodge.

Senator DeGraff.

Yes, thank you.

Dwight DeGraff, number four.

I'd like to thank the League of Women Voters of a job well done, Dr.

Dorsey, the timekeeper, to WTJX for giving us a chance to come and speak before the people.

I am very much impressed with the two individuals who are here with me.

Going forward, I have been in this territory.

This is my home.

I don't intend to leave.

I intend to fight for everything and anything.

I'm an independent candidate, independent senator, and I've been presently the minority leader.

I've been in the Senate for several terms, and I keep the balance where I don't agree with everything.

I'm not dedicated to parties.

I belong to the people.

I represent the people of this territory, proven, tested, and I'd just like to ask for your support, your prayers, and your vote.

Dwight DeGraff, number four.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator DeGraff.

Dr.

Hatis?

Thank you, Dr.

Dorsey, and thank you to the League of Women Voters for having us here, and the other candidates for participating in this with me.

I wanted to say that I'm running because I want to put purpose over politics, and that means throughout my career, I've always wanted to be here at home to fix problems and do the things that we as Virgin Islanders need to have done to build a society and a community that can support our future.

We are an amazing place.

We're innovative, and that is the type of spirit that I plan to bring to the legislature.

That means new leadership, new approaches, using evidence-based solutions, like looking at things critically as the scientist that I am will do to better understand the decisions that we need to make and be accountable to the people of the Virgin Islands by creating systems that don't require you to dig through a website to find out what I'm working on.

I'll tell you.

That's what we need more of.

In addition, what I would say is vote, okay?

If you want to see change, get out there and vote.

Thank you, Dr.

Hatis, and thank you to all candidates for your participation in today's forum.

Thank you for your continued commitment to the service of the US Virgin Islands.

The League of Women Voters hopes that this program has helped you as the viewers to better change and choose between these three candidates.

But we also encourage you to head to their platforms and of course, attend their events to further evaluate candidates and have them answer your questions.

We thank WTJX, the candidates, and you, the viewers.

This program has been recorded for viewing on the WTJX Facebook and the League of Women Voters Facebook pages up until the election.

Be sure to let others know so they too can view the program if they have missed it.

And remember to vote.

Keep well.