Barnes attempts to protect Hodge from questions
Published: March 4, 2013
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ST. CROIX - V.I. Water and Power Authority board member Alicia Barnes, who also is the Department of Planning and Natural Resources commissioner, ordered a Daily News reporter out of the room as the reporter asked WAPA Executive Director Hugo Hodge Jr. about the agency's petition to change the LEAC after a board meeting on Wednesday.
Hodge was being interviewed after the meeting adjourned, and questions had turned to what WAPA had requested in a petition to the Public Services Commission to change the LEAC.
Hodge was saying that he did not know or could not remember the specifics of his agency's request.
There had been little mention or discussion of the LEAC request in the board meeting, only that it had been sent to the Public Services Commission and the Public Services Commission would make a decision.
The Daily News was seeking information about the specific amounts that WAPA had requested.
At one point, Barnes seemed to take issue with the interview.
Barnes then stood up, walked around the board table, opened the door and ordered the reporter to leave, saying to take it outside. She said that the WAPA board would be having its lunch now.
The reporter inquired whether Barnes was trying to eject her.
Barnes did not respond. She then went with another board member into an adjoining room where food for the board members to dine on had been set up, buffet-style.
The interview continued.
- Contact Joy Blackburn at 714-9145 or email jblackburn@dailynews.vi.
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