Christensen hears phone callers' ideas

ST. CROIX - About 175 callers listened in or participated in a telephone town hall meeting on the territory's financial crisis Thursday night with V.I. Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen.

Christensen was in Washington, D.C., and Thursday's town hall was the first time her office had done a town hall in a phone-in format, she said.

It was aimed at allowing the community to share ideas and concerns in the wake of government layoffs and the announcement that HOVENSA would be ceasing its refinery operations in the territory.

Christensen gave a short statement about the steps she is taking to try to ease the financial situation in the territory, then opened the conversation to those who called in.

She said that her hope was that "we can use this crisis to build a better, fairer, stronger Virgin Islands," and that she hopes a "cadre of experts" can be put together to look at all the possibilities and come up with a plan.

Aesha Duval, a spokeswoman for Christensen, said that call volume varied throughout the two-hour town hall, as new callers joined the town hall and others left, but that about 175 callers took part throughout the evening.

In addition to listening to callers who offered their ideas, asked questions or outlined their concerns, Christensen also responded to questions that were sent by email.

Callers did not stick solely to the territory's financial crisis or the refinery's imminent closure.

Other topics discussed throughout the evening ranged from the possibility of getting new voting machines for the territory to the failure of the V.I. Legislature to provide the public with a full report of its own investigation, after a joint federal and local audit of the legislature released last fall found "highly questionable practices" with public funds that resulted in more than $6.9 million of lost revenues, unnecessary expenses and unsupported costs.

One caller asked what Virgin Islanders who live on the mainland can do to help the territory through the financial crisis.

Christensen said that reaching out to Congress members where they live is "very, very important" and said that her office could also reach out to organizations of Virgin Islanders living stateside. There may be business opportunities where Virgin Islanders living on the mainland can help, she said.

William Bohlke, another caller, said that he needs more information so that an adequate supply of jet fuel for the territory can be ensured when the HOVENSA refinery stops providing the jet fuel at the end of June.

Responding to a question about legislation she has submitted to have a chief financial officer for the territory, Christensen said that she anticipates a committee hearing will be held on the bill within the next two months.

The delegate took several comments from callers about steps other government officials in other areas had taken in the past to keep a refinery in their area open.

Christensen said that the governor conducts all negotiations with HOVENSA. She also said that in other areas of the country where refineries have closed, the federal government has not stepped in.

Another caller suggested that HOVENSA might be able to supply the power for the island, contending that HOVENSA would have to keep its own electric generators running to maintain the petroleum storage facility that it plans to operate.

Another caller suggested that the Small Business Administration might be able to provide some emergency assistance for the territory, in a program similar to the disaster assistance it offers after hurricanes.

Callers continued to ask questions and offer suggestions throughout two-hour call.

Christensen said a tape that she will share with local government officials was made of the call.

As she closed the town hall meeting, Christensen said that she thought that the telephone town hall may be a good way to reach out to the entire territory when she is not at home.

"I think it went well. I think it went better than expected," she said in an interview after the meeting, noting that she thinks it was important to give residents the opportunity to provide input and "to say what they think and feel."

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