July Newsletter
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SENATOR -AT -LARGE REPORTS From the office of the Senator-At-Large, Craig W. Barshinger “In service to all the people of the Virgin Islands” August 2006 Senator Craig W. Barshinger 26th Legislature A Message From Your Senator of the Virgin Islands Dear Readers, nize my staff and (Legislative Assistant), shower them with my Marilyn Chandler Volume 1, Issue 2 Thank you for giving heartfelt appreciation. me the opportunity to (Receptionist), Khalila Date — August 2006 Although you elect me Frett (intern), Mervin serve as your Senator as your Senator At Inside this issue: At Large during the McDougal (intern), Large, it is essential to • St. John Festival 26th Legislature. Melba Moore (intern), have an entire team (Continued on page 2) These first two years working to get the job • Senator’s Legislation have been full of excit- done—the job of a sena- • Reduction in Marine ing challenges, and full tor is very broad. of progress. Fees I am proud of my tal- • Senate Health This newsletter reports ented, dedicated, hard- Committee some of the many areas working staff: Omar in which my staff and I B.U. Henry (Chief of • Hurricane Tracking Map have labored on your Staff), Michelle Domi- behalf. We have accom- nique (Research Ana- • Health and Beauty Fair plished many things, lyst), Merlisa George both big and small. We • Fill A Pack Program (Legislative Assistant), Supporting local Businesses have many good works Barbara Dalmida means building our economy. • Summer Interns in progress, as well. (Legislative Assistant), Sen. Barshinger attending a business opening on the is- • Upcoming Events I would like to recog- Elizabeth Vazquez land of St. Thomas. Senator Participates In, Enjoys St. John Festival As the St. John Festival wrapped with a juggling act and assisted in up with its annual 4th of July various games on other nights in celebrations, the spirit of our the Village. community came alive. This year’s Food Fair in honor of Residents and visitors alike Ms. Gwenda Dagou was a delecta- showed up in full force to enjoy ble event. “The tantalizing mix of the “Mas, Music and a Cultural smells, tastes and sights puts St. Mix for Festival 2006.” John’s Food Fair on par with its siblings of St. Thomas and St. The St. John signature event, Senator Barshinger distributing water to pa- Croix,” Barshinger said. “I love it.” rade participants during St. John’s 4th of July The Children’s Carnival Village, Festival. The Senator-at-Large also sur- was a resounding success again prised the crowd by distributing this year. Sen. Craig Barshinger the Children’s Carnival on the 100 copies of his cookbook filled organized a Senate Night on Fri- Senate Floor. However, the Senate with tasty island recipes. Bar- day, June 30, 2006 and got sev- Night had to be canceled due to shinger received many compli- eral of his colleagues and their the rain. Barshinger also volun- ments on his cookbook and other staff to volunteer their time for teered to entertain the youngsters contributions to the Festival. 2 (Cont’d from page1) A Message From Your Senator At Large “My technique is to listen to your problem and evaluate it. Then I help you write a letter to the appropriate person in the Executive branch. ” ture. The old days of patriarchal, Cruelty Legislation that has lan- top-down leadership are slowly guished for five years, being giving way to participative de- kicked back and forth between the mocracy. Legislature and the Chief Execu- What am I most proud of in the tive. I was able to bring Senators 26th legislature? Many things! and the Governor together to work out a compromise that passed into We passed progressive legislation law. that defines and prohibits sexual Please look at my website, Senator Barshinger giving a harassment in the workplace. www.barshinger.net , to see speech at the Majority Press Before I introduced bill 26-0061 Conference. the words "sexual harassment" many more bills that we are spon- did not even appear in the Virgin soring. As always, we are working and Shakwana Albert (intern). Islands law, yet it was happen- for you, and value your input. Whether it is a problem you are In my first term, I sponsored ing, creating a hostile work envi- experiencing with government many town meetings. I believe ronment. The new law protects services, or an idea for legislation, in participative democracy workers from a hostile work envi- we look forward to hearing from where the individual's voice is ronment, and provides for educa- you and working with you! heard. tion on how to avoid harassing and being harassed. -Craig W. Barshinger We are in a new era, where Vir- Senator at Large gin Islanders are participating I am very proud of having bro- 26th Legislature of the Virgin Islands in the shaping of our own fu- kered the passage of the Animal Legislation Proposed by Senator Craig Barshinger Senator Barshinger has intro- nants Act . This law protects occur because of a project. It duced several bills to improve the human health and the envi- ensures that property owners quality of life for all Virgin Island- ronment from potential haz- must have an environmental ers. Of these many bills, three remediation plan in place with have been passed and signed into detailed requirements for law. These new laws include: keeping contamination to a • A Sexual Harassment Law , minimum. This law was en- which is a law to adopt a stan- acted on July 19, 2006 dard, territory-wide definition of and prohibition of sexual • A law to adopt the Uniform harassment. This law is based Conservation Easements on the best contemporary stan- Act , which would allow prop- dards that acknowledge that erty owners to maintain own- legitimate human sexual inter- ership of their land while al- actions are based only on mu- ardous substances by placing lowing it to be used for conser- vation or recreational uses. tual consent. It was enacted on controls on the use of land that This law was enacted on July April 7, 2006. contains contamination, or 19, 2006. • The Environmental Cove- where contamination could 3 Senator Prodding on Behalf of Constituents Lead to Lower Marine Fees Residents of St. John breathed a its highest for the island’s resi- and Board Chairman Robert sigh of relief in June when the dents, the fee increases came as O’Connor to attend a town meet- Virgin Islands Port Authority an added blow to St. Johnians, ing with residents to allow them to (VIPA) decided to reduce its port many of whom traverse daily on air their concerns to VIPA as well fees for vehicles going over to St. the barge to go to work on St. as to get an explanation of the in- John on the barges. Thomas and to take care of other crease in the fees. This reduction did not come easy, business. The town meeting took place on however; but resulted partly be- Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 6 p.m. cause of the many complaints of at the Westin Resort Conference residents and many requests Room. VIPA officials attended the from Senator Craig Barshinger – meeting half-an-hour late, and did both written and verbal – to the not fully address the residents Port Authority to rescind or re- concerns. duce the fee increase. Senator Barshinger then wrote to On May 8, 2006, VIPA increased his colleague, Senator Roosevelt its marine fees for vehicles going David, chairman of the Govern- over on the barge from Red Hook ment Operations & Consumer Pro- to St. John. Cars and small sport- tection Committee to host a meet- utility vehicles were charged $4 ing of the committee to address round trip; pickup trucks and “There was no proper public no- the matter. tice of the fee implementation,” vans, $6; heavy trucks and equip- Due to the concerns of the St. John ment $20 and freight containers, Senator Barshinger said, when he found out about the fees. “This residents and the urging of Sena- $20 to $30 depending on weight. tor Barshinger and other legisla- Previously all vehicles were being is unjust to the people of St. John.” tors, the Port Authority reduced charged $2, with heavy trucks its fees to $1.50 for cars and small and equipment being charged $2 Senator Barshinger wrote to the to medium sport utility vehicles a ton. Port Authority and invited the and $2 for trucks and vans. Executive Director Darlan Brin At a time when cost of living is at Senator Barshinger now serving as chairman of Health Committee With the change from the old mi- other senators, including Senator nority to the new Senate Majority, Barshinger. The bill seeks to pro- Senator Craig Barshinger was af- vide health insurance for all em- forded the opportunity to serve as ployed persons in the Virgin Is- Chairman of the Senate Health, lands. Several committee meetings Hospitals and Human Services and town meetings were held on Committee. the Health Insurance bill to take Senator Barshinger was ready and comments, suggestions and ideas willing to accept this new respon- from the community in making Senator Barshinger serving as chairman this legislation work. sibility and has been working to over Health Committee Hearing on shepherd the various bills in the February 13, 2006. committee on to other committees. Health Insurance Bill, sponsored One such bill in particular is the by Senator Roosevelt David and 4 How Ready Are You for the 2006 2006 HURRICANE SEASON Hurricane Season? The Professor wants to know —– TRACKING MAP Did you trim all tree branches? Yes, Professor Disaster Prevention.