Open Letter to the Governor and the
members of the 28th Legislature
by Clarence Payne
Submitted: June 3, 2010
Click here for pdf format
It is in the most humble of spirit and kinship that this correspondence is submitted. With the
decision to navigate through the muddy waters of the never ending financial crises, often we
disregard the most basic of necessities in our community.
I recently received the following announcement from a very good friend of mine. He starts out by
saying “breaking news; my last day in business will be Monday, April 26, 2010. I must close my
business due to the hard economic situation and also I will lay off four people.” Receiving this
message via text broke my heart!
How can an entrepreneur with such energy and enthusiasm for life, born and raised in our
territory, with such resolve, quit and give up? Why is this so important? This is the beginning of
the end for many small businesses in the V.I. Personally; I don’t believe many of our elected
officials were very responsive to the pain and suffering of the people over the past two years.
Summer of 2008 was when small businesses, senior citizens and the working class had to pay
utility bills that rivaled their rent! Many of our senior citizens had to decide between medicine,
food and light. Senior citizens went without power as if they were living here 100 years ago.
They decided that food and medicine had to win that personal quest. Now, how can a society
subsist when our utilities take precedent over medicine, food or rent? Recently, I spoke to
another business owner who said, “He will close his business permanently if the LEAC is
increased again.”
How many other business owners echo the same pain silently? During the summer of 2008 the
cost of oil rose as high as $147 per barrel and it contributed to 54 cents per kilowatt. And here
we are surrounded by potential wave, wind and solar power!
I am pleading with our present elected officials to put aside your insignificant differences, relate
to the pain of the people, and tackle our prolonged energy crises NOW!
According to the Executive Dir of WAPA Hugo Hodge Jr. our government, which owns WAPA,
owes WAPA, $14 million dollars as of April 28, 2010 which is what he reported at the Public
Services Commission. In other words, we owe ourselves: go figure! If we are already behind
this large amount of money when the price of oil per barrel is hovering at $79 per; what will
happen if the price of oil hits $100 per barrel which is neither impossible nor unlikely.
We’re demanding that our elected officials make our prolonged energy crises a top priority.
The ramifications of not being proactive out-weigh the anguish that will transpire if you refuse to
address this matter now!
WAPA is likely to return to the PSC summer 2010 and seek another LEAC increase when the
price of oil is expected to hit the $90 per barrel. As long as the government fails to take care of
their financial responsibilities WAPA continues to be unable to satisfactorily preserve their
equipment and our senior citizens, small businesses and the working class of our community
have to bare the brunt of the outrageous utility costs.
With the approval of the recent loan in the amount of 250 million dollars, May 2010, this writer
would advocate for a portion be distributed to WAPA immediately to help cover the cost of the
next shipment of fuel which would reduce the amount that the rate payer would be billed by
HOVENSA through WAPA, which WAPA would be able to pass those cost saving measures
to the Senior Citizens, small businesses, and the working men and women of our territory.
My dear friend, who had to close his business after many years in service, tried on several
occasions to reach out to the elected body of our territory only to have his cry fall on deft ears
and campaign promises that are rarely kept. He and the other four employees are now
probably at the unemployment office filling out the appropriate documentation so they can join
in with the millions of Americans who receive assistance to maintain there livelihood.
I say to the elected officials, even if you are not re-elected, don’t you want your name etched in
the mind of your neighbors, family, and most of all your children as a warrior who fought for the
least of thee or you don’t mind being compared to the likes of common street hustlers or to the
cooperate thugs of Wall Street? You decide the fate of your family’s name.
As a community activist, I must keep this matter front and center of the territory’s priorities and I
encourage everyone to join me.
Clarence Payne
St. Thomas resident
June 3, 2010
members of the 28th Legislature
by Clarence Payne
Submitted: June 3, 2010
Click here for pdf format
It is in the most humble of spirit and kinship that this correspondence is submitted. With the
decision to navigate through the muddy waters of the never ending financial crises, often we
disregard the most basic of necessities in our community.
I recently received the following announcement from a very good friend of mine. He starts out by
saying “breaking news; my last day in business will be Monday, April 26, 2010. I must close my
business due to the hard economic situation and also I will lay off four people.” Receiving this
message via text broke my heart!
How can an entrepreneur with such energy and enthusiasm for life, born and raised in our
territory, with such resolve, quit and give up? Why is this so important? This is the beginning of
the end for many small businesses in the V.I. Personally; I don’t believe many of our elected
officials were very responsive to the pain and suffering of the people over the past two years.
Summer of 2008 was when small businesses, senior citizens and the working class had to pay
utility bills that rivaled their rent! Many of our senior citizens had to decide between medicine,
food and light. Senior citizens went without power as if they were living here 100 years ago.
They decided that food and medicine had to win that personal quest. Now, how can a society
subsist when our utilities take precedent over medicine, food or rent? Recently, I spoke to
another business owner who said, “He will close his business permanently if the LEAC is
increased again.”
How many other business owners echo the same pain silently? During the summer of 2008 the
cost of oil rose as high as $147 per barrel and it contributed to 54 cents per kilowatt. And here
we are surrounded by potential wave, wind and solar power!
I am pleading with our present elected officials to put aside your insignificant differences, relate
to the pain of the people, and tackle our prolonged energy crises NOW!
According to the Executive Dir of WAPA Hugo Hodge Jr. our government, which owns WAPA,
owes WAPA, $14 million dollars as of April 28, 2010 which is what he reported at the Public
Services Commission. In other words, we owe ourselves: go figure! If we are already behind
this large amount of money when the price of oil per barrel is hovering at $79 per; what will
happen if the price of oil hits $100 per barrel which is neither impossible nor unlikely.
We’re demanding that our elected officials make our prolonged energy crises a top priority.
The ramifications of not being proactive out-weigh the anguish that will transpire if you refuse to
address this matter now!
WAPA is likely to return to the PSC summer 2010 and seek another LEAC increase when the
price of oil is expected to hit the $90 per barrel. As long as the government fails to take care of
their financial responsibilities WAPA continues to be unable to satisfactorily preserve their
equipment and our senior citizens, small businesses and the working class of our community
have to bare the brunt of the outrageous utility costs.
With the approval of the recent loan in the amount of 250 million dollars, May 2010, this writer
would advocate for a portion be distributed to WAPA immediately to help cover the cost of the
next shipment of fuel which would reduce the amount that the rate payer would be billed by
HOVENSA through WAPA, which WAPA would be able to pass those cost saving measures
to the Senior Citizens, small businesses, and the working men and women of our territory.
My dear friend, who had to close his business after many years in service, tried on several
occasions to reach out to the elected body of our territory only to have his cry fall on deft ears
and campaign promises that are rarely kept. He and the other four employees are now
probably at the unemployment office filling out the appropriate documentation so they can join
in with the millions of Americans who receive assistance to maintain there livelihood.
I say to the elected officials, even if you are not re-elected, don’t you want your name etched in
the mind of your neighbors, family, and most of all your children as a warrior who fought for the
least of thee or you don’t mind being compared to the likes of common street hustlers or to the
cooperate thugs of Wall Street? You decide the fate of your family’s name.
As a community activist, I must keep this matter front and center of the territory’s priorities and I
encourage everyone to join me.
Clarence Payne
St. Thomas resident
June 3, 2010
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