Frankie Johnson Tapped As Mapp Advisor, Coffelt Part Of Transition Team

Frankie Johnson, the man who spearheaded the Mapp-Potter gubernatorial campaign and led the men to victory just weeks ago, will be named as an advisor to the Governor-elect in the incoming administration, sources close to the matter have confirmed to VI Consortium. Besides Johnson, three other persons have also been tapped for advisory roles in the Mapp-Potter administration. The specific areas of advisory were not disclosed to VI Consortium.

VI Consortium contacted Johnson for comment, and while he did not outright confirm the news, he said the public should tune in to the press conference taking place today on St. Thomas, where Mapp will announce the chairpersons of his transition team. VI Consortium has also learned that former gubernatorial candidate, judge and lawyer, Soraya Diase-Coffelt, will be one of the persons making up the Mapp-Potter transition team.

Johnson said one of the first things the new administration is hoping to accomplish is to bring some relief at the pump to Virgin Islands’ residents.

“One of the first things [we want to do] is lower the price of gas and bring relief to the people of the Virgin Islands,” he said. “Just that alone would be a big help to everybody, and it’s something we’re [targeting] and hope to accomplish as soon as possible.”

Johnson then pointed to the U.S. mainland, where the price of gas continues to tumble. The soon-to-be-named advisor in the incoming Mapp administration said it currently takes about $100 to fill his truck with gas, and if the price of gas in the territory could be reduced by at least 40 percent, that extra $40, he said, could be used elsewhere or saved.

As for today’s 2 p.m. press conference in St. Thomas, where chairpersons will be announced who will lead 14 committees responsible for examining “all aspects of the present government and report to the Governor,” reporters are expected to query Mapp on how he intends to tackle the issues soon to be his problems. VI Consortium will be present at the press event.

Mapp and Potter were elected in a landslide victory against Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen in a run-off election on November 18. On the night of his victory, Mapp said he and Potter were committed to working hard and improving the standard of living for all Virgin Islands’ residents.

“What Osbert and I would like each of you to know is that we are really committed to working hard, improving your lives, the lives of the people of the Virgin Islands, from the youngest to the most senior,” he said. “A way of quality and perfection, that folks outside could watch with respect and dignity.”

“We want to get away from doing a little bit of a lot of things, and start doing the little things, very, very well,” Mapp continued. “We’re going to get the basics right, we’re going to really, really work, first, on how we can treat each other with dignity and respect.”

The Governor-elect said that from the onset of the campaign, he and his team had made a decision to respect everyone’s right of choice, and not to challenge the patriotism or integrity of those who chose to support other candidates.

“We want to grow a community that we are free to disagree because in our disagreement, we’re going to learn from each other, and we’re going to grow better ideas, and we’re going to create a better community and society,” he said.