Democratic Party Slams Governor For Homelessness Claim, Says Leaders Should Govern In ‘Truth And Fairness’

ST. CROIX — Governor Kenneth Mapp said at a recent press conference that he was the first homeless governor in the entire U.S. after deciding to vacate the Estate Nazareth $14,500 monthly rental.

But the territory’s Democratic Party’s State Chair, Cecile Benjamin, has lashed out at the chief executive, stating through a press release issued late on Tuesday that Mapp has “many properties at his disposal,” and “could have chosen to occupy a government-owned property rather that claiming that he is homeless.”

“The Governor is not homeless. Sometimes we don’t know how good we got it,” Benjamin said. “There is no other governor in the fifty states and territories under the U.S. flag who has so many residences to choose from, and still claiming they are homeless.”

In relation to where Gov. Mapp should reside, Benjamin cites the Revised Organic Act of 1954, Section II, which states in the second paragraph’s second sentence that: “The Governor shall maintain his official residence in the Government House on St. Thomas during his incumbency, which house, together with land appurtenant thereto, is hereby transferred to the government of the Virgin Islands. While in St. Croix, the Governor may reside in Government House on St. Croix, which house, together with land appurtenant thereto is also transferred to the government of the Virgin Islands.”

Benjamin then listed a myriad of other buildings that he said the governor could reside in before claiming to be homeless. The include the following:

1. A two level bungalow on Water Island
2. The Battery in Cruz Bay, St. John
3. The Old School House in East End, St. John that needs reconstruction after its destruction during Hurricane Marilyn
4. Sion Farm Great House, St. Croix
5. Bonne Esperance Great House on St. Croix which needs reconstruction after its destruction during Hurricane Hugo.
6. A private residence owned by the government in Estate Good Hope on St. Croix that was also destroyed by Hurricane Hugo.

Aside from what’s listed above, Benjamin also mentioned Catherineberg as an option, also known as Denmark Hill in St. Thomas, a residence that the current governor and others, including Democrat John P. de Jongh, have deemed unlivable.

Benjamin did not, however, make mention of de Jongh’s ongoing scandal concerning government monies spent on his private home while governor.

In 2010, the U.S. Interior Department inspector general’s office concluded in a report that the renovations of de Jongh’s private home with public funds, “usurped the Legislature’s authority to determine how to spend public funds” and should be returned.

Benjamin went on: “Let’s make the VI nice by building together and being nice to one another first, and let’s move forward realistically with truth and fairness while creating new and better opportunities for all, not just a few.

“We must focus more on the real business of governance and solving the people’s problems, growing the economy and creating jobs etc.”

The Democrat again rebuffed the governor, stating that in the Mapp administration’s efforts to build, “it must first consider repairs, renovation and reconstruction where and when appropriate and establish better relationships with everyone.”

“It’s all about the economy and the people. Let’s encourage and invite the investors to do business here. Together, in unity and with respect for one another, we shall achieve much more,” Benjamin concluded.

Feature Image: Villa Catherineberg, also called Denmark Hill located in St. Thomas.