Government

Mapp Says Statements From Gittens And Novelle Are Attacks Against Him; Gittens Says Farrell Misleading Governor

And Sen. Novelle Francis stands by his statement. ST. CROIX -- Governor Kenneth Mapp has responded to statements released by Senator Kenneth Gittens and Novelle Francis in relation to all St. Croix fire stations being closed on Monday, stating in an audio recording this afternoon that the releases represented attacks on him and holds no truth in regards to the plenary meeting called for Virgin Islands Fire Service employees at the Cardiac Center. The meeting was organized to try and allay tensions between Acting Fire Director Eugene Farrell and the agency's employees. However, the meeting has garnered strong condemnation from senators who say the decision to shutter the fire stations was careless and dangerous. For his part, Governor Mapp could not understand where the fury was coming from, or why it was happening in the first place. "Let me assure the Virgin Islands community that under no circumstance was the public's safety at risk," Mapp said. The territory's leader ...