The Division of Personnel is spearheading a new initiative “aimed at strengthening ethical standards within the government,” according to a press release issued this week. The “Integrity in Action” Ethics Workshop will be led by DoP’s legal counsel Aliya Felix.
According to the department, the workshop is “a cornerstone of our unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest levels of integrity across all government operations.” Part of the activity is a “train the trainer” initiative, in which 13 attorneys from various government agencies “were equipped with the tools to lead ethics training sessions within their respective agencies.”
They will now be expected to return to their substantive roles and educate others via interactive and engaging workshops within their departments, in a four-phase rollout. At the end of the exercise, public sector workers are expected to come away with a “comprehensive understanding of ethical principles and practical strategies for navigating ethical dilemmas.”
The Division of Personnel said it is seeking to go beyond mere compliance toward “a culture of integrity that will enhance public trust, improve ethical decision-making, and ensure the accountability of our government operations.”
The workshop initiative comes shortly after a slew of high-profile departures of senior government employees, in connection with allegedly corrupt or unethical practices.
In June, Department of Education Maintenance Director Davidson Charlemagne was arrested for fraud and money laundering, while former V.I. Housing Finance Authority Chief Operating Officer Darin Richardson was charged with criminal conflict of interest in the same alleged scheme to divert HUD funds into a fraudulent contract that benefited Mr. Charlemagne’s company.
Days later, former V.I. Police Department Commissioner Ray Martinez was identified as a target in a federal investigation into possible contractual misconduct and improper financial transactions. Former Office of Management and Budget Director Jenifer O’Neal resigned after her communication devices were seized as part of that same investigation. Meanwhile Sports, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Calvert White is still on the job, despite having had his phone in connection with a different federal investigation into a DPSR contract awarded to Mon Ethos Pro Support.
