Politics

Gittens Concedes, Wishes New Senate President Well

Senator Kenneth Gittens on Friday wrote Senator Novelle Francis congratulating him on his new role as Senate president, the clearest sign so far that Mr. Gittens does not wish to engage in a war for a position he was removed from following the Majority reorganizing action taken by nine of the territory's lawmakers. (See new Majority committee assignments here.) In the reorganization, Senator Kurt Vialet was given the Committee on Finance chairmanship, removing Senator Donna Frett-Gregory, who also lost the Senate vice president position. Mrs. Frett-Gregory was given the Committee on Rules and Judiciary, however. Also notable, new Majority member Janelle Sarauw was made chair of the Committee on Education (Ms. Sarauw was the only lawmaker to vote against Dept. of Education Commissioner Designee, Racquel Berry-Benjamin, during the two-day Senate session last week). In his letter, Mr. Gittens said while he still had concerns with the process in which he was removed, he believed Mr....