Alma Francis-Heyliger Photo Credit: V.I. LEGISLATURE
Senator Alma Francis Heyliger, sponsor of legislation that would have honored the late Wayne "Facts Man" Adams by renaming the Nadir intersection bridge on St. Thomas in his honor, is furious that the bill has been vetoed by the governor.
Explaining the decision on Wednesday, acting Governor Kevin McCurdy, representing Mr. Bryan while the territory's leader is off island, said in a letter to the president of the 35th Legislature that "The naming of roads, buildings, and bridges has typically been reserved for notable elected officials and renowned public servants." Because Mr. Adams did not meet either criteria, "equating these contributions to that of our beloved Mr. Adams does a disservice to those we have honored and will honor in the future."
In a published response on Thursday, Ms. Francis Heyliger said she "adamantly disagreed with the Governor's elitist assessment." Vetoing the legislation was "nothing short of an insult to all private citizens of this Territory who choose to devote their limited time to engaging with civic matters," she continued. "It creates a hierarchy that seemingly elevates public officials above the people that voted to elect them," she argued. Governor Bryan's decision signals to residents that Mr. Adamss "is unworthy and undeserving of this honor because he never held office."
The lawmaker called on her colleagues to override the veto of Bill 35-0014, which would require two-thirds of the legislative body to agree. Ms. Francis-Heyliger said that the move was necessary to "dispel the elitist and cynical mindset" that formed Governor Bryan's basis for the veto.
In the last legislative session, senators overturned a gubernatorial veto on a discipline policy for young students.
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