Hodge puts WAPA's spin on LEAC

Hodge puts WAPA's spin on LEAC FACT CHECK: Point-by-point breakdown of the utility's claims about soaring rates Page 4 mug° Hod?, A. We Virgin Islands DAILY(~gz4jNEWS • 0 0.13 00;0 I. A Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper ' .,4C4'11553X474/KIftel=1106iiiKRANWEED:Ciina:Cria. viiiRiVrAVQ1UWIthTfrirON.MeIVA Unaccountable For the last 10 months, Senate President Ronald Russell has obstructed the public's access to travel records and concealed the facts behind $6.9 million in 'questionable' spending by the Legislature Page '3 Bonus bonanza? Bill would allow Russell to give bonuses to Senate staff retroactive to Jan. 1, 2000 Page 2 THE BEST MORTGAGE BANK IN THE VI CAN HELP YOU OBTAIN THE HOME OF YOUR DREAMS. 1;1 EFTA01098757 Thursday, October 11, 2O12 VIRGIN ISLANDS The Virgin Islands Daily News 3 10 months after audit, Russell still withholding Legislature's travel and cash advance records By LOU MATTE Deily News Stall As the V.I. Legislature continues to obstruct public access to travel expeme records, The Doily News annoutued is examining all legal options to bring die documents to Light. In the JO months since The Daily News requested the documents from Senile President Ronald Russell in December. the Senate leader has provided several excuses for not producing the records — bat no documents. Ronald Russell In the moo thee exchange. Russell cant/toed The Deily News' attorney expressing an interest in meeting with the newspaper's publisher to provide the records and be interviewed about their contents_ Dasty News Publisher Jason Robbins responded with an Oct. I loser telling Russell that The Daily New, looked forward to receiving the records and would into new Is, after the rumps- pet had a chance to review them. Nothing had been provided as of Wedersdey.aad Rinsed denied having teen Robbins' letter. Contacted Wednesday, Russell at first hesitated when asked about the documents. "Give me an Idea of what you're talking about," Russell said. Ile later said he bad authorized the release of the records and he believed they were ready to be disclosed. "It's just a matte, of getting the information to yea" Reuel/ mid. He then directed a Daily News reporter to VI. Legislature Executive Director Pamela Richards Samuel foe Nether infonnation about access- ing the records. "She could probably help yon out," Russell said. When asked about the records. Samuel said Russell polled her off the project a month ago. "I don't have the information you're looking for," Samuel said. "He took that project back." Samuel and Russell both lam said that compiling the records is now the responsibility of • finance depart- ment employee who, as of Wednesday. was out of the offers on jury dirty. They did not elaborate. Samuel said she would have to look Nilo the Wee further and might have more information today. Meanwhile, The Daily News' annotated Wednesday it is prepar- ing to take legal action to gain aceew It's lust a matter of gettktg the Information to you. She could probably help you out — Senate President Remld /basal referring 10 V.I. Legaleture Executive Discs Penal, Rettaids Serniel 44 I don't have the information you're looking for. He took that project back. —vi. Legislature Executive Director Pamela Achim*. Slew* to the records. 'This request was mode Dec. IS of laal year," Robbins said. "Tea months later, we still have not received anything but mittepeeseem Hoe and obstrection. The people of the Virgin Islands deserve better. This Issue was wpm when it came to light last December. and it's even more urgent today." The records request was spatted by a joint federal end local audit of the Senate describing "highly qr s. amiable practices" involving the management of public fends that resulted in more than 16.9 million of lost revenue, %memory expenses sod unsupported costs. The report was published by the VI. Inspector Oenerni's Office and the Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Depenrenal of the Interior. "We emibute the serious deficien- cies to an absence of formal policy end procedures as well as weak inter- nal controls." the report urges. - The unregulated ado/inter/lion of public funds has led to a <ulnae with almost no accountability and transparency, especially in area, such as the improper use of allotted funds, arbi- trary procurement of goods and ser- vices, tad inadequately secured sen- sitive equipment." The audit's major findings meted. ed: • Payment of cash 'demon to seasitoo for travel with no vetifka- lion that the travel actually moused • Awarding of bonuses to employ- ees without written standard. or jut. III-Korea of such awards. • Selo:lion, approval and payment of contracts without competition and internal controls. leading to overpay- ment end no documentation that the work had been performed. • No reporting to the Internal Revenue Bureau, leading to under. payment of tax receipts to the V.I. govonment • No documentation for sensitive equipment. potentially leading to the equipment being misused, lost or stolen. The audit looked at the 26th. 17th and 28th Legislatures, although most of the findings focused on the 18th Legislature. Senators in the 281h Legislature were Craig Darshinger, Adlels Donation Jr., Carlton Dowe. LOUIS Hill, Neville /Irma. Wayne Ames, Shawn.lvtichset Malone, Tenant. Nelson, Usie Richards. Nereids I Rivera-O'Reilly, Samenitel Sines, Patrick Simeon Sprauve, Michael Thurber& Celestine White Sr. and Alvin Williams Jr. R The Daily News wrote a letter lo ussell in December requesting • series of documents and popover* detailing the travel expenses end cash advances made to senators in 1 defines V publu records the 26th. 27th end 28th Legislmwes. .I. statute as salt records and documents of of ' belonging to this Territoryor any t branch of government in such Territory or any department, board. I council or committee of any branch of governmat." 1 The law exempts IS types of records from public inspection, none of which cover financial records related to the Senate spending tax- payer money for travel. Russell recently shed some light on his view of the government's rela- tionship to the public in an Interview last month following a closed-door meeting on St. Croix between 12 senators and the governor regarding future plans for the HOVENSA refinery. "Anything wedelns ain't subject to the Sunshine Act and that's how it is." Russell said. Issuing the meet- ing was not open to the public because it was a Senate <sums. "Yoe have to trust us," Remelt said et the tine. "Whenever we have very important Information, we share it with the public." — Confect rennet Low Mattel of 7/4.9124 or {wolf s.H. Obstructing the public's right to know The Wow% is a threcne of /mints SOW to The Davy NOW( Veding alga to damn access to Punk mown detedIng the beet menses of Ile 2611' 27th aryl 28Iblefelatures. • Deessrafirer 2011: M audit of the V.I. Legislature by the VI Inspector Genwat's OhIce and the Ocoee of the Women General at the U.S. Department ie the Interior finds thIgNy questIonable practices' Meeting the management of PAM funds that resulted in more than 36.9 million of lost revenues. unnecessary expenses and meant:rotted costs Senate President Ronald Russell announces an internal investigation Into the audit's endings and ledges to release the results — including the names of the senator's responsibie for the incidents repro tad in the audit • Dec. 25: The Petty News hatadelhees a imaret to insoret travel records nom the 26th. 27th and 28th ieesioures to Russell on the Senate leer. Weeks later. Russell says he -mitretaced the ettee' • lamk 23: Tim Daily News handeellvers the Mier to Russell a second time. • Abeam 2012: Ruston aneelsii005 he will not reveal Me names or gee senators Implicated In the audit and says the servitors can reveal their own identities. • He. & The Daily News goes Russel the public infornaton request a third time. Russell annum recent by Mona. cut does not respond to the request Or provide the document,. • NI 2012: Russell SEWS the is ready to male pubic the MOJA of It Irmengetlen: he never does an. • arty 2012: Russell says federal and local insestlgaboris prevent Wm from iiihnlainC the results of Ns Investigation. Re Says the Log/slature's legal comet advised An not to release any information relaxing Ns Orestgation until the outside inveatigeturin here owned. • Aly 23: Russel cenfirms ova email that he received The Daily News ooen records request anti it had been sent to him fourth time. • hey 31: The Daily News request is sere to Russel again and copied to MI 15 senators. • Aug. 1: VL Legislature Enecutiee Director Pamela aiciwcs soave sends an mail to The Daily News staling that Russell has charged her thus Olin the request. She says she cannot immolate* MR the realest because a set parson Is eft of the once until Aug. 20. • Aug. 1T: Russell sends a letter to Daly Nees Executive Editor A Love Davis ocknowledgreg IM Open records realest Owen December and aelcating the legislature's stall is won*/ on the request. -I apologize for sty incomenance that mey have been mused by OW deter in ore response: homer. let me assure you that Ow Staff is working to execute this threshes at the earliest meminlenee: Arise! mote. • Sept. 25: Missed contacts The Derry News' Storms Amin Rimes, expressing a term to meet with Dairy News Publisher Jason Retains to tame ea documents responsive to the newspapers request and to sit for an interview about the aerie • Ott.1: Robbing emends cent a letter to Russell stating The Doily News looks forward Io yore Previding us with this public nremetion• and that the newspaper start *await the Information at you% earliest opportunitc • Oct. 10: Russell denies Min nen Iris letter but says ho has authorized release of the Oocuments. Wee& Russel is unable to provide a date. ilea or enece for releasing the records. Samuel says that Russell pollee her of 0e job of tumbling the documents a =nth ago and that the enema employee now assigned to COMella the records la on Wry duty. • Oct. 10: The Day News ennhances 41s preparing to take legal action to obtain the records. EFTA01098758