After her nomination for commissioner of the Dept. of Education was held in the Committee on Rules and Judiciary during a first visit to the Senate after being nominated by Governor Albert Bryan, Racquel Berry-Benjamin did enough on Friday to convince lawmakers this time that she’s ready to lead the Department of Education — the government’s most sprawling arm with a budget of nearly $200 million, including federal funds.
The candidate came better prepared to answer questions, although she was unable to give all the answers, an impossible expectation for such a large department. She was able to do enough to compel senators to give her a chance at running D.O.E. just as Mr. Bryan, she said, took a chance on her.
“I respectfully thank you for the second opportunity, I think it was needed and well deserved — the people of the Virgin Islands needed to see more of me and what I bring to the table,” the nominee said.
She later added, “Do know that Governor Bryan in selecting me was very, very specific in his words in that don’t mind what’s going to happen, you are the person for this job and I’m going to take the risk — those were his words — the risk with you, because we require change and you need change to get change. So I thank the governor and lieutenant Governor Roach.”
Ms. Berry-Benjamin, relieved that the process was over, thanked all in the well — senators, D.O.E. representatives, family and friends. She then reassured the lawmakers: “You can look forward to great things in Education because I have an awesome team and one thing I know is Department of Education employees work very hard. We just need new systems to make it easy.”
Senators, including committee chair Alicia Barnes, had expressed concerns with Ms. Berry-Benjamin’s preparedness during her first hearing in February. The nominee had delivered an inspiring testimony into the record, but at the same time, according to Ms. Barnes — who had requested that the nomination be held — failed to demonstrate concern for the myriad of problems facing the department, not the least of which being a majority of students in the territory’s public schools falling behind in math and English.
Today, however, the senators, though still with concerns about the department’s future, thrusted the candidate forward to the Committee of the Whole, where a favorable vote would install her as D.O.E.’s latest commissioner.
Also favorably approved today by the Rules Committee was Nelson Petty as the commissioner of the Department of Public Works. Mr. Petty, who was chosen by Governor Kenneth Mapp, was impressive enough to be renominated by Mr. Bryan.
Share On Facebook
Tweet It
