{"id":69801,"date":"2018-12-13T08:23:07","date_gmt":"2018-12-13T08:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/viconsortium.com\/?p=69801"},"modified":"2018-12-13T08:23:07","modified_gmt":"2018-12-13T08:23:07","slug":"incoming-33rd-legislature-unveils-committee-assignments-officers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wp.viconsortium.com\/?p=69801","title":{"rendered":"Incoming Majority Caucus Unveils Committee Assignments, Officers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Members of the Majority Caucus on Wednesday morning unveiled committee assignments and officers for the upcoming 33rd Legislature.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Officers and members of the Majority Caucus:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Senator-elect Kenneth L. Gittens &#8211; President<\/p>\n<p>Senator-elect Donna A. Frett &#8211; Gregory &#8211; Vice-President<\/p>\n<p>Senator-elect Alicia V. Barnes &#8211; Secretary<\/p>\n<p>Senator Marvin A. Blyden &#8211; Majority Leader<\/p>\n<p>Senator-elect Oakland Benta &#8211; Liaison to U.S. Dept. of Interior\/Insular Affairs<\/p>\n<p>Senator-elect Allison L. DeGazon &#8211; STX District Liaison to U.S. Congress<\/p>\n<p>Senator-elect Stedman Hodge Jr. &#8211; Liaison to the White House<\/p>\n<p>Senator-elect Athneil J. Thomas &#8211; Secretary for Intergovernmental &amp; Territorial Affairs<\/p>\n<p>Senator Myron D. Jackson<\/p>\n<p>Senator-elect Javan E. James<\/p>\n<p>Senator-elect Steven D. Payne Sr.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>The 33rd\u00a0Legislature\u2019s proposed leadership and standing committee assignments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>(1) COMMITTEE ON RULES AND JUDICIARY<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Alicia V. Barnes<\/p>\n<p>Vice Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Myron D. Jackson<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>(2) COMMITTEE ON FINANCE<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Donna A. Frett-Gregory<\/p>\n<p>Vice Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Allison L. DeGazon<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>(3) COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, HOSPITALS &amp; HUMAN SERVICES<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Oakland Benta<\/p>\n<p>Vice Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Stedman Hodge Jr.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0(4) COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Stedman Hodge Jr.<\/p>\n<p>Vice Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Kurt A. Vialet<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>(5) COMMITTEE ON YOUTH, SPORTS, PARKS AND RECREATION<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Javan E. James<\/p>\n<p>Vice Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Athneil J. Thomas<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>(6) COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT &amp; AGRICULTURE<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Allison L. DeGazon<\/p>\n<p>Vice Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Marvin A. Blyden<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>(7) COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY, JUSTICE &amp; PUBLIC SAFETY<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Stephen D. Payne Sr.<\/p>\n<p>Vice Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Oakland Benta<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>\u00a0(8) COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, CONSUMERS &amp; VETERANS AFFAIRS<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Athneil J. Thomas<\/p>\n<p>Vice Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Dwayne DeGraff<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>(9) COMMITTEE ON HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE &amp; TELECOMMUNICATIONS<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Marvin A. Blyden<\/p>\n<p>Vice Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Alicia V. Barnes<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>(10) COMMITTEE ON PLANNING AND CULTURE<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Myron D. Jackson<\/p>\n<p>Vice Chair:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Javan E. James<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>(11) COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Consisting of ALL Members of the 33rd Legislature<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">The assignments were announced during a press conference at WTJX on St. Croix. During the event, the incoming lawmakers spoke of unity and a vision to move U.S.V.I. forward with the motto: &#8220;Restoring Unity and Trust Through Vision and Purpose&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">Notably missing, however, were Senators Kurt Vialet and Novelle Francis, Democratic lawmakers who will he part of a minority coalition, <a href=\"https:\/\/viconsortium.com\/breaking-news\/early-rift-forms-among-st-croix-democrats-as-vialet-and-francis-walk-out-of-meetings-leave-majority-caucus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\">following a rift over the Committee on Finance chairmanship<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\u201cToday we reaffirm our commitment to those principles and to you, the people of the Virgin Islands,\u201d Mr. Blyden said. \u201cFurther, we recognize that last month, the Virgin Islands public sent a clear message. The old ways cannot continue, and we must forge a new covenant with the people of the Virgin Islands\u2014a covenant based on transparency, unity and putting the people first.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Mr. Gittens said the Democratic Majority was committed to enhancing the public\u2019s trust in the Legislature.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\u201cIn addition to the development of important public policy initiatives, the body will maintain robust oversight of the new administration,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is our intent to reestablish the Legislature as the first branch of government, co-equal, but separate and apart from the executive and judicial branches.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Members of the Majority Caucus on Wednesday morning unveiled committee assignments and officers for the upcoming 33rd Legislature. Officers and members of the Majority Caucus: Senator-elect Kenneth L. Gittens &#8211; President Senator-elect Donna A. Frett &#8211; Gregory &#8211; Vice-President Senator-elect Alicia V. Barnes &#8211; Secretary Senator Marvin A. Blyden &#8211; Majority Leader Senator-elect Oakland Benta [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":69803,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11,191,2474,147],"tags":[9081,6328],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Incoming Majority Caucus Unveils Committee Assignments, Officers - V.I. 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