{"id":75855,"date":"2019-06-26T21:46:05","date_gmt":"2019-06-26T21:46:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/viconsortium.com\/?p=75855"},"modified":"2019-06-27T00:45:58","modified_gmt":"2019-06-27T00:45:58","slug":"port-authority-formally-announces-carlton-dowe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wp.viconsortium.com\/?p=75855","title":{"rendered":"Port Authority Formally Announces Carlton Dowe As Executive Director"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Virgin Islands Port Authority on Wednesday formerly chose Carlton Dowe as executive director. The decision came during a Board of Directors meeting at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to V.I.P.A., Mr. Dowe was chosen from among the top three finalists interviewing for the director position. He is scheduled to start on July 8.<\/p>\n\n\n

The Consortium, citing people with knowledge of the matter, reported on June 13<\/span><\/a> that Mr. Dowe was headed back to the authority as executive director. We reported that the board was expected to make an announcement sometime this month — presumably at a board meeting — and that V.I.P.A. had held meetings interviewing potential candidates, and had settled on Mr. Dowe.<\/p>\n

A day after our story was published, Governor Albert Bryan told us<\/span><\/a> he would be happy to see Mr. Dowe return to V.I.P.A. as executive director, expressing confidence in Mr. Dowe\u2019s ability to successfully lead the sprawling government arm.<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cI actually was the chairman of the Port Authority\u2019s personnel committee when we hired Senator Dowe the first time. I was always impressed with him,\u201d Mr. Bryan said. \u201cYou know, people talk but I was on the interview [and] he blew everybody away, at least at that time. I can\u2019t imagine that he would be worse this time; everybody knows he was removed for politics, so I would be happy to see him come back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Bryan spoke of a number of Port Authority-related projects that he was eager to see move forward, comments made that appeared to suggest the governor believes Mr. Dowe is the man for the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have a lot of projects at the Port Authority and other things that really keep me up at night. I want to get our airports back to together. Our seaports \u2014 we have a lot of projects to do that have not been done,\u201d the territory\u2019s leader added, mentioning a number of projects that have either started and slowed, or have yet to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you come on the plane in Miami and you come off in St. Thomas or St. Croix, it should resemble what you left in Miami,\u201d the governor said, referring to enhancements he\u2019d like to see at the territory\u2019s airports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Dowe was fired from V.I.P.A. in December 2016 without cause. At the time of his firing, Mr. Dowe\u2019s contract was two years away from expiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He confirmed his departure to this publication the day after his removal in a telephone interview, telling The Consortium that the board\u2019s action was without merit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe board indicated today that they had no cause,\u201d Mr. Dowe said. V.I.P.A. confirmed that its release of Mr. Dowe from his duties was without cause, pursuant to Section 8 (c) in the employment agreement between Mr. Dowe and the authority. Mr. Dowe had to be compensated for the remaining two years of his contract, even if he was no longer employed with the authority. David Mapp, brother of former Governor Kenneth Mapp, was made assistant director and then director of V.I.P.A.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Dowe wasted no time in his attempts to make sense of his termination, telling The Consortium at the time that his firing was politically motivated. \u201cAll of this is political mischief and shenanigans coming down,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, he told The Consortium in an interview that he would not look back at the past. “The people in the community know what transpired and the political climate at the time,” he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, Mr. Dowe is focusing on moving the authority forward. He mentioned a number of projects that had slowed, and said he would work to get things back on track. The incoming executive director mentioned the Gallows Bay dredging project that has not moved in years, along with $10.5 million in funding for the Container Port effort which has yet see meaningful progress. “We need to find out the status of the $10.5 million,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Dowe also lamented the current state of the territory’s airports. “None of us in this community should be happy when we pass through the airports. We will be moving forward to modernize them. The world is now a global economy and we need to be able to engage,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Dowe expressed gratitude to the board for choosing him, and also lauded who he described as the great employees of VIPA. “We have some great employees and I am happy to have the opportunity to work with them,” he said. “I believe in putting a good team of people together — and that’s what we will do.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In today’s release, V.I.P.A. Board Chairperson Leona Smith said, \u201cAs a former executive director of the Port Authority, Mr. Dowe has a keen understanding of the operations of the authority. He also has a proven track record of providing tangible results.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added, \u201cDowe brings a wealth of experience and we are pleased to have him return to lead this agency at this most critical juncture. He is just the person we need to address the myriad of issues plaguing the Port \u2013 especially at our airports.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to V.I.P.A., some of Mr. Dowe’s many accomplishments during his previous tenure include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n