Before a packed house at Villa Morales restaurant on St. Croix Wednesday night, Governor de Jongh, and Lt. Governor Francis announced their intent to seek re-election to the territory’s two highest political offices. The announcement was made before hundreds of supporters and to a wider radio audience as eight V.I. radio stations broadcast the announcement program live.

Listen to audio from the event .mp3 (4MB)

The almost two-hour long program was peppered with musical selections, prayers and testimonial from Virgin Islands residents on all three islands. Testimonials outlined accomplishments in education, the economy and the further economic development of the Virgin Islands. Lt. Governor Francis, his wife, Cheryl and First Lady Cecile de Jongh also took to the podium to speak of programs and initiatives started over the past four years, many of which are now showing positive yields. 

The governor spent time recalling out what had been accomplished under his administration’s watch, the goals for the future and the opportunities that lie ahead for the further development of the territory. “When Greg and I took office we found that among the many problems that we were already aware of, we faced a number of additional concerns.

So we got to work and we’ve been working hard every day since. We promised that by working together we could make real change and through working together we have delivered real progress,” the governor said to the chants of “four more years.” 

The governor addressed the state of the government four years after taking office, “When it came to the functioning of Government, I have said from the very beginning that: We are and must be One Government! We set out to clean up corruption and re-establish confidence in the people’s government and we’ve done just that. We’ve worked to have our agencies and authorities coordinate their efforts better with one another and we are now more coordinated and working closer together than ever before.”

When it comes to the state of our local economy, Gov. de Jongh said, 

“I know that there is much for us to be proud of. When we first took office the economic outlook was challenging but hopeful and then, as I said earlier, the recession hit – it hit everywhere and it hit hard. The effects were felt throughout the country, throughout the world and, yes, throughout our Territory – but, as I also said earlier, I am not one to make excuses. Instead of excuses we produced ideas – we ratified two landmark strategic partnerships with both Diageo/ Captain Morgan and Fortune Brands, the new owners of Cruzan Rum. With these partnerships we have locked these companies in as U.S. Virgin Islands companies for the next 30 years. Through these agreements we shall see more than $200 million dollars a year flow directly into our treasury over the next 30 years. And, through these agreements we have also ensured that Cruzan Rum will remain Crucian.”

He also spoke to some major accomplishments experienced a result of decisive leadership, ‘We have been able to avoid some of the crippling effects of this recession and that is no small thing. We have been able to keep our people working and we’ve been able to keep our government functioning and most importantly when this recession ends – we have laid the groundwork for real economic growth and opportunity for our people and with that we will now be in charge of our own future – we did all this by working together!”

The governor spoke about many accomplishments in the education system of the Territory. 

“When I was elected as your Governor I also made a solemn promise to the people of this Territory. I promised that we would work to improve the education system for our greatest asset of all – Our Children. We realized that as a government we needed to work together from the start, back at the very beginning to prepare our children for what is an ever more complex and challenging world. We worked hard together, and we’ve made real and meaningful progress. We’ve tripled the number of schools that are meeting their Annual Yearly Progress Goals. Today – all of our public high schools are now accredited. We’ve established The Children and Families Council / The Parent University and re-established the Jobs for America’s Graduates Program/ and created YouthNet.”

Gov. de Jongh noted that “a lot of time and energy has been spent to rebuild our education system and we are now seeing the positive results. But we would not have been able to do any of this without the work of our teachers, our principals, and our school administrators and to them on behalf of the people of the Territory, I say Thank You!”

The public’s safety was a major theme of the governor's campaign kickoff announcement just as it was four years ago. 

“Our energy and strength has to be also focused on the violence and criminality that we have been experiencing which puts us all at risk. It is a threat to us all. We grieve for all those families who have watched babies grow to toddlers to boys to youths only to see them lose their way or, so pointlessly lose their lives, be it to violence or long terms of incarceration. The harvest of violence that we have reaped from the negligence of the past damages us all. None of us can avoid it, none of us can escape it. All of us must combat it. The behavior of those who committed these acts is not civilized. It cannot be reasoned with. We will enforce our laws legally, but they will be enforced. We must close ranks against those who respect neither life nor law. We will do so. And we will prevail.”

He said the continuing efforts to improve public safety have begun to show positive results. “Our Police Commissioner, Novelle Francis, recently reported that the majority of crimes in our Territory have declined and while that is welcome news we are also reminded that there is still much to be done – and we are working every day to get it done. We know that the Virgin Islands are a place where we can all prosper if we work together.” 

Governor de Jongh sought out the support of the hundreds in attendance at last night’s kick off announcement and asked attendees to reject negativism. 

“I ask you to join with us in campaigning this election season all the way to another victory in November. But in joining us, I ask you to also reject that negativism to which we have all been subjected. Too often, the denigration of others is presented and excused as “our politics.” We will not sink to that level in this campaign. We have seen the politics of pettiness before and we have seen that it does not win. We beat it before and we will beat it again. We not only can do better, we are better than that as a people and as a territory. We know that what makes things better is when we all unite and contribute, not divide to conquer – but to build…when with respect we listen to each other, help each other, interpret and use the wisdom of our elders, and teach our children what we know is right and show them what we know is wrong. We know we are all better off when we treat each other as equals and not subjected to the discrimination. But, this coming election is about our future. It is about our tomorrow and what we want the Virgin Islands to be when that tomorrow comes.”

He promised a campaign inclusive of all who call the territory home. “I ask you to join me, join Greg, join with people of all sectors of our community – everyone – born here, born in the Eastern Caribbean, the U.S. or born anywhere – all those who call these islands home are Virgin Islanders and I ask that we all work together each and every day – for us to this, we need your support, we need you to register your friends, and we ask for your vote on election day. With your support and your votes, Greg and I know that by working together the Virgin Islands we hope for will be a reality. Let us work – Together For Tomorrow!” 

Both the governor and lieutenant governor mingled in the crowd for hours after the program was over meeting and greeting supporters. Cars filled both sides of the roadway leading from the Villa Morales complex in Estate Whim all the way to Queen Mary Highway.