The Home Journal

THE EDITOR'S OPINION

The Governor has moved quite belatedly to save the problem that was created by the illegal abolishment of the Virgin Islands Board for Vocational Education. For months, the administration had been warned by persons who were in a position to know what they were talking about, that Federal authorities would never approve any grant of funds for vocational education under existing circumstances. Administration policy-makers expressed the view that the Virgin Islands Organic Act had given them full authority to reorganize the government, and that they had the power to abolish the Vocational Education Board and to transfer its functions to the Board of Education for the Virgin Islands.

The sudden admission by the Governor that the Executive Order was wrong provides additional proof to those who were still unconvinced that those persons who were sent down here to teach us how to live cooked up a mess, the stench of which will be with us for years to come.

There is no question that the Governor had authority under the organic act to abolish boards and commissions and to consolidate their functions. That power was used arbitrarily and with amazing stupidity. As a result we are confronted with chaos and confusion at every turn.

Instead of solving the problem relating to the vocational education program, the Governor appears to be making matters worse. In attempting at this date, to name a board for vocational education, the Governor, in our view, is committing an illegal act.

The Governor was given one year within which to reorganize the government. That year expired last July 22. After that year, no further reorganizing could be done without legislative action.

It should be crystal clear that with the abolishment of the Board for Vocational Education, the Governor has no authority to re-establish it without a new law. If it is possible for the Governor to abolish a board, transfer its functions to another then, without any action by the legislature, reverse himself and re-establish the abolished board, then we do not have a government of laws in the Virgin Islands. We believe that the newly established board is illegal, and we are afraid that its actions will be questioned in the future.