Senate Overrides deJongh’s Sirenusa Zoning Variance Veto

The St. John Tradewinds is reporting:

The 27th Legislature of the V.I. wasted no time overriding Governor John deJongh’s veto of the controversial Sirenusa zoning variance bill on Tuesday morning, May 29.

The senate originally approved Enighed Condominium LLC’s request to construct seven additional units — adding another story on two buildings — at its five acre $35 million luxury condominium site overlooking Cruz Bay on April 17.

DeJongh sent his veto down on May 10, one day before the deadline to take action on the bill.

May 29 was the first scheduled legislative session since deJongh signed the bill’s veto and the senators got right down to business. Around 11:15 a.m., following various committee reports, veteran St. Thomas/St. John District Senator Celestino White introduced a bill to consider an override of deJongh’s veto.

St. Thomas/St. John District Senator Louis Hill was the lone dissenting vote, with St. Croix District Senator Terrence “Positive” Nelson abstaining. All other senators, including St. Johnian Senator at Large Carmen Wesselhoft, voted in favor of the override consideration.

As people have noted, there is something fishy here. The worst part of this to me is that it seems that the legislature is acting against the will of the people - the people they are supposed to represent. More of the story here from the VI Daily News.