Bill to remove BOC director gets held in committee indefinitely
ST. CROIX — A bill asking Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. to demand the resignation — or terminate — V.I. Bureau of Corrections Director Wynnie Testamark was tabled indefinitely in the Rules and Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday.
2022-06-10 12:29:19 - VI News Staff
The legislation seeking Testamark’s removal was proposed by Sen. Franklin Johnson, a bill which asserts Testamark uses a “dictatorial management style” and has a “lack of understanding and awareness of the adverse prison conditions, serious administrative deficits, and critical challenges permeating the correctional system.”
Johnson shared with the committee images of the crumbling correctional facility on St. Croix and video footage of rice that was infested with bugs and intended to be fed to inmates.
Though most testifiers and committee members agreed the correctional facilities were in dismal condition, plagued by staffing shortages, and suffered from security breaches — not everyone believed the sole blame of the overall situation should be squarely placed on the shoulders of Testamark, who only took the position in 2019.
Moreover, some committee members, like Sen. Carla Joseph didn’t feel the legislation was appropriate, “I must say it’s a very low point we are coming to in the Virgin Islands when the Legislature starts to come into the realm of the executive branch and we don’t stay in our lane.”
Still, testifiers like David Andino, the former supervisory lieutenant and auditor for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and the United Industrial Workers of the Seafarers International Union, which represents correctional officers employed in the Virgin Islands, supported the removal of Testamark.
Adino testified to having first-hand knowledge “of the lack of supervisory skills Ms. Testamark possess.”
“Her lies and disrespectful behavior of staff and employees as well as basic knowledge of repairing and correcting correctional practices as a director has given the BOC and the people of the Virgin Islands a very bad reputation within the islands and aboard,” Adino said. “If your observance of staff suddenly retiring, resigning, and getting fired without Gov. Bryan’s knowledge, due to no letters issued of such firings or reasons for being let go, does not show you her lack of authentic leadership- then you are turning a blind eye as she continues to destroy the trust of the Virgin Islands people, the BOC, and its staff.”