State of the Territory | Liberating Justice: The Imperative for an Elected Attorney General in the U.S. Virgin Islands

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, justice is held captive by the chains of political patronage. The office of the attorney general meant to uphold the rule of law, has become a pawn in the game of political manipulation. It is time to shatter these chains and usher in a new era of integrity and accountability by electing an attorney general who answers to the people, not political agendas.

Since the resounding mandate expressed in the 1998 referendum, where an overwhelming 73.76 percent of the electorate demanded the transition to an elected attorney general, the call for change has echoed through the corridors of power. However, bureaucratic hurdles and legislative inertia have stymied the implementation of this democratic mandate, leaving the will of the people unfulfilled.

As the constitutional convention unfolds and the people of the Virgin Islands grapple with self-determination, there is an undeniable impatience simmering beneath the surface. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once eloquently stated, “There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience. Then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.” These words resonate deeply with the people of the Virgin Islands, who have long endured injustices perpetuated by a system that grants the governor unchecked control over the attorney general.