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Should Alvin Williams be allowed to get away with Corruption?
It’s been released in the press today that Alvin Williams, former Senator in the Virgin Islands Legislature, will plead guilty to one count of corruption and would face up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines, if convicted. This is a far cry from the NINE counts of corruption, with which Mr. Williams has been charged and the 80 years maximum sentence and $568,000 in fines.
When I first saw the headline in The Source, I assumed Alvin Williams had struck a deal. I read with fervor, wondering if U.S. Attorney Kim Lindquist had convinced him to provide information on other Senators involved in similar schemes. Certainly, he learned his grafting strategies from those in the Legislature before him. And, it would make sense to strike a deal of this magnitude for information that leads to the conviction of at least four other Senators – one for every two counts dropped.
But, there was no deal…no mention of any deal. And, I begin to wonder: why would the U.S. Attorney agree to drop charges in exchange for nothing?
Should Alvin Williams be allowed to get away with corruption?
If he were to be convicted…and if he were to receive the maximum sentence, he would be free at the age of 54. And, if Alecia “Chucky” Hansen is any indicator, he’d still be young enough to be re-elected and pilfer the people some more!
The Lord wishes not the death of the sinner, but that he should repent and live. Yet, how will one be brought to repentance if that one is simply rewarded for bad behavior?
But, if the people will say nothing then I guess it doesn’t matter. For in the final analysis, the answer to the question of whether or not Alvin Williams should be allowed to get away with corruption rests in the hands of us, Virgin Islanders. The Source reports that “A hearing on the change of plea request is scheduled Thursday in U.S. District Court on St. Thomas.” That is TOMORROW!
Should Alvin Williams be allowed to get away with corruption?
If you live on St. Thomas/St. John and care at all – in either case – you will be at the Court tomorrow. If you live on St. Croix and care at all, you will make your voice heard on the radio. If you live abroad and care at all, you will write, you will speak, you will post on every corner – THIS EVENING – to spread the word far and wide.
My fellow Virgin Islanders, we must create a new narrative. And, that narrative must make it clear that we will no longer tolerate corrupt government officials. That narrative is written by making an strong example of the most glaring example of Virgin Islands officials complete disregard for the people.
The Virgin Islands is #3 in the United States, per capita, in Government Corruption. We must begin to clean house if we want to improve the lives of our people in the Territory. If we want to preserve the Territory from being taken over by non-Virgin Islanders, we must do better at securing our homeland. If we don’t, we only have ourselves to blame when we can’t find work, can’t afford food, can’t escape crime, etc.
Should Alvin Williams be allowed to get away with corruption?
Should he be allowed to escape eight counts of corruption without any benefit coming to the people of the Virgin Islands? I would say no! What do you say?
Answer the Call: Virgin Islands for the Virgin Islanders…those at home and those abroad!
