The 36th Legislature of the Virgin Islands hosted a mock legislative session Wednesday in honor of Older Americans Month, giving senior citizens the opportunity to step into the role of lawmakers and vote on a bill designed to improve accessibility in public buildings, a press release announced.
The event, held at the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall, was led by Senate President Milton E. Potter and featured 23 older residents acting as senators, legal personnel, and support staff. Participants deliberated and passed Bill No. 36-0000a, which amends Title 29 of the Virgin Islands Code to require adequate access and designated resting areas in public buildings for senior citizens and physically disabled individuals. The measure was sponsored by Potter, according to the press release.
“This mock session is a testament to lifelong civic engagement,” Potter said in a statement.
The session commemorated the origins of Older Americans Month, which dates back to 1963, when President John F. Kennedy met with the National Council of Senior Citizens to designate May as a month of recognition. At the time, nearly one-third of Americans over 65 lived in poverty. The celebration was later renamed after the passage of the Older Americans Act in 1965, the press release stated.
The seniors who portrayed members of the 36th Legislature included:
- Mary Harley (acting as Sen. Marvin A. Blyden)
- Jeanette Smith Barry (acting as Sen. Carla J. Joseph)
- Wilma Phillip (acting as Sen. Dwayne M. DeGraff)
- Lydia Lettsome (acting as Sen. Milton E. Potter)
- Rosalia Payne (acting as Sen. Alma Francis Heyliger)
- Esther Merla Phillips (acting as Sen. Ray Fonseca)
- Gwenavire Hyndman (acting as Senator-At-Large Angel L. Bolques, Jr)
- Celia Hermon (acting as Sen.Avery L. Lewis)
- Clefrin F. Delande (acting as Sen. Novelle E. Francis Jr.)
- Iva Brandy (acting as Sen. Marise C. James)
- Phillipa Smith-Tyler (acting as Sen. Kenneth L. Gittens)
- Geneva Rodriguez (acting as Sen. Franklin D. Johnson)
- Pearl Flax (acting as Sen. Clifford A. Joseph, Sr.)
- Eloi Sylvester (acting as Sen. Hubert L. Frederick)
- Merlene A. Felicien (acting as Sen. Kurt Vialet)
- Gladys Jurgen (acting as the Post Auditor)
- Maxine Fleming (acting as the Legal Counsel)
- Edna Freeman (acting as the Journal Clerk)
- Urline Lettsome (acting as the Stenographer)
- Lillian Garfield (acting as the Archive Clerk)
- Janet Smalls (acting as the Timekeeper)
- Barbara Heyliger & Lloyd Watts (acting as the Sergeants at Arms)
- Father Anthony Abraham (acting as the Chaplain)
- Lynett Fahie (acting as the Page)
- Delta Malone (acting as the Photographer)
Senators present at today’s mock session included Sens. Milton E. Potter, Kenneth L. Gittens, Marvin A. Blyden, Angel L. Bolques Jr., Dwayne M. DeGraff, Novelle E. Francis Jr., Hubert L. Frederick, Ray Fonseca, Marise C. James, Avery L. Lewis, and Kurt A. Vialet.
St. Croix Source
Local government, Local news
