In a ceremony that brought together generations of Virgin Islanders, the 35th Legislature honored 10 individuals whose contributions have shaped the territory across medicine, music, law enforcement, and public service.
Through Resolution No. 1913 (Bill No. 35-0242), Miguel “DJ Papi Pops” Santos Jr. was recognized for his contributions to music and radio broadcasting. “I ain’t pretty good at this part,” Santos said, “but I just wanna say thank you to the public, to the senator, Angel Bolques, Ray Fonseca, and to the community for accepting me throughout my career. But I can’t forget my dad, my family, and I try to stay strong because my mom played a major role in my life.”
Dr. Olaf “Bronco” Hendricks, honored under Act No. 8737 (Bill No. 35-0101) for his contributions to psychiatry, shared insights from his decades of service. “On my first day at work on Saint Croix in the hospital, I was ready to show off,” he recalled. “But my first patient… said to me something else that would always be in my mind… ‘I don’t really believe that you’re a psychiatrist. I want an annoying doctor, I want a crazy doctor, but you look like a person whose roommate I would like to be.'”
The ceremony recognized a diverse group of honorees, including Lieutenant Colonel Leayle Gerard Galiber through Resolution No. 1910 (Bill No. 35-0116) for his leadership in the Virgin Islands National Guard and the Board of Elections, Caroline Fawkes, supervisor of Elections and the entire Virgin Islands Elections System team through Resolution No. 1904 (Bill No. 35-0016) for their 60 years of service to the electoral system.
Medical professionals honored included Dr. Ralph A. deChabert under Act No. 8810 (Bill No. 35-0102) for his contributions to the medical field, and posthumously, Dr. Rafael Garcia under Act No. 8657 (Bill No. 34-0292) for his years of service as a medical doctor and public servant.
Under Act No. 8671 (Bill No. 34-0376), Valmy Thomas, the first Virgin Islander to play Major League Baseball, was posthumously honored. His daughter, Shelley Thomas, described him as “a renaissance man, headstrong, determined, funny, serious, stubborn, all the things that made him who he was. He was never satisfied with hearing the word no.”
Speaking about the importance of such recognition ceremonies, Senate President Novelle Francis explained, “There is a grueling, long process in order for us to get these resolutions completed… It’s really important for us to be able to recognize the contributions that have been made by our community members and really to pay tribute. Because guess what? If you don’t know your history, again, you don’t know where you’re coming from or where you’re going.”
Sen. Franklin D. Johnson emphasized the necessity of these honors despite public criticism: “The Legislature takes a lot of licks for honoring our people… But how could we not honor men and women who serve this territory? How can we not name roads in their honor?”
Public Works Commissioner Derek Gabriel noted the lasting impact of these honors: “Our beloved territory has a tremendously rich history and culture… For me, it’s always an honor to bestow names on our facilities and roads as it means that for generations to come, we’ll continue to honor their lives dedicated to serving our community.”
The ceremony concluded with the recognition that these honors serve not just to commemorate the past but to inspire future generations of Virgin Islanders to serve their community with similar dedication and excellence.
