USVI: Above the law

ST. THOMAS - A defiant V.I. Carnival Committee Executive Director Caswil Callender has said he will not go to a Senate Finance Committee meeting scheduled for next week - despite being subpoenaed by the Legislature.

"I will not be leaving my house under any condition to satisfy anyone's ego. Phonies always crumble under criticism, and the Carnival Committee has not crumbled," Callender said Wednesday.

Finance Committee Chairman Adlah Donastorg Jr. responded Wednesday to Callender's remarks.

"This has nothing to do with my ego," he said.

On Tuesday night, members of the Senate Finance Committee subpoenaed three Carnival Committee officials - Chairman Kenneth Blake, Treasurer Derrick Gumbs and Callender - after they failed to attend a meeting to discuss how they are spending government funds.

The Carnival Committee is one of three nonprofit agencies that receive public money to organize annual celebrations. The others are the St. John July 4th Celebration Committee and the Crucian Christmas Festival Committee on St. Croix.

The Finance Committee is investigating how all three nonprofit agencies are spending taxpayers' money.

Callender said he did not attend Tuesday's meeting because he was home recovering from recent prostate cancer surgery.

Don't tax payers have a right to know how their hard-earned dollars are being spent? While I wish Callender a swift recovery from prostate surgery, the fact remains, he must be accountable.