The “inside track” for the Summers End Group was established long before Chaliese Summers ever filed for a CZM permit in April 2014.

Way back in 2008 a CZM permit application was submitted for a Coral Bay Marina by Robert O’Connor and Attorney Brion Morrisette. In the early 1990’s Robert O’Connor had been Senator in the 17th and18th Legislatures. He also served for 20 years on the board of the Virgin Islands Port Authority and for 10 years as the Chairman of the Port Authority.

However most notably in the context of Governor deJongh’s support for Summers End, in the 2010 general elections Robert O’Connor served as Campaign Manager for the deJongh-Francis ticket. Governor deJongh won his second term in the November 2010 general election, against a Mapp-Sekou ticket. The relationship between O’Connor and deJongh, both stalwarts of the Virgin Islands Democratic Party, was very strong.

So when Chaliese Summers and Rick Barksdale teamed up with Robert O’Connor to promote their mega yacht marina concept for small Coral Bay, it is unsurprising that Governor deJongh voiced strong support. In his January 2014 State of the Territory address – several months before a CZM permit had been filed – Governor deJongh said “We have put our support behind a marina development on St. John.” And in May 2014, at the USVI Economic Development Summit, deJongh said “On St. John we’re supporting the development of the marina in Coral Bay that will diversify the activity out of Cruz Bay but also give us a central point for resort development.”

The problem here, if not obvious, is that when the Chief Executive of the Territory announces his support for a project, even before plans are drawn up or permit applications are submitted, it is obvious that there is pressure on all of the members of the Executive Branch to facilitate approval of that project. The Commissioner of DPNR serves at the pleasure of the Governor, so when the Governor says he supports something, it is unlikely that the head of DPNR will object.

And such was the case with the Summers End Group mega marina in Coral Bay. With the support of Bob O’Connor, support from Governor deJongh was assured, and with the Governor’s support, DPNR Commissioner Alicia Barnes was unlikely to oppose. The CZM permit, with all its defects and deficiencies, made it through the DPNR review in record time, and was forwarded to the St John CZM Committee for approval. And remember the name Morrisette, the attorney who had applied for a Coral Bay marina in 2008, who had served as General Counsel for the Summers End Group? He was one of the three members on the St John CZM Committee in the summer of 2014.