The St. Croix District Board of Elections meeting Wednesday ended in chaos, with multiple motions made to unseat the chairwoman current at the beginning of the meeting and the subsequent chairman apparently seated during the session. Lilliana Belardo de O’Neal was board chairwoman as the meeting got underway. Glenn Webster, who initially was board secretary, moved that Belardo de O’Neal be removed from heading the board because, he said, of collusive action with her husband she had tried “to deliberately defraud the people of the Virgin Islands.” After the motion was seconded, Belardo de O’Neal said, “Hearing no objection, the motion passes.” Having no discussion on the motion seemed to upset board member Adelbert “Bert” Bryan, who said, “We cannot tell what we are talking about.” Other board members argued that there was no sense having a discussion on the motion since it passed.
Webster took over as chairman of the board and Belardo de O’Neal immediately moved that he be removed as board chairman. There was an argument over whether she had been recognized formally and could make the motion.
Both Belardo de O’Neal and Webster had papers to support their motions and both distributed the papers to board members.
Webster’s papers were a report from polling precinct official Patricia Frorup that alleged Belardo de O’Neal, who was also a candidate, used her position on the district elections board to inappropriately gain access to a polling station and to information. It also alleged that Belardo de O’Neal was rude to poll workers. The incident allegedly happened during early voting at the Board of Elections office.
Full Article: St. Croix District Election Board Ends Year in Chaos | St. Thomas Source.