[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 9219-9220]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




PASSING OF THE HONORABLE JUAN FRANCISCO LUIS, THIRD ELECTED GOVERNOR OF 
                        THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                         of the virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 14, 2011

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life 
of the Honorable Juan Francisco Luis, the third elected Governor of the 
U.S. Virgin Islands who passed away on June 4, 2011, at the age of 70. 
In office from 1979 through 1986, Governor Luis was the longest serving 
elected chief executive of our island territory.
  Governor Luis served at a time of growth and change in the Virgin 
Islands. He was a popular governor known as a leader who was responsive 
to the needs of ordinary citizens, who was always willing to listen to 
their individual concerns. According to Profiles of Outstanding Virgin 
Islanders, he will be remembered for significant infrastructure 
development in the islands, in particular, the establishment of modern 
health care facilities on all three islands, the initial expansion and 
financing of the airports on St. Thomas and St. Croix, the construction 
of a new container port on St. Croix, acquisition of land on St. Croix 
for homeownership and agriculture and several capital construction 
projects.
  Mr. Speaker, Governor Luis first ran for public office in 1972, when 
he was elected to the Tenth Legislature of the U.S. Virgin Islands and 
served as chairman of the Legislative Housing and Planning Committee, 
Vice Chairman of the Recreation Committee and member of the Committees 
on Finance, Public Safety, Health and Welfare, Labor and Veterans 
Affairs.
  He was chosen by the late Governor Cyril King to be his running mate 
in the 1974 gubernatorial election. The two won, and when Governor King 
died unexpectedly in 1978, Luis became Governor of the Virgin Islands. 
Originally a member of the Independent Citizens Movement, and later as 
an independent, Luis was elected in his own right in 1978 and again in 
1982.
  Born on the neighboring island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, he moved with 
his family to St. Croix when he was two months old. He was the 
valedictorian of the then Christiansted High School in 1958 and went on 
to attend Inter-American University in Puerto Rico. He served in the 
U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1968 as a sergeant. He later 
taught at the then Christiansted Grammar School and worked for the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
  I have two special recollections of personal interactions with him as 
Governor. He made time to meet with me when there was a controversy 
surrounding the naming of the park in Frederiksted. Several of us had 
decided to ask him to consider vetoing the bill as passed by the 
Legislature and he did. I don't exactly remember the details of his 
negotiations with the HESS refinery. But at the time it seemed to me 
that he was not getting the support he needed and so in an attempt to 
rise above party politics, I secured the signatures to call a special 
meeting to urge the Territorial Committee of the Democratic Party to 
support him during the negotiations. My efforts were not successful, 
but I know he appreciated the attempt.
  I believe that history will be exceedingly kind to the memory of 
Governor Luis as we can see his contributions in the health care 
system, in education, in the economy and in other aspects that affect 
the daily lives of Virgin Islanders. His efforts were sincere and those 
of us in office today build on the foundations that were set during his 
tenure. With the passage of time people have the chance to assess the 
contributions of those who live their lives in service to the public. 
It can be said of Governor Juan Luis that he had a clear vision and 
that he worked diligently to accomplish his intended goals and that we 
the people, were better off for it.
  Mr. Speaker, my family, staff and I extend our sincere condolences to 
his wife, Mrs. Luz Luis and his children Juan, Jr. and Carlota Amalia. 
May Governor Juan Francisco Luis rest in peace.

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