, 1959-09-12
LEGISLATIVE RECORD Continued
CONTINUED from Yesterday


DIR. ONEAL: My name is Eric Il. ONeaI and / am
a physician. Mr.. President, madam Senator, Senators. AS
you nave heard, / wrote to your President asking for an
opportunity to appear here today in order to clear my
name Of wild rurnors that have been spread, unfortunate
ly-not by people on the street butt peopleswho should
have some sense OF responsibility here IN the Virgin Is
lands-people high in government, occupying the highest
positions IN the Government Of the Virgin Islands.
In order to cast aspersions aside these a~spersions that
were made in connection with my removal as Commits
sioner Of Health want to state that an impression has
been given the Public that while Twas so intent on uphold
ing the law Tin the case of the tGcensure of one Or. Harold
VI Bonsole to practice dentistry in the Virgin Islands,
that | at the same time, pulled a deal-a political DEAL no
less-to grant a job in the Department OF Health to DR..
Cordero. ] want to- be very brief. I don't want to taketoo.
much of your. time; and, for that reason, have made some
notes here. And, Hope you don't mind my referring to my
notes. a
Throughout all the contention and controversy con-
corning DR.. Bonsole and his lcensurei in the Virgin Islands,
I was. muzzled by the Governor of the Virgin Islands as
his Commissioner of Health, could not make any state
ment to the Press so that the Public could be informed
that all the information they had been getting from the
candidate himself, and from one Of your mennbers) was
completely inaccurate and rather misihfornaation than in
formation.
think that it is a shame when-as I said before
people who occupy responsible positions in the Govern
ment should make every effort to deny one his primary
right as a citizen-and that is freedom OF expression.
AT some time after this Bonsole affair had grown to a
certain stage, / asked permission Of the Governor to issue
a Press Release, and got the permission from him. But, for
reasons known only to himself, he decided not to release
it to the Public. So, up to today, many people do not know
the circumstances involving the lcensure Of Or. Bonsole.
II objected to his licensure on legal grounds. We are
operating here in the Virgin Islands under an Organic Act
And, we also, under that Organic Act, know that the Act
gives us the privilege to have a legislature that formulates
laws by which we are governed.
Nov, there is such a law governing the practice Of all
professions. In this case, the candidate for lcensure in den
tistry must meet certain qualifications. This man did not
meet the qualifications. He took an examination. He failed
In 5 of 10 subjects given in that examination. But the
minute he failed the examination he was able to get a
letter from Dr.. Aubrey Anduze, a p~racticng dentist, who
wrote that letter as a dentist to the then Government ,
informing him that in his opinion-even though he had
not seen the questions to these subjects Of examination
this man had passed the. examination because he certainly
demonstrated a knowledge Of dentistry. For any dentist to-
make such a statement, theonly thing | can say about it
is that he's completely ignorant Of his own profession and