USVI Public Records

Document text

COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, VETERAN AFFAIRS AND CONSUMER PROTECTION 05/26/2026-REPORTED OUT TO THE FLOOR 05/07/2026-REPORTED OUT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND JUDICIARY BILL NO. 36-0114 Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Virgin Islands July 10, 2025 An act honoring and commending Dilsa Capdeville for her many contributions to the Virgin Islands community through her roles in various areas of social services and advocacy for abused women and children and naming the head start facility known as the Bolongo Bay Head Start Facility the “Dilsa Capdeville Head Start Facility’ in her honor PROPOSED BY: Senator Carla J. Joseph Sponsors: Milton E. Potter, Angel L. Bolques, Jr., Avery L. Lewis, Franklin D. Johnson, Novelle E. Francis, Jr., Marvin A. Blyden and Alma Francis Heyliger Co-sponsor: Ray Fonseca WHEREAS, Dilsa Capdeville was born on October 24, 1949, in Bronx, New York to 1 Florice Alicia Corbiere Tones and Manuel Hippolyte Torres; 2 WHEREAS, Ms. Capdeville is the proud mother of three daughters Chanell, Lisa, 3 Diandra and grandmother of Emmarie of Isaiah (Ziggy) Massey and Zoe Massey. She is the 4 mother- in- law to Rodney Ivey and Isaiah Aubain Massey; 5 WHEREAS, Ms. Capdeville attended Saint Peter and Paul School from elementary to 6 high school and graduated in 1967; 7 WHEREAS, in 1965 while in high school, Ms. Capdeville began social work at the 8 former Department of Social Welfare; 9 WHEREAS, in 1967, Ms. Capdeville enrolled and attended the then College of the 10 Virgin Islands for one year before relocating to Staten Island, New York to attend Wagner 11 College; 12 2 WHEREAS, Ms. Capdeville graduated from Wagner College in 1972 with a bachelor’s 1 degree in sociology and social work; 2 WHEREAS, in 1974, Ms. Capdeville continued her academic learning and obtained her 3 master’s degree in social work from New York University; 4 WHEREAS, in 1974, Ms. Capdeville returned to the Virgin Islands and began working 5 at the Department of Social Welfare, rising up through the ranks from Student Case Aid, to 6 Supervisor, to Assistant Director and finally to the position of Assistant Administrator of the 7 Division of Children, Youth and Families, the position she held until her retirement from 8 Department of Human Services; 9 WHEREAS, in 1978, while simultaneously working at the Department of Social 10 Welfare, Ms. Capdeville began serving as the Territorial Child Abuse Specialist for the Virgin 11 Islands; 12 WHEREAS, as the Territorial Child Abuse Specialist, Ms. Capdeville began a public 13 awareness campaign, that included workshops and training for both public and parochial 14 schools, agencies and the community in general and created the first Child Abuse Task Force 15 in the Virgin Islands; 16 WHEREAS, the Territorial Child Abuse Task Force included commissioners, nurses, 17 doctors, counselors, school personnel, and attorneys from all branches of the government; 18 WHEREAS, a special task force was formed with Attorney Denise George, Attorney 19 Douglas Dick, former Territorial Court Judge George Eltman, and Ms. Capdeville to research 20 and develop the child abuse statutes in the Virgin Islands. With technical assistance from the 21 New York State Social Services Department, the task force was able to develop a child abuse 22 statute for the Virgin Islands which is codified in the Virgin Islands Code; 23 WHEREAS, in 1994, the Child Abuse Task Force held the first Caribbean conference 24 on child sexual abuse in St Thomas with over 600 attendees from the Caribbean and the United 25 States; 26 3 WHEREAS, in March 1981, Ms. Capdeville was instrumental in the development of the 1 Women’s Resource Center on St. Thomas, presently named Family Resource Center, where 2 she began working as a domestic violence therapist working with victims of violence and 3 survivors of homicide. In addition, she continued to work with families with children being 4 abused, molested and neglected and conducted groups meetings for students who were 5 experiencing challenges in their lives; 6 WHEREAS, Ms. Capdeville continuously worked closely with the U.S. Attorney 7 General, the Virgin Islands Attorney General, the Virgin Islands Police Department, and the 8 Virgin Islands Departments of Health, Education, and Human Services to ensure that children 9 and families in the Virgin Islands are being adequately served; 10 WHEREAS, in 1997, Ms. Capdeville started KIDSCOPE on St. Thomas which was the 11 first child advocacy center in the Caribbean. Before closing in 2020, KIDSCOPE provided 12 forensic interviews of children, consultation, guardian ad litem advocacy for children, agency 13 mobilization services, counseling, and after care services for children; 14 WHEREAS, from 1983 to 1984, Ms. Capdeville taught courses in social work at the 15 University of the Virgin Islands; 16 WHEREAS, from 1990 to 1995, Ms. Capdeville taught the course “Domestic Violence 17 and the Role of Public Safety in the Protection of Victims” at the Virgin Islands Police 18 Academy for new recruits; 19 WHEREAS, on April 2, 2009, Ms. Capdeville was bestowed with the “Administration 20 of Children, Youth and Families Commissioner’s Award” in Washington DC. This award is 21 presented to the individual in each state and territory who exemplifies dedication and 22 commitment in the prevention of child abuse and neglect whose efforts in the prevention of 23 such abuse are exceptional and whose spirit is an inspiration to others; 24 WHEREAS, on February 21, 1990, Ms. Capdeville became the first woman honored by 25 the Rotary Club on St. Thomas to receive their “Man of the Year” award; 26 4 WHEREAS, Ms. Capdeville is a member of the organization “We From Up Street Inc.” 1 and chairs the organization’s Health and Wellness Committee.; 2 WHEREAS, Ms. Capdeville has influenced policies and programs in the Virgin Islands 3 and dedicated her life to changing the lives of children and families in the territory. She has 4 positively touched the lives of so many with her commitment and her good work; 5 WHEREAS, Ms. Capdeville intends to continue her work in our community as she is 6 involved with a number of projects and groups and continues to be committed to the needed 7 improvements to ensure the betterment of the Virgin Islands and its people; 8 WHEREAS, Ms. Capdeville is considered one of the icons within the field of Social 9 Work in the Virgin Islands; Now, Therefore, 10 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands: 11 SECTION 1. The Legislature of the Virgin Islands, on behalf of the people of the Virgin 12 Islands, honors and commends Dilsa Capdevielle for her many contributions to the Virgin 13 Islands community through her roles in various areas of social services and advocacy for 14 abused women and children and to rename the Bolongo Bay Head Start Facility the “Dilsa 15 Capdeville Head Start Facility’ in her honor. 16 SECTION 2. In recognition and appreciation of her contributions, the President of the 17 Legislature, or the President’s designee, shall present perma plaque copy of this act to Ms. 18 Dilsa Capdevillc at an appropriate ceremony held for that purpose. 19 SECTION 3. The sum of $10,000 is appropriated from the General Fund of the 20 Government of the Virgin Islands, in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, to the 21 Department of Public Works to erect the appropriate signage. 22 BILL SUMMARY 23 This bill honors and commends Ms. Dilsa Capdeville for her many contributions to the 24 Virgin Islands community through her roles in various areas of social services and advocacy 25 5 for abused women and children and names the head start facility known as the Bolongo Bay 1 Head Start Facility the “Dilsa Capdeville Read Start Facility’ in her honor. 2 BR25-0519/June 23, 2025/PFA 3