Gerard Luz Amwur James II (born March 18, 1953) is an American Virgin Islander politician, funeral director, and businessman. James served as the

Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

from 1999 until 2003 and was the president of

Fifth Constitutional Convention of the U.S. Virgin Islands The Fifth Constitutional Convention of the U.S. Virgin Islands proposed a constitution for the United States Virgin Islands in May 2009. The Virgin Islands government is organized under the provisions of the Revised Organic Act of 1954 and the Tre ...

Biography

Early life

James was born in

Saint Croix Saint Croix; nl, Sint-Kruis; french: link=no, Sainte-Croix; Danish and no, Sankt Croix, Taino: ''Ay Ay'' ( ) is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincorpo ...

on March 18, 1953, to parents G. Luz A. James and Asta Maria Klyvert-James. He was the family's first son and second child. He attended St. Mary's Catholic school and the Christiansted Junior High in St. Croix Virgin Islands, before enrolling at the now defunct St. Emma's Military Academy in

Powhatan The Powhatan people (; also spelled Powatan) may refer to any of the indigenous Algonquian people that are traditionally from eastern Virginia. All of the Powhatan groups descend from the Powhatan Confederacy. In some instances, The Powhatan ...

, Virginia. In January 1970, he was transferred to Miami Military Academy where he graduated in 1971. Miami Military Academy in Florida.

Career

James received a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

from

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a private, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity" and accredited by the Middle States Commissi ...

in 1975. He enlisted in the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

, where he served for six years. He was promoted to the rank of captain before being honorably discharged in 1981. He studied

mortuary A morgue or mortuary (in a hospital or elsewhere) is a place used for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification (ID), removal for autopsy, respectful burial, cremation or other methods of disposal. In modern times, corpses have cus ...

science at American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service and in November 1983, became a License Funeral Director of the State of New York, before returning to the United States Virgin Islands. James opened his

funeral home A funeral home, funeral parlor or mortuary, is a business that provides burial and funeral services for the dead and their families. These services may include a prepared wake and funeral, and the provision of a chapel for the funeral. Services ...

, the James Memorial Funeral Home. In February 1984, Christiansted, which he still owns and operate as of 2021 .

Political career

Gerard Luz Amwur James II began his political career in 1992 when he was elected a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

in the 20th

Virgin Islands Legislature The Legislature of the Virgin Islands is the territorial legislature of the United States Virgin Islands. The legislative branch of the unincorporated U.S. territory is unicameral, with a single house consisting of 15 senators, elected to two- ...

. During his first term as a member of the majority, he chaired the Committee of Rules which is second in power to the Committee of Finance in the Legislature. He also debated vigorously under extreme pressure in favor of the Virgin Island Government purchase of the West Indian Company Dock which since has been a vital part of the Virgin Islands economy. In 1994, James was re-elected to the 21st Legislature however this time he was a minority member. During the 21st Legislature Senator James brought legislation that aided AT&T to bring Fiber Optic to the islands of St. Croix, which expanded the world of telecommunications in the Virgin Islands. The election of 1996, Senator James was unsuccessful in regaining his seat in the senate, thus he returned to his profession at the funeral home. In 1998, Charles Turnbull, a candidate for

Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands The governor of the United States Virgin Islands is the head of government of the United States Virgin Islands whose responsibilities also include making the annual State of the Territory addresses to the Virgin Islands Legislature, submitting t ...

, chose James as his

running mate A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint Ticket (election), ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the vice presidential candidate ...

for

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

. The Turnull-James ticket was elected in the 1998 gubernatorial election. James was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor on Monday, January 4, 1999. Turnbull and James had high profile, public disagreements during their tenure in office. The dispute led James to challenge Turnbull in the 2002 gubernatorial election. However, Turnbull defeated James and other challengers in the election. The Governor replaced named Vargrave Richards as his new Lieutenant Governor. James was the president of the Fifth Constitutional Convention of the U.S. Virgin Islands.V.I. asks Congress to send constitution draft back for more work
Virgin Islands News; May 20, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2012

2010 gubernatorial candidacy

Gerard Luz James announced his candidacy for

as a Democrat. His campaign was officially launched on was made on August 1, 2010, in Buddhoe Park in

Frederiksted Frederiksted is both the town and one of the two administrative districts of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. It is a grid-planned city, designed by surveyor Jens Beckfor, originally to 14x14 blocks but built 7x7 to enhance the island commerce in ...

. James chose Glen J. Smith, an educator, as his

. James and Smith faced three opponents and two other candidates in the Democratic

primary election Primary elections, or direct primary are a voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party's candidate, or a candidate in general, in an upcoming general election, local election, or by-election. Depending on the ...

on September 11, 2010 – incumbent Governor John de Jongh, Senator Adlah Donastorg and

James O'Bryan Jr. James "Jimmy" O'Bryan Jr. (born June 7, 1956 in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands) is a United States Virgin Islander politician, spokesman and former press secretary. He previously served as the Administrator of the island of Saint Thomas, U.S ...

In the primary election, James came in third place behind the primary's winner, De Jongh, and Donastorg, who came in second place. Following the primary, James stated that he "accepted the people's decision," but further elaborated, "The people of the Virgin Islands showed me today that they really and truly endure mistreatment, endure corruption, endure mismanagement, and they also endure maltreatment to each other...The only thing that I can see is continued destruction, and it's sad, sad, sad." James stated that he would not endorse Governor John de Jongh for a second term in the 2010 general election saying, "Why should I endorse anyone when it shows me truly that the people don't want to have anything that is right?"

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Gerard Luz 1953 births Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands politicians American funeral directors Howard University alumni Lieutenant Governors of the United States Virgin Islands Living people People from Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands Senators of the Legislature of the United States Virgin Islands United States Virgin Islands businesspeople United States Army officers