§ 42. Existing franchises
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to alter or amend the terms of any contracts or franchises governing the provisions of public utility services, issued or entered into prior to January 1, 1965.
§ 43. New franchises
When authorized by law, the Governor shall grant franchises, including rights of way, licenses, and easements, which may be exclusive, over public property, to a public utility doing business within the Virgin Islands.
§ 43a. Acquisition or control of public utility: approval of Commission
(a) No person or corporation, whether or not organized under the laws of the Territory, shall sell, acquire or transfer control, either directly, or indirectly of any public utility organized and doing business in this Territory, without first securing authorization from the Commission. Any such acquisition or control without prior authorization shall be void and […]
§ 44. Effective date
The provisions of this chapter shall become effective July 1, 1965.
§ 45. Director
The administrative management of the duties and responsibilities of the Public Services Commission under this chapter shall be vested in a Director who shall be appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of this Commission, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislature. The Commission is authorized, subject to the provisions of chapter 25 […]
§ 45a. Designation of eligible telecommunications carriers
(a) The Commission may grant requests by telecommunications carriers, including commercial mobile radio services providers licensed by the Federal Communications Commission, to be designated as “eligible telecommunications carriers” within the meaning of Section 214(e) of title 47 of the United States Code. The Commission may exercise continuing oversight jurisdiction over any entity it has designated […]
§ 39. Penalty for violations
(a) If any public utility shall violate any provision of this chapter, or shall do any act herein prohibited, or shall fail or refuse to perform any duty enjoined upon it, or shall fail, neglect, or refuse to obey any lawful subpoena, requirement or order made by the Commission, or any judgment or decree made […]
§ 40. Separate offenses
That every day during which any public utility, or any officer, agent, or employee thereof, shall fail knowingly or wilfully to observe and comply with any order or direction of the Commission, or perform any duty enjoined by this chapter, shall constitute a separate and distinct violation of such order, or direction, or of this […]
§ 41. Liberal interpretation
The provisions of this chapter shall be interpreted and construed liberally in order to accomplish the purposes thereof, and where any specific power or authority is given the Commission by the provisions of this chapter the enumeration thereof shall not be held to exclude or impair any power or authority otherwise in this chapter conferred […]
§ 34. Appeals
(a) The District Court of the Virgin Islands shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine any appeal from an order or decision of the Commission. Any public utility, or any other person or corporation affected by any final order or decision of the Commission, may, within sixty days after final action by the Commission upon […]