Pamela Richards Samuel
Encyclopedia
Pamela C. Richards Samuel (born 1959) is a U.S. Virgin Islander politician
. Most recently, Richards Samuel was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands
in the 2010 election
as the running mate
of Democratic gubernatorial candidate James O'Bryan Jr.
She has previously served as the former Commissioner of Tourism
of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Richards Samuel was born in 1959 to Arthur A. Richards and Myrna T. Richards, who reside in Frederiksted. She is married to Avelino Samuel, a native of Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands
. She graduated from Charlotte Amalie High School
on Saint Thomas
in 1977. Richards Samuel then received her bachelor's degree
in 1981 from the University of Southern California
.
In addition to her former post as Commissioner of Tourism, Richards Samuel served as the assistant press secretary
to former Governor Alexander A. Farrelly
. She also served as the press secretary for U.S.V.I. Senator David S. Jones and the office manager for the late Senator Lorraine Berry.
Richards Samuel was also the First Vice President
and Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Association. She has served as the executive director
of the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands
.
James O'Bryan Jr. and Richards Samuel announced their joint gubernatorial ticket in an hour-long presentation on WDHP
radio station
on August 17, 2010. Samuel Richards announced her candidacy for Lt. Governor on the phone from Saint Croix during the radio program. She cited the U.S. Virgin Islands property tax
as the "straw that broke the camel
's back" which led her to run for Lieutenant Governor. O'Bryan and Richards Samuel listed their top platform issues as crime
, education
, health care
and employment
.
O'Bryan and Richards Samuel finished in fourth place in the Democratic gubernatorial primary election
held on September 11, 2010. Their joint ticket received 432 votes in the primary election, the equivalent of 3% of the total vote. James O'Bryan finished behind incumbent Governor John de Jongh
, Senator Adlah Donastorg and former Lt. Governor Gerard Luz James
respectively.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. Most recently, Richards Samuel was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands
Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands
The following is a list of Lieutenant Governors of the United States Virgin Islands.*David Earle Maas - Republican...
in the 2010 election
United States Virgin Islands gubernatorial election, 2010
The United States Virgin Islands gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on November 2, 2010, and won by incumbent Democratic Governor John de Jongh...
as the running mate
Running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
of Democratic gubernatorial candidate James O'Bryan Jr.
James O'Bryan Jr.
James "Jimmy" O'Bryan Jr. 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. Virgin Islands....
She has previously served as the former Commissioner of Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Richards Samuel was born in 1959 to Arthur A. Richards and Myrna T. Richards, who reside in Frederiksted. She is married to Avelino Samuel, a native of Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint John is an island in the Caribbean Sea and a constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. St...
. She graduated from Charlotte Amalie High School
Charlotte Amalie High School
Charlotte Amalie High School is a public high school housing a population of just over 1500 students, located in what is colloquially called the "town area" of the island of St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands; It is named after the official name for the "town area," Charlotte Amalie, and it...
on Saint Thomas
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
in 1977. Richards Samuel then received her bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1981 from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
.
In addition to her former post as Commissioner of Tourism, Richards Samuel served as the assistant press secretary
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
to former Governor Alexander A. Farrelly
Alexander A. Farrelly
Alexander Anthony Farrelly was the governor of the United States Virgin Islands serving from 1987 to 1995.Farrelly graduated from St. John's University, Queens, New York in 1954 with a bachelor's degree in law...
. She also served as the press secretary for U.S.V.I. Senator David S. Jones and the office manager for the late Senator Lorraine Berry.
Richards Samuel was also the First Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
and Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Association. She has served as the executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands
Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands
The Democratic Party is a political party in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It won the gubernatorial elections of 2006 when its candidate John de Jongh was elected with 57.3 %.At the last elections, 7 November 2006, the party won 8 out of 15 seats....
.
James O'Bryan Jr. and Richards Samuel announced their joint gubernatorial ticket in an hour-long presentation on WDHP
WDHP
WDHP is a radio station licensed to serve Frederiksted, U. S. Virgin Islands. The station is owned by Reef Broadcasting, Inc. It airs a mix of news, talk, gospel music, and country music....
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
on August 17, 2010. Samuel Richards announced her candidacy for Lt. Governor on the phone from Saint Croix during the radio program. She cited the U.S. Virgin Islands property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
as the "straw that broke the camel
Camel
A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
's back" which led her to run for Lieutenant Governor. O'Bryan and Richards Samuel listed their top platform issues as crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
and employment
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
.
O'Bryan and Richards Samuel finished in fourth place in the Democratic gubernatorial primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
held on September 11, 2010. Their joint ticket received 432 votes in the primary election, the equivalent of 3% of the total vote. James O'Bryan finished behind incumbent Governor John de Jongh
John de Jongh
John Percy de Jongh, Jr. is the current Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.-Life and career:de Jongh was born in Brooklyn, New York. As a child he attended Sts. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas. After his parents' divorce, he lived with his mother in Detroit, Michigan while his mother did...
, Senator Adlah Donastorg and former Lt. Governor Gerard Luz James
Gerard Luz James
Gerard Luz James II is a United States Virgin Islander politician, funeral director, and businessman. James served as the Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands from 1999 until 2003 and is the current president of the Virgin Islands' fifth Constitutional Convention.-Early...
respectively.