95 STAT. 122
PUBLIC LAW 97-21—JULY 9, 1981 ELECTIONS
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2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, all elected officials shall be elected in accordance with this Constitution at the first general election after the effective date of this Constitution. SECTION
CONTINUITY OF LAWS
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3. Laws, executive orders, and regulations in force in the Virgin Islands on the effective date of this Constitution that are consistent with this Constitution shall continue in force until they expire, are amended, or repealed. Laws, executive orders, and regulations that have been enacted or issued by the legislature of the Virgin Islands or by local executive authorities, respectively that are inconsistent with this Constitution shall be void to the extent of such inconsistency. SECTION
CONTINUITY OP GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT AND OPERATIONS
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4. Employees of the Government of the Virgin Islands on the effective date of this Constitution shall be employees of the constitutional government on the same terms and conditions of employment as were in effect and enforceable previously, unless otherwise provided by law. Employees of the Government of the Virgin Islands shall have the same functions and duties after becoming employees of the constitutional government unless otherwise provided by law. SECTION
CONTINUITY OF JUDICIAL MATTERS
48 USC 1541 "°*^
SECTION 5. Until
the Senate otherwise provides, the appellate court created by Section 1 of Article VII shall consist of the two United States District Court judges for the Virgin Islands and one judge appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 and Section 6 of Article VII of this Constitution. The judge so appointed shall serve as the chief judge of the appellate court until the appellate court created by Section 1 is fully implemented. The Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands shall continue as a trial court of original jurisdiction in the same manner as existed prior to the date of adoption of this Constitution until and unless changed by law. The qualifications for judges set forth in this Constitution shall not be retroactively applied to any sitting judge of the Territorial Court. All rules of the judicial system consistent with this Constitution and in effect upon the adoption of this Constitution shall continue or may be modified or terminated in the same manner as existed prior to the adoption of this Constitution until and unless changed by law. PROSPECTIVE OPERATION OF RIGHTS
48 USC 1541 "°*^
6. All rights or obligations, procedural or substantive, created for the first time by this Constitution shall be prospective and not retroactive. SECTION
SUCCESSION
48 USC 1541 "°^®-
SECTION
7. The constitutional government of the Virgin Islands
shall succeed to all rights and obligations of the Government of the
Virgin Islands that existed prior to the effective date of this Constitution. The validity of all public and private bonds, debts, and contracts,
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