(a) In order to properly regulate the practice of veterinary medicine, there is established a Board within the Department of Health to be known as the Virgin Islands Board of Veterinary Medicine.
(b) The Board consists of seven members appointed by the Governor for terms of three years.
(1) Four members, two residents from the district of St. Thomas/St. John and two residents from the district of St. Croix, must be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the Virgin Islands, in good standing, actively engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine, and have at least one year of experience in the practice of veterinary medicine within the Virgin Islands.
(2) One member must be a credentialed veterinary technician or technologist who is not employed by a veterinarian on the Board.
(3) Two members who are at least twenty-one years of age and who are not and have ever been a veterinarian or the spouse of a veterinarian, or who have never had any material financial interest in the provision of veterinarian services or who have never engaged in any activity directly related to the practice of veterinary medicine.
(4) All non-veterinarians appointed to the Board must have been residents of the Virgin Islands for at least six months immediately preceding appointment.
(c) Each member is appointed for a term of three years or until a successor is appointed, except that the terms of the first appointees may be for shorter periods to permit a staggering of terms. Members of the predecessor board, Board of Examiners for the Practice of Veterinary Medicine, may continue as members of the Virgin Islands Board of Veterinary Medicine until the expiration of the term for which they were appointed.
(d) Vacancies due to death, resignation, or removal must be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as regular appointments. Not more than 30 days after a vacancy, the Board shall nominate two qualified persons to the Governor to fill each vacancy. The Governor is not bound to make an appointment from the nominees submitted by the Board.
(e) No person who has been appointed to the Board shall continue his membership on the Board if during the term he:
(1) transfers legal residence outside of the Virgin Islands; or
(2) owns or is employed by any wholesale business dealing in supplies, equipment, or instruments used or useful in the practice of veterinary medicine; or
(3) has had his license to practice veterinary medicine revoked for any of the causes listed in § 189 of this chapter.
(f) The Board shall elect officers annually from its membership as may be prescribed by regulations. Officers of the Board serve for terms of one year and until a successor is elected, without limitation on the number of terms an officer may serve. The duties of officers shall be prescribed by regulations.
(g) The Governor may remove an appointee for the reasons specified in subsection (f) or for any good cause shown and may appoint members to fill the unexpired terms.
(h) A Board member shall be reimbursed pursuant to 3 V.I.C. § 65 and for expenses incurred for activities related to the business of the Board, subject to approval by the Commissioner.
(i) At the end of each fiscal year, the Commissioner of Health shall submit to the Governor the annual report of the transactions of the Board.