While I was still a teenager I was appointed as an advisor to the Virgin Islands Industrial Development Commission by then Director Warren Trafton.
The reason being that I would run into him a few times a week and show more than usual concern regarding constructive measures for the economic development of the Virgin Islands. While I was not an advisor to Bill Roebuck I stayed in touch with him during his tenure.
Over the course of the last 25 years I have observed that we are still making the same mistakes now that we were making at the beginning. A handful of the Virgin Islands politically powerful repeatedly take measures that subvert the financial integrity and degrade the scenic attractiveness of the islands to tourist and resident alike.
In exchange, those get jobs and business contracts for themselves their family and friends. At various times, due to the islands tax incentives, Jones Act benefits and international non-tariff barriers I had suggested auto assembly to the IDC. What I was told was that the size of the alumina plant prevented any major manufacturing.
A case of the capital intensive and polluting industry driving out the labor intensive non polluting. Now in an area — Great Pond — that naturally recommends itself to the traditional agriculture and tourism we have a major polluter who proposes hiring all of 145
people.
From what I have been told regarding why major employing manufacturing can't be done 320,000 sq.ft. on 280+ acres even at Bettys Hope is a building size that would preclude colocation of other enterprises. Yet for the space required we are getting an employer who would scarcely make a dent in our unemployment. I wonder who gets the few jobs denying other residents space for a place of work.
This now brings me to the memorandum from the U.S. Dept. of the Interior and the
observations made by ex-Sen. Shatkin. The Interior Dept. suggested we respect and safeguard our ecology and cultural treasures. When you are in hock like the U.SV.I. a suggestion from your main benefactor is more serious.
Mr. Shatkin speaks of the eyesore of boxy structures which distract from our scenery, the hot and aromatic wind you smell in your face from the direction of the Legislature, Alan, is not the tradewinds or the sea breeze.
