In a meeting Monday with Delegate to Congress Donna Christian-Christiansen, Senate President Vargrave Richards and officials from the Interior Department, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull was urged to submit a "wish list" to a White House working group on the territories by the end of the week.
Christiansen said the meeting, which included Sandra King, deputy director of Insular Affairs of the Interior Department, and Edgar Johnson, desk officer for the Virgin Islands at Insular Affairs, was part of the Interior Department's new economic initiative to assist in revitalizing the economies of the four small U.S. territories.
In a release from Government House Turnbull said that in the last months of President Clinton's term, "We are asked to develop a territorial agenda."
The wish list was to consist of critical needs, issues and initiatives. The governor has directed agency and department heads to develop lists immediately and have them at his office by the end of the week.
The Clinton administration has been supportive of the territory's needs, most recently in supporting the return of a larger share of the rum-excise tax to the territory.
During the meeting, in fact, Turnbull was told the $16 million from the retroactive rum tax-rebate increase would be on its way from the federal government this week.
Christiansen said, "The meeting is a result of discussion between federal officials and territorial leadership and can be the first step in creating a long overdue administration policy and plan for all of the offshore areas."
