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Charlotte Amalie
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesAH, SO: FIREWORKS WERE FOR VISITING JAPANESE

AH, SO: FIREWORKS WERE FOR VISITING JAPANESE

What were the fireworks all about in the St. Thomas harbor around 10:30 Wednesday night? Fire Marshal Glenn Francis didn't want to talk about it, but Judi Nagelberg of Island Meetings and Incentives supplied the explanation.
Nagelberg said her company made arrangements for a day-long St. Thomas visit by a Mitsubishi Motors group traveling aboard the cruise ship Seaborne. The company sponsored the trip, she said, as a reward to employees for "a job well done."
The group played golf at Mahogany Run and visited St. John, and to cap off the day, she organized a gala dinner at The Inn at Blackbeard's Castle, which overlooks the harbor, with the fireworks display as entertainment. She obtained both U.S. Coast Guard and Fire Services permits.
"I don't know what all the fuss is about," Nagelberg said. "It was for the island, for the enjoyment of everybody – it was a positive thing."
Francis would say Thursday morning only that he had issued a permit to a private company to set off the fireworks for promotional purposes. What company? "I don't have time to look that up right now," he said. "The fireworks were set off off-island," he said. In St. Thomas harbor? "Yes," he said.
He also said that fireworks have been going on "all year" locally and "this is the first time anyone has ever called about it." He cited aerial displays at the Caneel Bay and Sugar Bay resorts. Both of those — and several others — were New Year's Eve celebrations that were announced in advance in the media, though other visiting groups have occasionally put on fireworks displays too.
Francis said nothing in the V.I. Code requires advance notice to the public of fireworks displays and wondered why anyone would want to know. It was suggested that when the peaceful night-time St. Thomas harbor is suddenly alive with a spectacular fireworks display seen as far away as Tillett Gardens and lasting about 30 minutes, it gets the public's attention and curiosity.
Numerous callers to the Topp Talk radio show Thursday morning expressed opinions and curiosity about the fireworks, but no one called to explain their origin or purpose.
It shouldn't be a problem for any future fireworks displays, however. Francis said, "They will be announced from now on."

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