The V.I. Port Authority has put on hold the controversial $2.50 fee each way on noncommercial vehicles transported by barge between Red Hook, St. Thomas, and Cruz Bay, St. John, according to Port Authority spokeswoman Shirley Smith.
The fee was scheduled to go into effect Sunday. Smith said Friday implementation has been delayed until the next scheduled meeting of the Port Authority governing board on Oct. 18.
The Port Authority has stated that monies from the fee would go toward funding the Enighed Pond port facility on St. John, among other projects. But the proposal ran into substantial opposition, most recently at a hearing on St. John called by Sen. Roosevelt David and attended by as many as 100 residents.
In a statement released Thursday, Port Authority executive director Gordon Finch said, "Based on the strong outcry for reconsideration of the fee, as well as a need to insure consistency in our Marine Rate Structure, the V.I. Port Authority has already begun to examine the amount of this new cargo fee."
Finch said the issue will be brought up at the October board meeting. He also said a bill to rescind the fee, introduced by Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen, lacked constitutional standing and "may be subject to challenge."
