Dear Source:
On Thursday night in the cafeteria of Lockhart school, the people of the Virgin Islands found their voice and discovered their power at the CZM hearing on the Mandahl project.
With the help of some incredible young people who spoke eloquently about their love of this island and the value of its remaining natural habitat and even started their own "under 18" petition, people from all over St. Thomas rose to speak and applaud and cheer to save what is left of our paradise. Anna Wallace Francis and her Environmental Rangers helped to raise the consciousness of the community and over 400 persons responded and stayed and stayed.
Testifiers came prepared with legal documents, historical facts, pleas to save the environment, proposals for a nature preserve, DPNR correspondence, fishing information, detailed analysis of the developer's proposals, scientific testimony and representation from the total community and they presented it with professionalism and obvious intensive planning.
The territory took a paradigm shift last night – did you feel it?
Carol Lotz-Felix
St. Thomas
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