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Charlotte Amalie
Saturday, September 30, 2023
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Open forum

Open Forum: We the Youth Demand Change!

Dear Editor, We, the youth, stand here not as individuals, but as voices for justice and change. It's time for our voices to be heard! We're doing all this protesting with posters and social media posts, and that's still not enough? When will our voices be heard? It's so sad that...

Open Forum: An Ode to the Dump

A reflection while sitting on the beach after a sunset swim at Secret Harbour on St. Thomas.

Open Forum: V.I. Legislature Could Stem Erosion of UVI Faculty Salaries

The President and Executive Committee of the University of the Virgin Islands Chapter, American Association of University Professors, Inc., certified by the V.I. Public Employees Relations Board as the exclusive representative for collective bargaining for all full-time teaching faculty at UVI submit this formal letter in support of President David Hall's request for additional funding for employee raises in the FY2024 budget.

Open Forum: Let’s Talk About Libraries …

When speaking about her troubled childhood, the great African-American poet Maya Angelou once wrote: “Each time I went to the library, I felt safe. No bad thing can happen to you in the library. You can’t be talked down to, belittled, or humiliated in a library.  When it looked like the sun wasn’t gonna shine any more, God put a rainbow in the clouds.  A library is a rainbow in the cloud.”

Open Forum: Epstein Enablers in the USVI: Actions Speak So Much Louder than Words

Last month, with much fanfare, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. announced what he called a “major initiative to curb human trafficking” in the USVI. There is no question that human trafficking is an atrocity which should be addressed head-on and not only “curbed” but rooted out at its base and expunged from the territory.

Open forum: “Masqueraders, Musicians and the Old Time St. Croix Christmas Festival”

O.D. Alexander reviews “Masqueraders, Musicians and the Old Time St. Croix Christmas Festival” by Dr. Karen C. Thurland.

Open forum: The Crab in the Barrel Mentality

Winston Nugent uses a metaphor to advise virgin Islanders to not stand in the way of progress but to foster “a culture of support, empathy, and cooperation, where individuals uplift each other and work together towards collective advancement.”

Open forum: Don’t Throw Mud Into the Well That Gave You Water

Moleto Smith Jr. is “grateful for the professionals in our local medical community who cared for me throughout the last 12 months, when needed most."

Open forum: WAPA Committed to Transparency With Legislative Body on Vitol Acquisition

By offering regular updates through monthly reports, WAPA seeks to ensure that the Legislature is well-informed and engaged throughout the Vitol acquisition process.

Open Forum: Don’t Erase History with Whistling Cay Land Swap

Why does it feel wrong to give up Whistling Cay? To me it seems inappropriate because I have recently learned that Whistling Cay is a strong symbol of the hateful strength and length of the arms of slavery. To swap such a powerful symbol would negate current efforts of bringing such truths to light and correcting history.

Open Forum: Senators Should Create V.I. Children’s Day, Vote Yes to STJ School

We, representatives of Citizens Harmony And Reform Movement (CHARM), request that a day be designated to recognize the rights of our children and to pay tribute to them. Further, we would like for a public PreK-12 education complex to be established on the island of St. John.

Open Forum: Plaskett Pens Letter to Senate on Land Swap for St. John School

I recognize the difficult process before the Legislature of the Virgin Islands to meet the need for a kindergarten through 12th grade school on St. John and honor the wishes of our constituents. My team noted several matters discussed during the Legislature of the Virgin Islands’ debate of the proposed bill. I hope the following information clarifies actions taken by Congress so far on this matter. 

Open forum: Support the Land Exchange; Build a PreK-12 School

Verdel L. Petersen encourages all the senators of the 35th Legislature to vote yes on Bryan’s land exchange proposal.

Open Forum: Follow the Law, Change the Law, or Ignore the Law?

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. has sent a bill to the Legislature to approve the conveyance of Whistling Cay to the U.S. Government, as part of a “swap” to secure land for the construction of a public K-12 school on the island of St John. Title 31 of the Virgin Islands Code prohibits the government from conveying any property that includes shoreline, and Whistling Cay includes almost one mile of shoreline. So, as it stands the governor’s bill is illegal under existing Virgin Islands law.

Virtue of the Week – Wisdom

Virtue of the Week focuses on building peaceful and caring communities through understanding and fostering the practice of virtues. The Source supports the Virtues Project and will publish one virtue developed by the project each week.

Opinion: Plaskett’s Partisanship Hurts the Virgin Islands

Delegate Stacey Plaskett apparently never learned the important lesson that those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Plaskett is the last politician who should talk about partisan farces and political stunts.

Open forum: Commissioner Gary Molloy Clarifies Concerns Over Labor’s Spending Plan and Building Purchase

In a recent Senate committee hearing on July 6, concerns were raised about the Department of Labor’s plan to spend $12.7 million for fiscal year 2024.

Virtue of the Week – Unity

Virtue of the Week focuses on building peaceful and caring communities through understanding and fostering the practice of virtues. The Source supports the Virtues Project and will publish one virtue developed by the project each week.

Open Forum: An Open Letter to Gov. Bryan on His Plan for Derelict Buildings

Gov. Bryan, I am writing you this letter to commend you and joyfully applaud your refreshing vision of launching a territory-wide plan for cleaning up and rehabilitating our towns by improving and getting rid of the ugly eyesores in our communities. This transformative initiative is long overdue.

Open Forum: Street Naming Thursday to Honor Giant of V.I. Judiciary

Many Virgin Islanders have made great contributions to Danish West Indies and American Virgin Islands history. The late Judge Cyril Michael is no exception. He was born on St. Thomas in the Danish West Indies to Andre and Wilhelmina Michael on Jan. 22, 1898. He was about 19 years old when the Danes signed a treaty transferring sovereignty of the islands from Denmark to the United State in 1916 for a sum of $25 million in gold. In 1917, the islands were transferred to the United States.

UPCOMING EVENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS

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