May 31, 2001 — If West Indian Co. Ltd. officials want to see cruise ship homeporting on St. Croix anytime soon, they should put up the money to do it, according to Gordon Finch of the V.I. Port Authority.
Finch, the Port Authority executive director, was responding to comments made last week by his counterpart at WICO, Edward Thomas, who said a lack of leadership within the Port Authority has caused the territory to lose a chance at being a home base for cruise lines.
Thomas said that with more Eastern Caribbean cruises taking in four to five ports, cruise lines are interested in having a home base in the region. Ports in San Juan and Florida, he said, are becoming too crowded. Because of that, he said the Port Authority should move ahead with plans to develop a homeporting facility.
But in an address to the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Finch said that if WICO wants to undertake such a project, it should do it itself.
"If WICO feels homeporting is the thing to do . . . I invite WICO to take up the gauntlet," Finch said.
He noted that current conditions on St. Croix, including the lack of major air arrivals and hotel rooms, would mean such an investment – in the neighborhood of $30 million to $50 million – would "be very precarious at this point to undertake."
Loan and operating expenses for such a project, Finch said, would cost about $4.5 million a year. Considering current traffic, homeporting would have to be subsidized by the government, he said.
Finch, who clashed with Thomas late last year over the Port Authority’s Crown Bay project on St. Thomas, said his agency would gladly give WICO access to port areas if it were interested in funding and building a homeport facility. WICO, Finch said, "inherited a golden goose" when the government purchased the cruise ship dock at Havensight on St. Thomas. He said WICO has never had to fund large capital projects that pay for themselves.
But Finch did say there is a future for homeporting on St. Croix. He noted that the soon-to-be-finished Henry E. Rohlsen Airport project will meet airline arrival needs, and ship fuel costs are low. However, the island still will need more hotel rooms and cheaper airfares.
At a Senate hearing earlier this month, Finch told senators that cruise lines want to be assured of an inventory of rooms at all times and regularly scheduled flights into a locale where they would homeport.

May 31, 2001 — "Radio Free St. Croix," Mario Moorhead’s latest venture on the airwaves, is off the air this week, apparently because of a lack of advertising.
Moorhead started broadcasting on St. Croix’s WAXJ-FM 103.5 in early March. The move was made possible by a $60,000 contract last January between Moorhead and the Virgin Islands Senate. The contract called for Moorhead to broadcast Sens. Adelbert Bryan and Alicia "Chucky" Hansen’s committee hearings live and provide commentary on those meetings plus sessions of the full 24th Legislature.
Moorhead’s $60,000 contract –– with $30,000 paid up front –– is being paid with public funds from the Senate. Along with the Senate coverage, Moorhead was to operate and manage WAXJ-FM 103.5, owned by Hugh Pemberton. But according to a source familiar with the territory’s radio industry, Pemberton has apparently pulled the plug on WAXJ – at least temporarily.
The station has been off the air since Sunday, reportedly because of Moorhead's inability to raise funds to cover the air time for the station’s programming other than the Senate committee hearings chaired by Bryan and Hansen.
On Wednesday, WAXJ was simulcasting programing from Pemberton’s WRRA-AM station.
A call to WAXJ was answered by an employee who said Moorhead was not at the station. The employee said the station was simulcasting WRRA programming "for the week" and that "only Mr. Pemberton could give you the reason for that."
Pemberton couldn’t be reached for comment.
In recent years, Moorhead hosted shows at several St. Croix radio stations, including WSTX, 1290 AM, Mongoose 104.3 and Pemberton’s WRRA.
Although Moorhead was contracted to cover the two Senate committees for $60,000 over two years, that wasn’t enough to cover the remainder of the airtime on WAXJ. The contract is for Moorhead, not the radio station, and reads: "Contractor will operate and manage a radio station broadcasting in the Virgin Islands under the call letters WAXJ-103.5 FM, which will focus on community affairs-oriented programs."
Last February, Moorhead said the least expensive air time that can be bought on any radio station in the territory is $300 an hour. He said the $30,000 paid earlier this year under the contract with the Senate could be gone in a month at the $300-an-hour rate.
Under the terms of the contract, Moorhead was paid half up front with the balance due by Jan. 30, 2002. Bryan and Hansen chipped in $15,000 each from their Senate allotments to pay the first half of Moorhead’s contract.
In the past the Legislature has allotted money from the Senate operating budget — and in some years, $1,000 from each senator's allotment — to nonprofit radio station WIUJ-102.9 FM to air Senate proceedings. That coverage has recently been spotty because of wrangling over a contract between WIUJ owner Leo Moron and Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd.
Moron couldn’t be reached for comment on Wednesday about the status of his contract or if he plans to continue Senate coverage.

JUNE SPECIALS
There are some great diving opportunities for June. Check out the night dives!
Sunday, June 3 – Diving in the BVI's. Another chance to do some diving in the British Virgin Islands. We will be doing two dives near Jost Van Dyke on the north side. You can't dive these sites much in the winter so now is the time to try them.
Wednesday, June 6 – Full Moon Night dive. Join us for a look at the night life underwater.
Saturday, June 9 – Night Dive on the RMS Rhone. We will meet at 2 p.m.. The first dive is at dusk and the second dive is a night dive on the stern section of the wreck. We don't offer this dive often so when we do it books up early. A passport or birth certificate is required. We provide dinner aboard between dives.
Sunday, June 10 – Underwater Naturalist Course. Here is a specialty course to increase your diving knowledge.
Sunday, June 24 – Wreck Dive Sunday. Two dives of local area wrecks. Super day including two dives on two wrecks. The dive sites will be up to the choice of the crew. Bring a snack or lunch for this wonderful diving day as we will not be back until after 2 p.m.
Classes offered in June include:
June 4 and June 18 – PADI certification classes begin.
June 17 and June 20 – Advanced Open Water Class — the night dive on June 20
For information or to book any of our dives or classes call 777-7804 or check the website at http://www.islands.vi/~sawyerdive/
Or you can email sawyerdive@islands.vi

March 30, 2001 – Years after legislation was passed naming the auditorium and cafeteria at Charlotte Amalie High School after two of the school's luminaries — Ruth E. Thomas and Earle N. Abraham, respectively, the marble plaques bearing their names were unveiled Wednesday at the school.
In a ceremony which included remarks by former students, colleagues and "cousins," Thomas was lauded for her many contributions to the school and the community. She served "High School" for 33 years — as teacher, assistant principal and, for the last 13 years, principal.
Gov. Charles W. Turnbull, who was principal of CAHS when Thomas was assistant principal, said the most important thing about both her and Abraham was that they "cared."
"More than ever before, we need caring people, especially with the young black males," the governor said.
He called Abraham, who died in 1975 a few short months after retiring, a mentor, saying, "None of us who knew him will ever forget him."
Abraham, who worked in the school cafeteria for more than 18 years, eventually becoming the kitchen manager, is credited with introducing local cuisine into the lunch menu. He was remembered Wednesday for being a gentle disciplinarian.
His award was accepted by his wife, Una Abraham.
Thomas, in accepting her award, said she was taught that "You should not accept payment for something that is your duty." Charlotte Amalie High School, she added, "has been my life."
Well-known for her straight-forward manner and dogged commitment to young people, Thomas made a strong statement about restoring the CAHS music room, damaged by a fire in March of 2000.
"The music suite will be finished in August when we come up here," she said, looking over her shoulder at the governor seated to her right. Turnbull promised in April to get the work done after music students testified at a Senate hearing that the room had never been rebuilt.
Thomas's pledge was particularly poignant after the CAHS Symphonic Band, led by Georgia Francis, had played several selections for the Special Recognition and Renaming Ceremony.
Assistant CAHS principal Barbara Callwood, a graduate of the school, said she remembered Thomas, in the auditorium now named for her, running down a list at the beginning of each year of statesmen, senators and other leaders who were High School graduates. Many of them were in attendance Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the accomplishments of the two honorees.
Legislation renaming the CAHS auditorium and cafeteria was passed by the 22nd Legislature, sponsored by Sens. Lorraine L. Berry and Judy M. Gomez, respectively.
Along with Thomas and Abraham, numerous other CAHS benefactors were acknowledged Wednesday with certificates.

May 30, 2001 — The Virgin Islands will soon have a sexual offender web site, linked to a national registry, and the territory's new Sex Offender Board is gearing up to monitor the registration of convicted offenders, as required by federal and local law.
Attorney General Iver Stridiron, in the company of local behavioral experts, announced the website launch at a press conference Wednesday morning on St. Thomas.
The federal law mandating the registration of convicted sex offenders — the Jacob Wetterling Crimes against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act — was passed in 1994. But it was not until 1997 that the territory, threatened with losing federal funds, enacted legislation making such registration mandatory here. Then-senator Allie-Allison Petrus pushed the bill through in the 22nd Legislature.
Michal Rhymer, executive director of Family Resource Center, expressed appreciation at the press conference Wednesday for Petrus's efforts. However, she said, because he "rushed the bill through" in order to meet a federal deadline for funds, the measure needs a lot of fine tuning.
Gov. Charles W. Turnbull created the territory's Sex Offender Board late last year and named Rhymer as one of its members. The board has five positions, three of them now filled. Rhymer holds the position of victim advocate; Ione Kitnurse, director of intake and emergency at the Human Services Department, is the master social worker; Dr. Brent Woodard, with Human Services' Mental Health Division, is the sex offender expert. The board still needs a law enforcement expert and a child therapist.
Rhymer said the board has a lot of "catching up" to do. Since 1997, with the change of administration and lack of a board to monitor enforcement of the law, the registry has fallen by the wayside.
The board will monitor the registration of convicted sex offenders, both those already living in the territory and those moving here from other jurisdictions. Federal law required a sex offender to register within five days of moving to a new jurisdiction, or face what Stridiron called "draconian penalties." Rhymer noted that since the Virgin Islands is an "open port," it is especially vulnerable to such persons coming into the territory.
The board is mounting a public information campaign. Stridiron and the members of his assembled panel said that any agency having contact with newcomers moving to the territory must let them know that offenders must register with the Attorney General's Office within five days of their arrival. Such entities, they said, include schools, day camps, child-care centers, other agencies dealing with children, licensing agencies and public utility companies.
Rhymer said signs will be posted in appropriate offices, and there will be broadcast and print media announcements — plus a red and white bumper sticker reading "Tell, tell, tell. There is no excuse for child sexual abuse."
Protection of children has to begin with their parents or guardians, she said. "Parents must teach their children what to do, what tactics to use, if they should encounter a sexual predator," she added. "There is no guarantee that there won't be a sex offender in your neighborhood."
A revised offender registry bill that the board is working on gives the Attorney General's Office a lot of responsibility, Rhymer said. Funds from the National Sex Offender Registry program come through the Law Enforcement Planning Commission. Former senator Judy Gomez, an assistant attorney general, will work with the board to enforce the registrations.
Rhymer said Sen. Norman Jn Baptiste, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, has shown interest in supporting the bill, and the board is working with his office.
Roy Ward, Justice Department webmaster, said the site is partially up now and should be complete in about five weeks. "We're trying to do it as soon as possible, but we want to do it the right way," he said. "The site must be totally secure."
For the registry to be effective, Rhymer and Stridiron emphasized, the community must participate. That means schools, businesses, community organizations, government offices and any other entities which deal with newcomers to the territory must take on the responsibility of posting offender information where it will be seen.
Stridiron said his office is set up to handle the actual registration process."We have the equipment, cameras and fingerprinting apparatus, in four locations here and on St. Croix," he said. "We have already registered three sexual offenders from other jurisdictions. The law is a good one."

May 30, 2001 – Under pressure from two federal agencies to address problems at the Anguilla landfill, the V.I. government has yet to choose an alternative site or to finalize a plan to manage solid waste in accordance with U.S. regulations. But Sonia Nelthropp, technical assistant to the Public Works commissioner, says the administration will comply with all requirements on time.
The Environmental Protection Agency has ordered that access to the St. Croix landfill be regulated and that certain materials be handled more responsibly. And the Federal Aviation Administration has warned that nearby Henry E. Rohlsen Airport will be deemed unsafe unless the dump is closed by the end of next year.
"The deadline that we stop accepting solid waste at the site is December 2002," Nelthropp said. "We are in the process of establishing guidelines for security of the site and monitoring what is coming into the dump." At the same time, she said, efforts are being made to address the concerns about scavenging birds that are frequent the dump to feed on garbage. "There are mitigation funds available for that," she noted.
Nelthropp is working with the governor's economic policy adviser, Kent Bernier, to develop the territory's waste management strategy — and a plan for financing it. With the deadline less than two years away to come up with an alternative to Anguilla, the need to identify a new landfill location is critical. According to Bernier, the ideal site would address the FAA's concern about scavenging birds in aircraft flight paths and also allow for garbage transfer and eventual disposal by methods acceptable to the EPA.
Bernier said he believes such a site can be identified by the end of summer. "Within 90 days, we'll have an answer on the permanent solution," he said. "We are still in negotiations." He said the administration wants to make certain that the proposal is in full federal compliance before announcing it publicly.
Once the immediate waste management crisis is resolved, the next challenge is one that must be met by the entire population. Nelthropp said Virgin Islanders will have to adjust to new regulations on disposing of household waste — and probably new costs associated with them. People must "personally address" what they do with their garbage, she said. "In a modern society, residents are responsible for disposing of waste."
Given that people often respond to unwelcome rules by breaking them, Nelthropp said, the government is preparing to deal with non-compliance. She said V.I. residents are less likely to dump refuse illegally if they see complying with regulations as being in their own best interest. "We must offer incentives to force compliance [with] all rules and regulations regarding solid waste management," she said.
Government planners are reportedly studying several approaches to financing a new system, including charging fees for household pickup, where feasible, and for dumping at the landfill.

May 30, 2001 – Puzzling unemployment statistics surfaced Tuesday at a meeting of the Senate Labor and Veterans Affairs Committee.
According to figures carried in The Virgin Islands Daily News, the territory's unemployment rate dropped from 7 percent in 1999 to 6.9 percent in 2000, a relatively minuscule drop.
The Avis, meanwhile, reported that the territory's unemployment rate had steadily risen to about 7 percent. The paper placed the national jobless rate at about 4.6 percent, citing a U.S. Census Bureau web site.
According to figures in the Daily News, the unemployment rate on St. Croix has remained steadily higher than that in the St. Thomas-St. John district, reaching a high of 8.3 percent in 1999 and dropping to 8 percent in 2000.
Both newspapers said comparisons between local and national jobless rates do not give an accurate picture, because the V.I. Labor Department draws its statistics from people who have registered with the department, while the national figures come from the census.
The committee's day-long meeting on St. Thomas was one of clashes of other sorts as well. Sen. Norma Pickard-Samuel, the panel's chair, tossed Attorney General Iver Stridiron out of the hearing when he refused to provide details of a criminal investigation under way in the Labor Department's Insurance Division. [See separate Source story, "Warring words lead to action — and reaction."]
Pickard-Samuel also had strong words for Cecil Benjamin, acting Labor commissioner, whose nomination has been sent by the Rules Committee to the full Senate with an unfavorable recommendation. She accused some of Benjamin's employees of "intimidation," saying they had tried to block other Labor employees from providing her committee with information. Benjamin denied knowing of any such action.
Pickard-Samuel suggested Benjamin form a task force to come up with a new building to house his department in on St. Thomas. She said the current structure, located behind the Emile Griffith Ballpark, is physically unsafe, and she spent several minutes determining how often carpeting in a certain area is cleaned.
Wanda L.C. Morris, assistant director of the Division of Workers Compensation, gave an update on the unit's status. The division came under fire in the 23rd Legislature when Sen. Roosevelt David as chair of the Labor and Veterans Affairs Committee was unable to obtain information from then-commissioner Sonia Jacobs-Dow. The division was seriously behind in paying claims at the time.
Morris said although the division has been "plagued with a severe staff shortage … claims have continued to be processed within 30 to 45 days." She said the division is upgrading personnel and interviewing for a number of positions.

May 30, 2001 – Under pressure from two federal agencies to rectify conditions at St. Croix's Anguilla Landfill, the Virgin Islands government is working hard to comply.
The Environmental Protection Agency has ordered that access to the landfill be regulated, and that certain materials be handled more responsibly, while the Federal Aviation Administration has warned that the nearby Henry Rohlsen Airport will be deemed unsafe unless the dump is closed by the end of next year.
The territory, meanwhile, has yet to choose an alternative site, or finalize a plan to manage solid waste in accordance with federal regulations. The technical assistant to the Public Works commissioner, Sonia Nelthropp, said recently that despite the difficulties, the government will comply with all requirements on time. "The deadline that we stop accepting solid waste at the site is December 2002. We are in the process of establishing guidelines for security of the site and monitoring what is coming into the dump."
At the same time, Nelthropp said, there is a move to address the concerns with birds that feed on the garbage. "There are mitigation funds available for that."
Nelthropp has teamed with Kent Bernier, the governor's economic policy advisor, to develop the territory's waste management strategy and put together a plan for financing it. With the deadline for relocating the Anguilla dump less than two years away, there also is the need to identify a new site. According to Bernier, the ideal solution would be to site the landfill where it will achieve two purposes: satisfy the FAA's concern about scavenging birds flying in the path of aircraft, and at the same time positioning a garbage transfer site to accommodate eventual disposal by methods acceptable to the EPA.
Bernier believes such a site can be identified by the end of summer. "Within 90 days we'll have an answer on the permanent solution, we are still in negotiations." Bernier said the government wants to make certain that the proposal is in full federal compliance before it is presented to the public.
Once the immediate waste management crisis is resolved, the next challenge will face not only the government, but the entire population. According to Nelthropp, residents will have to adjust to a set of new rules about disposal of household waste, and probably some new costs associated with them. "We are going to be responsible to personally address the disposal of garbage. In a modern society, residents are responsible for disposing of waste."
Given the history of how people often avoid unwelcome rules by breaking them,
Nelthropp said the government is preparing to deal with non-compliance. She believes residents will refrain from illegally dumping garbage and junk if they are properly encouraged to comply with regulations. "We must offer incentives to force compliance of all rules and regulations regarding solid waste management."
Government planners are said to be studying several approaches to financing a new system, including charging fees for household pickups where possible, and for dumping at the landfill.

To the Source:
Last night when I swam at Magens Bay, I was reminded of the Dr. Beach article in the Source ["Why V.I. isn't on 'America's Top Beaches' list"]. I hope he leaves his snorkel gear at home, as the beach is so trashed in and out of the water. It is a sad commentary of how we protect our resources and would flunk his scrutiny badly.
At the depth that I swim from end to end, about 8 to 10 feet, straight in my sight of vision I could have counted no fewer than 50 pieces of trash — cans, bottles, plastic cups, plastic plates, lots of napkins, on occasion the sanitary type as well, forks, knives, plastic bags, and yesterday even a condom. Sometimes there's money, although "Diving for Dollars," my favorite water sport, has been Spartan theses days (most likely given the rough economic times we Virgin Islanders are experiencing).
Things will get a lot rougher if we don't start to care, educate ourselves about pollution and protect our environment. On Sunday, I was on Anegada, and I noticed that sea life there was totally undisturbed. A huge turtle at hand's reach was not threatened by my presence, nor were fish of every kind. On the rare occasions when I spot turtles at Magens, they flee at once, having developed a respectable fear of man and pollution. Frankly, I would do the same.
Magens should no longer be allowed as a fishing ground. Tourists come to see marine life, and we do all we can to deplete the last living animal there. A lifeguard told me that last week one group of children who came there brought 20 starfish out of the bay and laid them out on a picnic table to dry. This was the second time this happened in a week, he said, and he had difficulty explaining to the youngsters why the creatures should be returned to the sea.
Our population has developed a complacency that we have "one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world." Well, that may have been so 30-plus years ago when the article in The National Geographic was written. Magens, like Coki and our other public beaches, has suffered badly over the years, and tourists will soon head to cleaner, undisturbed beaches instead of ours. What am I talking about? They are already doing so.
Jens-Peter Kemmler
St. Thomas

May 30, 2001 – What was expected to be a volatile public hearing between St. John taxi drivers and members of the St. John Accommodations Council Tuesday night actually ended with at least the scent of a solution in the air.
The three-hour meeting of the Senate Government Operations, Planning and Environmental Protection Committee was held in the Legislative Conference Room in Cruz Bay. Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd, a St. John resident, said he was drafting legislation to reserve several parking spaces by the Cruz Bay dock -– the scene of physical confrontations over parking in the past -– for residents.
The taxi drivers have had and want to keep control of all the parking spots. Other community groups, including the Accommodations Council, want some spaces reserved for residents' use.
Now, whenever ferries arrive from St. Thomas at busy times of day, traffic builds up at the dock as villa rental people meeting guests and taxi drivers awaiting fares vie for space to park.
"I know the situation at the dock; I've lived with it all my life," Liburd said, echoing what several witnesses had said. But, he added, "You should not stop a community from growing."
A 1979 law transferring the 4,104 square feet of land adjacent to the dock from the Port Authority to the residents of St. John was amended two weeks after it was passed, giving control of the space to the St. John Taxi Services Corp. The action taken then did not consider the growth the community would experience, according to Andrew Rutnik, commissioner of Licensing and Consumer Affairs and another St. John resident.
"Since the … law was passed, the island has changed," he said.
Legislative legal counsel Yvonne Tharpes had a different view entirely. Based on her review of the law, she said, "the Port Authority has no authority to lease the property to any entity."
Tharpes said the intent of the law was to allow the Public Safety Department, now the Police Department, to manage the area "for the general welfare" of the community.
An off-duty police officer was accused of physically attacking a villa courtesy car driver in a dispute over parking in March of 2000. That incident brought the long-simmering controversy to a head.
Meetings were held at the time, but no compromise was reached. In April 2000, Mary Hildebrand, president of the St. John Accommodations Council, said she was hopeful an agreement could be reached.
There was talk more than a year ago that a memorandum of understanding would be drafted in which the taxi association would agree to leave unchanged six parking spaces that had traditionally been available for public parking. However, according to Hildebrand, the six spaces had no official designation and police never knew how to enforce the parking. She also said people had been known to park in the spaces all day.
St. John Administrator Julien Harley concurred. He said it was fine for people to park in the spaces to do short-term business. But "if you're going to St. Thomas for the day," he added, parking is available "by the tennis courts."
Harley said Tuesday night that he is "not very happy with what is happening at the dock." He said he met with police and asked them to "use their discretion" in enforcing a five-minute parking limit directly in front of the dock, rather than change signs to make the limit 15 minutes. But, he added, "The next thing I know they are giving tickets."
Harley said even he has a hard time getting to work at the Battery because of taxis parked in front of the gates. "People that live here, were born here -– these guys still give them a hard time," he said.
However, Randolph Thomas, president of St. John Taxi Services, said, "I don't see why we're here tonight. Read the bill taking the land from the V.I. Port Authority."
Thomas said the bill supports the taxi association's right to the space. He also said even though the lease is currently with the attorney general awaiting approval, "we have a month-to-month lease."
The lease requires the taxi association to pay $5,040 a year for leasing the space.
Marc Biggs, commissioner of Property and Procurement, the department charged with the execution of all leases of government property, wrote to Thomas in February asking him to "develop an agreement between both parties whereby the use of the dock area can be utilized jointly, as both entities serve as ambassadors of the Virgin Islands."
Further, Biggs wrote, "your renewal is contingent upon the submittal of that agreement to my office."
Elston George, representing Biggs at Tuesday night's meeting, could not say why Biggs had signed the lease and forwarded it to the attorney general's office without having the requested signed agreement from the taxi association.
Asked by Sen. Carlton Dowe if he would be willing to sublet six spaces to the Accommodations Council, Thomas hedged, finally saying the association would have to vote on that.
A memorandum of understanding drawn up by the taxi association but so far unsigned makes no mention of the six spaces but states that Accommodations Council members "will park their vehicle(s) in front of the taxi line … and must stay with their vehicle and work among themselves to greet the guest of those in the wait line."
Hildebrand said she has not signed the memorandum because "it tells us that we can park in an area that is already a public parking area."
Harley said, "My posture is make six spots for residents, whether it is the Accommodations Council or my wife coming from St. Thomas with packages."
Liburd agreed, adding that the spaces for residents should be the ones closest to the dock, since it was most likely that residents would be carrying packages.
Committee members in attendance at the hearing in addition to Dowe were Sens. Roosevelt David, Celestino A. White Sr. and Donald "Ducks" Cole, who chairs the panel. Liburd is not a member of the committee.