The V.I. government’s official millennium celebrations kicked off in Frederiksted Friday afternoon with a little help from hundreds of cruise ship passengers.
Gov. Charles Turnbull and a host of government officials, including Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II and Delegate to Congress Donna Christian Christensen, presided over the Millennium Youth Steel Orchestra, mocko jumbie dancers and dozens of colorfully clad quadrille dancers.
Turnout for the Frederiksted millennium events, which are to move to St. Croix’s east end and continue until the sun rises over Point Udall early Saturday morning, was a mixture of locals and some of the approximately 1,500 passengers from the Norwegian Dream cruise ship that was in port.
The millennium bash in Frederiksted also included Lee Anduze and the Music in Motion Dancers, the Conch Shell Orchestra, a performance of the Electric Slide dance that organizers are trying to qualify for the Guinness Book of World Records and, finally, the lowering of the V.I. and United States flags at sunset.
The party will then be moved east to Point Udall where more presentations will be made, the old year ushered out, the new millennium celebrated and the first sun rise greeted. The whole government millennium celebration cost approximately $125,000 and was funded by the government and private donors.
"The Millennium Committee has been working for five months," Turnbull said. "We didn’t ask the Legislature for an appropriation because we know there is no money. We scraped a little together here and there."
Entrance to the celebrations at Point Udall, however, will be limited, said Ohanio Harris, chairman of the Millennium Committee. He said about 800 people can safely assemble at the point. Because of that only a certain amount of tickets were distributed to the general public. At that, people with tickets will have to be taken to the point by a shuttle leaving from Cramers Park.
Harris said a headline in the St. Croix Avis newspaper was "misleading" in that it said the public would be barred from festivities at the point. He said tickets, which admit two people, were given to radio stations for distribution, non-profit groups and public housing tenant councils.
"Tickets have been given out all over the islands," Harris said. "We gave out 400 tickets. We have no control or knowledge about who will show."
Meanwhile, Turnbull told the crowd assembled in Frederiksted to not only look back on the past year, century and millennium, but also to look forward.
"Let’s look into the sunrise of tomorrow rather than the sunset of today," he said.

The 25-year-old man charged with killing his girlfriend last October and then burying her body in the yard of their Frederiksted home plead not guilty to murder Wednesday.
Marvin Dominguez plead not guilty to murdering Patricia Ann Haumacher, 30, in the first degree. Dominguez was granted a request to have a jury trial, which Judge Edgar Ross scheduled for early March.
Haumacher’s family in New Jersey reported her missing on Nov. 9. Acquaintances of Dominguez and Haumacher said she was last seen around Oct. 8. Her parents filed a missing person report on the mainland after not hearing from their daughter for more than a month.
After Haumacher’s disappearance, Dominguez told the acquaintances she had moved back to the mainland. Dominguez turned himself in on Nov. 29, soon after authorities queried him about Haumacher’s whereabouts.
The next day officials exhumed Haumacher’s body, bound and gagged inside of a duffel bag, from a shallow grave in the yard of the house the two had shared in Estate Two Brothers. An autopsy concluded that the victim was killed by manual strangulation and had been dead for one to two months.

Dear Source,
The Source has been a fantastic medium for speaking the mind of the people.
After reading the editorial posted by the writer of "Turnbull, Hack or Hero"
and the article from the teacher who stated they must pay for xerox supplies
using their own credit cards, due to the government's lack of fiscal
responsibility, I wonder what options are left for the people of the Virgin
Islands. It's frightening.
If the government doesn't invest in the people and future generations, you have nothing. To think that a government would intentionally cripple it's young through inadequate education is perhaps one of the greatest offenses of all. Yet, as witnessed through your readers, this same government is notorious for it's wasteful ways.
As a person who had the opportunity to visit St. Thomas and St. Croix this past year I've gained a fascination for the islands. However, the lack of responsible government is a grave concern, not only to those who currently live there, but also to any of us contemplating a move. It is apparent the government is not working "for" the people and is not "of" the people. Making "common" workers pay for a license to support their families is ludicrous. I can understand the need to generate additional funds, but not on the backs of the working poor. The people of the USVI should have their own government, but at what point does the US do the responsible thing and stop bailing out the VI, but engrafts them in as the 51st state (or sales the islands to another country, after all, it is a "commonwealth) and assist in solving the money issues? Perhaps a fresh face and perspective is needed. Hopefully, soon, someone will arise out of the ranks with integrity, who truly has his finger on the pulse of the islanders and makes a difference, no matter how unpopular it is. This individual will have the wisdom to incorporate the concerns of the constituents he serves into effective government, whereby all issues can be addressed.
Perhaps in the year 2000, the residents of the USVI will truly say, "Out with the old….In with the new!"
Marie Smith
South Bend, Indiana

Described as "one big, entertaining, fun, nacho-munching good time," from all reports it appears that "Galaxy Quest" lives up to its billing. It's sci-fi, but with a new twist.
Twenty years after their '70s TV series, the "Galaxy Quest" stars, though aging, are still in costume making appearances at sci-fi conventions for die-hard fans. However, at one convention these fans turn out to be a little too real, or unreal, as the case may be.
A group of aliens has mistakenly intercepted the casts' TV series as historical fact, and they have come to the convention to get help from this unlikely source. The cast, of course, led by Sigourney Weaver and Tim Allen, has no more idea about space travel than they do about acting on the legitimate stage.
They have no director, no script and a very real dilemma. The aliens whisk Allen, Weaver, and their crew off planet earth to the far galaxies to fight their arch enemy. How does it all turn out? My goodness, the trekkies will never tell.
The film is directed by Dean Parisot, and is rated PG for "some action violence, mild language and sensuality." That's a new one.
It starts Thursday Dec. 31 at Market Square East.

Described as "one big, entertaining, fun, nacho-munching good time," from all reports it appears that "Galaxy Quest" lives up to its billing. It's sci-fi, but with a new twist.
Twenty years after their '70s TV series, the "Galaxy Quest" stars, though aging, are still in costume making appearances at sci-fi conventions for die-hard fans. However, at one convention these fans turn out to be a little too real, or unreal, as the case may be.
A group of aliens has mistakenly intercepted the casts' TV series as historical fact, and they have come to the convention to get help from this unlikely source. The cast, of course, led by Sigourney Weaver and Tim Allen, has no more idea about space travel than they do about acting on the legitimate stage.
They have no director, no script and a very real dilemma. The aliens whisk Allen, Weaver, and their crew off planet earth to the far galaxies to fight their arch enemy. How does it all turn out? My goodness, the trekkies will never tell.
The film is directed by Dean Parisot, and is rated PG for "some action violence, mild language and sensuality." That's a new one.
It starts Thursday Dec. 31 at Diamond Cinema.

Siam? Yes. Anna? Yes. The King? Most certainly. But there, much of the resemblance to things past, stops. For one thing the king is somewhat more credible played by Chow Yun-Fat than, say, Rex Harrison or even Yul Brynner. Brynner, of course, will always be remembered for his bald pate and folded arms.
Getting to know, tra la, the King of Siam in this nonmusical screen adaptation of the many told tale is Jodie Foster as Anna. She is the English school teacher who comes to Siam, sight unseen, to tutor the king's 58 children.
The young widow, who arrives with her son, is anticipating an adventure of sorts, but she truly has no idea what is in store, and she harbors some strong West vs. East convictions. For one thing, she finds the king having 58 children downright uncivil.
Now enter the King Mongkut. He finds his new tutor peculiar, with her prim and proper notions, but he feels certain she will come around to his way of viewing life in general, and him in particular. And thereby lies the conflict of wills at the crux of the story.
Though told without music, this version of the oft told tale more than makes up for the glossy musical version in its thoughtfulness and character development. Both Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat have received accolades from the critics, and the cinematography has come in for praise, as well. The film is directed by Andy Tenant, and is rated PG-13 for "some intense violent sequences."
It starts Thursday, Dec. 30 at Diamond Cinema.

Siam? Yes. Anna? Yes. The King? Most certainly. But there, much of the resemblance to things past, stops. For one thing the king is somewhat more credible played by Chow Yun-Fat than, say, Rex Harrison or even Yul Brynner. Brynner, of course, will always be remembered for his bald pate and folded arms.
Getting to know, tra la, the King of Siam in this nonmusical screen adaptation of the many told tale is Jodie Foster as Anna. She is the English school teacher who comes to Siam, sight unseen, to tutor the king's 58 children.
The young widow, who arrives with her son, is anticipating an adventure of sorts, but she truly has no idea what is in store, and she harbors some strong West vs. East convictions. For one thing, she finds the king having 58 children downright uncivil.
Now enter the King Mongkut. He finds his new tutor peculiar, with her prim and proper notions, but he feels certain she will come around to his way of viewing life in general, and him in particular. And thereby lies the conflict of wills at the crux of the story.
Though told without music, this version of the oft told tale more than makes up for the glossy musical version in its thoughtfulness and character development. Both Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat have received accolades from the critics, and the cinematography has come in for praise, as well. The film is directed by Andy Tenant, and is rated PG-13 for "some intense violent sequences."
It starts Thursday, Dec. 30 at Market Square East.

Police on St. Thomas are searching for a suspect in an attempted bank robbery Friday morning of the Citibank at Havensight Shopping Mall.
Deputy Chief Theodore Carty said the incident took place around 9:30 a.m.
“What happened was an individual walked in, gave the teller a note saying, ‘Give me $5000 in the name of almighty God.’ Of course they wouldn’t give it to him so he walked out," Carty said.
A later report from Jose Garcia, territorial Police chief, said the man was recognized as a former bank customer who "was aparently having some emotional problems."
The note also said "this is not a robbery,this is a request," according to Garcia.
Authorities are now reportedly searching the area of Paul M. Pearson Gardens for the suspect, said to have fled on foot. The suspect is described as a black male, 5’8" tall, about 170 pounds with dreadlocks.

For those who have not made plans to greet the new millennium elsewhere, Coral World could be the best (and probably the cheapest) seat in town for the fireworks at the east end as well as some other very special sights.
Kary "Starman" Williams will set up his telescope between 10 pm and 12:30 am for guests to get a close look at the stars and planets including a unique look at the rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter.
At $20 per adult and $10 per child (children 3 and under are free) Coral World, still donning its Christmas lights array, is a low cost and tame alternative to other bashes.
The Coral World exhibits will be open until midnight.
There will be a cash bar with some very light bites and a free champagne toast at midnight.
From Coral World, guests will be able to view the fireworks in Water Bay scheduled for midnight.

Police vehicles will be located at strategic spots over all three islands New Year's Eve to provide extra protection in the event of any Y2K glitches.
As of midnight Dec. 31, according to Police commissioner Franz A. Christian Sr., police cars will be located in St. Thomas at the following four locations:
* West – Bordeaux Convenience Store
* East – Red Hook Dock
* North – Four Corners (Solberg)
* South – Bovoni (Nadir intersection)
The cars will have their dome lights on to make them easily identifiable. The commissioner said that while he doesn't anticipate any major problems, this step will ensure the continuity of service in the territory.
He said that 911 in all districts is fully operational. Also, the police will be working closely with federal authorities over the New Year's weekend to assure the territory's safety.
Theodore Carty, deputy Police chief, said Thursday that the Police Department has canceled leave for all officers over the holiday weekend to beef up the force and ensure sufficient backup.
"We will be doing much of the regular holiday routine, with some stepped-up precautions," Carty said.
For instance, the Water and Power Authority's installations will be checked at regular intervals, as will the Roy L. Schneider Hospital. Extra guards will be on duty at the territory's jails as well.
Roadblocks to deter drunk drivers and to check identification will be in effect, as on regular holiday weekends.
"We don't really expect a lot of trouble, but we have to be prepared," Carty said,