Despite a notice published Monday apparently to meet Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. requirements, FirstBank of Puerto Rico is still dodging questions about its pending purchase of Citibank in the Virgin Islands.
Not only was there a notice in a Virgin Islands newspaper concerning FirstBank’s application to the FDIC to run several branches, including the space now occupied by Citibank at Port-of-Sale, St. Thomas, but officials of FirstBank were also quoted last week in the Puerto Rico media as saying the 14,000 Citibank clients in three Puerto Rico branches would benefit from the change.
The purchase has been rumored for weeks.
Gail Joseph, operations officer for FirstBank on St. Thomas, said Monday that she had received many inquiries but was under orders from her superiors not to give out any information.
"They told us not to have anything to say. They’re not even telling us anything," she said.
She referred questions to the district manager in Puerto Rico, Marcello Lopez, but he had earlier referred questions to "Mrs. Rosello" in public relations. Repeated calls to her office were not returned.
John Forbes, Citibank manager in St. Thomas, did not return messages either.
The notice does not mention Citibank. Rather, it says FirstBank will apply to the FDIC "for authorization to establish a full-service branch at the following locations." It goes on to give three address in Puerto Rico and the address of Citibank at Port-of-Sale Mall, Havensight, St. Thomas.

LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR
Week Beginning Mon., October 25.
Monday, October 25.
No meetings.

Tuesday, October 26.
No meetings.
Wednesday, October 27.
10:00 a.m. Committee on Finance. Senate Chambers, St. Thomas.
AGENDA
Bill No.23-0099 To provide for an appropriation from the Tourism Advertising Revolving Fund to the Department of Housing, Parks and Recreation during the fiscal year October 1, 1999 through September 30, 2000
Bill No. 23-0l00 – To provide for the operating expenses of the Public Employees Relations Board and the Labor Management Committee.
Bill No. 23-0103 – To amend Section 3087, Title 33, chapter 111 Virgin Islands Code, "The St. Croix Capital Improvement Fund"
Bill No. 23-0105 – To amend Title 33, Chapter 111, Section 3091, Virgin Islands Code, "The Crisis Intervention Fund"
Bill No. 23-0107 – To amend Title 33, Chapter 89, Virgin Islands Code, to provide general authority not limited to any fiscal year, to sell delinquent property tax.
Bill No. 23-0108 – To clarify the status of certain employees of the Government Development Bank and for other purposes related thereto.
Bill No.23-0109 – To appropriate the sum of $12,800,000 from the Transportation Trust Fund as a contribution to the General Fund.Bill No.23-0110 – To provide a contribution from the Union Arbitration Award and Government Employees Increment Fund to the General Fund for fiscal year October l, 1999 to September 30,2000.
Bill No.23-0111 – To provide a contribution from the Land Bank Fund to the General Fund for fiscal year October 1, 1999 to September 30, 2000
Bill No.23-0112 – To provide a contribution from the Industrial Development Fund to the Central Fund for fiscal year October 14, 1999 to September 30,2000
Bill No.23-0113 – To provide an appropriation for operating expenses of the Business and Commercial Properties Revo1ving Fund of the Government of the Virgin Islands during the fiscal year October 1, 1999 to September 30, 2000.
Bill No. 23-0114 – To appropriate monies for salaries and expenses of the University of the Virgin Islands for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000 and for other purposes.
Bill No 23-0115 – To appropriate funds from the Government Insurance Fund for Operating expenses of the Department of Labor for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000 and for Other purposes
Bill No 23-0116 To provide for the 1ump-sum appropriation from the Health Revolving Fund for Fiscal Year October 1, 1999 through September 30, 2000
Bill No.23-0117 To provide for the lump-sum appropriation from the Indirect
Cost Fund for salaries, operating expenses and for other purposes of the Office of
Management and Budget and the Department of Finance for the fiscal Year October
1, 1999 through September 30, 2000
Bill No 23-0118 To provide an Appropriation from the Interest Revenue Fund for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1,1999 and ending September 30,2000
Bill No. 23-0019 To provide appropriations from the Internal Revenue Matching3 Fund for the Fiscal Year October 1, 1999 to September 30,2000
Bill No.23-0120- To provide appropriations from the Caribbean Basin Initiative Fund for lit fiscal year October 1, 1999 to September 30, 2000
Bill No.23-0121 – To appropriate monies from the Special Road Fund for the year ending October 1, 1999 through September 30, 2000 and other purposes
Bill No.23-0122 – To appropriate monies from the Anti-litter and Beautification Fund to the Department of Public Works for the fiscal year ending September 30,2000 and for other purposes.
Bill No.23-0123 To appropriate funds to the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission for the fiscal year October 1, 1999 through September 30. 2000 and for operating expenses
Bill No. 23-0124 – To provide an appropriation from the Fish and Game Fund for salaries, operating expenses and for other purposes of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources for the fiscal year October 1 1999 through September 30, 2000
Bill No 23-0125 – To provide an appropriation from the Natural Resource
Reclamation Fund for salaries. operating expenses and for other purposes of the
Department of Planning arid Natural Resources for the fiscal year October 1.1999
through September 30.2009
Bill No.23-0126 To provide an appropriation from the Transportation Revolving Fund for salaries fringe benefits, supplies and other services and charges for the Department of Property and Procurement for the fiscal year October 1, 1999 through September 30, 2000 and for other purposes
Bill No 23-0127 To provide an appropriation for operating expenses of the Department of Public Works from the Sewage System Fund of the Government of the Virgin Islands during the fiscal year October 1, 1999 through September 30, 2000
Bill No. 23-0128- To provide for the lump sum appropriation of funds from the
Virgin Islands Air Protection Fund for salaries, operating expenses and far other purposes, of the operating permit program of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000
Bill No. 23-0129 To appropriate funds to the Public Services Commission for the fiscal year October 1, 1999 to September 30,2000 for operating expenses
Bill No.23-0130 To provide an appropriation from the interest earned on bond proceeds to the General Fund for fiscal year October 1, 1999 to September 30, 2000
Bill No.23-0153 To increase revenue contributions to the General Fund of the Treasury of the Virgin Islands and for other purposes
Bill No.23-0163 – To amend Title 3. Section 718, Virgin Islands Code to provide for adjustments in retirement contributions.
Bill No.23-0164 – To amend Title 3, Section 171. Virgin Islands Code, to eliminate five holidays and recognize them as days of observation
Bill No. 23-0170 – To place the Office of Collective Bargaining under the Division of Personal for budgetary purposes only
Bill No. 23-0171 – To amend Title 3. Section 270. Virgin Islands Code, to provide for the placement of the Narcotics Strike Force under the Virgin Islands Police Department of budgetary purposes only
To provide for the operation of the Government of the Virgin Islands for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000
The Omnibus Authorization Act of 1999
Thursday October 28,
10:00 a.m. Committee on Finance, Senate Chambers, St. Thomas
Continuation of Wednesday's Agenda
Friday October 29,
10:00 a.m. Committee on Rules, Senate Chambers, St. Thomas
Agenda, review of the same bills as reviewed by Finance Committee.
and
Bill No. 23-0035 To require any government department, agency or instrumentality in need of any research projects or studies to be undertaken outside of the agency to first seek assistance from the University of the Virgin Islands before seeking other assistance and for other purposes.
Bill No. 23-0006 To create Virgin Islands Board of General Construction Contractors.
Bill No. 23-0073 To make the act of furnishing false information to peace officers a felony.
Bill No. 23-0097 To amend Title 27, Chapter 1, Subchapter XI, V.I. Code, practice of Podiatry.
Bill No. 23-0033 To expand the responsibilities of the Department of Education.
Bill No. 23-0072 To amend Title 12, Chapter 9, Virgin Islands Code, pertaining to air pollution control.

Two schools were closed early Monday due to flooding on their campuses.
Lockhart Elementary School was closed at 1:30 p.m. and J. Antonio Jarvis students were sent home at 1:50 p.m.
According to June Archibald, spokesperson for Education, parents were notified to pick up their children.
Other residents reported problems getting though flooded roads in Sugar Estate.
One traveler to St. John returned to the Red Hook parking lot to find 4 inches of water inside her car.
Radio One reported that an inch and a half of water fell on the island Monday. After more than a week of rain surrounding Hurricane Jose, the ground was saturated, causing the flooding.
More rain is predicted Tuesday, according to the Weather Underground.

The amnesty on gross receipts tax has been extended to mid November.
Under the program a taxpayer can pay delinquent gross receipts taxes from 1998 backwards, without penalty or interest.
Claudette Farrington, director of the V.I. Internal Revenue Bureau, urged those taxpayers in arrears to take advantage of the last days of the amnesty cautioning them not to be fooled by the extension.
In a release f rom Government House Farrington said that delinquent tax payers would be pursued and all available means of collection would be implemented.
The tax amnesty, which was initiated in April, did not have the immediate effective of putting money into the coffers, as had been hoped when it was granted. It has been extended twice.
Farrington said taxpayers are required to make a notation at the top of the gross receipts tax return noting "Act No. 6294" to indicate the taxes are being paid under the amnesty program.

When cellist Nina Kotova was born 28 years ago in the Soviet Union, the attending physician announced to her parents, unfolding the infant’s long fingers, "A musician is born."
At least that’s what it says in the liner notes to her new CD with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra on the Philips Classics label, an album titled simply "Nina Kotova."
St. Thomas concertgoers get to be the judge of her musicianship on Wednesday, Oct. 27, when Kotova opens the 13th Classics in the Garden season at Tillett Gardens.
Even if the birth-day anecdote is true, the Soviet doctor may merely have meant to be politically correct. After all, Kotova’s mother taught at the Moscow Conservatory of Music and her father was Ivan Kotov, an internationally acclaimed classical double bassist who was idolized in his homeland at the time.
The facts are, however, that Nina was conditioned from childhood to be a musician and made no effort to deviate from her destiny until she was 20, when she took time out to earn some money — so she could afford to go back to being a musician.
As a youngster, she also studied piano, dance and painting, but the cello was clearly her forte. She began lessons on the instrument at the age of 6, and the following year she was accepted to take cello classes at the Moscow Conservatory. She attended master classes with the legendary Aram Khachaturian. At 11, she performed Prokofiev’s Concertino, and a year later she left a conductor in tears with her rendition of Elgar’s Concerto — which she recently played again, to a sold-out house at London’s Barbican Centre that rewarded her with a standing ovation. At 15, she won first prize at the Prague International Competition.
But by three years later, her ascendancy as a Soviet star had come to a halt. Her father died in political disfavor, his recordings were removed from catalogues, and Kotova’s career was, to use her word, being "stifled." Resolving to pursue her studies abroad, she spent a year at the Cologne Conservatory in Germany and then entered Yale University on a full music scholarship.
She wasn’t able to make ends meet at Yale, however. Desperate to come up with the money to buy her own cello (the Soviet government had reclaimed the one it had provided for her use in her homeland), she went to New York in search of a job. According to the CD notes, she "was picked off the street as she walked by open calls at the Ford Modeling Agency." (Her publicity bio says she took up modeling "at the suggestion of various photographers.") At any rate, in short order, she appeared in the French Glamour, Cosmopolitan and Vogue, and over the next few years she modeled on runways in Europe, the United States and Japan for such top design houses as Armani, Fendi and Chanel.
In a full-page feature in the Oct. 11 issue of Time magazine, Kotova says modeling was a means to an end, nothing more: "From the Day One, I wasn’t completely happy, because I wanted to play concerts." And in the CD notes, she compares music and modeling to a sauna and its European follow-up: "Heat and ice-cold water."
Even during her modeling years, when she wasn’t strutting on the catwalk, Kotova was composing music — including, in 1992, "Sketches from the Catwalk," a three "episode" piece inspired in part by her fashion career that she would premiere four years later when she made her debut as a cellist at London’s Wigmore Hall.
Kotova the composer has more than 30 works to her credit — for cello, piano, piano trio and even "spoken voice and orchestra." Her Tillett Gardens program will include her five-movement "Picasso Suite," written in 1986 as an expression of "color tonality" that the works and working space of Picasso inspired in her as a youngster. Also on the program: three short pieces by Tchaikovsky, a solo suite by Gaspar Cassado, and the Sonata in G minor, Op. 65, by Chopin. Except for the solo pieces, Kotova will be accompanied on piano by Patrice Koenig.
The concert begins at 8 p.m. Seating is from 6 p.m. for the pre-performance dinner (with concert seating at tables) catered by Polli’s Restaurant in Tillett Gardens. Concert series dinner menus reflect the ethnicity of the evenings’ artists, and this one has a Russian accent: a hot borscht and pumpernickel first course; a choice of beef Stroganoff, chicken with walnut sauce or salmon steak with dill ginger sauce as entree; and cheesecake with fresh strawberry sauce for dessert.
Concert tickets are $25. Dinner is an additional $30 excluding bar service and gratuity. Reservations are required for dinner and recommended (seating is numbered) for the concert. For reservations, credit card purchases and further details, call 775-1929.

Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole says consumers shouldn't have to "keep their eyes glued to the cash register" to make sure scanned prices match labeled prices at Kmart and other local stores.
In a letter Monday to Andrew Rutnik, commissioner of Licensing and Consumer Affairs, Cole said several consumers had approached him with complaints about pricing practices at Kmart.
In May Kmart was fined $57,000 by DLCA for violations related to pricing of items, expiration dates and scanner violations. At that time Rutnik said the scanner violations were a result of posted prices being lower than prices scanned at the register.
"We only cite stores for scanner violations when the difference is in favorof the store. If it’s in favor of the consumer," Rutnik said DLCA does not impose a violation.
Consumer laws serve to protect consumers from duplicity and irregular pricing practices, Cole said. "Left unchecked, uninformed consumers will be left at the mercy of unscrupulous merchants."
In his letter to Rutnik, Cole also said he wants gas stations to have workable air hoses available as required by V.I. Code.

Gypsy taxis could be operating at local shopping centers soon – and legitimately – if a plan between the Taxi Commission, Licensing and Consumer Affairs and Islander Taxi Association comes to fruition.
Under the proposed deal, more than 26 gypsy taxis could lease inactive taxi medallions and operate under the auspices of Islander Taxi Association and its blanket umbrella insurance.
The gypsy drivers would be expected to wear uniforms, display Islander signs on their vehicles and comply with all requirements of the association.
Andrew Rutnik, commissioner of Licensing and Consumer Affairs, said "this initiative is encouraging as we persist in our endeavor to rid the streets of illegal vehicles for hire."
Harold Baker, executive director of the Taxicab Commission, said, "The taxicab commission is currently in the process of reconciling dormant medallions and getting in contact with the owners so that they can be leased to individuals who would like to become legal taxis."
In July, Rutnik formed a task force to address the illegal taxis that operate primarily at shopping centers and grocery stores around the island to provide taxi service to residents.
Residents have complained that legal taxis refuse to pick them up, holding out instead for groups of tourists.
Rutnik said in July that taxis had to pick up all passengers when on duty, no matter the size of the fare or the distance, clearly post tariffs and have badges visible at all times.
Also in July, Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole drafted legislation to create a special class of taxis – supermarket taxis – to solve some of the problems residents have with local taxi service.
Under the deal Rutnik and Baker are drafting, the former gypsies would operate only at Pueblo Long Bay, Sub Base and Four Winds Plaza and well as Kmart and Lockhart Mall.

UVI VOLLEYBALL ODI RESULTS AT CUE CAROLINA, PUERTO RICO Oct 22-23
FRIDAY
UVI Opp
UVI Men vs CUPO ———- 24 ——26
15 25
22 25
CUPO is the six time ODI men's champion!
UVI Women vs CUPO 15 25
18 25
20 25
UVI women arrived late after their flight was delayed by wind!
UVI Men vs CUE 18 25
20 25
16 25
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SATURDAY
UVI
UVI Women vs CUNIC 8 25
13 25
8 25
UVI Men vs CUNIC 14 25
15 25
18 25
UVI Women vs CUE 5 25
12 25
9 25
UVI Men vs CUE 16 25
17 25
14 25
For more information and individual stats please contact:
Women Head Coach Curtis Gilpin at 340-693-1121
Men's Head Coach Jason Liburd at 340-690-2400
Athletic Director Terry Layton at 340-693-1121
NEXT GAMES: ODI VOLLEYBALL WEEKEND November 4-6 HOME CHS
Press Release to Follow ! This weekend will be sponsor by Coca Cola!

"You have breast cancer." This is a statement about one in eight women will hear at some point in their lifetime.
Most people, even older women themselves, are surprised to learn that a woman’s risk for breast cancer continues to increase as she gets older. Women are living longer. The percent of women over 80 is growing exponentially. Yet most 80-year-old women do not realize their risk of breast cancer is 20 times higher than a 40-year-old woman.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, which creates an opportunity to remind women that they have a responsibility to themselves to detect breast cancer as early as possible. Self-breast examination should be done monthly; clinical breast examination by a health-care provider should be done at least yearly; and a mammogram should be done annually after the age of 40.
Although mammography is the best method available to detect breast cancer, few women in the Virgin Islands get a mammogram. The Medicare data for 1998 reported approximately 28 percent of Virgin Islands women received a mammogram.
The national goal is 80 percent. This rate of 28 percent for the Virgin Islands is very unfortunate, since mammography can detect breast cancer when it is most treatable and often completely curable.
VIMI understands that many women do not realize that the most significant risk factor for breast cancer is not family history, or never being pregnant. The most significant risk factor is age. VIMI understands that many women fear finding the cancer but do not realize the real fear should be finding the cancer too late to treat it. Living with breast cancer is a very difficult life experience that can be minimized or avoided.
Every week in my office, as I appeal to women to get their mammogram, I hear comments that might be your comment: "It’s shameful to show my breasts to strangers." "It’s too painful."
Most technicians that perform the mammograms are women. These technicians understand the importance of properly draping the woman for the mammogram to reduce embarrassment during the procedure. The technicians also understand that the mammogram is painful for a few seconds. These technicians are highly trained to perform the mammogram in the least amount of time with the greatest accuracy.
The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), the federal agency that administers the Medicare program, has charged all Medicare Peer Review Organizations (PROs) with the responsibility of improving the rate of mammography in their state.
The Virgin Islands Medical Institute (VIMI) is the PRO for the Virgin Islands. For a number of years, VIMI has been working with health care providers to improve the rate of mammography utilization, which before its invention was 6 percent. VIMI is a physician directed organization.
VIMI understands the most common statement as to why women do not get mammograms is because they were not told to do so by their physician. VIMI is attempting to work on all levels — with physicians, with radiological centers, with the V.I.
Department of Health, with hospitals and with the patients themselves — to get a mammogram. Our common mission is to improve health care in the territory.
Join us in the fight to find the breast cancer before you feel it. Join us in the fight to find the breast cancer early enough to cure it. Make breast cancer awareness, not just the month of October but every month, by making sure that all women 40 years and older do monthly-self-breast examination, yearly clinical breast examination, and annually get a mammogram.

After Hurricane Hugo pulverized St. Croix in 1989 and left thousands homeless, emergency trailers were set up at Castle Burke to temporarily house people.
Ten years later the trailers are finally giving way to permanent homes. According to Housing, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ira Hobson, construction on the first of what will be 100 new homes has begun. Hobson said priority to purchase the homes is being given to eligible Castle Burke residents and then to the community at large.
So far, approximately 50 residents have purchased 8,000-square-foot lots for about $5,000. Low-interest financing is being made available to the residents who are purchasing the $60,000 homes, which will be built by General Engineering Corp.
Many of the people who live in Castle Burke were living in public housing when Hurricane Hugo hit, so despite the relatively low cost of the homes many still can’t afford to purchase. According to HP&R, those residents will be relocated.
For more information regarding the Castle Burke development, contact HP&R at 773-0160.