Sen. Lorraine Berry will be the guest speaker at the monthly meeting of the League of Women Voters to be held at 12 noon, Monday at L'Escargot in Sub Base.
Berry, chair of the who chairs the Committee on Finance will discuss the FY2000 budget, the reorganization plan and the five-year economic recovery plan from the perspective of the Legislature.
The public is invited to attend.
For information and reservations contact Eleanor Cerge at 776-9357 or Elizabeth Delagarde at 776-0287.

Gov. Charles W. Turnbull is making another bid to get Senate authorization to float a $130 million bond issue. He may get approval this time.
The scheduled meeting of the Finance Committee Wednesday was reportedly cancelled so majority senators could caucus to discuss the bond issue.
Turnbull has called the legislature into special session at 10 a.m. Tuesday to consider revised legislation calling for a one-step bond structure as opposed to the two step process specified in the legislation that lost in a tie vote Oct. 1.
The governor's legal counsel, Paul Jimenez, confirmed that the legislation is contingent upon the U.S. Congress granting the V.I. government increased authority to issue bonds.
Jimenez said it was not unusual for the Legislature to pass bills that were contingent upon "one thing or another."
The last section of the resubmitted bill says that nothing in the bill will take place until "the effective date of the Revised Organic Act Bond Authorization Amendment."
That legislation, pending in the U.S. Senate, is expected to be acted upon either today or early next week, according to the legislature's legal counsel, Amos Carty.
Jimenez said the governor is confident that the legislature will pass the revised bill, adding that everyone is aware of the ramifications of not getting a loan at this time.
Large scale layoffs would be the immediate result if the borrowing bill fails a second time, since the administration has said all along that without this money up to 2,500 government workers would have to be laid off because there would be no money to pay them.
The bond money would also be used to pay off the $35 million loan used to make payroll through the end of the fical year that ended Sept. 30.

The Work of Faith Church is having a Thanksgiving, Praise and Worship Day at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 18, at the Emancipation Gardens.
Let's thank god for delivering us from hurricanes and earthquakes.

Word of Faith Church is having a Thanksgiving, Praise and Worship Day at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18, at the Emancipation Gardens.
Let's give thanks for delivering us from hurricanes and earthquakes.

Two unidentified Industrial Development Commission tax beneficiaries may be ordered to pay retroactive taxes for violating the terms of their contracts.
According to Frandelle Gerard, acting director of the IDC, the companies violated every aspect of the IDC law, including curtailing business while continuing to receive tax benefits. The companies could be found liable for tax payments for the periods of non-compliance.
Meanwhile, Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg called on Gerard to investigate another IDC beneficiary, the Virgin Islands Telephone Corp., for allegedly abusing its tax breaks. Vitelco, owned by Innovative Communications Corp., receives nearly 100 percent, across-the-board tax breaks. Donastorg said he has received complaints from Vitelco workers who allege that company management is hiring employees from other ICC subsidiaries.
"They are redistributing personnel to take advantage of the tax breaks," Donastorg said. "They put subsidiary employees on the payroll of Vitelco to increase the expenses of Vitelco to increase the rate of return."
Gerard said she has notified the V.I. Labor Department about Donastorg’s concerns.
Gerard said that in order to better monitor compliance of all IDC beneficiaries, the commission is forming a compliance committee with the Attorney General’s Office, Internal Revenue Bureau, Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office.
"It is a partnership with other government agencies that have more resources than we do," she said.
Gerard said the IDC has limited authority to discipline beneficiaries that don’t comply with the terms of their contracts. The commission counts on government agencies with greater enforcement authority to levy penalties for non-compliance, she said.
"The only thing the commission can do is move to revoke or suspend benefits," Gerard said.
In the case of the two companies alleged to have violated their benefits contracts, Gerard said they will be identified at a future show-cause hearing.
"When the time is right . . . in public hearings, at that point names will be made public," she said.
In the meantime, Gerard said the IDC is reviewing the records of all IDC beneficiaries to check compliance with the terms of their tax benefits.

At Beal Aerospace Technology's website the "Jobs" page reads in part: "Beal Aerospace is now about 175 people strong and growing day-by-day. Anticipated employment is expected to grow to approximately 220 people by April
1999. Currently, Beal is looking for a broad spectrum of aggressive technical staff with experience in avionics and electrical engineering, propulsion (including pneumatics and valve design), mechanical design, composite manufacturing, fabrication, launch and test operations."
At the page on current news one finds: "Industry analysts say Mr. Beal is distinguished as a serious smaller contender by his deep pockets and the army of 170 space engineers he has assembled in the 113,000-square-foot research and assembly plant he built in Frisco, a Collin County boom town."
Do the math. Of 175 total employees, 170 are reported to be "space engineers".
That works out to be 97.14 percent of the total work force. The projected increase for the work within the next year, since the publication of the article, March 18, 1999 in the Dallas Morning News is 45 employees.
That increase works out to be 25 percent. If the current ratio maintains of 97 percent "space engineers" to all others, that means an increase of .94 percent of non-engineer employees.
Let's say that this ratio is too high. How can we then determine what kinds of employees Beal is expecting to hire? Well let's take Beal’s word. If we investigate the "Jobs" page further, one will find the following jobs listed:

• CO-OP Propulsion Engineer: requires sophomore year completion of Heat &
  Thermodynamics classes. (One can assume this means university level study.)
• GNC Analyst: Education: High School. Experience: Laboratory or chemical operations preferred Electrical, mechanical or plumbing experience a plus.
• Administrative Assistant : High School education required
• Operator, H2O2 Concentration: 5-10 years experience in exporting, specifically
  dealing with ITAR, EAR and customs issues. College degree.
• Launch and Launch Site License Coordinator: College Degree – BSME / BSAE. 10+
  years experience in one of the following: range safety, ground safety, flight performance
  analysis, or related areas. Experience in working with FAA in connection with launch licenses and/or launch site operator's licenses. Familiarity with all FAA regulations relating to flight operations, launch operations, plus launch and launch site operator's licenses.
• Security Systems Analyst: Minimum of five years experience in managing industrial physical security systems. Experienced in startup operation a must (emphasis added at web-site)Degree in related field preferred but not required.
  
• Configuration Management Lead: Candidates will possess a BS/BA degree with 10
  to 15 years of configuration management experience.

Here are seven positions of which only one is open to a minimally qualified of person with a high school diploma. The remaining six require considerable experience and specific experience in most cases to the aerospace and Department of Defense related industries.
What is the likelihood that this type of job pool combination will change for the proposed installation at Great Pond? Not very likely!
Even at this generous rate of 14 percent (1 out of 7) that would mean a possible employee population of 20.3 out of the total 145 that required only a high school diploma and little specific experience.
Following this model of personnel distribution the remaining 124.7 employees would be required to have the same types of experiential and educational background as
the majority of the listings provided above. Anybody want to bet that it would be any different? I think not.
What numbers of Virgin Islander now or in the near future will have the educational and experiential background and skill sets to meet these types of requirements?
We ought to remember the promises made by other industrial employers as they
came to the V.I. and the subsequent influx of other than resident Virgin Islanders because of those unmet promises.
My Grandmother always told me two things about experience: 1. "Once bitten twice shy" and, 2. "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me."
Let's not be made a fool twice.
Not withstanding the probability of serious and long-term environmental damage, let's not forget the possible impact that the storage and use of volatile chemicals will present to the health of the population of St. Croix.
Great Pond provided me and many of my boyhood friends many days of recreation, particularly as Boy Scouts. The area teemed with herons, egrets, pelicans, and the ubiquitous birds we then knew as "gallings".
You can bet that with a facility the likes of the one proposed that would all be a thing of the non-recoverable past.
Many will say, who is this person, so comfortably tucked away far from our economic pain? Who is this person who abandoned St. Croix?
I'm a son of St. Croix and the Virgin Islands. Everything I am today stems from and is a direct result of the things and experiences I had when growing up in St Croix. My grandparents are buried in that soil and my heart aches at every mention of anything that could cause a disaster in my home.
It's time to start making the best choices for development and sustainable growth, and look to the long-term and sustainable future of St. Croix.
Ten good, sustainable, far-sighted engines of commerce that are non-polluting and environmentally friendly hiring 14 to 15 people apiece could provide that same employment as the proposed Beal facility. Granted the tax revenue would not be as grand but the impact on the health, environment, and legacy of St. Croix would not be as catastrophic.
Please reconsider this Beal thing before it's too late.
L.A. Davis
Fort Washington, Maryland

Two unidentified Industrial Development Commission tax beneficiaries may be ordered to pay retroactive taxes for violating the terms of their contracts.
According to Frandelle Gerard, acting director of the IDC, the companies had violated every aspect of the IDC law, including curtailing business while continuing to receive tax benefits. The companies could be found liable for tax payments for the periods of noncompliance.
Meanwhile, Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg is calling on Gerard to investigate another IDC beneficiary, the Virgin Islands Telephone Corp., for abusing its tax breaks. Vitelco, owned by Innovative Communication Corp., receives nearly 100 percent, across the board tax breaks. The senator said he has received complaints from Vitelco workers who allege company management is hiring employees from other ICC subsidiaries.
"They are redistributing personnel to take advantage of the tax breaks," Donastorg said. "They put subsidiary employees on the payroll of Vitelco to increase the expenses of Vitelco to increase the rate of return."
Gerard said she has notified the Department of Labor about Donastorg’s concerns.
Overall, Gerard said that in order to better monitor compliance of all IDC beneficiaries, the commission is partnering with the Attorney General’s Office, Internal Revenue Bureau, Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office.
"It is a partnership with other government agencies that have more resources than we do," she said.
Gerard said the IDC has limited authority to discipline beneficiaries that don’t comply with their contracts. She said government agencies with greater enforcement authority are counted on to levy penalties for noncompliance.
"The only thing the commission can do is move to revoke or suspend benefits," Gerard said.
Gerared said the two companies alleged to have violated their benefits contracts would be identified at a future hearing.
"When the time is right . . . in public hearings, at that point names will be made public," she said.
In the meantime, Gerard said the IDC is reviewing the records of all its beneficiaries to check compliance with the terms of their tax benefits.

Dear Source,
I thought you would like to know that ALL teachers are receiving copies of the Temporary Restraining Order issued against AFT Local 1825, from the government of the VI and Department of Education. This is a TEN page document, issued to EVERY SINGLE TEACHER IN THE TERRITORY.
Can you imagine how much paper that used? How much toner for photocopiers? Or ink for printing? Not to mention how much labor for printing, collating, stapling, and getting copies delivered to the schools in a government-paid-for-plus-gas vehicle?
And the government wonders why teachers are protesting?
How can the government justify this when teachers at Charlotte Amalie High School had to charge students money so they could buy paper to photocopy exams?
When schools are collecting money to buy toner for the photocopy machines? When Xerox won't sell a school department toner or cartridges unless the teacher puts it on her personal credit card, because the government owes Xerox so much money?
What a monumental waste of taxpayers' money – and a waste of resources that could be put to educational use.
But once again the BENEFIT of the teachers and students is ignored while teachers are blamed for students not learning.
We are told we don't have the students' interests at heart when we protest for one day.
Then Education issues restraining orders against us and doesn't pay us when we speak out, and then wastes the valuable resources we could have put to use.
Phebe Schwartz, St. Thomas

Mark and Monica Bastin are the proud parents of a baby boy, named Ryan Alejandro Bastin.
Ryan Alejandro was born early Thursday morning. He weighed in at 7 pounds six and a half ounces and was 20 inches long.
Mother and son expect to be home on Saturday.
The proud and happy father is the general manager of Knight Quality Stations.

The Arts Alive concert series for the 1999-2000 season has been announced. These concerts will be held in the Tillet Gardens in Tutu, starting at 8 p.m.
1999
Wednesday, Oct. 27 – Classical cellist Nina Kotova with piano accompanist.
Wednesday, Nov. 17 – Junior Mance, Jazz Trio.
Wednesday, Dec. 29 – Dennis Koster, Classical and Flamenco guitarist.
2000
Wednesday, Jan. 12 and Friday, Jan. 14 – Seigel-Schwall Blues Band with Sam Lay on the drums.
Wednesday, Jan. 26 – Awadagin Pratt, Classical piano.
Wednesday, Feb. 16 and Friday, Feb. 18 – Charles Musselwhite Blues Band.
Wednesday, mar. 13 – Richard Rodney Bennet/Mary Cleere Haran/ Cabaret – The Memory of All That/Gershwin
Wednesday Apr. 5 – The Gyphon Trio – Classical piano, cello and violin.