St. Croix residents can ignore the V.I. Water and Power Authority’s prediction of resumed power rotations for the weekend and instead look forward to full power.
In a Wednesday evening statement, Raymond George, executive director of the V.I. Water and Power Authority, said the utility will not rotate electrical feeders this weekend. At a WAPA board meeting Wednesday, George said he expects Feeders 10 and 11 to be at full capacity on Saturday.
George said Feeder 17, which was supplied by Alathron, a French licensee for General Electric, has an engineer from France on site to make needed repairs to the unit. A control card for the unit is expected to arrive on Friday, George said, making the unit available for the weekend also.
WAPA’s problems began just after 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 11 when an electrical short developed on high voltage cables at the Richmond substation and tripped the operating generators and desalinization units. The mishap forced St. Croix into an island-wide outage followed by the feeder rotation.
George said diesel fuel made its way into the substation’s duct bank, which caused the insulation to deteriorate.
The rotation, which cut power to areas around the island on a rotating basis for at least two-hour intervals, lasted a week. Last weekend WAPA was able to hold off on the rotations as well.
Although all four of WAPA’s desalination plants will be on line Saturday, George said the utility will continue to ration potable water so it can build up water reserves for hurricanes.

Compulsory car insurance and a measure to allow cruise ships to open their casinos while docked in St. Thomas were approved by the Senate Wednesday night when it passed the Short Term Revenue Enhancement Act of 1999.
The legislation also adjusts a number of fees and fines in the Lieutenant Governor's Office.
"This proposal needs to be implemented so we can start generating some revenues for the operation of the Lieutenant Governor's Office so he could reduce the demands on the general fund," Sen. Lorraine Berry said. "It covers increases in fees recommended by the former lieutenant governor and also fees that were recommended by the current lieutenant governor."
Car insurance will be compulsory six months after the bill is signed by Gov. Charles Turnbull.
The provision will generate revenue from the gross receipts taxes insurance companies will pay and from the 5 percent premium tax they also will pay on every premium. Insurance industry officials have also said the added business will force them to hire new employees.
Industry officials estimate that about two-thirds of Virgin Islands drivers don't have car insurance.
Many senators said mandatory car insurance was badly needed to protect motorists and their vehicles.
"Automobile insurance is something that this community longs for," Sen. Roosevelt David said. "Just about every day you can think, someone is hurt in an accident, someone's car's is damaged, and people simply say to you 'I'm sorry, you have take your own money out and pay for what the damages are.'"
David said car insurance would be affordable.
"Look at the money to be paid by the consumer, nominal indeed, less than $300 a year, less than $1 a day," he said.
Sen. Judy Gomez , however, said car insurance would be another burden to residents during difficult economic times.
"Within the next couple of months the people of this territory will be undergoing changes as far as reorganizing the government is concerned, a change in duties, a change in employment that may result in unemployment," she said.
"Putting in place compulsory insurance at this time when people are dependent upon utilizing their own transportation to get around I think is a disservice to the people of the territory."
Meanwhile, the bill places a $25 cap on fees for issuing certificates, documents and providing information in the Lieutenant Governor's Office.
It also increases fines for the late payment of franchise taxes from 10 percent of taxes due to 20 percent.
The bill passed 9-3.
Senators hope cruise ships will stay in port later if they are allowed to operate their casinos while docked in St. Thomas
"This is a concern the retailers have expressed and we're trying to bring about an increase in revenue by this particular section," Berry said,
David said he was disappointed the $2.50 cruise ship passenger head tax was left out of the bill.
"I'm supportive because generally what the bill does is bring revenue to the territory, badly needed revenues," he said. "However, I'm somewhat unhappy that the $2.50 ocean carrier tax is not in this bill."
Also removed from the bill was a measure instituting a cigarette tax. Majority senators, however, said the cigarette tax is not dead, but is being revamped for future presentation.

The Legislature wielded its might over the governor Wednesday night by passing a Financial Accountability Act, which, among other measures, legally requires sitting administrations to balance the budget.
"What this measure seeks to do is to accomplish what many of us spoke about when we campaigned," Sen. Norman Jn Baptiste said. "Bringing accountability to government. What this measure does is effectively say to the executive branch of government, 'no more runaway spending, no more of hiring political cronies at exorbitant salaries.'"
Aside from the balanced budget, the Financial Accountability bill creates an attrition program for the public workforce, decreases the number of exempt positions, orders better maintenance of federal grants, authorizes the reorganization of the central government and orders evaluations of all government positions and property.
The bill passed 10-3. Sens. Adelbert Bryan, Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and Alicia "Chucky" Hansen voted against the bill. Sens. Anne Golden and Norman Jn.-Baptiste were absent.
The bill address problems that have been allowed to linger for decades, Senate President Vargrave Richard said.
"Our financial predicament has been analyzed, dissected, anything that you can think about. And over the years, over different administrations, we've been warned, forewarned, told of the imminent fall of our government, and we have jumped around the responsibility of doing the right thing," Richards said.
Many senators viewed the balanced budget as the most vital part of the bill.
"A balanced budget is when the revenues match the expenditures. Right now we have a situation where the expenditures exceed by far our revenues," Petrus said. "No economy that you would see that is doing good has a situation where it is totally dependent on the public sector, where 92 percent of the public sector's revenues go toward payroll.
"That is an economy that is flirting with death," he said.
Petrus, like other senators, spoke of the federal government's budget surplus.
"The big celebration about the U.S. economy is for the first time in 15 years the U.S. government can brag about having a balanced budget. What does that mean? Why are so many people celebrating while we're suffering? They have one, we don't," Petrus said. "Is that an indication we're doing things that are totally wrong.
"Should we continue what we've always done, we will continue to get what we've always got," he said.
The bill also attempts to ensure that the governor, in preparing the budget, uses only actual revenues, Sen. David Jones said.
"The balanced budget provision is very important and, in concert with that, we must have verifiable receipts that are audited and certified to be true," David said. "No more phantom figures."
Sen. Judy Gomez, however, said the administration must be given some leeway as far as revenues are concerned.
"If we are talking about balancing the budget based on revenues actually received, we will never function, because the fact is, we must deal with projections, realistic projections, based on monies anticipated to be received," Gomez said.
Sen. George Goodwin said he was particularly supportive of directing the administration to evaluate all of its properties with the intent of moving out of rented spaces.
"Our economy is taking a nose dive and here is one source where we can put a plug to stop the nose dive," Goodwin said. "When you look around and see the amount of rents the government is paying, they have a lot of buildings just going to waste."
Goodwin said he also supported more frequent reviews of the government insurance payments.
"When you only wait until a year at a time to review those records, it simply means that the government is paying out insurance for people that have already left and in some instances, for people that have died," Goodwin.
The bill orders a review of the insurance program every 90 days.
"In supporting the measure and getting it passed, that's not the end of the story. We have to monitor and monitor constantly," Goodwin said. "Here are ways and means that we can start to plug the holes of this government and at least bring us back to some financial respectability."
Sen. Gregory Bennerson said the Senate must exercise the same fiscal responsibility it is attempting to impose on the governor.
"This Legislature too has to be prepared during the budget process to deal with cuts also. And I hope we are prepared in this body to do such," Bennerson said. "Some of it may be coming right in our own personal allotment, committees and the body itself.
"Every branch must bear the responsibility of the what this financial morass is. So, I ask, let us not look on high when it comes time to do the cutting and when it comes to do the voting," he said.
Bryan's attempt to force some accountability on the part of the Senate, however, was defeated. His amendment to have senators, except the president, paid equally and to publicize the names of all employees of Legislature lost 5-8.
"I guarantee that there is no senator right here in this body that knows all employees of the Legislature, whether they are central staff or senatorial staff," Bryan said. "The Legislature's employees are public employees just like executive branch employees and judicial branch employees.
"I see people come and go and we don't know if they working here, we see people coming in here collecting checks and we don't know what they're doing. If we are talking about fiscal responsibility, the only fair thing to do is to make all senators responsibile," he said.
Only Bryan, Cole, Hansen, Liburd and Bennerson voted for the amendment.

A number of Senators blasted Gov. Charles Turnbull's administration for what they called the haphazard way in which projects were approved to share $2.19 million in federal Community Development Block Grants.
Despite the criticism, and after a barrage of rancorous inter-island squabbling that continued even after the bill was passed and forced a reconsideration, the Legislature approved a revised Block Grant proposal by a vote of 10-2.
"The process under which the selections are made are arbitrary and they're unfair and we saw people coming to petition, probably more than one, against the unfair manner," Sen. Anne Golden said.
Sen. Adelbert Bryan criticized Turnbull for sending the proposal to the Senate just weeks before the federal deadline.
"I personally didn't come to none of these block grant hearings because standard operating procedures around here . . . is all governors wait until last minute to submit these things here and rush these things without anybody having any real input or questions," Bryan said.
The Block Grants are given annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs to fund developments and programs for moderate to low-income residents and in blighted areas.
A total of $887,600 was proposed for the two St. John projects and 14 St. Thomas projects; $877,000 is suggested for 21 St. Croix projects.
The funding for some of the St. Thomas projects: $200,000 to continue construction on the Savan Community Center, $28,160 for Downstreet People's after school program, $20,000 for the V.I. Resource Center for the Disabled's after school program, and $19,000 for the Family Resource Center to rent its shelter and counseling office, and $10,000 for Kidscope's crisis intervention programs.
St. Croix projects include: $125,135 in grants and low interest loans to rehabilitate homes in Frederiksted, more than $110,000 for various projects for the Women's Coalition of St. Croix, approximately $50,000 for a pair of substance abuse rehabilitation programs, $50,000 for Camp Arawak's job training program, and renovations of several baseball parks.
Projects on St. John: $25,000 for the St. John Community Foundation's after school training and counseling programs and $15,000 for the V.I. Resource Center for the Disabled's after school program.
Sens. Lorraine Berry, Donald "Ducks" Cole, Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, Judy Gomez, George Goodwin, Norman Jn.-Baptiste, David Jones, Almando "Rocky" Liburd, Allie-Allison Petrus and Vargrave Richards voted for the bill.
Sens. Roosevelt David and Gregory Bennerson voted no.
An amendment by David to give 10 percent of the funds to St. John, and split the rest between St. Thomas and St. Croix drew the fury of Cruzan senators. The amendment was initially passed, but the outrage of St. Croix senators forced a reconsideration, and the amendment was removed.
Berry, who supported Turnbull's proposal, blamed the Legislature for damaging projects by over-amending block grants proposals.
"I think we are not innocent in this body," Berry said. "The reason why many of the projects are not completed, never started or never get off the ground is the amendments made in this body. So you contribute to being irresponsible."
"Many of these proposals are pending. We have over $4.2 million for projects that is balanced. Some of them have never started because there are no drawings, no leases, there's nothing. Just an idea that somebody want to help their constituency," she said.
Despite Berry's admonition, a few amendments were added to the bill.
An amendment offered by Gomez took about $8,000 from Anglican Outreach Services' after school program and gave it to a program to train youths to scuba dive.
"It's sad that two bodies of water surround this island, and we look at the number of marine biologists coming out the territory. It's really sad," Gomez said.
A Cole amendment took all $218,050 proposed for building a Pollyberg community center and allocated it to constructing potable water lines to the Contant Knolls public housing community.
"Water is more important anytime for survival than a center," Hansen said in supporting Cole's amendment.
Bennerson said the Senate should review the selection process.
"When you amend this block grant without properly making sure the percentages are in the right place, you knock this whole bill out of whack," Bennerson said. "But if we're going to be serious about this process, we're going to take this same Senate body, drag that program in here and deal with it as our oversight responsibility."
David threatened the federal government would soon do an audit on the program he said was plagued by political patronage.
"I have a strong feeling that before this block grants is finished a block of people are going to go to jail," David said. "Year after year after year, certain groups of people could get money for this block grant, but they cannot show anything, no progress, no improvement, but they get more money."
More than $400,000 of the grant is used to pay for its administration by the Department of Planning and Natural Resources. Golden said these costs should be trimmed to make more available for the projects themselves.
"Nine employees in that division take over $400,000 from good project money to run an agency, and they can't come in here and tell us where those projects are, what the buildings look like, no report on the history of these projects," she said.

The government's ailing financial condition has resulted in a one-week postponement of the Senate Committee on Finance's budget hearings.
The month-long hearings, during which the allotment of each government department and agency is scrutinized, were scheduled to begin July 27. They will now start on Aug. 4.
"The director of the budget contacted me . . . and said because of the serious worsening of the financial condition of the government, it's taken more time for departments and agencies to analyze the cuts that he has requested," Finance Chair Sen. Lorraine Berry said during Wednesday's senate session.
The budget must be revised after the additional 10 percent government-wide budget cuts announced by Gov. Charles Turnbull last week.
"The information they're requesting is the additional 10 percent cut, which would change all of the activity centers of the budget and there's nothing you can discuss if all the information is changing," Berry said. "And, I believe if we want to be effective in the process we need to cooperate and coordinate."

Sonia Jacobs Dow, the last of the administration's unconfirmed cabinet nominees, was approved as the new Labor Commissioner by the Senate Wednesday.
"Although you may not have been groomed within the Department of Labor, I believe you are going to be a fresh breath of air in that department," Sen. Judy Gomez said. "The morale in the Department of Labor is low. There are divisions with one person with a huge caseload on their shoulders."
Senators were clearly impressed with Dow's appearance before the Senate Committee on Rules.
"I traveled to St. Croix to attend the Rules Committee at which Sonia Dow was being confirmed and I have to stand and speak to the fact that she was very impressive," Sen. Donald Ducks Cole said. "This is an individual who has been in the department for a month and she has immersed herself in the department."
Dow is the wife of Michael Dow, chairman of territorial tycoon Jeffrey Prosser's V.I. Community Bank.
The only open post remaining in Gov. Charles Turnbull's cabinet is Tourism Commissioner; however, he has yet to appoint a new candidate to replace his first nominee, Clement "Cain" Magras, who was rejected by the Senate last month.
The Senate also set a committee of the whole hearing on Beal Aerospace's land swap proposal. The hearing will take place at 5 p.m., Friday, in Frederiksted.
"I believe this project will be a great benefit to the territory and St. Croix in particular, and it will increase job opportunities for our people," Turnbull wrote in a letter to Senate President Vargrave Richards.
Under the proposal, the government will swap 14.8 acres of land in Estate Great Pond with Beal for 14.8 acres of various parcels in Whim and Grange Hill. Beal will use the Great Pond land to construct a rocket factory and offices.
"Without this exchange, the Beal Aerospace project cannot go forward," Turnbull said. "The appraisals have confirmed the value of the parcels to be exchanged is favorable to the government."
A Committee on Government Operations hearing on the service level of the Water and Power Authority scheduled to take place on St. Croix Friday evening has moved to 10 a.m, Friday morning.

Asolare
Euro-Asian cuisine — Open daily during season. Closed Tue. during low season. 5:30-8:45 p.m. Reservations recommended. $$$. Cards: AX, V, MC. 779-4747.
Cafe Roma
Italian cuisine including pizza — 5-10 p.m. daily. $/$$. Cards: V, AX. 776-6524.
Cap's Place
West Indian cuisine — 8 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. $. No cards. 693-8609.
Cheeseburgers
Centerline Road — Light fare — 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. 776-6611.
Chilly Billy's
Breakfast and lunch 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Dinner with Andre 6 to 10 p.m. $. No cards. Take out available. MC, V. 693-8708.
Coral Bay Cafe
West Indian food — 11 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. $. 693-5161.
Ellington's
Gallows Point — American and Caribbean cuisines — Breakfast 8-10 a.m., cocktails 4-8 p.m. and dinner 6-10 p.m. daily. $$. Cards: AX, V, MC. 693-8490.
Fish Trap
Fish, steaks, pasta — Dinner 4:30-9:30 p.m. Tues.-Sun; $/$$. Cards: AX, V, MC, D. 693-9994.
Fred's
West Indian cuisine — Breakfast 8-10 a.m., lunch noon-2 p.m. and dinner 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Sat. $. No cards. 776-6363.
Global Cuisine
Mongoose Junction — Global Cuisine — 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Sunday Brunch 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Reservations suggested. $/$$. Cards: V, MC, AX, DC. 693-8677.
Garden of Luscious Licks
Vegetarian, salads, pita sandwiches, health food, ice cream — Breakfast, lunch and dinner 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. $/$$. No cards. 693-8400.
J.J.'s Texas Coast Cafe
Tex-Mex fare — Breakfast 8-11 a.m., lunch 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and dinner 5-9 p.m. daily. $/$$. Cards: V, AX, D, MC. 776-6908.
La Tapa
Lunch and dinner 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; Cards: Visa, MC, AX. 693-7755.
Le Chateau de Bordeaux
Centerline Road — International fine dining — Open daily in season. Closed Mon. during low season. Dinner: seatings 5:30-8:45 p.m. $$$. Cards: AX, MC, V. Reservations recommended. 776-6611.
Lime Inn
American, steak, local lobster — Lunch 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri., dinner 5:30-10 p.m. Mon.-Sat. $/$$. Shrimp feast 5 p.m. Weds. $$. Cards: AX, V, MC. 776-6425/779-4199.
Morgan's Mango
"Cuisines of the Caribbean" — Dinner 5:30-10 p.m. daily. $$. Cards: MC, V, AX. 693-8141.
Panini Beach
Wharfside Village — Northern Italian cuisine — Dinner 5:30-9:30 p.m.; bar 4:30 p.m.-until. $$. Open daily. Cards: AX, V, MC. 693-9119.
Paradiso
Mongoose Junction — Contemporary American cuisine. — Open daily during season. Closed Sun. during low season. Dinner: seatings 5:30-9 p.m. Reservations recommended. $$/$$$. Cards: AX, V, MC. 693-8899.
Pusser's
Wharfside Village– American and Continental cuisine — Lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m., dinner 6-10 p.m. daily. Light fare, cocktails, entertainment. $$. Cards: MC, V, AX, D. 693-8489.
Pusser's Beach Bar
Pizza, Sandwiches — 11 a.m. to midnight daily. $. 693-9080.
Pusser's Crow's Nest
3-9 p.m. daily. Light fare until 6 p.m. Dinner until 9 p.m. 693-8489.
The Rolling Pin
Bakery, sandwiches, pizza. $$. No cards. 779-4775.
Sea Breeze
Coral Bay — Breakfast 6:30-11 a.m. Mon-Fri., 7 a.m.-noon Sat. Lunch 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and dinner 6-9 p.m. Mon.-Sat., Sun. brunch 9 a.m.-2 p.m. $. No cards. 776-7824.
Sera Fina Seaside Bistro
Coral Bay — 5:30-9 p.m. dinner Tues.-Sun.; 11 a.m.-until bar; Tuesday is sushi night; Sunday brunch 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $$$. 693-5630.
Shipwreck Landing
Coral Bay — Seafood, pasta, steak. Lunch 11 a.m.-4 p.m., dinner 6-10 p.m. daily. $$. Cards: AX, MC, V. 693-5640.
Skinny Legs
Coral Bay — Grilled burgers, seafood, sandwiches. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. Live music Sat. $. No cards. 779-4982.
Sogo's Restaurant
West Indian and American cuisine. Lunch and dinner 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Mon.-Sat. $$. Cards: MC, V, AX. 779-4404.
Sting Ray Cafe
Breakfast, lunch 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m. daily; Deli
6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. $$. 779-4140.
Stone Terrace Restaurant
Fine dining, international cuisine — Dinner 6-10 p.m. Tue.-Sun. Reservations requested. $$$. 693-9370.
Sun Dog Cafe
Mongoose Junction — Lunch 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Sandwiches, fresh baked quiche and wrappers. $. Cards: MC, V, AX. 693-8340.
Woody's Seafood Saloon
Seafood, burgers, wings, fritters — 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Fri.-Sun. $. Cards: AX, MC, V. 779-4625.
W & W Fast Food
Burgers, fries, shrimp — Mon.-Sat. 776-6802.

Acting Public Works Commissioner Harold G. Thompson Jr. announces that the new St. John Waste Water Treatment Plant will be in operation later this year.
Thompson said "this means that for the first time in many years the Government of the VirginIslands will be able to offer full waste water and sewage services to the majority of Cruz Bay residents."
Existing lines are located within the downtown Cruz Bay area, Estates Contant Enighed (Cactus Hill), Bethany (Power Boyd Plantation), Enighed (Pine Peace), Gallows Point and portions of Estate Contant.
Residents can obtain an application for connection from the St. John Public Works Office in Susannaberg.
Thompson also advises those with construction plans, which has been delayed due to the current moratorium, to resubmit those plans.
Thompson said he will keep the community abreast on the development of the final plans.

Petra Phipps has been named director of the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel and Tourism Association's newly formed Membership Department.
Phipps joined the Hotel Association in January. She previously worked as an assistant to Osbert Potter, former commissioner of Licensing and Consumer Affairs.
Since joining the Hotel Association Phipps has developed a new membership discount program, instituted membership identification cards and spear headed two training programs.
Beverly Nicholson, executive director of the Association said in a prepared statement, "We are very pleased to have Petra on board. She has brought new energy and ideas to the organization. We believe that she will play a critical role in helping to advance the programs that the association offers both to its members and the community."
President of the Hotel Association Richard Doumeng said, "We are very pleased to have Petra in this positions. In the short time she has been with the Association, she has proven that she had the organization and people skills needed for this position."

Two Virgin Island students are recipients of the 1999-2000 Theodore E. Sharp Scholar Awards.
The awards fund has been established at the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands by Mrs. Elisabeth Swinson Sharp and other family members and friends, to honor the memory of Theodore Elting Sharp.
The $1,000 for the 1999-2000 T.E. Sharp Awards was divided between two recipients, Naima Jacobs-El of St. Croix and Watisha Brooks of St. Thomas.
Ms. Jacobs-El, a graduate of St. Croix Educational Complex, is currently enrolled in a summer program at the Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Her goal is to become an ophthalmologist. She has volunteered with the American Red Cross and with an extensive Mangrove Restoration Project.
Ms. Brooks is a graduate of Charlotte Amalie High School, where she was a member of the Student Council, the Mello Hawks Steel Pan and the CAHS Concert Choir. She has also served as a hospital volunteer and as a "Big Sister" at the Bethlehem House.
The awards, which will be given annually, place an emphasis on academic excellence and community service.
Theodore E, Sharp, a long-time resident of St. Thomas, was committed to higher education and served as a volunteer with Rotary International for many years. By endowing this memorial fund at CFVI, family and friends wished to share the spirit of a husband, father, friend and colleague, "a kind, gentle and caring person who did a lot of good in his life."
The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands was established in 1990 to serve the children and families of the Virgin Islands. Anyone wishing information about CFVI may write PO Box 11790, St. Thomas, 00801, or call Dee Baecher-Brown at 774-6031.