Within the past two weeks, I wrote a letter which was printed in the St. Croix Avis, the Independent and the Daily News newspaper concerning the burglary situation here in the territory.
In closing of said letter, I made a plea for Gov. Charles Tumbull to act upon it immediately. Although I do acknowledge that it is very early in his administration to be faced with this type of problem, I considered it an urgent matter enough to bring it to the attention of the governor and the residents of this territory.
My plea to have this matter handled immediately does not require time or expense, all it simply takes is a call to the person in charge of the department or a written order issued to have it done.
Stated in my letter printed in the Independent, St. Croix Avis on 1/14/99 and in the Daily News on 1/19/99, is the fact the V.I. Police Department has only one individual , Cpl. Maureen Richardson, that is qualified to testify as an expert and also perform latent fingerprint examination.
This individual, however, has not been allowed to perform this task as an assignment in many years; therefore cases are not being worked on, resulting into victims being left helpless and the perpetrators running loose to burglarize more homes.
It would appear that since I wrote letters to those who could have done something and they did nothing, they can be considered as indirectly aiding and abetting burglars.
As taxpayers and law-abiding citizens of this territory, you have a right as a victim to have your case investigated properly and to be notified of the results.
To expedite this matter, it seem that the only alternative left is for victims to call on Government House for action in this matter. However, in the meantime whose house will be next? Could it have been avoided?
These are my questions at this time. I believe that I have done my civic duty by advising the people of this territory as to the dilemma we all face with this type of crime.

Local entrepreneur Gordon Ackley has applied to the V.I. Telephone Corp. for the right to compete as a local exchange carrier to provide alternative local phone service to V.I. residents and businesses.
If Ackley gets a green light, the competition for local phone customers could drive down prices and improve service.
Citing the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, Ackley asked Vitelco for five things:
—- The right to resell telephone services.
—- Number portability.
—- Access to Vitelco’s poles and conduits.
—- The right to co-locate equipment.
—- Reciprocal compensation.
Under the Telecom Act, local phone carriers are required to lease their equipment and networks to competitors at wholesale prices.
Ackley met Jan. 12 with Michaele Breton, vice president of marketing for Vitelco, and Emiel Michiels, manager of budget and results, to begin negotiations, which Ackley said could be lengthy.
This is not the first time a company has applied to Vitelco for local exchange carrier status, known as LEC.
In the mid-1990s Windkeeper Inc. attempted to enter the local telephone service market as an LEC.
According to Andrew Rutnik, then chairman of the Public Services Commission, Windkeeper approached the PSC to intervene in the negotiations with Vitelco, which had “dragged on.”
Rutnik said the PSC was about to force arbitration when Windkeeper withdrew its request.
At the time Windkeeper applied for local exchange carrier rights, Vitelco had recently shown a gross revenue of $53 million for fiscal 1995, according to local economist Dr. Richard Moore.
As a local exchange carrier under the Telecom Act, an LEC can provide local telephone service to customers. The changeover to a new local carrier should be “seamless,” according to Ackley.
Part of the agreement between an LEC and an incumbent local exchange carrier — in this case Vitelco — provides for “number portability,” which means customers of the incumbent LEC who want to change to a new local carrier can keep their old phone number.
According to Ackley, the incumbent LEC –Vitelco —- and a would-be LEC —- Ackley Communications —- have nine months to negotiate the terms of the agreement. If they do not reach an agreement by then, the matter is referred to the PSC for arbitration. The PSC has three months to act.
Thereafter, if the interconnection agreement has not been approved, the matter is turned over to the Federal Communications Commission.
The terms of the Telecom Act requiring incumbent local carriers to provide access to LECs are intended to open up competition in the area of local telephone service and to give LECs time to put their own equipment and infrastructure in place.
Vitelco spokesperson Katrina White-Comissiong would say only that the issue was in negotiation and she was not in a position to comment further now.

Governor Charles W. Turnbull has proclaimed the week of Jan.24-30 as School Nurses Week in celebration of our school nurses who provide high quality patient care to children.

The Office of Special Nutrition Programs announces that Good Service Management Companies interested in participating in the 1999 Summer Food Service should register with the State Office of Special nutrition by March 15. Call 774-0373 for information.
This program is available to individuals regardless of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability.

Gov. Charles W. Turnbull has proclaimed the week of Jan.31 through Feb.6, as "Catholic Schools Week' in the Territory in recognition of the efforts and contributions of Catholic Schools in the community.
"I urge the entire community to join the Catholic schools in celebrating education". said the Governor.

Media reports this week about a poll conducted by the Labor Department on candidates for commissioner were the result of employees conducting their own call-in.
When workers heard that two people were being considered for commissioner, they decided to flood the St. Croix office with calls to state their preferences, according to the Daily News.
The two candidates named were Lloyd McAlpin and former Sen. Carol M. Burke.
Government House confirmed that Burke and McAlpin are on a list of names being considered for Labor commissioner.
The Daily News did not report who won the poll.

Three men were arrested Wednesday and charged with murdering Larry Davis last May in his Back Street jewelry store, the Emerald Lady, and shooting security guard Gwendolyn Rawlins.
The three — two adults and a minor at the time — have been charged with first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and violation of the Hobbs Act, which regulates interstate commerce.
The two adults are Jason Hull, 23, and Irvine Hodge Jr., 21. The third defendant was a minor at the time the crimes were committed and was not identified in the release from U.S. Attorney James Hurd’s office.
The complaints charge that four armed, masked individuals entered the jewelry store, ordered the people inside to lie on the floor and made one employee open the jewelry cases, Hurd's release says. One defendant ordered that the safe be opened and Davis complied.
While the robbery was under way, Rawlins approached the store and was shot at several times and struck with a bullet.
As the defendants fled the scene, one stopped and shot Davis at point-blank range, killing him.
The maximum statutory penalty for first-degree murder is death or life in prison, Hurd's release said. The Hobbs Act violation carries a penalty of not more than 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000, or both. The penalty for the firearm charge is a mandatory minimum of five years' imprisonment.
When Davis was killed last May, news stories said three men entered the store, but Hugh P. Mabe, assistant U.S. attorney, said witnesses subsequently indicated four people were involved.
Hurd's release credited the arrests to the combined efforts of the V.I. Police Department's major crime unit and the V.I. Safe Streets Task Force, which includes the
FBI, U.S. Marshal Service and officers of the V.I. Police Department.

The Public Works Department is facing a $40,000 fine for illegally discharging raw sewage into Hull Bay.
The Planning and Natural Resources Department issued a notice of violation Jan. 13 setting the fine and requiring Public Works to submit a plan within 15 days to fix the broken outflow pipe from the Brassview treatment plant that is the cause of the problem, the Independent reported Thursday.
As of Wednesday, Public Works had not filed a response, according to Austin Moorehead, PNR's environmental protection director.
Moorehead said his department could issue another order to PNR for failing to respond as required or refer the matter to the Attorney General's Office.
As a last resort, it could also refer the Hull Bay violations to the federal Environmental Protection Agency but in that case any money collected would go to the federal, not the territorial, government.
PNR is also retesting Hull Bay and nearby waters, Moorehead told the Independent, for contaminants that cause pink eye, diarrhea and other illnesses. Tests started Wednesday and will wind up Friday. Tests in August were negative.
Brassview's treatment plant processes sewage from 40 homes in the Bonne Resolution gut and discharges 40,000 gallons of treated and chlorinated sewage each day, the Independent said.

Some visitors to St. John recently witnessed 8 week old puppies being
thrown around like footballs. They intervened and rescued the puppies
from this abuse. This incident is a reminder that there are certain
rights and responsibilities to owning a pet.
The following is an excerpt from "Pets-part of the family" magazine:
The Pet's Bill of Rights
1.We have the right to be full members of your family. We thrive on
social interaction, praise, and love.
2. We have the right to stimulation. We need new games, new toys, new
experiences, and new smells to be happy.
3. We have the right to regular exercise. Without it, we could become
hyper, sluggish…or fat.
4. We have the right to have fun. We enjoy acting like clowns now and
then; don't expect us to be predictable all the time.
5. We have the right to quality health care. Please stay good friends
with our vet!
6. We have the right to a good diet. Like some people, we don't know
what's best for us. We depend on you.
7. We have the right not to be rejected because of your expectations
that we be great show dogs or show cats, watchdogs, hunters, or
baby-sitters.
8. We have the right to receive proper training. Otherwise, our good
relationship could be marred by confusion and strife- and we could
become dangerous to ourselves and others.
9. We have the right to guidance and correction based on understanding
and compassion, rather than abuse.
10. We have the right to live with dignity…and to die with dignity
when the time comes.
Editor's note: Laura Palminteri, VMD practices veterinary medicine at Cruz Bay Canines,
Cats, & Critters on St. John. A 1991 graduate from the University of
Pennslyvania School of Veterinary Medicne, she practiced small animal
and equine medicine in New York before opening her practice on St. John.

The Education Department is taking steps to implement Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's call for a cut in the government's workforce by 25 percent over five years.
Acting Commissioner Mario Golden, in a memo to top officials, has asked them to devise plans to reduce hiring, reassign existing personnel and consolidate responsibilities, the Independent reported Thursday.
Golden asked the administrators and division heads to submit to him by Thursday:
— A list of non-school personnel.
— Details of all federal budgets.
— A list of all vacant positions, whether funded or not.
— A list of people in various areas whose employment isn't essential to the department's day-to-day functions.
A report completed in October by the V.I. Education Commission, established by former Gov. Roy L. Schneider, found that nearly 90 percent of Education's $121 million operating budget in 1998 went for personnel, the Independent noted. Less than 1 percent, or $2.3 million, was budgeted for textbooks, supplies and other materials for more than 21,000 students.
Turnbull in his State of the Territory address called for reducing the government's workforce by 25 percent over five years.