Government House spokesperson Richard Motta Jr. addresses the public during a weekly press briefing Monday on St. Croix. (Source photo by Kit MacAvoy)
A five-year-old Major Coastal Zone Management permit needed for the development of the Summer’s End Marina in Coral Bay is still valid, according to an opinion V.I. Attorney General Gordon Rhea penned last week.
Government House spokesperson Richard Motta Jr. announced Rhea’s opinion during a press briefing Monday.
“Specifically, he clarified that the 12-month commencement deadline outlined in Title 12 of the Virgin Islands Code, under subsection 910, does not begin until all federal approvals are secured,” Motta said. “This interpretation provides certainty where there had been questions as of late, and it confirms that the Summer’s End permit has not lapsed. Nor has it expired.”
Motta said the permit remains active pending final approvals from federal agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which, once granted, will authorize the Summer’s End Group to proceed with its planned development. Rhea’s opinion comes more than two months after a contentious hearing of the 36th Legislature, during which lawmakers voted 9-3 to reject a bid from Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. to ratify the permit. Some expressed concern that the move appeared intended to bypass the normal CZM process.
On Monday, Motta said the significance of Rhea’s opinion is twofold.
“First, it reassures our community, our developers and our federal partners that this project continues on a lawful and transparent path,” he said. “And second, it underscores our administration’s commitment to striking the right and appropriate balance between progress and preservation.”
Later during Monday’s briefing, both Motta and V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency director Daryl Jaschen addressed possible impacts of an ongoing federal government shutdown, which began last week. When asked about possible effects on federally supported assistance programs, Mottta said it’s a tough question to answer.
“Obviously, the longer that the federal government shutdown persists, then the more severe the impacts to our local government operations become — in particular, some of those local programs that are buttressed by federal support,” he said. “And so the administration right now is taking a very close look at those programs, and we’re making the initial analysis and planning for any contingencies, but also still hoping that we can get some up-to-date developments out of Washington that will bring some remedy to this situation before it reaches a critical mass where we would see adverse impacts between some of those much-needed federal programs.
Jaschen, who provided an update on a disturbance in the Atlantic dubbed Invest 95L, said he spoke with the agency’s partners at the National Weather Service on Saturday and that the service had “curtailed” some travel and outreach activities.
“However, the products that they produce, anything that happens, will still stay on track for us. Advisories will still go out, alerts will still go out, so. That was a big concern of mine obviously, for the community here,” he said, adding that the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be deploying its Incident Management Assistance Team to the territory. “No cost to the territory, but it’s part of the process, as we do every single time there’s a threat.”
“The governor vetoed the Legislature’s attempt to move certain miscellaneous appropriations — including animal control funding — from the General Fund and tie them to the GVI-JP Morgan company funding source through a budgetary asterisk,” he said. “This was not only procedurally improper but unnecessary, in the administration’s opinion.”
Motta acknowledged the government’s responsibility to provide animal control services and said the veto “was about protecting the integrity of the budget process, not abandoning statutory responsibilities.”
Delegates Imani Daniel and Stedman Hodge discuss the need for an extension and greater public engagement as the Virgin Islands Sixth Constitutional Convention nears its Oct. 31 draft submission deadline. (Photo by Barry Leerdam)
As the Virgin Islands Sixth Constitutional Convention approaches its Oct. 31 deadline to submit a draft constitution, delegates are raising concerns about limited public engagement as the drafting phase nears completion.
“The point of this constitution is to be another point of this 533-year-long self-determination journey for the people on these rocks,” said Delegate Imani Daniel. “It will be an opportunity for us to bring a piece of self-determination home.”
Daniel said the convention’s unique position as the most recent constitutional effort in the United States allowed delegates to draw on a wealth of global experience. “The draft that we have, I think, is one of the best constitutions in America, and it’s simply because it’s the last — we got to look at every other constitution in America and the world,” Daniel said.
“People have been working on constitutionality and governance for centuries, and we actually are lucky enough to be able to read, analyze, digest, and take the best practices of all of them and then rework them in a way that is tailored to the Virgin Islands,” she continued.
Daniel said the result is a document that is “equitable, it’s futuristic. It is power to the people. It is decentralizing some of these issues that the Virgin Islands has.”
But despite months of work, few Virgin Islanders understand what’s in it — a gap Daniel says must be closed before the convention’s work moves forward. With the deadline looming, the convention is hoping for an extension from the Legislature to allow more time for public review as well as proper legal review.
“We want more time, and the number one reason is because we firmly believe that the people of the Virgin Islands should know what we’ve written and should have a say, or at least be able to provide meaningful feedback and have a chance to digest what we are offering for their future, our future, before we start putting it through to the governor,” said Daniel.
Delegate Stedman Hodge echoed the call for an extension, emphasizing that the convention’s work should not be rushed. He said formal correspondence has been sent requesting additional time, “So that we can really have the time to not rush the completion of a document and then get it vetted properly by the legal council,” Hodge said.
Daniel described the desire from delegates for an extension as “the only unanimous thing we all agree on,” noting that delegates have known since May that an extension would be necessary and have taken appropriate steps to secure it. “We agreed we need more time. So we put together an ad hoc committee and really thought through how much time and money we wanted to ask the legislature for,” said Daniel.
Even with the extra time, delegates say a deeper issue persists — few residents are engaged in the process. As the U.S. Virgin Islands Sixth Constitutional Convention works to draft a new governing document, delegates are sounding the alarm about a critical failure: the lack of meaningful public engagement.
“We have no website, we have no emails, we have no newsletter, we have no office, we have no staff. And so if you don’t have physical infrastructure and digital infrastructure, by which means, are you getting information to the public?” Daniel asked. “The convention has completely failed in developing infrastructure for public engagement.”
With no official channels in place, some delegates have taken matters into their own hands. “The website that goes out every week, I pay for personally, and I do personally, because there was no way I was going to sit by and have zero presence at all. But you’ll see, it says the unofficial newsletter. It says the minority caucus website, because they are unofficial, because it’s not the convention. It’s a few delegates that were sick of the inaction of the convention,” Daniel said.
What Daniel is referring to is the minority caucus website, which, according to her, is the only site containing any information about the convention’s progress. She pointed to a line from the site that reads, “While official updates lag, we’re stepping up to keep the public informed, because democracy is a conversation, not a spectator sport.”
“I wrote that in April, and it is now October, and there’s been no reason for me to update that line,” Daniel said.
Despite repeated calls for action, Daniel said, the convention’s leadership has not prioritized building the tools needed to keep the public informed. “On February 25, delegate Rudel Hodge Jr. and I wrote a lengthy proposal for a branding, marketing and outreach plan for the convention, and we wanted to present it and vote on it at our March 1 plenary session, and it was just kicked down the road. Wasn’t taken seriously. It was kicked down the road, and then eventually it was approved and picked up by our education and public information committee,” Daniel said.
Daniel attributes much of the problem to a generational divide in leadership. “Our leadership skews older. I’m the only young person in our executive committee. The only outreach that we have done successfully has been on the radio. Our leadership is comfortable on the radio. So now transitive property, I’m assuming that because our leadership is older and because they’re comfortable on the radio, it has been easier for them to get the outreach out through the radio,” Daniel said.
“So now I can’t say that they’re maliciously ignoring social media. It’s just that they might not be comfortable in that space. But that’s not an excuse, because you have two absolute juggernauts that are highly experienced in that space … So for me, there is no excuse. If you aren’t comfortable in the space. You have people that you could have empowered,” she continued.
“It’s so frustrating for us to be working on what I believe is one of the most futuristic constitutions in America, and then, literally, not be able to have a meaningful way to even tell the Virgin Islanders about it. That dichotomy is just mind blowing to me,” Daniel said.
However, as Daniel noted, her and Rudel Hodge Jr.’s outreach plan has been approved by the Education and Public Information Committee, but, according to her, has not been implemented with the urgency it deserves. “Just like the community, I’ll believe it when I see it,” Daniel said.
Hodge said the Sixth Constitutional Convention is moving forward with a media and public engagement plan, but stressed that the process requires careful attention and should not be rushed. “We are mandated [to have a] marketing plan and engagement for the community, and that in itself, takes time,” Hodge said.
He explained that the convention’s leadership wants to ensure the public is thoroughly informed and has opportunities to provide feedback on the draft constitution. “We don’t want to rush the process, and we’ve done our due diligence thus far in terms of making sure we get the message out,” Hodge said.
He noted, however, that he is not satisfied with the current level of public engagement, attributing the challenge to underfunding. “Every convention, one through five, have been underfunded, including the Sixth Constitutional Convention, to the extent that we do not have office space, we do not have the ability to — not just have the office space, but to also have the ability to hire full staff, to have the necessary equipment and the resources, so we can truly be effective, so that individuals when they want … to contact us, they can contact us directly to our office, versus what we’re doing now, which is working from home, deliberating from home,” Hodge said.
He noted that while the intent is to engage the public through various channels, limited resources have hampered these efforts. “Once granted an extension, we also would receive additional funding, and a lot of that funding is going to support the appropriate marketing campaign.”
Hodge said that while he is not satisfied with the current level of public discourse, there is a plan in place to improve communication once the drafting phase is complete. “We are underfunded … that affects the ability with which you’re able to talk to the community. But there is a plan in place that will start to really kick in after the drafting is complete,” Hodge explained.
When asked what he wanted the community to know about the Sixth Constitutional Convention, he emphasized the importance of broad participation. “For me, it’s just for the community to actively participate, especially whether it’s local and state organizations, nonprofit organizations, certain government agencies.”
He also highlighted the need to involve schools in the process, noting that outreach to students and educators, especially during lessons on government, could be particularly beneficial.
Regarding public feedback, Hodge stated, “It’s not about weighing in on the entire document, but maybe that one section that has interest to you, you know. And then, of course, to give us that feedback, that feedback is truly going to be key.”
As the convention faces a looming deadline, both delegates urged Virgin Islanders to get involved and hold the process accountable. “At the end of the day, it’s the Virgin Islanders who are the judges of this and so we can’t wait until whenever this ends up on a ballot, whether it’s next November or some other time, based on the extension, whatever ends up happening, it can’t be the month before that that we are asking them to get informed and to vote yes on this document, it has to start now,” Daniel said.
Daniel said the lack of early, robust public engagement was a missed opportunity for the convention. “If we had followed the plan that we laid out in February, the convention would not be asking the Legislature for more time. The people would have been asking the Legislature for more time on our behalf,” she said.
In an exclusive video interview with the VI Source, Fly The Whale’s general manager of Commercial, Omer ErSelcuk, discusses the airline’s continued growth in the region, sharing updates on its St. Croix–San Juan route and its commitment to reliable service across the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In spite of an unexpected net profit year to date of $5.3 million (as of June), the Port Authority is proposing heavy fee increases – primarily impacting St Johnians – that will provide them with additional revenue of at least “$6 million per year.”
The fees will be increased by up to 200%. There will be increases for each ferry and barge passenger, increases to the costs for all goods and cargo transported to St John, and an increase on the vessels themselves. The cost of everything needed to stay alive on St John will go up significantly, and there will also be an increase in the cost of dying since the barge fee for the hearse will increase by 67% plus the additional $2 per passenger fee – I wonder if that fee will be applied to the deceased?
Why is St John being hit so hard?
The spectacular Net Profit $5.3 million is against an expected $1.1 million loss – is due to unexpected increase in revenue and an unexpected decrease in operational costs – bravo! This is an amazing accomplishment. And this was not a fluke, one month later, the net profit as of July had gone up to $7.1 million! What will happen to this profit? Could some of this windfall be used to prevent VI residents from suffering economic hardship due to the fee increases?
The decision to raise fees was made prior receiving the good news of very high net profits, were new calculations done using the actual income and expense for proposed fees? No, that data was not used at all. The Financial Analysis documentation shows it used a 3 year average for 2022-2024. The massive increase in revenues for 2025 was ignored. And by averaging, the additional fee revenue expected ignores the reality that St John revenues have steadily increased year after year, the actual out of pocket impact on residents will be far higher.
Are the St John fees needed to cover Capital Improvements? No that does not apply, since all 3 St John projects are paid for by grants.
Are the increases needed to cover a decrease in revenue? The fee increases directed to BVI passengers do have some documentation showing a decrease in revenue and in the volume of traffic for the year. But there is no corresponding documentation for all of the St John fees. The limited documentation that is available shows consistent increases in St John revenue. For example, their data shows quite impressive June monthly revenue for the Barge Ramp ($52K), the Red Hook Parking ($99K) and the Gravel lot ($6K), for a year-to-date total of $1.3 million, up 4% from the previous year. The Creek Cruise Ship passenger revenue for St John went up 53% from the previous year! There is no data concerning the fees dockage fees collected at all locations on the ferries, barges and other vessels. No indication of rents received by tenants. No data on cargo fees paid. And no data at all on the corresponding expenses. There is no clear data on the actual income and expense for St John facilities.
Are the fees needed because the Port Authority now requires each area to be profitable? The VIPA is run to benefit all Virgin Islanders, with the areas of the Port Authority that generate profits rightly being used to cover other areas that are running at a loss. The STT/STJ Marine division is the most profitable by far of all the Port Authority areas with a net profit year-to-date of $10 million as of June (STJ income and expenses are not tracked separately). If the policy has changed and now St John is being required to cover a supposed loss (still undocumented), will that policy also be applied to the largest loss area: St Croix Aviation has a Year-to-Date loss of $4 million and St Croix Marine has a YTD loss of $3 million. Should Crucians be concerned that they will be the next target for extremely high Port Authority increases in order to generate more than $7 million per year?
St Johnians already have an extremely high cost of living due to everything having to be transported from STT to STJ. Increasing the cost of doing that will be crippling. St Johnians are forced to travel to St Thomas for medical care, to go to VI Government agencies, and to purchase products needed to live that are unavailable on St John. We do not have a choice in this, we are at the mercy of Port Authority. There is no additional cost to Port Authority for each additional passenger.
Port Authority needs to identify what criteria is used to determine the target for rate increases other than “VIPA is continuously looking for ways to increase revenue” or simply because rates have not gone up in many years. The actual income and expense data for each of the St John and Red Hook facilities needs to be split out and made public. The astonishing and commendable 545% increase (that is not a typo, it is a five hundred forty-five percent increase!) in Net Profit from the previous fiscal year, needs to be incorporated into a new analysis of necessary increases of fees and implementation of new fees. Especially those that will cause a significant increase to the daily cost of living in the Virgin Islands.
Then perhaps we can ask VIPA to share their methods to generate such a spectacular net profit with WAPA?
—Pam Gaffin is a concerned St. John resident.
Editor’s Note: Opinion articles do not represent the views of the Virgin Islands Source newsroom and are the sole expressed opinion of the writer. Submissions can be made
Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources is thrilled to announce the return of the 5TH ANNUAL TRUNK OR TREAT, hosted by the Division of Coastal Zone Management in collaboration with the Friends of the St. Croix East End Marine Park.
Mark your calendars!
Saturday, Oct. 25
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Estate Great Pond Park (Old Camp Arawak)
Get ready for a night of spooky fun and environmental education! This family-friendly event blends the excitement of Halloween with interactive learning about St. Croix’s stunning natural resources. Explore the park’s Visitor Center and discover fascinating facts about our island’s environment while enjoying Halloween thrills.
What to Expect:
Delicious bites from local food vendors
Creative treat bag decorating
A mystical fortune teller
Music and dancing
Raffle giveaways
A contest for the Best Decorated Display—bring your A-game and compete for spooky bragging rights!
Costumes are highly encouraged!
Want to get involved?
Local businesses and community members are invited to participate! Whether you’d like to host a decorated trunk, volunteer, or earn community service hours, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact the Outreach Coordinator at stxeempoutreach@dpnr.vi.gov or call 340-718-3367. Let’s make this Trunk or Treat the spookiest and most educational one yet!
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we’re raising awareness and encourage early detection within our community.
Sonya Ltd Pink Ribbon Bracelet (Submitted photo)
This month, Sonya Ltd. In partnership with Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital & Medical Center and Imaging Center PC is joining the fight against breast cancer to promote mammogram screenings across St. Croix.
Women who schedule and complete their mammogram at either location during October will be eligible to win a 4mm silver and rose gold ribbon bracelet from Sonya Ltd., a symbol of hope, strength, and solidarity.
Call 340-772-7343, extensions 5282 or 5283 to schedule your mammogram appointment at JFL today
Reginald Lang, aka “Reggie” of Castle Burke, transitioned into eternal life on Sept. 22. He was 59 years old.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Teresa Lang, and uncle, Ricky Lang.
He is survived by his companion, Sandra Smith; daughters, Regina and Ria Lang; brothers, Winston (Tricky) Garcia, Wade (Tony) Garcia; sister, Anna Mena-Lang; nieces, Vanessa Garcia, Albytricia Garcia, Bellinda Garcia, Alby (Precious), Anadiz Garcia, Adelina (Sky) Garcia, Andrea Toro, Lucyann Toro, Nickita Garcia; nephews, Winston (Elijah) Garcia Jr., Jessey Toro; great nieces, Cataleya Santos, Arielle Riso; great nephews, Omar Santos, Matias Hunt-Lewis; aunts, Thelma Lang, Tyra Lang, Tavia Lang; daughter-in-laws, Patricia O’Neal, Lorhra Emmanuel; son-in-law, Eric Emmanuel, David Emmanuel; cousins and other relatives, Nick Lang, TJ Lang, Annete Scott, Annisha Scott, Kamal Barnes, Tay Peteren, Ray Petersen, Nicole Lang, Sijohn Peteren, Sijona Petersen, Tyreke Petersen, Chaine Lang-Brannigan, Rebbeca Esannason, Tanya Javois, Ronnie Signho, Tashera Bryan, Damian Lang, and many more to name; other relatives and friends, too numerous to mention.
Funeral service will be held on Oct. 8, at James Memorial Chapel, Christiansted, St. Croix, USVI. Viewing will begin at 10 am with service at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Kingshill Cemetery.
Professional services are entrusted to James Memorial Funeral Home, Inc.
In-Laws: Shawn Blake, Geoffrey Daniel, Hugh Elliott, Maurice Elliott, Paschan Dixon Gooding, Cyla Smith Gooding
Nephews: Clarence Perry, III, Jerald Gooding Jr., Lee Perry, Darrol Gooding Jr., Maurice Elliott, Jr., Antonio Gooding, Dominique Elliott, Eric Bryan, Laurence and Laurent Lake, III, Allen Aubrey Jr., Kajh Mosley
Preceded in death by: Brother – John Gooding, Sister – Lauralee Chinnery, Uncles – Antonio and Luther Aubrey Jr., Aunt – Jewel Gooding
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend funeral service on Saturday, Oct. 11 at Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Tutu. Viewing begins at 9:00 am with service to follow at 10 a.m. Interment: Coki Point Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Dan Hurley Home for Funerals and Cremation Centers of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. For online condolences or to share a special memory, visit www.hurleydavisfuneralhome.com
Relatives and friends are advised of the passing of Lisa Lamonica Lomax on Sept. 12, 2025.
Lisa Lamonica Lomax
She is preceded in death by her father William E. Lomax.
Lisa Lamonica Lomax is survived by:
Mother: Zenobia Lomax
Brother: Luis Lomax
Special Aunt: Clarissa Frett
Aunts: Shirley Johnson Arthur, Phyllis Johnson Smith, Sylvia Johnson Hayes, Wanda L. Casey, Cheryl P. Gill, Helen Lomax, Felicia Lomax, Christanza L. Smith, Kathy Lomax Allen
Special Friend and Loving Caregiver: Fermina Marilyn DelRosario
Special Family Friends: Mariel Matthias, Donna Matthias, Yvonne Wells, Orville and Brenda Brown, Janet Burton, Florine Marsh Fluhler, Greta Samuel, Helen Francis, Ann Hendricks, Ritza Hodge, Muriel Dalmida, Alvis Christian, Joyce Petersen, Hilda Anthony, Eddie Smith, Linda Smith, Delroy “Ital” Anthony, Geneva Paris, Maxine Plaskett, Evelyn Foy
Many other relatives and friends too numerous to mention
Relative and friends are respectfully invited to attend funeral service on Friday, Oct. 10 at Bethany Moravian Church, St. John, USVI. Viewing begins at 9:30 a.m. with service to follow at 10:30 a.m. Interment Emmaus Moravian Cemetery, St. John USVI. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Dan Hurley Home for Funerals and Cremation Centers of St.Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. For online condolences or to share a special memory visit www.hurleydavisfuneral.com
Isaiah Benjamin proudly represented the Virgin Islands at the Under-20 Pan American Games in Bogotá, Colombia, competing in the High Jump against some of the region’s top young athletes. Isaiah delivered a strong performance, finishing 8th overall with a jump of 1.80 meters, matching his season’s best.
Isaiah Benjamin (Submitted photo)
The event, held at the high-altitude capital of Colombia, brought together elite competitors from across the Americas. Isaiah’s achievement marks a proud moment for Virgin Islands athletics, highlighting the territory’s presence in global youth competition. His journey to Bogotá and his performance there serve as inspiration for aspiring athletes back home.
Congratulations to Isaiah Benjamin for representing the Virgin Islands with excellence and heart. The future looks bright!
VIOC’s dedication has played a vital role in empowering our athletes, enhancing our development programs, and enabling meaningful international representation—most recently at the U20 Pan American in Bogota, Colombia.
Mark your calendars!
