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Cruise Industry Outlook is Strong, WICO CEO Ottley Tells Board

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Cruise Industry Outlook is Strong, WICO CEO Ottley Tells Board
Cruise ships docked at the West Indian Company.
Cruise ships docked at the West Indian Company Ltd. at Havensight on St. Thomas. (Source file photo)

While 2025 numbers are down slightly, the cruise industry is going strong and on track to reach record highs in 2026, West Indian Company Ltd. CEO Anthony Ottley told a meeting of the agency’s board of directors Friday.

“I’m pleased to report that the cruise industry is healthy, booming and getting better. Fiscal year 2025 is projected to receive 280 ship calls with 938,000 passengers. To date, this season, 223 ships have brought 712,000 passengers — an expected 7% decrease compared to the same time last year,” said Ottley.

Much of the decrease is attributed to WICO’s regular high-capacity ships going to dry dock for public space upgrades, cabin additions and suite redesigns in the second quarter of the year, he said. However, “we see an immediate and significant rebound next fiscal year with a return of those ships to St. Thomas, along with added traffic,” Ottley said.

 “We are projected to have 360 ship calls carrying over 1.13 million passengers,” in 2026, he said. That’s a projected 20% increase over this year and a 14% increase over fiscal year 2024, which Ottley characterized as “amazing news for the territory.”

“The last time we saw this many ships was in fiscal year 2016, prior to Irma and Maria,” he said, though he cautioned board members that the numbers could fluctuate depending on changes in ship calls during the year due to weather, operational challenges with vessels, or changes in itineraries.

Additionally, the global cruise fleet is poised to grow another 30% over the next eight years, said Ottley, which is great news for the Virgin Islands but also presents challenges as ships grow in size, he said.

“The larger ships entering the market continues to create challenges for many ports in the Caribbean with their limited berthing capacity and restrictions and St. Thomas is no different. This trend is evident with partners such as [Norwegian Cruise Line], which has ordered four ships that will be over 1,200 feet, beginning in 2030. This challenge, along with ship timing, conflicts, and the unfortunate delay of the Charlotte Amalia dredging project continues to cause incremental loss of ships for WICO,” said Ottley.

The long-awaited St. Thomas Harbor dredging project is critical to facilitating larger cruise vessels at the dock in Havensight. The project will be funded with $17 million from the V.I. Public Finance Authority via legislation submitted by Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. and $1.5 million from the Community Facilities Trust Fund.

Ottley has said previously that it’s important to get the project done as soon as possible. While St. Thomas might be Plan A, if a ship can’t safely navigate the harbor it will go to Plan B or C and the territory will lose out on additional revenue, he said at a V.I. Port Authority “Industry Day” last August.

Responding to questions Friday from board Chairman Jason Charles about canceled calls this fiscal year, Ottley said there have been 14, but only two were because WICO couldn’t accommodate berthing due to excessive lengths. Otherwise, two calls were canceled due to weather and 10 because of itinerary changes, he said.

Cruise lines generally book their berths 24 to 30 months in advance and cancellations — which can occur if there is a problem with a ship, or if they have to move the ship to the western Caribbean, for example — are a headache, said Ottley, “because now it opens a berth at our dock that we had closed off. There are challenges with that for us because it’s within maybe a year or 18 months, it would be hard to market that space to another ship that may have had interest in coming to St. Thomas,” he said.

To help mitigate the fallout from cancellations in the future, WICO is revising its new, upcoming contracts with wording “to utilize the space as efficiently as possible and be able to pivot to offer other lines that space in the interim,” said Ottley.

The CEO also gave a brief rundown of the agency’s participation at the Seatrade Cruise Global conference last month in Miami, considered the industry’s leading annual event.

“WICO and USVI government officials attended with 120 other countries and more than 70 cruise line brands. Pivotal and collaborative meetings were held between the USVI contingency and cruise lines to explore emerging trends, guest experience enhancements, infrastructure development, and strengthened partnerships with the cruise industry leaders,” Ottley told the board.

Among the agencies promoting the U.S. Virgin Islands to cruise partners and attendees were the Tourism Department, Port Authority and Government Employees’ Retirement System, which owns the Havensight Mall property, said Ottley.

“The U.S. Virgin Islands trade show presence was considered one of the most dynamic and culturally engaging with musicians, moko jumbies and traditional dancers. WICO also held a small reception to give our local senators the opportunity to meet with several of our crews and excursion partners. Representatives from Carnival Corporation, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Disney Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Virgin Excursions, among others, attended and were able to have fruitful discussions with our attending legislators, further strengthening our partnerships,” he said.

“Our executive team also met with our cruise partners to discuss operational challenges, berthing schedule conflicts, and possible property development opportunities,” said Ottley.

In other business:

  • Finance Committee Chairman Hugo Hodge Jr. told the board that WICO is on solid financial footing, with revenues up and expenses slightly down, which he called “a good combination.” The company has seen an increase in operating profits and net income, though the numbers for fiscal 2025 are “still fluid,” and assets are unchanged and liabilities remain the same. “The company is heading in the right direction,” he said. “We are definitely on the road to getting the company to where we want it to be.”
  • A project to replace the property’s water line infrastructure that is more than 60 years old, and an oil tank demolition project, should begin this summer, with permit approvals from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources and its Coastal Zone Management division expected “any week now,” said Ottley.
  • The building that formerly housed the butterfly farm has been leased, WICO is in negotiations with a potential tenant for a vacant office space, and is also in talks to lease a portion of the company’s concrete yard for parking, Ottley said.
  • WICO passed its 2025 Coast Guard inspection with no deficiencies and submitted its security plan, which is pending Coast Guard review. Routine camera maintenance is ongoing and replacement backup batteries have been ordered, he said.

Health Care, Clean Energy, Food Assistance on Chopping Block, Plaskett Warns

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Health Care, Clean Energy, Food Assistance on Chopping Block, Plaskett Warns
Congressional Delegate Stacey Plaskett warned a House bill passed early Thursday could gut programs vital to the territory. (Source file photo)

A bill passed by House of Representatives Republicans early Thursday slashing Medicaid health care could leave millions of Americans without insurance coverage, including roughly 21,000 Virgin Islanders, Congressional Delegate Stacey Plaskett warned.

Every Democrat in the House, hoping to preserve Medicaid coverage, voted against the measure. They were joined by two Republicans on the opposite end of the political spectrum, Rep. Thomas Massie (KY-4) and Rep. Warren Davidson (OH-8), who opposed the legislation because they wanted to see further federal funding cuts, Plaskett said in a written statement late Thursday.

“This bill includes the largest cuts to health care in American history,” she said. “In Medicaid alone, funding is cut by more than $730 billion, which will leave 7.6 million people uninsured. The Virgin Islands presently has 21,000 Medicaid enrollees presently, many of whom will be impacted through loss of service or disenrollment.”

The bill didn’t stop at Medicare cuts, targeting nearly $1 trillion in federal funding, including the Social Services Block Grant that provides more than $4.2 million to the Virgin Islands. The bill eliminates federal funding for the Virgin Islands’ Meals on Wheels Program and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program until 2034, Plaskett said.

The bill also cut $35 billion in funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, which includes children, working families, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. This includes a $1 million cut to the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT Program), which gives food assistance to children when they cannot rely on school lunches.

“This will impact the more than 15,000 Virgin Islands residents who rely upon SNAP for access to nutritious food for their wellbeing,” the delegate said.

Puerto Rico was hit even harder by the bill’s potential impact. The $35 billion cut includes a $1 billion decrease in funding for the Nutrition Assistance Program in Puerto Rico despite efforts from the island’s lobbyists, led by Republican Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon and Congressman Pablo Hernandez,” Plaskett said.

“Republicans’ reconciliation bill will make everyday life more expensive for Americans and removes programs which gave opportunities and support for a better life. It is estimated that more than 4 million students will see a reduction, or elimination, of their Pell Grants,” she said.

The bill also took aim at efforts to lower energy costs, increase clean energy manufacturing and jobs, and economic assistance for communities facing the first wave of the climate crisis, Plaskett said. Funding could be yanked from the Virgin Islands Solar for All Program, which provided $62.5 million for homes and businesses.

The all-important rum cover over rate, needed to fund the Government Employees’ Retirement System, did not get a hoped-for increase. Plaskett has gathered bipartisan support for the program but it was ultimately not included in the bill.

“During an 18-hour markup in the Ways and Means Committee for the tax provisions of the reconciliation bill, Congresswoman Plaskett offered an amendment to increase the rate of the rum cover offer, to publicly demonstrate the bipartisan support for this provision. Both Democrats and Republicans emphasized the importance of the increased rum cover over rate. The Ways and Means Chairman, Jason Smith, publicly stated that he would work to advance this, and the Committee is expected to craft a bipartisan tax bill this summer,” Plaskett’s office said in a press release.

“It is unfortunate that at the last minute while trying to find additional funds, the Republicans attempted to remove duty drawback – an export-promotion program that American alcohol and tobacco companies rely upon for a refund of duties paid at the time of import when similar goods are exported. That program saves the alcohol industry alone approximately $30 billion. Because of that concern, the full push of the rum industry was not present for rum cover over as the industry prioritized its efforts on safeguarding duty drawback which represented direct dollars to their industry. It’s also important to recognize that many discretionary provisions that made it into the bill were included to secure the necessary votes to advance the legislation – which ultimately was not the case with the provision for an increased rum cover over rate.”

The U.S. Senate is anticipated to draft an entirely different bill that proposes fewer cuts to critical programs. Then, the Senate bill and House bill will likely be negotiated on a version that can be passed in both chambers of Congress and then be signed by the president, Plaskett said.

“This bill is a wholesale betrayal of the working class and the future of America. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that the bottom 10 percent — working- and middle-class Americans will be 4 percent poorer in household wealth under this bill, with most of the benefits going to the top 10 percent of Americans. Not only does the bill make the largest health care cut in our nation’s history, it also makes the largest cuts to food assistance, energy projects and Pell grants. All to give additional money to the wealthiest Americans – an average of $278,000 per year, $762 per day, to the top 0.1 percent of Americans. This bill is cruel, shameful, unfair and unamerican,” Plaskett said.

2025 Graduates Bid Farewell During Raphael Wheatley Skill Center Graduation

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2025 Graduates Bid Farewell During Raphael Wheatley Skill Center Graduation
2025 Skill Center class valedictorian, Jessica Gibs, addresses her classmates during their commencement ceremony. (Screenshot from V.I. Education Department Facebook livestream)

On Thursday, the Raphael O. Wheatley Skill Center held its annual commencement ceremony for students who have received training and certifications for a number of technical education classes, celebrating the graduation of 152 students.

The graduation at the Charlotte Amalie High School auditorium was filled with graduates eager to apply their new skills and supporters ready to champion them.

After an eloquent invocation rendered by nail technician graduate, Kezia Corbett, speaking of courage and wisdom, Mario Francis, principal of the school, spoke about the accomplishments the center has made recently that the 2025 class experienced. From changing facilities, to creating a record high for male enrollment and graduation rates, to an increase in job placement rates, the 2025 class helped to create new earmarks for the school.

“We have been steadfastly working to make certain we are keeping up with the times and we are preparing students for the workforce,” said Francis.

According to the principal, a little more than 50 percent of the students have been offered jobs in their concentrations. Fields such as hospitality, health care, and housing development are areas of placement anticipated for the graduates.

To the graduates, Francis quoted from the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11, and told them, “From the time that you filled out your first application with us, until the time you took your last exam, God of creation was leading you to the plan that He has for you.”

Remarks by Career and Technical Education State Director Monique Faulkner, Board of Education member Arah Lockhart, and Insular Superintendent Stephan Jurgen were given, encouraging the graduates on their new journeys.

The 2025 class salutatorian and electrical graduate, Denry Blake, then addressed the audience and was grateful to his family, education staff, and supporters for assisting him during his schooling. He gave his classmates an acronym to remember while engaging in the workforce.

“Before you step into the working world with your new skill, I would like to make the word ‘skill’ an acronym that you would remember on your journey,” said Blake. He identified ‘s’ and told his classmates they are special, ‘k’ reminding them to be kind, ‘i’ for them to improve their trades, ‘l’ to listen and learn, and the last ‘l’ for laughter and leisure.

Skill Center 2025 class salutatorian, Denry Blake, encourages his classmates to use their “S-K-I-L-L” after graduation. (Screenshot from V.I. Education Department Facebook livestream)

Jessica Gibs, valedictorian and a clinical medical assistant graduate, was also thankful to her family, co-workers, classmates, and the education staff.

To her class, she said, “Let us continue to learn, continue to rise, and continue to succeed, because success is just not about reaching the top. It is also about reaching back, reaching within, and reaching out.”

Education Department Commissioner Dionne Wells-Hedrington told the graduates to “Stay committed to lifelong learning,” and added, “You are all winners, you have all proven that you have what it takes. It’s just up to you to prove it and show this world who you really are.”

After Wells-Hendrington, Qian Harrigan Thomas serenaded the class. Then, speaking in place of Lt. Gov. Tregenza Roach, Senate President Milton Potter commended the graduates on their perseverance.

Keynote speaker Leslie Comissiong spoke to the graduating class about overcoming challenges and lessons to reflect on for their careers.

“I think the Raphael Wheatley Center is one of the best-kept secrets in the Virgin Islands,” she said.

Keynote speaker, Leslie Comissiong, addresses the Raphael Wheatley Skill Center class of 2025. (Screenshot from V.I. Education Department Facebook livestream)

Comissiong encouraged the graduates to meditate daily, “feel the fear and do it anyway,” to not get comfortable, and to know that “this too shall pass,” among many other affirmations. “Learn to see things from all angles and leave room for other perspectives and scenarios,” she added, as well as encouraging the graduates to give back to your community.

Comissiong concluded by informing the class to be on time.

After, there was a musical selection by Elijhaie Brathwaite who played the steel pan before the distribution of certificates.

Before the recession of the graduates, an anecdotal benediction was provided by Kellijah Lettsome, alluding to a time when he wanted to become a rapper in school and has now changed course to becoming an emergency medical technician, graduating with the 2025 class.

More information on the Wheatley Skill Center can be obtained by calling the Education Department at 340-774-0100.

St. Croix Physician Publishes New Book on Caregiving

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St. Croix Physician Publishes New Book on Caregiving
Dr. Gemaine Owen signs copies of her book “Caregiving is No Joke” for guests. (Source photo by Diana Dias)

Family physician Dr. Gemaine Owen, a St. Croix native, has long balanced her passions for science and the humanities. A lifelong poet and a Johns Hopkins University alumna, Owen has recently turned her attention to a deeply personal and universal subject — caregiving.

On Thursday, Owen officially launched her latest book, “Caregiving is No Joke,” at the Cane Roots Art Gallery in Christiansted Town. Owen draws from her own experiences caring for her 92-year-old mother and her professional insights from years of performing home and office visits.

“It was important for me because I do home visits. I get a unique look at what’s happening in the home — a lot of doctors do not,” Owen said. “I can see the frustrations, and I can see the struggles. It’s a very difficult task. I thought a lot of people did it well, but until I had to do it myself, I couldn’t fully flesh out all the aspects.”

Owen emphasizes that caregivers often experience their own silent suffering, sometimes to the detriment of their health.

“We have an aging population who are living longer,” she said. “The caregiver sees somebody different than the person they are taking care of every day. A lot of people are suffering from depression due to caregiving. Some die before the people they are taking care of,” she said.

Guests listen as Dr. Gemaine Owen discusses her book. (Source photo by Diana Dias)

In addition to practical advice, Owen also touched on the power of forgiveness for the person you are providing care to.

“You have to give that person forgiveness whether they ask for it or not,” she explained. “You giving it is a favor to you. Don’t hold out — love them regardless. Do your best.”

Owen has always been passionate about people and uses her experiences to help others navigate the challenges of caregiving.

“It makes you passionate when you can spare somebody something that you went through personally, that someone else went through, or that your mom is going through,” she said. “I want to spare somebody from saying, ‘I wish I had known.’”

Dr. Gemaine Owen answers guests’ questions on her book “Caregiving is No Joke.” (Source photo by Diana Dias)

Owen is also the author of “Doc, What Would You Do in My Shoes? How to Circumnavigate a Cancer Diagnosis,” a guide that similarly blends medical knowledge with empathy and real-world experience.

Through her writing and work, Owen continues to be a compassionate voice for patients and caregivers alike, offering not just clinical support but human understanding.

Owen’s book can be purchased on Amazon.

Customs Audit Sparks Delivery Delays in USVI, Plaskett’s Office Confirms

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Customs Audit Sparks Delivery Delays in USVI, Plaskett’s Office Confirms

A wave of package delivery delays across the territory — particularly on St. John — has been traced to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection audit, not new tariffs or customs taxes, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett’s office said in a statement Friday.

The delays have prompted a flurry of complaints, which led Plaskett’s office to meet with CBP officials this week. According to CBP, the issue stems from an audit that revealed private carriers such as DHL, UPS, and FedEx had not been fully clearing their incoming shipments through customs, according to the statement.

The new requirement now mandates that all shipments be cleared by CBP before delivery, the statement said.

“This is not connected to any recent policies from the Trump administration or changes in customs taxing or procedures,” the statement clarified.

Residents seeking further information are encouraged to contact the congresswoman’s local offices on St. Croix at 340-778-5900 or on St. Thomas at 340-774-4408.

Bold Daylight Robbery Rocks Christiansted Jeweler

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Bold Daylight Robbery Rocks Christiansted Jeweler

Two armed suspects robbed a local jewelry store on St. Croix at gunpoint Thursday afternoon, assaulting the victim before fleeing the scene, the V.I. Police Department reported.

The incident occurred around 12:34 p.m., when the 911 Emergency Call Center received reports of a robbery in progress at HAA Jewelers on Strand Street in Christiansted. According to police, the male victim told officers that two men dressed in dark clothing entered the store and held him at gunpoint. One of the suspects struck the victim with the firearm before both fled on foot toward the Government Parking Lot.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau is actively investigating the case. “Anyone who was in the area and saw what happened or has any information is urged to contact 911, the CIB Tipline at 340-778-4950, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS,” the department said in a press release.

No arrests had been made as of Friday afternoon, police said.

2025–2026 Public School Year Calendar Updated

Mat Probasco
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2025–2026 Public School Year Calendar Updated

The Virgin Islands Department of Education wishes to inform students, families, staff, and community stakeholders that the official 2025–2026 Public School Year Calendar has been updated to reflect important changes regarding end-of-year ceremonies.

Graduation Ceremonies will now take place May 18–21, 2026

Promotional Exercises will now be held May 22–29, 2026

We encourage all stakeholders to utilize the official VIDE School Year Calendar to stay up to date on key events, holidays, and academic deadlines throughout the upcoming school year.

-UPDATED – 2025-2026 SY CALENDAR 5.23.25-

USVI Artists in LA Gallery June 6

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USVI Artists in LA Gallery June 6

Krankie is an art exhibition by collaborative duo strawberriemilk (Emily Braswell) & warmmilkwithsugar (Jenna Rees) opening on June 6th in Los Angeles at T—Gallery. 

The duo presents an experimental video alongside a series of hybrid realistic paintings which blend both airbrush and hand-painted techniques. The work explores relatable themes of anxiety around money, obsession with fame, and bizarre happenings within seemingly mundane lives. 

Braswell and Rees have been collaborating for well over a decade from the South Eastern USA to the Caribbean – a creative partnership that began at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where they were the first to ever present a collaborative senior thesis within the visual arts boarding school program. 

Later, it was in Atlanta where they gained recognition for making large scale abstract paintings accompanied by conceptual installations that transformed spaces, such as their breakthrough show Daytona in 2018. Jumping forward to 2024, upon relocating to the U.S. Virgin Islands, they exhibited a successful exhibition, Good Luck Have Fun at 81C in Saint Thomas. Now the duo resides and continues their collaborative studio practice in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where they made the body of work for Krankie. 

Artist Statement: 

KRANKIE 

This exhibition showcases a video piece and a collection of paintings that combine airbrush, hand painted realism and expressive mark making. Krankie is both the title of the show and the video piece specifically, being it is the conceptual driver for the body of work. 

Our approach for the video piece was to “make a movie” in a very amateur filmmaking sense. Playing on the relatable home video, shaky camera aesthetic while taking turns operating behind the scenes and as the actors. With lighting manipulation and voyeuristic pov, we follow two characters that live in the same small town neighborhood in 1989. A turbulent year in history, yet a mundane existence.

The two characters are unacquainted neighbors, yet they share an unabashed obsession with a hyper famous actor of their time. The compositions for the paintings were derived from the idea of treating them almost as movie posters for the films in which the fictional “actor” celebrity starred in. Whether it was a Disney classic romance, a mysterious sci-fi, a surreal action movie, or an absurdist dark comedy, the clues are layered into this meta world of the movies within the movie. 

Upon inception of this concept, we were interested in allowing our subconscious to form nonsensical scenes that once executed, spawned a nonlinear mood driven story. Through the action of semi improvised shooting, we began seeing themes of anxiety and the manifestation of childlike characteristics in adults. Obsession, indulgence and the eerie feeling of something’s wrong also came to the surface. 

Jenna Rees and Emily Braswell in San Juan in April. (Submitted photo)

We drew inspiration for the title from a coffee shop we used to frequent called Krankies in Winston Salem, NC. Located next to the train tracks, Krankies was a place where you could sit for hours and observe the counter culture characters that frequented. Smells of beans roasting, sounds of alt music playing and views of crusty southern punk kids gathering around… we sat with our moleskine notebooks out. 

Krankie is an exploration of how video art and painting can interact through visual cues. Drawing inspiration from growing up in the south and touching on our fascination with neighborhood “characters”, we landed in the 80s… with bad tattoos, down and out, anxiously awaiting life’s next simple pleasure… 

-Jenna Rees & Emily Braswell, May, 2025 

About the Venue: 

T—Gallery by TRIBE is a new and unique multi use gallery space located in Downtown Los Angeles in the fashion district. Owned and operated by the innovative creators of FRESH.I.AM., a clothing brand established in 2011 in Atlanta. The space functions as both a store and official home of their brand, as well as, a place showcasing art, design and hosting entrepreneurship related events. They provide a platform for creatives and brand owners looking to learn, expand their work and build community. 

More info: https://triibeofficial.com

81C Arts statement 

The 81C Arts team in the Virgin Islands are proud to recognize and support the creative evolution of artists Emily Braswell and Jenna Rees as they present Krankie—a compelling exhibition opening June 6th at T—Gallery in Los Angeles.

Emily and Jenna’s collaborative energy is something we have witnessed firsthand. In 2024, we had the pleasure of curating Good Luck, Have Fun at our gallery in historic downtown Charlotte Amalie. That exhibition—centered on Braswell’s richly layered airbrushed works created during her time in St. Croix—marked a powerful moment in our programming. It brought together elements of humor, fantasy, and digital aesthetics with remarkable precision, and culminated in the duo’s immersive presence during the show’s final production stages between multiple islands. Show production challenged our expectations in regard to logistics, forcing us to plan unique art handling transport between St Croix and St Thomas. Due to the extremely delicate nature of the artwork, every detail in this process was carefully evaluated before execution. This set the tone for Good Luck, Have Fun, culminating in incredible gallery patron feedback, not just for the artwork itself, but for the quality of presentation we pushed ourselves to achieve. As a gallery with four years of curatorial experience, Good Luck, Have Fun was the first show where we heard a guest say, “this is truly a museum quality immersive experience…”

Working with these artists revealed a rare combination of discipline and irreverence, structure and spontaneity. Their practice not only challenges the boundaries between mediums—painting, video, installation—but also calls attention to the emotional and surreal layers embedded in everyday life. We have witnessed the positive influence this team has had on many artists in the Virgin Islands community, not just through their artworks, but by their generous nature of social engagement rooted in celebrating ideas and artistic purpose with others.

Krankie continues that trajectory. It expands the cinematic tone and collaborative spirit we saw forming during Good Luck, Have Fun, and channels it into a new visual language that feels equally nostalgic, uncanny, and hyper-aware. 

Now based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Emily and Jenna represent a growing movement of Caribbean-based artists whose practices transcend geography. As a St. Thomas-based art and education organization, 81C Arts are committed to supporting and amplifying this energy—ensuring that voices from this region are seen, heard, and celebrated on international stages.

We encourage our audiences and partners to follow Krankie, engage with this new body of work, and continue supporting the unique vision of these artists. Their dedication, inventiveness, and collaborative chemistry are vital contributions to contemporary art today.

-Zack Zook, Executive Director, 81C Arts

More Info: 

strawberriemilk and warmmilkwithsugar can be followed on instagram: 

@strawberriemilk_ (Emily Braswell)

@warmmilkwithsugar (Jenna Rees) 

Healing Hands Worldwide, Inc. Presents: An All-White Sunset Sail Affair

Mat Probasco
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Healing Hands Worldwide, Inc. Presents: An All-White Sunset Sail Affair

Healing Hands Worldwide, Inc. (HHW) is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated All White Sunset Sail Affair, taking place on Saturday, June 14, from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.aboard the luxurious Lady Lynsey. This exclusive evening will feature an unforgettable sunset cruise, gourmet cuisine, premium cocktails, live entertainment, amidst a breathtaking Caribbean backdrop — all in support of HHW’s life-changing global initiatives.

Althea Hewitt (Submitted photo)

In a major highlight of the evening, along with St. Thomas’ very own popular Top Notch Band, internationally acclaimed recording artist Althea Hewitt will perform live, bringing her signature blend of reggae, pop, R&B, and jazz from Kingston, Jamaica, to the Virgin Islands for this special occasion. With a career spanning performances across Europe, North and South America, and the Pacific Islands, Althea has captivated audiences worldwide with her dynamic voice and heartfelt lyrics. Known for hits like “Boom Boom Boom,” “Unconditional Love,” and “My Black Is Strong,” her powerful presence will elevate the night to an unforgettable experience.

“This event is more than just a celebration; it is a movement of generosity and compassion,” said Dr. Erole McLean Hobdy, Founder of Healing Hands Worldwide, Inc. “Every ticket purchased helps us provide medical care and educational support to those who need it most. We are thrilled to bring our community together for a night of purpose and elegance.”

A Night of Giving & Glamour

Departing from the WICO Guest Dock (adjacent to Yacht Haven Grande) in St. Thomas, this exclusive fundraiser directly benefits Healing Hands Worldwide, Inc., a local 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing no cost chemotherapy treatment to uninsured women fighting breast cancer in the U.S.V.I., Jamaica and Ghana with no means to finance their care, as well high achieving students in under-served areas with academic scholarships, mentorship and enrichment.

Guests are encouraged to dress in elegant, all-white, nautically inspired attire and enjoy a night of mingling with fellow supporters, dancing under the stars, and contributing to a cause that transforms lives.

Tickets Are Now Officially Live! Limited Availability – Don’t Wait!

Tickets are available now via the Healing Hands Worldwide website: www.hhworldwide.org. With limited quantities available, guests are encouraged to secure their spots early.

Ticket Pricing:

Individual Ticket: $250

Couples Tickets: $450

“Our Sunset Sail Affair is an opportunity for attendees to enjoy an exquisite evening while making a tangible impact on global health initiatives and the lives of our promising young people,” said Karen Nelson-Hughes, Executive Director of Healing Hands Worldwide, Inc. “We are deeply grateful to our performers, sponsors and guests for their unwavering commitment to our mission.”

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:

Healing Hands Worldwide extends heartfelt appreciation to our Signature Sponsor: RED Hospitality & Leisure (Cruz Bay Watersports) for their generous sponsorship and ongoing support of our life-saving work, as well as Bronze Sponsor: Southland Gaming of the Virgin Islands, and Community Partner Sponsor: Aperatureimages.

Don’t miss your chance to sail for a cause and experience an evening of elegance, entertainment, and philanthropy. Secure your tickets today, support a global mission, and prepare for a night to remember.

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, or to purchase tickets, visit www.hhworldwide.org.

About Healing Hands Worldwide

Healing Hands Worldwide, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing medical assistance and educational support to underserved communities in the Caribbean and Africa. Through its initiatives, HHW ensures that uninsured cancer patients receive life-saving chemotherapy and that promising young students from disadvantaged backgrounds have the opportunity to complete their education.

WAPA Board Tables AMI Contract Vote, Approves Two STT Waterline Replacements

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WAPA Board Tables AMI Contract Vote, Approves Two STT Waterline Replacements
The V.I. Water and Power Authority Governing Board convened a regular meeting on Thursday in Sunny Isle to vote on contracts related to its overhaul of the territory’s advanced metering infrastructure and water system. (Screenshot from Teams Meeting)

The V.I. Water and Power Authority Governing Board decided Thursday that a project management contract overseeing the utility’s advanced metering infrastructure replacement needed more consideration.

WAPA customers have repeatedly complained of inaccurate and irregular energy bills, which the utility has attributed to old or malfunctioning meters. In February, the board approved a four-year, $30 million contract with Itron to replace the territory’s AMI system.

“This contract basically is to augment our team to be able to make sure that what we have contracted with Itron – and the way it has been designed and laid out — is the way it’s installed and implemented, and that it works in the manner that we expect it to work,” WAPA Chief Executive Officer Karl Knight explained Thursday. The project is 98 percent federally funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Mechanical engineer Star Matthew said the utility’s selection committee landed on Witt O’Brien’s and also considered bids from 4Liberty, Utilities One and Solved Engineering, which was disqualified for submitting an incomplete proposal.

WAPA evaluated the cost of its AMI replacement at $7,510,000, and 4Liberty quoted $3.42 million — less than half of WAPA’s estimate. Matthew said their proposal was strong with respect to the terms of the utility’s request for proposals but that the cost discrepancy “raised concerns that they may have overlooked key elements, resulting in unanticipated costs once the project commences.”

Utility One’s bid was dramatically lower at $200,000, but Matthew said their proposal did not cover the full timeline of the project and noted that the company’s past experience was in water, not electric, meter deployment.

Witt O’Brien’s bid was closer to $9 million, including nearly $1.34 million in travel costs.

“Overall, they had the most combined experience in project management and AMI subject matter,” she said. The company received a final evaluation score of 450, 11 points more than 4Liberty.

Board Secretary Juanita Young pressed Matthew on whether Witt O’Brien’s past experience with AMI deployment belonged to them or to their partnering firm, Z2Solutions. Matthew said both have project management experience and that Z2Solutions had worked in advanced metering infrastructure.

Witt O’Brien’s “didn’t specify any AMI projects that they have done — just project management in general,” Matthew said.

Young asked if the utility could find out from Witt O’Brien’s directly.

“My concern here is that they’ve chosen a partner that really is the one that has the skillset and has the history and has the street cred, and they’re just kind of tagging along for the ride,” she said.

At that point, Knight jumped in to note that Witt O’Brien’s had a long history of partnering with subject matter experts to tackle disaster recovery and emergency management projects in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“So a lot of the subject matter expertise does rely on their partners, but of course, they do bring to the table some of the general experience of navigating federal funding — and just the overall management — and navigating the landscape in the U.S. Virgin Islands,” he said. “They’ve had a presence here going back to Irma and Maria, and they’ve — when you look at their team, a lot of this portion of their team is actually based out of the U.S. Virgin Islands, so they have quite a bit of knowledge of the landscape.”

At least one former government official has intimated that Witt O’Brien’s might be a little too familiar with the landscape of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Darin Richardson, former chief operating officer for the V.I. Housing Finance Authority, was convicted in March in part for his role in awarding a lumber management contract to Island Services Group. Among the evidence the government presented at trial was a memo written by a U.S. Housing and Urban Development special agent following an interview with Richardson.

Asked during the interview about ISG’s inflated billings, Richardson said it’s “the same thing that Witt O’Brien [sic] does,” according to the memo. At one point during the interview, Richardson reportedly said that the only time he felt pressured to do something he was uncomfortable with during his tenure at VIHFA was when he was asked to sign off on a Witt O’Brien’s work plan. According to the HUD special agent’s notes, the request was made by V.I. Disaster Recovery Office Director Adrienne Williams-Octalien, who allegedly told Richardson that Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. would be upset if he refused to sign. Richardson went on to describe Witt O’Brien’s as “controlling” everything and said they were benefiting from the territory’s federal disaster recovery funding.

“WOB is being overpaid for its services or work that could easily be done by USVI departmental employees,” the special agent wrote, adding that Richardson “thinks this is incompetence on the part of USVI executive leadership.”

The board’s decision to table the matter came after it approved two other contracts related to the utility’s AMI replacement. The first was a $427,350 purchase of 140 composite poles from Trideo and the second was a $242,500 cost increase with Barkley Technologies.

The board also approved two federally funded waterline replacement contracts.

One was a more than $2.72 million contract with Island Road Corp. to rehabilitate the waterline in Mahogany Estate on St. Thomas. Mechanical engineer La’ron Henry said the project entails replacing 2,705 feet of 60-year-old iron pipe with PVC. The rehabilitation is funded through a Drinking Water Capital Improvement Grant administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources. The utility is also hiring a grant-funded archaeologist to ensure that a historic grave site just outside the project’s boundary limit remains undisturbed.

A $3,177,800 waterline rehabilitation project in Blackbeard Hill — also with Island Roads Corp. — was also approved. That project will involve replacing 3,240 feet of ductile iron pipe with PVC.

“That pipeline was installed in 1950,” Knight noted. “It’s 75 years old — older than any employee currently employed by the Water and Power Authority. So when people ask about water and ask about water loss in the system, it’s because I still have pipes that go back to the 1950s that we’re now changing out. So it’s not rocket science, it’s not Seven Seas, it’s not anything that we’re doing. It’s the age of the system, and the only solution is to replace these aging pipes.”

Each waterline services approximately one hundred WAPA customers and both projects are expected to take half a year.

The board also approved a no-cost time extension to its contract with Arcadis for consultant work related to an EPA consent decree mandating WAPA’s compliance with federal air pollution and control requirements at the St. Thomas power plant. The contract was set to expire on May 30 but was extended to Nov. 30.

Project Management Director Maxwell George said WAPA still has around $150,000 left to spend on the contract and that Arcadis’s services will be needed during upcoming negotiations with the U.S. Justice Department and the EPA.

“If things go well, which I’m confident that things are going to go well with the EPA and DOJ in the coming weeks, then we would come in below that one-fifty [thousand],” he said. “If, for whatever reason, EPA and DOJ feel that we need to extend that and show, demonstrate … more compliance with anything — currently I don’t see anything outstanding but … I can’t speak for the agencies — then I may be back here again in a couple of months asking you for more money. I just have to be straightforward.”

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