Sylvia Delores Ventura: September 8, 1962 to April 14, 2025
Celebration Of Life will be held on May 24 at Hermanos Unidos En Cristo-Zion (United Brethren In Christ-Zion), 6037 New Castle Coakley, St. Croix
Viewing from 9 a.m. with service to follow at 10 a.m.
The V.I. Port Authority is managing more than $115 million in active construction projects across the territory, officials told the governing board Tuesday, as they also reported a $5 million profit for the first half of the fiscal year — despite a $1 million loss in the Aviation Division.
Ava Penn, director of Financial Affairs, informed the board that this operating profit was $2.4 million higher than the operating profit for the same period last year. The Aviation Division generated $740,000 in parking lot revenues during this period, compared to $340,000 in revenues for the same period in the previous year. Collections from marine parking lots have also gone up, but not as dramatically — from $857,000 to $879,000.
The largest project on St. Thomas is the Cyril E. King Airport parking garage and transportation center, which is costing a total of $33 million, with $31 million already paid. A grand opening was held in April. An occupancy permit has been granted; however, some minor items still need to be completed.
The second major project is also at CEKA. It is a taxiway west reconstruction. It is a $30 million project, of which $26 million has been paid. The project is coming in under budget and is 99 percent complete, according to Preston Beyer, director of Engineering.
The governing board approved another $27 million contract at CEKA to go to Island Roads.
This slab replacement on runways is expected to begin next month and be completed in September. The work for this project will be conducted during nighttime hours to minimize flight interruptions.
The board also approved a settlement with Rumina Construction Services to avoid litigation over the CEKA Gate 5 apron pavement improvement project. The agreement stipulates a payment of $165,000 to Rumina. Rumina had a $3 million contract for work at CEKA five years ago. VIPA withheld $250,000 in payment claiming the work was unsatisfactory. The remaining $80,000 will be retained by VIPA.
On St. Croix, Virgin Islands Paving is working on a $15 million contract for apron rehabilitation at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport. Two million dollars has been paid. The contractor has completed two of the three phases in the project.
Virgin Islands Paving also has a contract at HERA for $8 million for shoulder and electrical vault construction. The work is in the completion phase, and the full amount has been paid to the contractor.
The governing board approved a cooperative service agreement for wildlife management, which will benefit both airports. The U.S. Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Wildlife Services is tasked with ensuring animal health and welfare, as well as protecting agriculture from invasive pests and diseases.
The Port Authority utilizes the USDA-APHIS WS to support the Aviation Division, including monitoring daily wildlife activity that could disrupt or pose a hazard to the aviation community. Wildlife Services also provides staff training involved in wildlife hazard harassment and mitigation actions.
Board members attending were Joseph Boschulte, Derek Gabriel, Willard John, Gordon Rhea, Kevin Rodriguez, and Celestino White Sr.
The Virgin Islands Sixth Constitutional Convention’s Standing Committee on Culture and Heritage reconvened virtually for its second meeting Tuesday.
Committee Chair Alicia M. Wells led the session, joined by Vice Chair Lydia Hendricks and delegate members Devin Carrington, Ronald E. Russell, and Akima Richardson. According to committee members, the previous meeting generated substantial feedback from the community.
The meeting featured guest speaker professor Malik Sekou, who provided historical and legal context surrounding the proposed revisions under review.
The Standing Committee on Culture and Heritage is currently tasked with conducting an in-depth review of specific sections from the Fifth Constitutional Convention draft. These sections include:
Current draft language:
“The Government shall provide for the protection, promotion, and preservation of the culture, music, traditions, customs, and intellectual property of the Virgin Islands. The Government may enact developmental legislative measures designed to protect or assist cultural tradition bearers or persons disadvantaged by discrimination.”
To view the full proposed Fifth Constitutional Convention draft, click here.
Concerning “Article III in Defining a Virgin Islander,” Sekou presented his insights in two parts. He first addressed concerns raised by the U.S. Justice Department regarding the 2009–2010 draft, and then offered his own perspectives.
“The federal government, during the Obama-Biden administration, reviewed the draft and identified nine areas of concern,” Sekou explained. “Six were minor, but three raised substantial legal and constitutional issues.”
The most significant issue, according to Sekou, involved the draft’s classification of individuals based on ancestral ties and residency. “The DOJ analysis objected to the distinctions made between ‘Ancestral Native Virgin Islanders’ and ‘Native Virgin Islanders.’ It argued that this classification system could violate federal equal protection standards,” he said.
Sekou noted that the U.S. government defines “indigenous” peoples through the Indian Commerce Clause, generally referring to communities that predate European colonization. “Many delegates may not realize that, in U.S. law, indigeneity is tied to pre-1492 populations with federal recognition, not simply long-standing residency,” he said.
The DOJ raised further concerns over eligibility requirements for political office. The draft specified that candidates for governor and lieutenant governor must be either ancestral or native Virgin Islanders, have resided in the territory for 15 years, and have voted for 10 years.
“The DOJ considered these requirements excessive,” Sekou said. “No other U.S. state or territory requires more than five years of residency for gubernatorial candidates.”
Additionally, the DOJ flagged a provision that limited voting rights to ancestral and native Virgin Islanders. “That, they argued, would likely violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment,” Sekou stated.
He encouraged delegates and the public to review the Justice Department’s full report for a deeper understanding of the legal implications.
The U.S. Virgin Islands Constitutional Convention Clearinghouse, a project of the State Constitutional Convention Clearinghouse, continues to provide independent research and policy recommendations. Its goal is to inform both the public and policymakers on the territory’s constitutional development.
The trial of Richardson Dangleben Jr., who was arrested in July 2023 and charged with murdering V.I. Police Detective Delberth Phipps Jr., is scheduled to start Oct. 6 on St. Thomas.
The scheduling came less than a week after Chief District Judge Robert Molloy denied the U.S. Justice Department’s eleventh-hour request for a 120-day stay to review its decision not to seek the death penalty.
Undeterred, the Justice Department once again filed notice Wednesday of its intent to seek the death penalty, writing that “the United States believes the circumstances in Count One of the Superseding Indictment (Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence Resulting in Death) are such that, in the event of a conviction, a sentence of death is justified” under federal law.
Last February, then-U. S. Attorney for the Virgin Islands Delia Smith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Conley wrote that the government “intends to proceed with either a non-capital trial or plea agreement in this matter and will not seek the death penalty for Richardson Dangleben Jr.,” according to court documents.
The government changed course in February after President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Restoring the Death Penalty and Protecting Public Safety.” According to a memo sent to employees at the time, the Justice Department said it “will once again act as the law demands — including by seeking death sentences in appropriate cases and swiftly implementing those sentences in accordance with the law.”
In a nine-page opinion denying government prosecutors’ request, Molloy rejected the government’s argument that “because the trial in this matter has been continued without date, any delay as a result of a stay is not prejudicial to Defendant.”
“However, the Government cannot dispute that the Court and the parties proceeded for over a year under the impression that the Government would not be seeking the death penalty,” he wrote. “The matter was set for trial for a date certain and that date was continued, in part, because of the Defendant’s reliance upon the Government’s notice not to seek the death penalty.”
The bankruptcy auction of Silver Airways is set for May 28 after a judge approved the terms proposed by the troubled airline and a stalking horse bidder — despite the $5.775 million offer falling far short of the roughly $400 million Silver owes its creditors.
In an eloquent 20-page order, Judge Peter D. Russin of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida said he would allow the auction to proceed because key Silver creditors supported the move at a May 15 evidentiary hearing.
“It is not lost on the Court that the Debtors borrowed collectively several hundred million dollars, yet the contemplated asset sale values total at present less than $10 million,” Russin wrote in an order issued Monday.
“Yet the record also reflects something more: the informed and express support of nearly every major administrative claimant and the prospect, though far from guaranteed, that competitive bidding on Silver Airways assets and the sale of Seaborne’s assets may yield meaningful payment,” said Russin.
Silver and Seaborne filed for bankruptcy protection in December via separate petitions, citing a need to restructure their finances and secure additional capital. The move came six years after Seaborne voluntarily reorganized in 2018 and announced it had secured a new $4.2 million credit facility and entered into a purchase agreement with Silver.
Earlier this month, Silver Airways designated Argentum Acquisition Co. LLC as a stalking horse bidder for a sum of $5.775 million.
The deal does not include Silver’s subsidiary, Seaborne Airlines, according to the 99-page asset purchase agreement. However, it contains a clause that “in the event that no Qualified Bid … is submitted or received at the Auction for the assets of Seaborne,” the Argentum deal will be interpreted to include the assets of both airlines for no additional consideration.
Russin considered that issue, and the fact that the Argentum bid might be the only one, in approving the auction.
The court does not “minimize the risks posed by the possibility that the sale of Silver Airways will not yield an overbid or that Seaborne may go unsold and be handed to the [Debtor in Possession] Lender without additional consideration, pursuant to the DIP Financing agreement. But those risks have been disclosed, debated, and embraced by those who would bear their burden,” Russin wrote. “Nearly every administrative claimant of consequence — Azorra, Jetstream, UMB, TrueNoord, NAC, World Fuel, the airports — stood before the Court, weighed their options, and urged the Court to approve the path now adopted,” he said.
However, the judge noted that there might still be a separate offer for Seaborne.
“The Debtors anticipate finalizing negotiations with a purchaser for the Seaborne assets in the very near future. After finalizing definitive documentation for a sale of the Seaborne assets, the Debtors will file a separate motion to approve bid procedures and a sale process for Seaborne,” Russin wrote.
Through an extensive sales and marketing process, Silver and Seaborne reached out to more than 75 parties, established data room access for 15 to 20 potential buyers, and confirmed continued interest from multiple regional airlines, according to Monday’s filing. At least one Seaborne bidder offered $3.75 million in cash, but that deal ultimately fell through for lack of a deposit, according to Russin.
Additionally, prospective bidder Angelo Scolari told the court at the May 15 hearing, “that he had been for months actively performing due diligence and considering a bid for Silver Airways that would include assumption of the $3 million in closing-date liabilities. He confirmed that an affiliate of his company, Rengen Energy Solutions, was considering a $6 million cash bid with an additional $250,000 topping fee. He also testified that he had previously submitted a nonbinding letter of interest in the $10 million range. Although not committing to bid, he expressed serious interest and confirmed his intent to negotiate with administrative creditors,” Russin wrote.
The court found his testimony “candid, albeit necessarily cautious,” the judge said.
Ultimately, nearly every administrative creditor of significance has affirmed that, though the risk is real that they will end up vastly underpaid, the alternative is worse, said Russin. “They chose the possibility of at least partial recovery through continued operations over the certainty of loss through collapse,” he wrote.
Indeed, U.S. Trustee Mary Ida Townson filed a motion April 10 to dismiss the case because she felt there was little chance the airlines would succeed in reorganizing. A hearing on the motion was set for May 9 but has been rescheduled to June 24 in light of the stalking horse bid and subsequent auction.
Silver and Seaborne provide a critical link between St. Croix and St. Thomas and also serve the wider Caribbean region, with Silver headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Seaborne in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Despite the bankruptcy filing, Silver Airways has assured customers that all tickets remain valid and that flights will continue to operate as usual.
A popular St. John athletic event is set to splash down Sunday morning along the island’s north shore. Organizers say registration for Joe Kessler’s Beach to Beach Power Swim was closed off weeks in advance, with sign-ups from local athletes and visitors who scheduled their vacation around Memorial Day weekend.
For the past 21 years, Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park has hosted hundreds of swimmers and coordinated dozens of volunteers to stage the race. Swimmers can opt for short, medium, or long course competitions. In 2024, the race was dedicated to Beach To Beach cofounder Joe Kessler after he died in an auto accident on the U.S. mainland.
Now in its 22nd year, the power swim is considered one of the most popular open-water swims in the world, according to organizers. Three hundred seventy-one participants, aged seven to 82, are expected to gather at the starting line at Maho Bay beach.
”We had more registered participants in a shorter amount of time than every before,” said the current Friends director Tonia Lovejoy. “We open registration every year in February, and we almost had the full race filled by the end of the month.”
Registration roles from competitions past showed swimmers from up to 22 U.S. states and six nations taking part. This year, Lovejoy said swimmers are coming from 29 states, the British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and one registrant from Manchester, England.
Military veterans from Team River Runner and a group of young competitors representing the V.I. at home and abroad are also expected along the starting line.
“We’ve got the St. Thomas Swim Club joining us. Reagan Uzenski, who recently represented the USVI at the Pan American Games and won, and a couple of other superstars,” the director said.
The race has a scheduled start of 8 a.m. on Sunday; swimmers grouped according to their water course will dive in groups to start their respective competitions:
The Maho-to-Cinnamon-Bay Short Course is for solo swimmers only at a distance of one mile.
In the Maho-to-Trunk-Bay Intermediate Course, solo competitors race a distance of 2.25 miles.
The Maho-to-Hawksnest Long Course covers 3.5 miles. There is also a three-person relay race along the long course. Relay team transition points will be at Cinnamon Bay and Trunk Bay beaches.
An awards ceremony will be held Sunday afternoon at Trunk Bay beach, complete with a picnic repast.
And this year, the Friends plan to honor former V.I. National Park Biologist Jeff Miller, who helped Kessler stage the first power swim event. Miller, along with Karen Cannell, is also being honored for creating and donating an underwater tourist recreational guide called Plan Your Snorkel.
Miller will also present a lecture about open-water swimming at the National Park Research Center at Lind Point Thursday evening at 6 p.m.
“A shuttle is available from the National Park Visitor Center in Cruz Bay departing at 5:30 p.m. and returning after the event,” organizers said.
Proceeds from Sunday’s event will benefit the Friends of V.I. National Park programs such as Learn to Swim, sea turtle nest protection, School Kids in the Park, and more.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story misstated the beneficiaries of the Beach to Beach Power swim. It benefits all of the Friends of VINP programs, not just the Learn to Swim program.
The U.S. Virgin Islands community will come together Saturday and Sunday for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, a two-day event occurring at St. Croix Educational Complex High School. The Relay for Life will honor cancer survivors, support caregivers, and raise funds for cancer research and patient services.
“The American Cancer Society Relay for Life is the only global walk that stands for every cancer while we walk for every life,” according to information on the ACS website. “Since 1985, communities across the world have come together to honor and remember loved ones and take action for lifesaving change,” the ACS said.
“At Relay for Life, you’ll find community members taking turns walking a path or track lined with luminaria bags,” the ACS explained. “You’ll have the opportunity to cheer for local survivors or participate as a survivor yourself in our first lap of the day. Caregivers of cancer patients currently or previously diagnosed will then be invited to join the survivors. Local entertainers will keep you energized, and as it gets dark, we will light the luminaria bags surrounding the track in a memorable luminaria ceremony. There will be opportunities to fundraise and fight back,” the ACS said.
St. Croix Relay for Life Event Details
The Source contacted Aymee Santana, a volunteer and lead committee member for this year’s Relay for Life program, to learn more about the yearly campaign at the St. Croix Educational Complex athletic track.
Santana explained that the annual fundraiser will run continuously, including during the overnight hours, from Saturday afternoon until midday on Sunday at the St. Croix Educational Complex, and individuals are encouraged to participate.
“The Relay for Life will take place at the St. Croix Educational Complex on Saturday, May 24 at 4 p.m. until Sunday, May 25 at noon,” Santana said.
Santana went on to describe the details of what will occur throughout the fundraiser, which is slated to include a walk with posters honoring cancer survivors, appreciation of caregivers, as well as a ceremony involving lighting lanterns in support of those affected by the disease.
“The Relay for Life Event is an annual fundraiser held by the St. Croix Relay for Life Committee to assist cancer patients in the USVI,” Santana stated. “During the event, we will start with an opening ceremony at 4 p.m., where participants walk around the track with their banners, and during the second lap, families and friends join the survivors,” Santana described. “We honor the survivors by offering lunch and dinner to them, and we have the luminary ceremony, where the lights are turned off, the luminaries are lit, and all the survivors walk around the track,” Santana said. “We will also hear from survivors and family members,” she added.
Santana explained that the Relay for Life campaign held an initial event May 4 to begin preparing for the fundraiser.
“We had a kick-off motorcade that occurred from Fort Frederik to Altona Lagoon, and it ended with a short program in which two survivors spoke,” Santana noted. “We had over 50 vehicles attend, including fire trucks, Emergency Medical Services, and the Virgin Islands Police Department.”
Get Involved to Support Cancer Awareness
Community members are invited to partake in the Relay for Life drive, and individuals can become involved by registering and joining “teams,” which are comprised of community members and organizations who will participate together and raise money for the ACS.
Additionally, residents and visitors can attend the fundraiser and contribute by purchasing a t-shirt to support the event’s cause.
“Teams consist of a minimum of 15 members and a maximum of 22 members,” Santana explained. “Each team member purchases a t-shirt and makes a commitment of $100, and some teams raise additional funds,” she continued. “This year we have 36 registered teams, and our goal is to raise donations up to $250,000,” Santana acknowledged. “Nationally, Relay for Life is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and the theme is ‘40 Years of Impact,’ which you will see displayed on the teams, volunteers, committee, and survivors’ shirts,” Santana said.
“Our local chapter is celebrating its 24th anniversary, and our theme is ‘Support the Fighters, Admire the Survivors, and Remember the Angels,’ which you will see on the participants’ white shirts,” she noted.
“All survivors must register every year to participate in the Relay for Life. They also receive a purple shirt and other goodies from the American Cancer Society and sponsors. The luminaries are the lights that are sold for $5.00 in honor of or in memory of a cancer patient. Family and friends can purchase and decorate the bags with their family members’ names or messages.”
Santana said that purchasing a shirt or donating can also be a valuable way to contribute.
“We encourage the community to attend, since we will be selling the white community shirts for $20 during the event,” Santana commented. “Entertainment and donations are always welcomed, and we also accept donations in the form of food for the survivors and volunteers. All checks should be made payable to the American Cancer Society.”
“The public does not have to register; all they have to do is purchase and wear the 2025 t-shirt for $20 and wear their sneakers,” Santana continued. “No strollers are allowed,” she noted.
Hope for the Future
Santana concluded her remarks by offering thoughts about what excites her most during Relay for Life, and what she hopes the future may look like in the battle against cancer.
“I am personally excited to see all the teams, family, friends, committee members, and volunteers coming together for this worthy cause, hoping to one day kill and disappear cancer,” Santana declared. “My favorite moments are the survivors’ walk and the luminaria ceremony. It’s such a great feeling seeing all the survivors in their purple shirts, smiling and celebrating,” she said. “It motivates me to continue fighting for a world free of cancer.”
Individuals interested in participating in the Relay for Life fundraiser on Saturday and Sunday can find more information on the ACS official website.
The Love City Pan Dragons, St. John’s leading steel band, is back on island after teaming up with a steel band in Maryland and winning first place in their category at the Virginia International PANFest earlier in May.
Their success at the Virginia Beach competition shows the value of having a role model you can relate to. This year, St. John’s own Ronald Lee Jr., now a professional musician and Love City Pan Dragons board president, has been arranging music and assisting Pan Dragons’ longtime artistic director, Ikema Dyer.
Lee joined the Pan Dragons as a seven-year-old. “I literally begged my mother to let me join. I was in love with their sound,” he told the Source in 2018.
At that point, he was heading off to George Mason University in Virginia to study music with jazz pan player Victor Provost. (Provost, who is on the faculty there, also grew up on St. John.)
While in the States, Lee started working with CAFE, the Cultural Academy for Excellence’s community-based steel band. This year, while he was back on St. John, he decided to build on that relationship and combine the two groups to compete in the festival.
Pan Dragons’ Executive Director Andrea Milam loved the idea. It fit in with her goal for the group to travel internationally every year. (Last year, the Pan Dragons traveled to Antigua during their carnival to perform with Ikema Dyer’s old band.)
For band members, there’s definitely an interest in traveling, “especially when you fall in with a great group,” Milam said. When Pan Dragons players joined with members of CAFE’s band, the 40-plus performers combined for a mighty sound and a “superior” rating among 20 competitors.
Young Pan Dragons members say they, too, were influenced by watching older kids perform with the band. Naudy Castillo, age 10, joined the band two years ago. “I was just following my sister because I look up to her,” he said. (Gleidy Castillo Caraballo, is 17 and a tenor pan player.)
At first, Naudy said he used to just “kind of watch, but now I like it. It’s my happy place.” He enjoys how much the band has improved over the past couple years. “The whole band is sounding better,” he said.
Seamus O’Donnell, 17, now a section leader, became a member seven years ago. “I always saw them playing out and it looked like fun,” he said. Joining the Pan Dragons “has made me more well-rounded, and it’s taught me leadership. I’ve learned how to teach others,” he added.
Milam said for the most part, the members don’t read music but learn to play through repetition. “The notes get into their muscle memory,” she said. It turns out, however, that not all steel pans are alike. The Pan Dragons used CAFE’s pans while they were in Virginia, and St. John players were surprised to find the notes were laid out differently on these instruments.
The St. John players had to push beyond their muscle memory to learn the notes for the competition, she said, and with intensive practice, they succeeded.
The Pan Dragons got their start back in the mid-1990s as a crime-prevention program called the Ghost Riders Steel Orchestra. In 1998, the name changed to Love City Pan Dragons, and since then, the group has issued several CDs featuring their music.
They’re now getting ready for St. John Festival. Pan-o-Rama is scheduled to take place in Carnival Village in Cruz Bay on Saturday, June 28.
Starting in the fall, the Pan Dragons will be welcoming new members ages nine to 79 and beyond. “We have a lot of 11th graders who will be leaving the band after next year,” said Milam; her son Dax Chouiniere is one of them. “We’re looking for the next generation; they don’t need any prior skill or knowledge, just interest.”
The band practices every Friday afternoon at the pan yard near the Cruz Bay Parks and Rec. Center from 3 to 6 p.m., and on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m.
Like most directors of 501c3 arts nonprofits, Milam is concerned about cuts in funding for the upcoming year and is looking for sponsorships and donations. “We have big dreams, and that means big funding,” she said.
Donations can be made through Venmo@Lovecitypandragons; through PayPal at Lovecitypandragons@gmail.com; and by check made out to Love City Pan Dragons and mailed to PO Box 1537, St. John, VI 00831.
For further information, contact Milam at 340-690-2420.
Millions of dollars’ worth of yachts by globally recognized manufacturers were on display, and ready for purchase or charter, at the second Virgin Islands Boating Expo’s four-day event hosted by the Virgin Islands Professional Charter Association May 15 to 18 at IGY’s Yacht Haven Grande on St. Thomas.
Hundreds of residents and visitors toured the sailing and power boats on display while also enjoying daily seminars, sailing demonstrations and a Vendor Expo, according to a press release detailing the event. “With steel pan musicians, Caribbean dancers, local bands, cuisine, and local drinks, VIBE proved the ultimate “destination” yacht sales show for a second year,” it said. Next year’s event is scheduled for May 14 to 16.
Among the featured companies were Axopar (Sagramoso Yachting), Bali (Pyper Yachts), Azimut and Cigarette Racing (Wally Castro Marine), Fountaine Pajot (Atlantic Cruising Yachts and Waypoint Yacht Charters), Jeanneau (St. Thomas Leisure Boat Charters), Lagoon (Caribe Yacht Group), and Grady White, Nor-Tech and Tiara (Boat Management Corp.).
“VIBE 2025 was a tremendous success, and I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who helped make this event so special,” said Staci Smith, executive director of VIPCA. “We’re thrilled to already have strong commitments from exhibitors, vendors, and sponsors for next year, and we’re looking forward to building on this momentum to deliver an even bigger and better show in 2026.”
Yachts Star
Now entering its third year, VIBE was created as a destination boutique-style boat show where the public can meet with yachting representatives, enjoy refreshments and entertainment, and network with local, national, and international business in St. Thomas, which Caribbean Journal in 2021 called the “Hottest Yachting Destination in the Caribbean,” the release stated.
“We saw nearly 100 people on the first day of the show. Four to five groups traveling from Texas, Pennsylvania, and Florida specifically for VIBE. Others were hotel guests who saw the show happening and attended,” said Dare Blankenhorn, owner of Charter Caribe, a luxury charter yacht sales and management company based in St. Thomas. “Half all new catamarans purchased in North America are put into charter. VIBE offers a chance to buy a boat in one of the most outstanding yachting destinations in the world, whether it’s to enjoy privately, put into charter, or use commercially for day charters.”
Charter Caribe displayed the bookends of its crewed charter fleet, the Lagoon 77, Aeolus, and the Lagoon 46, On A Whim III. The company also showcased a Lagoon 42 cruising catamaran for sale.
Atlantic Cruising Yachts, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida-headquartered dealer for Fountaine Pajot, and Waypoints Yacht Charters, a bareboat company with a base on St. Thomas, jointly featured the Fountaine Pajot Victoria 67, True Story, and Fountaine Pajot Aura 51 G3.
“What better way to own a boat and use it than to put it in bareboat charter with us,” said Susan Restauri, senior project manager for Waypoints Yacht Charters, who also presented a seminar on Placing your boat into Bareboat Charter. “We bring yachts into the fleet as a business ownership model, with tax and other advantages for the owner, where we charter them, maintain them, and they remain in good shape when the owner eventually wants to take them out of charter or sell them.”
Powerboat enthusiasts enjoyed touring the Axopar 45 Cross Top, which was the brand’s entrance into the Caribbean market; the 37 Axopar Sun Top, the most popular in the Virgin Islands for private use and as a water taxi; and the 29 Axopar Cross Cabin, a fast boat with enclosed cabin that was also showing for the first time in the Caribbean.
“We’ve opened a new location on St. Thomas at Tropical Marina, which houses our sales offices and service center,” said Roberto Sagramoso of Sagramoso Yachting, the exclusive dealer for Axopar, as well as Pardo Yachts and Grand Soleil Yachts in Puerto Rico, the U.S., and the British Virgin Islands.
Buying in the USVI
There are many advantages to buying a boat in the USVI. Particularly important is that the territory is outside the U.S. Customs Zone and has its own Customs laws, which exempt importation of vessels, boats, and their running gear from Customs duties, according to the release. Foreign-built, non-imported yachts to the U.S. can be sold or chartered to U.S. residents in the U.S. Virgin Islands without being imported to the U.S. first. Also, because of the USVI exemption from the Jones Act, chartering foreign-built and foreign-flagged yachts in U.S. waters is permitted here, it noted.
Understanding the financing needed to purchase a boat was a seminar topic presented by Zack Hamric, who, with his wife Greta, owns Azul Marine Lending in Sarasota, Florida. The company annually finances $100,000 to $45 million in yacht loans for U.S., Puerto Rico, and Caribbean clients.
“We’ve developed an AI underwriting system where we can get a 95% approval rate in 24 hours thanks to long and successful relationships with lenders,” said Hamric.
Nearly 50 local and global businesses participated in VIBE’s Vendor Expo, including the UVI Research and Technology Park, which helps locally based businesses with tax incentives, funding, and growth opportunities. “The RT Park is an economic development agency that seeks to diversify the economy with knowledge and tech-focused companies,” said Torhera Durand, sustainable development associate.
Rainman Desalination, a Sydney, Australia-headquartered company that manufactures water makers and saltwater desalination systems for marine use, introduced its new fully automated water maker. “Yachts in the higher end range of 60- to 80-feet want push-button convenience. We’re currently in beta testing and expect to have it generally available in three months,” said Ron Schroeder, managing director.
Other participating vendors included V.I. Lottery, Charter Smarter, Pyper Yachts, Wally Castro Marine, Boat Management Corp., St Thomas Leisure Boat Charters, Cardow Jewelers, Caribtrans, Chef Nathan Neibaur, LaVela, Lift Foils, Natural Balance, Newcoast Financial, Peter Island Resort and Spa, Reef Response, Riteway Food Markets, Sail Frenchtown, STEEMCC, St John SailSack Co., Techness Pro, Tropless Beach LLC, VIBE Jewelry, and local food and drink booths.
The St. Thomas Sailing Center offered sails on its fleet during the show and provided information on its membership and many learn-to-sail programs, including Bareboat Certification.
VIBE 2025 sponsors included the V.I. Tourism Department of Tourism, V.I. Lottery, One Communications, Charter Smarter, Azul Marine Lending, IGY, and Latitudes and Attitudes.
For more information on VIBE 2025, visit www.vibe.vi. For information about the Virgin Islands Professional Charter Association (VIPCA), visit www.vipca.org.
Oriental Bank branches will be closed Monday, May 26 in observation of Memorial Day holiday.
Oriental customers can access their accounts using any of the following methods over the holiday:
Online Banking and Mobile Banking – check account balances, make payments, transfer funds, verify transactions and send money to other people. Our new Online Service Portal offers you all the benefits of online banking plus the ability to make loan payments, check loan balances, request payoff letters and more. Mobile Banking offers all of the online banking functions plus the ability to deposit checks using a smartphone camera.
Phone Customer Service Center – Customers can check balances, make payments, transfer funds between accounts, and verify the status of their transactions and paid checks. To contact the Service Center, call our toll-free number 1-800-981-5554, open from 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Make Loan Payments Online – Customers can make payments through ‘My Payments’ for personal loans, car loans and leases, even if they do not have a deposit account with Oriental.
Customers can access ‘My Payments’ at orientalbank/usvi.com.
Automated Telephone Services: Call 1-866-622-6800 to check account balances, transfers, recent transactions and other services.
ATM Services – Customers can make deposits using the Branch ATM until 9:00pm daily and receive the same benefits as depositing with a teller at the branch. You can also check account balances, make withdrawals, transfer funds between accounts and change your PIN.
All non-branch Oriental ATMs allow customers to check balances, make withdrawals and transfer funds between accounts.
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