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CHAMBER OFFERS PROPOSALS IN FISCAL CRISIS

A series of private sector proposals to help the government save money were offered by the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce Monday, just days after Gov. Charles Turnbull announced 15 percent budget cuts.
"The Chamber is supportive of the governor's efforts to take the appropriate steps to begin to address the dire fiscal condition of the Virgin Islands," Chamber President John de Jongh said Monday in a released statement. "The problems facing us today have been on the table for a long time and the time has come when we must take serious action in order to begin a recovery process."
In the statement, the chamber has offered to negotiate with government vendors to obtain discounts on the money those businesses are owed by the territory.
The chamber said it was also willing to develop a labor union proposal to ask Industrial Development Commission beneficiaries to begin paying taxes now in return for extended incentives after their incentive agreements end.
The chamber would also create a private sector job bank to help laid-off government workers find new jobs.
The chamber is continuing to develop plans to revitalize the economy; it has formed eight working clusters to develop immediate and long-term economic recovery proposals for the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, de Jongh said.
The chamber's proposals are meant to contribute to the territory's overall economic recovery plan, he said.
"The only way to achieve our ultimate goal of long term financial stability is by all sectors working together to create a stronger, healthier Virgin Islands economy," de Jongh said.
"The St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce is committed to working with its 650 members, the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce, labor and the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government to collectively face the serious days and weeks ahead, and to achieve a rejuvenated economy," he said.
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