As we enter the new year, century and millennium -– a triple-whammy that forces us to reflect on where we are and where we’re going — here’s what we hope is in store for the Virgin Islands:
– Strong, competent leadership that caters to the long-term best interests of the majority of its citizens, rather than the narrower interests of a select few.
– An education system that truly educates our children so that they can compete effectively in the 21st Century world they are moving into.
– A commitment to our children, from infancy through their teen years, that goes beyond lip service and ensures that they get the best we can give them intellectually, emotionally and socially.
– True concern for our beautiful environment, from eliminating litter to building sewage treatment plants that work.
– The continued expansion of a health care system that offers top-quality care, supports the community and allows the aging among us to remain here with the assurance of the best health care available anywhere.
– A reinforced Police Department that allows citizens to feel and be safe in their homes and businesses and on the streets.
– An end to racial and ethnic divisiveness — and, concurrently, an appreciation and celebration of our diversity, which is such a source of strength.
– An end to domestic abuse in all its forms, especially the abuse and neglect of our children.
— A visible narrowing of the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
– Wise use of our limited financial resources. . . and an end to the waste, mismanagement and corruption that have drained and strained those resources.
– A commitment to enhance and beautify Charlotte Amalie, a gem of a town that has been neglected for far too long.
It is a gift to be part of a community as rich in cultural diversity and natural beauty as the Virgin Islands.
As we move into a new era, we hope every one of us will value this gift every day and move in a direction to protect, enhance and improve what we have been freely given.
