Jan. 24, 2002 – The V.I. Port Authority has no interest in, or intention of, stealing business from The West Indian Co., Attorney General Iver Stridiron, an authority board member, said Wednesday at the body's monthly meeting.
The board concurred with Stridiron's statement, which was provoked by testimony at a recent Senate hearing by opponents of VIPA's Crown Bay Development project, entered into with two cruise lines, to expand the Crown Bay dock and develop an adjacent shopping complex.
Some critics contend that because of a Port Authority agreement to waive docking and passenger fees for the two lines at Crown Bay, their ships would dock there, instead of at the WICO dock, where they now tie up.
The Avis newspaper on Thursday quoted Stridiron as saying, "We're not concerned or considering any matters related to WICO. We appreciate the work they're doing. I don't spend my time worrying about WICO or how to take money from them."
John Tercek, vice president of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, which along with Carnival Corp. signed a letter of intent with VIPA last August, took Edward E. Thomas, WICO chief executive officer, to task at the Jan. 10 Government Operations Committee meeting. Tercek accused Thomas of interfering in a VIPA process and of being the "only reason we are here tonight."
At the hearing, Tercek said that Thomas "would rather burn down Crown Bay than let another agency develop it." At the same meeting, Thomas said WICO would be willing to lease the Crown Bay dock and develop it, and Tercek said the cruise lines would be willing to sell the development, once completed, to the Government Employees Retirement System, which owns Havensight Mall adjacent to the WICO dock. For further background, see "Key Crown Bay question may be 'who,' not 'if'".
In other business Wednesday, according to The Avis, the VIPA board voted to forgive half of a $19,000 debt owed the Port Authority by Seaborne Airlines and to pay $122,000 to the Yssis Group, which is redesigning the St. Thomas waterfront apron, for fees associated with getting a Coastal Zone Management permit.
