Dear Source,
The U.S. Interior Department's 2003 Investment Development Conference will be in Washington D.C. on Sept. 8. (See "Conference to focus on investing in territories".) It affords Lt. Gov. Vargrave Richards, in charge of St. Croix's economic development efforts; the Port Authority, the keeper of St. Croix's airport and seaports; and the St. Croix team a unique opportunity to highlight St. Croix's advantages for economic development opportunities.
The Port Authority has developed a St. Croix economic development plan and will construct a business park. It has most of the information that potential investors need regarding St. Croix, its infrastructure and its labor force — and it owns substantial acreage that can be put to work.
Interior Secretary Gale Norton noted that there will be floor space for exhibition stands or booths, and there is no cost for attending or exhibiting. Hopefully the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce, the Tourism Department, the National Park Service, the University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix campus, Innovative, and the Port Authority will have a booth or exhibit with St. Croix materials and give St. Croix the boost everyone agrees that it needs.
It seems that many potential investors will attend, as well as many important industry figures. This will afford Lt. Gov. Richards and his St. Croix team a unique opportunity to develop important contacts and maybe contracts. It will probably prove to be quite educational for St. Croix senators who will attend the conference, but the St. Croix economic development team needs to go to work for St. Croix.
Arnold M. Golden
St. Croix
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