Dear Source,
You bet St. Croix needs its own solutions. Sewage remediation is one of them. An effective criminal justice system, federal highway repairs, a hospital equipped with the necessities (pillows, heparin, bandages, needles, aspirin, whatever) and some functional schools would be one solution.
We promise raises to our public service employees, but it's only to buy votes rather than to put food on their tables except for the campaign fish fries. These are empty promises. We can't effectively develop any kind of industry, in particular computers, unless we have some sort of reliable electricity and communications, both of which we are desperately lacking. We pay through our noses for these amenities, but we are often utility free.
Illinois has its own set of problems which they deal with. If they have some spare manpower, we hope they send it to St. Croix. Here's the corker, though: St. Croix doesn't want any outside help unless they can pocket it. As far as St. Croix having Hovensa, St. Croix has steadfastly rejected all contributions by the refinery. This includes a state-of-the-art hospital and competitive schools, and by the way the only generous offer that St. Croix has not rejected is Hovensa's future taxes.
Hovensa is self-contained and doesn't contribute to sanitation problems. Our sanitation problems result from rampant flowing fecal matter which this territory has not been able to figure out how to solve. We need to stop blaming our benefactor for our negligence, sins, omissions and mistakes. Please understand that St. Croix is inherently a "gimme" island. Generosity extends from the taxpayers, not the general population.
The concepts of volunteerism and self-betterment are not comprehended here. Crucians cannot inherently think beyond yesterday. This is largely the reason that we are financially insolvent. We want, but we are not prepared to give. This does not apply to all Crucians, of course, but unfortunately only to the majority.
Sure we have better weather and scenery than Chicago, but we are a welfare territory, encouraged largely by your votes. Thank you for helping us to make a mockery of our kids. Keep an eye on us, though; the feds are doing so.
Bitter Lee and the Ten Impassible Roads,
better known as George P. Tiblier
St. Croix
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