Dear Source:
It seems amazing to me that the government and the Texaco owners of the Cruz Bay station could not come up with an alternative site after almost 3 years of negotiations. Like many projects the government plans, this one is another fiasco!
Soon, the only other gas station in Cruz Bay will be closed, the E&C station. E&C has announced for months that this would happen and yet the government chose now to close the Texaco station. This means that the majority of vehicles on St John will have only the small gas station in Coral Bay to gas up. It seems very likely that gas will run out constantly at the Coral Bay site. This, and the inconvenience of traveling all the way across the island, is poor planning on the part of all concerned. There may be a remedy though.
If Texaco and Mr. O'Connor were willing, and the government was willing to help defray some of the costs, the land where Neptune's Laundry near Adrian/Susannaberg would be a perfect spot for a gas station and convenience store. The Moses family may be willing to allow a sale or lease at the laundry site. They could also help Mr. Iva Moses finish his project of relocating the laundry to its new location (help fund) so that the land could be freed up for this purpose. The area is perfect and commercially zoned. It would help alleviate traffic into Cruz Bay, is already flat and there are existing concrete buildings that could quickly be renovated. There is ample room for parking and the people of the area would gain not only a convenient fill-up stop but a convenience store.
Since the parties chose this time (in the middle of hurricane season?) to shut down a gasoline and diesel supply, then they should be willing to pay to get the people of St John up and running as quickly as they can.
Paul Devine
St John
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