Feb. 11, 2003 – Keeping the St. Thomas cruise ship port secure against terrorism topped the agenda at Tuesday's monthly meeting of the Public Finance Authority board. The matter was taken up in executive session.
When the close-door deliberations were over, Edward E. Thomas Sr., chief executive of The West Indian Co., said the need for heightened security is the result of the federal government having raised the level of the national security alert on Friday.
With the United States on the verge of armed conflict against Iraq, there is heightened concern over the security of the nation's ports, including those in the Virgin Islands. Thomas said after the board meeting that he had spoken with Darlan Brin, Port Authority executive director, about plans to increase security at the Crown Bay dock area.
WICO owns the Havensight dock; the Port Authority owns the Crown Bay facility.
"We are coordinating both ports from a security standpoint," Thomas said, declining to elaborate.
During its open session, the PFA heard the port manager's financial report for Fiscal Year 2002. In it, Thomas assured the board that WICO's $500,000 annual payment to the V.I. government would be delivered by mid-March.
In FY 2002, "we made a profit, as we hoped to," Thomas said, but it was less than the year before, because of the widespread economic slide experienced after the terrorist attacks on the U.S. mainland on Sept. 11, 2001. He pointed out that FY 2002 began Oct. 1, 2001, less than three weeks after the attacks.
The PFA board approved WICO's security proposals and the company's annual report.
Gov. Charles W. Turnbull was re-elected to another three-year term on the WICO board, along with Bent Lawaetz, Leona Smith and Rudolph Krigger. Nominations were approved for four new WICO board members: Gregory Francis, Roy Jackson, Alda Monsanto and George Goodwin. The PFA appoints the nine-member board, and appointments do not require Senate confirmation.
The five-member PFA board now has a vacancy. Paul Arnold, one of two private-sector members (Jackson is the other), announced his intention to step down. Arnold said he will be doing some consulting work and he wants to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest because his client may have future dealings with the PFA.
Turnbull as governor chairs the PFA board. The other public sector members are the Finance commissioner and the director of the Office of Management and Budget. The governor names the private-sector members, who do not require Senate confirmation.
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