The V.I. Public Services Commission has begun investigating the July 4 crash of the Miss Royal Belmar passenger ferry onto Great St. James Island that injured five passengers and will be discussing it during their regular meeting Tuesday on St. Thomas.
How soon V.I. phone users will be able to keep their number when switching providers will be on the table, too, with Innovative Communications asking for an exemption from that federal requirement.
The Miss Royal Belmar is used to conduct the exclusive franchised operation granted by the Legislature to Aquatic Management, LLC and managed by V.I Sea Trans. Inc. The ferry ran aground on the shores of Great St. James Cay around 10 p.m. Monday while returning from a holiday fireworks show on St. John.
The 89-foot ferry had 98 passengers and four crew members on board. The ship usually runs the St. Croix-St. Thomas route. At the time, U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Ricardo Castrodad said five passengers, including a baby, were injured; and the accident is under investigation.
Under the franchise agreement, Aquatic Management has provided public marine passenger transportation between Gallows Bay, St. Croix and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas since May 2007, according to a statement from the PSC about the investigation.
PSC staff have interviewed Sea Trans’ Director of Operations Marjorie Smith and public relations representative Kevin Vincent for details surrounding the incident and to find out the status of the ferry’s operations. Before Monday’s accident, Aquatic Management was already scheduled to appear before the PSC July 12 to talk about unpaid past assessments by the PSC.
On the cell phone front, Innovative is asking for a waiver of federal requirements to provide local number portability as well. Choice Communications, a cell service provider and competitor to Innovative, filed a request in January with the Federal Communications Commission that Innovative be required to comply with the portablity requirement.
Choice has been pushing for local number portablity and greater interconnectivity with Innovative for several years. Not being able to let customers keep their numbers, as can be done nearly everywhere else in the U.S., makes it more difficult for Choice to lure customers away from Innovative.
Also on the agenda:
— The V.I. Waste Management Authority is applying to be allowed to impose environmental user fees and wastewater fees;
— Choice Communications and Nexus Communications are applying to renew and to gain status as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC), respectively, allowing the companies to collect federal Universal Service Fund (USF) grants to improve service;
— Island Wind Power and Wintdots are both applying for status as power providers for interconnection with the V.I. Water and Power Authority;
— Ferry services Varlack Ventures and St. John Inc. are on the agenda for investigation of operational and financial issues.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Tuesday at PSC offices in Barbel Plaza, St. Thomas.
