Feb. 21, 2003 – Gov. Charles Turnbull has submitted three renominations to the University of the Virgin Islands board of trustees and three renominations to the Roy L. Schneider Hospital board of directors to the Legislature for confirmation.
He renominated Natalie Thomas, Horace T. Brooks and Samuel Topp to serve on the Hospital and Health Facilities Corp. board of Schneider Hospital. All were initially appointed in 1999. Board members serve three-year terms.
Thomas, who represents St. John, is deputy supervisor of elections for the St. Thomas/St. John district.
Brooks, confidential assistant to the governor, graduated from the University of the Virgin Islands in 1997 and is the Democratic Party treasurer.
Topp is host of the "Topp Talk" show and a newscaster on WVWI Radio.
The governor renominated Auguste Rimpel, Roy D. Jackson and Henry C. Smock to the UVI board.
Rimpel, the current board chair, is a retired senior partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers and a Boston resident. He is also a former Commerce commissioner. A graduate of the Carnegie Institute of Technology, he has served on various boards and commissions both in the Virgin Islands and off island.
Jackson, a certified public accountant, also serves on the Public Finance Authority board of directors and is a member of several accounting organizations.
Smock, a St. Thomas attorney, is a former Territorial Court judge and a past president of the V.I. Bar Association. He also serves on the boards of trustees of Antilles School and Lutheran Social Services.
According to UVI's public information office, Rimpel was initially appointed in 1993, while Smock and Jackson have served since 1997. UVI board appointments are for five years.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
UNITED WAY'S FLEA MARKET IS IN NEW LOCALE
Jan. 19, 2003 – It's that time again: all those items you've been storing because "somebody might need it someday" or "it's too good to throw out" are wanted for the United Way's annual Flea Market. So go through your collection in your attics, garages — well, wherever you store your stuff that in cold climates gets stored in the attics and basements — and see what you can part with for the benefit of the United Way.
This year's Flea Market will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at a new location: the American Legion Hall in Sub Base. For the event, the United Way seeks previously-owned household goods, toys, books, furniture, appliances, clothing and accessories, which will be resold at "fabulously low prices," said a release.
Mark your calendar and plan to attend, as there'll be more than pre-owned merchandise. United Way's member agencies will be on hand to sell local food and drinks, plants, and books, as well as to explain their service programs.
The value of items donated to the United Way is tax deductible. To donate goods or to volunteer to assist with the event, please contact executive director Thyra Hammond at 774-3185. For more about the United Way's services and fund-raising efforts, see The Source article in Community/Other stuff section.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
This year's Flea Market will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at a new location: the American Legion Hall in Sub Base. For the event, the United Way seeks previously-owned household goods, toys, books, furniture, appliances, clothing and accessories, which will be resold at "fabulously low prices," said a release.
Mark your calendar and plan to attend, as there'll be more than pre-owned merchandise. United Way's member agencies will be on hand to sell local food and drinks, plants, and books, as well as to explain their service programs.
The value of items donated to the United Way is tax deductible. To donate goods or to volunteer to assist with the event, please contact executive director Thyra Hammond at 774-3185. For more about the United Way's services and fund-raising efforts, see The Source article in Community/Other stuff section.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
FEBRUARY 2003 BRAINSTORM
Handle each piece of paper — twice
Most time-management books tell you that you should only handle each piece of paper once, but I've found that many times I'm not ready to deal with the paper right then, and I am not sure when will be the best time to deal with it; so I put it in a Pending box. There, things pile up until they get so intimidating that I do not even want to look at them anymore.
However, I have found one thing that helps: putting a sticky note on the piece of paper, describing the action needed. This way I know that when I go back to it, my course of action is already there, ready to be implemented.
Tip: If you have a similar tendency to pile up paper, try this technique and notice whether it changes your attitude toward that formerly daunting backlog.
The e-mail challenge
Even people who handle paperwork well can get bogged down handling e-mail. The trick is to treat it just the same as you would paper. Three steps usually are enough: First, go through and trash all the spam. Next, delegate anything you do not need to take care of by forwarding the e-mail message to the relevant person along with a very brief note. For the rest, immediately respond to anything you can deal with very quickly. Everything else, print it out and put it into your calendar folders (or however you file things you will be taking care of at another time).
Tip: Do not let your e-mailbox get clogged up with messages that you intend to take care of "sometime soon."
Draw a clarity map
Creativity expert Joyce Wycoff, founder of the Innovation Network, recommends drawing a "clarity map" when you need to make a decision about pursuing a new project or idea. To prepare, she suggests asking yourself three questions.
1. What excites your interest and passion?
2. What are the factors that make you say "yes" to a new project or opportunity?
3. What makes you say "no" to a new project or decision?
Then you draw a mind map in which you put the subject at issue in the middle and draw three branches, one for excitement, one for the "yes" factors, and one for the "no" factors. On each branch you make sub-branches for all the aspects of the idea or project that apply. You will have an overview of the issue and should find it easier to make the decision.
Tip: You might find the Innovation Network interesting. (And if you are not familiar with mind maps, the Web site will teach you how to make them in eight easy steps). The free Innovation Network newsletter is also worth receiving, and you can sign up for it at the Web site.
Do something messy
In a recent issue of How magazine, the folks at StudioFEM, Detroit, suggested a method artists can use if they feel their creativity is blocked. They set aside a half hour to an hour to create a picture that incorporates anything and everything that comes to mind. Knowing that it does not have to be good and that they will throw it away at the end removes all pressure and allows ideas to start flowing. They treat it as a form of meditation rather as a piece of work.
Tip: Try adapting this process to what you do. If you feel blocked or reluctant to get started, spend a bit of time doing the sloppiest, most free-form version of whatever it is you are supposed to be doing, knowing that at the end you will throw away whatever you've come up with. If you're avoiding making a telephone call, for example, role-play the call and be as silly and playful as you like. If you are putting off starting a piece of writing, make a list of the worst opening lines you can think of.
Early registration discount for CYF workshop
On Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, in London, I will be offering the "Create Your Future" workshop for people ready to create the life they really want. It's intensive, interactive and fun. To obtain more information, contact us by calling 0-207-580-4997 or e-mailing to Brainstorm-UK. There's a discount for early registration, and space is limited, so contact us now and we'll e-mail you the workshop brochure or reserve your place immediately.
Stare at the water (or whatever)
Here's an interesting technique for calming your mind that comes from a famous creativity in business course taught by Prof. Michael Ray at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. One of his graduates, Bob Moog, said of this technique: "I find that if you do go someplace where there's water, and then you just stare at the water and think about it, that releases tension. It can be an ocean, it can be a lake, it can be rain, it can even be a glass of water — there's just something about that fluidity that is really relaxing. It opens up your mind and allows you to think differently about things."
Tip: Looking at water works for a lot of people. I find a small desktop fountain very soothing, but for you it might be looking at flowers, or a miniature desktop Zen sand garden, or something else. Try different things until you find the one that works best for you.
A quote to think about
When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and he opens the way for a better understanding.
— Robert Henri
We welcome your comments. Send them to Brainstorm
(Contents copyright 2002, Jurgen Wolff)
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
Most time-management books tell you that you should only handle each piece of paper once, but I've found that many times I'm not ready to deal with the paper right then, and I am not sure when will be the best time to deal with it; so I put it in a Pending box. There, things pile up until they get so intimidating that I do not even want to look at them anymore.
However, I have found one thing that helps: putting a sticky note on the piece of paper, describing the action needed. This way I know that when I go back to it, my course of action is already there, ready to be implemented.
Tip: If you have a similar tendency to pile up paper, try this technique and notice whether it changes your attitude toward that formerly daunting backlog.
The e-mail challenge
Even people who handle paperwork well can get bogged down handling e-mail. The trick is to treat it just the same as you would paper. Three steps usually are enough: First, go through and trash all the spam. Next, delegate anything you do not need to take care of by forwarding the e-mail message to the relevant person along with a very brief note. For the rest, immediately respond to anything you can deal with very quickly. Everything else, print it out and put it into your calendar folders (or however you file things you will be taking care of at another time).
Tip: Do not let your e-mailbox get clogged up with messages that you intend to take care of "sometime soon."
Draw a clarity map
Creativity expert Joyce Wycoff, founder of the Innovation Network, recommends drawing a "clarity map" when you need to make a decision about pursuing a new project or idea. To prepare, she suggests asking yourself three questions.
1. What excites your interest and passion?
2. What are the factors that make you say "yes" to a new project or opportunity?
3. What makes you say "no" to a new project or decision?
Then you draw a mind map in which you put the subject at issue in the middle and draw three branches, one for excitement, one for the "yes" factors, and one for the "no" factors. On each branch you make sub-branches for all the aspects of the idea or project that apply. You will have an overview of the issue and should find it easier to make the decision.
Tip: You might find the Innovation Network interesting. (And if you are not familiar with mind maps, the Web site will teach you how to make them in eight easy steps). The free Innovation Network newsletter is also worth receiving, and you can sign up for it at the Web site.
Do something messy
In a recent issue of How magazine, the folks at StudioFEM, Detroit, suggested a method artists can use if they feel their creativity is blocked. They set aside a half hour to an hour to create a picture that incorporates anything and everything that comes to mind. Knowing that it does not have to be good and that they will throw it away at the end removes all pressure and allows ideas to start flowing. They treat it as a form of meditation rather as a piece of work.
Tip: Try adapting this process to what you do. If you feel blocked or reluctant to get started, spend a bit of time doing the sloppiest, most free-form version of whatever it is you are supposed to be doing, knowing that at the end you will throw away whatever you've come up with. If you're avoiding making a telephone call, for example, role-play the call and be as silly and playful as you like. If you are putting off starting a piece of writing, make a list of the worst opening lines you can think of.
Early registration discount for CYF workshop
On Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, in London, I will be offering the "Create Your Future" workshop for people ready to create the life they really want. It's intensive, interactive and fun. To obtain more information, contact us by calling 0-207-580-4997 or e-mailing to Brainstorm-UK. There's a discount for early registration, and space is limited, so contact us now and we'll e-mail you the workshop brochure or reserve your place immediately.
Stare at the water (or whatever)
Here's an interesting technique for calming your mind that comes from a famous creativity in business course taught by Prof. Michael Ray at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. One of his graduates, Bob Moog, said of this technique: "I find that if you do go someplace where there's water, and then you just stare at the water and think about it, that releases tension. It can be an ocean, it can be a lake, it can be rain, it can even be a glass of water — there's just something about that fluidity that is really relaxing. It opens up your mind and allows you to think differently about things."
Tip: Looking at water works for a lot of people. I find a small desktop fountain very soothing, but for you it might be looking at flowers, or a miniature desktop Zen sand garden, or something else. Try different things until you find the one that works best for you.
A quote to think about
When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and he opens the way for a better understanding.
— Robert Henri
We welcome your comments. Send them to Brainstorm
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
FEBRUARY 2003 BRAINSTORM
Handle each piece of paper — twice
Most time-management books tell you that you should only handle each piece of paper once, but I've found that many times I'm not ready to deal with the paper right then, and I am not sure when will be the best time to deal with it; so I put it in a Pending box. There, things pile up until they get so intimidating that I do not even want to look at them anymore.
However, I have found one thing that helps: putting a sticky note on the piece of paper, describing the action needed. This way I know that when I go back to it, my course of action is already there, ready to be implemented.
Tip: If you have a similar tendency to pile up paper, try this technique and notice whether it changes your attitude toward that formerly daunting backlog.
The e-mail challenge
Even people who handle paperwork well can get bogged down handling e-mail. The trick is to treat it just the same as you would paper. Three steps usually are enough: First, go through and trash all the spam. Next, delegate anything you do not need to take care of by forwarding the e-mail message to the relevant person along with a very brief note. For the rest, immediately respond to anything you can deal with very quickly. Everything else, print it out and put it into your calendar folders (or however you file things you will be taking care of at another time).
Tip: Do not let your e-mailbox get clogged up with messages that you intend to take care of "sometime soon."
Draw a clarity map
Creativity expert Joyce Wycoff, founder of the Innovation Network, recommends drawing a "clarity map" when you need to make a decision about pursuing a new project or idea. To prepare, she suggests asking yourself three questions.
1. What excites your interest and passion?
2. What are the factors that make you say "yes" to a new project or opportunity?
3. What makes you say "no" to a new project or decision?
Then you draw a mind map in which you put the subject at issue in the middle and draw three branches, one for excitement, one for the "yes" factors, and one for the "no" factors. On each branch you make sub-branches for all the aspects of the idea or project that apply. You will have an overview of the issue and should find it easier to make the decision.
Tip: You might find the Innovation Network interesting. (And if you are not familiar with mind maps, the Web site will teach you how to make them in eight easy steps). The free Innovation Network newsletter is also worth receiving, and you can sign up for it at the Web site.
Do something messy
In a recent issue of How magazine, the folks at StudioFEM, Detroit, suggested a method artists can use if they feel their creativity is blocked. They set aside a half hour to an hour to create a picture that incorporates anything and everything that comes to mind. Knowing that it does not have to be good and that they will throw it away at the end removes all pressure and allows ideas to start flowing. They treat it as a form of meditation rather as a piece of work.
Tip: Try adapting this process to what you do. If you feel blocked or reluctant to get started, spend a bit of time doing the sloppiest, most free-form version of whatever it is you are supposed to be doing, knowing that at the end you will throw away whatever you've come up with. If you're avoiding making a telephone call, for example, role-play the call and be as silly and playful as you like. If you are putting off starting a piece of writing, make a list of the worst opening lines you can think of.
Early registration discount for CYF workshop
On Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, in London, I will be offering the "Create Your Future" workshop for people ready to create the life they really want. It's intensive, interactive and fun. To obtain more information, contact us by calling 0-207-580-4997 or e-mailing to Brainstorm-UK. There's a discount for early registration, and space is limited, so contact us now and we'll e-mail you the workshop brochure or reserve your place immediately.
Stare at the water (or whatever)
Here's an interesting technique for calming your mind that comes from a famous creativity in business course taught by Prof. Michael Ray at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. One of his graduates, Bob Moog, said of this technique: "I find that if you do go someplace where there's water, and then you just stare at the water and think about it, that releases tension. It can be an ocean, it can be a lake, it can be rain, it can even be a glass of water — there's just something about that fluidity that is really relaxing. It opens up your mind and allows you to think differently about things."
Tip: Looking at water works for a lot of people. I find a small desktop fountain very soothing, but for you it might be looking at flowers, or a miniature desktop Zen sand garden, or something else. Try different things until you find the one that works best for you.
A quote to think about
When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and he opens the way for a better understanding.
— Robert Henri
We welcome your comments. Send them to Brainstorm
(Contents copyright 2002, Jurgen Wolff)
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
Most time-management books tell you that you should only handle each piece of paper once, but I've found that many times I'm not ready to deal with the paper right then, and I am not sure when will be the best time to deal with it; so I put it in a Pending box. There, things pile up until they get so intimidating that I do not even want to look at them anymore.
However, I have found one thing that helps: putting a sticky note on the piece of paper, describing the action needed. This way I know that when I go back to it, my course of action is already there, ready to be implemented.
Tip: If you have a similar tendency to pile up paper, try this technique and notice whether it changes your attitude toward that formerly daunting backlog.
The e-mail challenge
Even people who handle paperwork well can get bogged down handling e-mail. The trick is to treat it just the same as you would paper. Three steps usually are enough: First, go through and trash all the spam. Next, delegate anything you do not need to take care of by forwarding the e-mail message to the relevant person along with a very brief note. For the rest, immediately respond to anything you can deal with very quickly. Everything else, print it out and put it into your calendar folders (or however you file things you will be taking care of at another time).
Tip: Do not let your e-mailbox get clogged up with messages that you intend to take care of "sometime soon."
Draw a clarity map
Creativity expert Joyce Wycoff, founder of the Innovation Network, recommends drawing a "clarity map" when you need to make a decision about pursuing a new project or idea. To prepare, she suggests asking yourself three questions.
1. What excites your interest and passion?
2. What are the factors that make you say "yes" to a new project or opportunity?
3. What makes you say "no" to a new project or decision?
Then you draw a mind map in which you put the subject at issue in the middle and draw three branches, one for excitement, one for the "yes" factors, and one for the "no" factors. On each branch you make sub-branches for all the aspects of the idea or project that apply. You will have an overview of the issue and should find it easier to make the decision.
Tip: You might find the Innovation Network interesting. (And if you are not familiar with mind maps, the Web site will teach you how to make them in eight easy steps). The free Innovation Network newsletter is also worth receiving, and you can sign up for it at the Web site.
Do something messy
In a recent issue of How magazine, the folks at StudioFEM, Detroit, suggested a method artists can use if they feel their creativity is blocked. They set aside a half hour to an hour to create a picture that incorporates anything and everything that comes to mind. Knowing that it does not have to be good and that they will throw it away at the end removes all pressure and allows ideas to start flowing. They treat it as a form of meditation rather as a piece of work.
Tip: Try adapting this process to what you do. If you feel blocked or reluctant to get started, spend a bit of time doing the sloppiest, most free-form version of whatever it is you are supposed to be doing, knowing that at the end you will throw away whatever you've come up with. If you're avoiding making a telephone call, for example, role-play the call and be as silly and playful as you like. If you are putting off starting a piece of writing, make a list of the worst opening lines you can think of.
Early registration discount for CYF workshop
On Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, in London, I will be offering the "Create Your Future" workshop for people ready to create the life they really want. It's intensive, interactive and fun. To obtain more information, contact us by calling 0-207-580-4997 or e-mailing to Brainstorm-UK. There's a discount for early registration, and space is limited, so contact us now and we'll e-mail you the workshop brochure or reserve your place immediately.
Stare at the water (or whatever)
Here's an interesting technique for calming your mind that comes from a famous creativity in business course taught by Prof. Michael Ray at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. One of his graduates, Bob Moog, said of this technique: "I find that if you do go someplace where there's water, and then you just stare at the water and think about it, that releases tension. It can be an ocean, it can be a lake, it can be rain, it can even be a glass of water — there's just something about that fluidity that is really relaxing. It opens up your mind and allows you to think differently about things."
Tip: Looking at water works for a lot of people. I find a small desktop fountain very soothing, but for you it might be looking at flowers, or a miniature desktop Zen sand garden, or something else. Try different things until you find the one that works best for you.
A quote to think about
When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and he opens the way for a better understanding.
— Robert Henri
We welcome your comments. Send them to Brainstorm
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
FEBRUARY 2003 BRAINSTORM
Handle each piece of paper — twice
Most time-management books tell you that you should only handle each piece of paper once, but I've found that many times I'm not ready to deal with the paper right then, and I am not sure when will be the best time to deal with it; so I put it in a Pending box. There, things pile up until they get so intimidating that I do not even want to look at them anymore.
However, I have found one thing that helps: putting a sticky note on the piece of paper, describing the action needed. This way I know that when I go back to it, my course of action is already there, ready to be implemented.
Tip: If you have a similar tendency to pile up paper, try this technique and notice whether it changes your attitude toward that formerly daunting backlog.
The e-mail challenge
Even people who handle paperwork well can get bogged down handling e-mail. The trick is to treat it just the same as you would paper. Three steps usually are enough: First, go through and trash all the spam. Next, delegate anything you do not need to take care of by forwarding the e-mail message to the relevant person along with a very brief note. For the rest, immediately respond to anything you can deal with very quickly. Everything else, print it out and put it into your calendar folders (or however you file things you will be taking care of at another time).
Tip: Do not let your e-mailbox get clogged up with messages that you intend to take care of "sometime soon."
Draw a clarity map
Creativity expert Joyce Wycoff, founder of the Innovation Network, recommends drawing a "clarity map" when you need to make a decision about pursuing a new project or idea. To prepare, she suggests asking yourself three questions.
1. What excites your interest and passion?
2. What are the factors that make you say "yes" to a new project or opportunity?
3. What makes you say "no" to a new project or decision?
Then you draw a mind map in which you put the subject at issue in the middle and draw three branches, one for excitement, one for the "yes" factors, and one for the "no" factors. On each branch you make sub-branches for all the aspects of the idea or project that apply. You will have an overview of the issue and should find it easier to make the decision.
Tip: You might find the Innovation Network interesting. (And if you are not familiar with mind maps, the Web site will teach you how to make them in eight easy steps). The free Innovation Network newsletter is also worth receiving, and you can sign up for it at the Web site.
Do something messy
In a recent issue of How magazine, the folks at StudioFEM, Detroit, suggested a method artists can use if they feel their creativity is blocked. They set aside a half hour to an hour to create a picture that incorporates anything and everything that comes to mind. Knowing that it does not have to be good and that they will throw it away at the end removes all pressure and allows ideas to start flowing. They treat it as a form of meditation rather as a piece of work.
Tip: Try adapting this process to what you do. If you feel blocked or reluctant to get started, spend a bit of time doing the sloppiest, most free-form version of whatever it is you are supposed to be doing, knowing that at the end you will throw away whatever you've come up with. If you're avoiding making a telephone call, for example, role-play the call and be as silly and playful as you like. If you are putting off starting a piece of writing, make a list of the worst opening lines you can think of.
Early registration discount for CYF workshop
On Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, in London, I will be offering the "Create Your Future" workshop for people ready to create the life they really want. It's intensive, interactive and fun. To obtain more information, contact us by calling 0-207-580-4997 or e-mailing to Brainstorm-UK. There's a discount for early registration, and space is limited, so contact us now and we'll e-mail you the workshop brochure or reserve your place immediately.
Stare at the water (or whatever)
Here's an interesting technique for calming your mind that comes from a famous creativity in business course taught by Prof. Michael Ray at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. One of his graduates, Bob Moog, said of this technique: "I find that if you do go someplace where there's water, and then you just stare at the water and think about it, that releases tension. It can be an ocean, it can be a lake, it can be rain, it can even be a glass of water — there's just something about that fluidity that is really relaxing. It opens up your mind and allows you to think differently about things."
Tip: Looking at water works for a lot of people. I find a small desktop fountain very soothing, but for you it might be looking at flowers, or a miniature desktop Zen sand garden, or something else. Try different things until you find the one that works best for you.
A quote to think about
When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and he opens the way for a better understanding.
— Robert Henri
We welcome your comments. Send them to Brainstorm
(Contents copyright 2002, Jurgen Wolff)
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
Most time-management books tell you that you should only handle each piece of paper once, but I've found that many times I'm not ready to deal with the paper right then, and I am not sure when will be the best time to deal with it; so I put it in a Pending box. There, things pile up until they get so intimidating that I do not even want to look at them anymore.
However, I have found one thing that helps: putting a sticky note on the piece of paper, describing the action needed. This way I know that when I go back to it, my course of action is already there, ready to be implemented.
Tip: If you have a similar tendency to pile up paper, try this technique and notice whether it changes your attitude toward that formerly daunting backlog.
The e-mail challenge
Even people who handle paperwork well can get bogged down handling e-mail. The trick is to treat it just the same as you would paper. Three steps usually are enough: First, go through and trash all the spam. Next, delegate anything you do not need to take care of by forwarding the e-mail message to the relevant person along with a very brief note. For the rest, immediately respond to anything you can deal with very quickly. Everything else, print it out and put it into your calendar folders (or however you file things you will be taking care of at another time).
Tip: Do not let your e-mailbox get clogged up with messages that you intend to take care of "sometime soon."
Draw a clarity map
Creativity expert Joyce Wycoff, founder of the Innovation Network, recommends drawing a "clarity map" when you need to make a decision about pursuing a new project or idea. To prepare, she suggests asking yourself three questions.
1. What excites your interest and passion?
2. What are the factors that make you say "yes" to a new project or opportunity?
3. What makes you say "no" to a new project or decision?
Then you draw a mind map in which you put the subject at issue in the middle and draw three branches, one for excitement, one for the "yes" factors, and one for the "no" factors. On each branch you make sub-branches for all the aspects of the idea or project that apply. You will have an overview of the issue and should find it easier to make the decision.
Tip: You might find the Innovation Network interesting. (And if you are not familiar with mind maps, the Web site will teach you how to make them in eight easy steps). The free Innovation Network newsletter is also worth receiving, and you can sign up for it at the Web site.
Do something messy
In a recent issue of How magazine, the folks at StudioFEM, Detroit, suggested a method artists can use if they feel their creativity is blocked. They set aside a half hour to an hour to create a picture that incorporates anything and everything that comes to mind. Knowing that it does not have to be good and that they will throw it away at the end removes all pressure and allows ideas to start flowing. They treat it as a form of meditation rather as a piece of work.
Tip: Try adapting this process to what you do. If you feel blocked or reluctant to get started, spend a bit of time doing the sloppiest, most free-form version of whatever it is you are supposed to be doing, knowing that at the end you will throw away whatever you've come up with. If you're avoiding making a telephone call, for example, role-play the call and be as silly and playful as you like. If you are putting off starting a piece of writing, make a list of the worst opening lines you can think of.
Early registration discount for CYF workshop
On Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, in London, I will be offering the "Create Your Future" workshop for people ready to create the life they really want. It's intensive, interactive and fun. To obtain more information, contact us by calling 0-207-580-4997 or e-mailing to Brainstorm-UK. There's a discount for early registration, and space is limited, so contact us now and we'll e-mail you the workshop brochure or reserve your place immediately.
Stare at the water (or whatever)
Here's an interesting technique for calming your mind that comes from a famous creativity in business course taught by Prof. Michael Ray at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. One of his graduates, Bob Moog, said of this technique: "I find that if you do go someplace where there's water, and then you just stare at the water and think about it, that releases tension. It can be an ocean, it can be a lake, it can be rain, it can even be a glass of water — there's just something about that fluidity that is really relaxing. It opens up your mind and allows you to think differently about things."
Tip: Looking at water works for a lot of people. I find a small desktop fountain very soothing, but for you it might be looking at flowers, or a miniature desktop Zen sand garden, or something else. Try different things until you find the one that works best for you.
A quote to think about
When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and he opens the way for a better understanding.
— Robert Henri
We welcome your comments. Send them to Brainstorm
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ROAD LEADS TO DEBATE OVER HASSEL ISLAND TOWER
Feb. 20, 2003 – A 16-foot-wide swath of road climbing Hassel Island's Signal Hill is causing an ever-widening rift in the community.
The Port Authority, private property owners on the island, Atlantic Tele-Network chief executive Cornelius Prior, the V.I. National Park, Friends of the Park and Edward "Harmon" Killebrew, 26-year champion of the island's restoration, all have something to say. Some more than others.
At issue is not the road itself — easily visible from the downtown St. Thomas waterfront — but the proposed construction of a communications tower 80 to 90 feet high atop Signal Hill at the end of the newly cleared access road. The property is zoned W-1, Waterfront-pleasure, which does not allow for a radio tower.
Former senator Michael Paiewonsky, whose family once owned the whole island, is waging an e-mail and radio campaign against the project. He says he has sent out electronic messages to more than a thousand private and public entities and individuals.
The National Park Service owns the property the road is on and most of Hassel Island, but the Port Authority owns the Signal Hill area at the top of the road. Killebrew and Prior have leases for that property. Killebrew, doing business as Island Treasures Co., has a lease for 14,828 square feet, and Prior has the balance of the area, some 2,000 square feet. Killebrew wants to get a zoning variance to allow for the tower.
Opinions vary on the legality of the road on that property. A 1945 Public Works Department survey map of Hassel Island indicates a 35-foot-wide access road going up Signal Hill to the old signal tower and barracks. It is a drawing of "Estate Orkanshullet, #9 So. South Side Quarter," which includes at the top of the hill Cowell's Battery, the area where the signal tower stood beckoning mariners into the harbor and informing the town of incoming traffic.
Killebrew said he dug the map, which is now on the wall in one of the Coastal Zone Management offices, out of the archives in hopes of defining the situation.
The present road underwent several design changes before it was cut.
V.I. National Park Superintendent John King said the park "issued a permit to the Port Authority Sept. 18, 2002, in answer to a formal request to commence work on the existing easement access road." He said the park notified VIPA "to get the necessary permits" from the Planning and Natural Resources Department and its Coastal Zone Management division "and forward them."
Between that date and Dec. 27, King said, "We reviewed five versions and made revisions and submitted them to the Port Authority. For example, they wanted guard rails, but we objected about their visual impact. We also monitored environmental concerns, like water bras to divert water flow."
Pointing out that the park owns the land the road is on, Killebrew said: "They granted the Port Authority the right of way, but it's not a new thing — it's always been there. It wasn't in use due to the fact that it's on an angle, and it became a foot path after World War II when nobody used it." He said the U.S. Army built the initial road and the barracks.
Because of the turmoil stirred up by opponents, the project may be added to the agenda of VIPA's board meeting next Wednesday, according to Dale Gregory, Port Authority director of engineering and acting executive director in the absence of Darlan Brin, who is expected back on island Thursday evening. "It is such a hot topic now, he may add it to the agenda," Gregory said referring to Brin. "He is very much concerned about it; he may lead the charge in rectifying it."
At a VIPA press conference on airport landing fees last week, when asked about the proposed tower, Brin had said his objections were "aesthetic," adding that he might consider a shorter tower.
Partnership as a means to two ends
Killebrew is anxious to develop the Signal Hill area as a place to educate V.I. students with an eye to their later serving as interpreters of the historic site for visitors. He is quick to counter criticism that has been leveled at Prior, who he said is financing his project in exchange for being able to construct the communications tower.
Killebrew explained that he needed financing to pay for his lease and the equipment required for his project. He came up with the idea of a communications tower on the hill and he approached Prior about the project. He said Prior thought the student training project worth while and agreed to fund it.
"Mr. Prior and I are partners," Killebrew said. "I don't have the money to do what I want, but he is sponsoring the project — that's the situation. I got the permit to cut the road, but Mr. Prior paid for it."
Prior, who was off-island Thursday, told the Source last week that although he had been told by the Port Authority that he could erect a 90-foot tower on Hassel Island, he hadn't decided on what kind of tower it would be. His interest, he said, was in having better communications connectivity for downtown Charlotte Amalie. Atlantic Tele-Network is the parent company of Choice Communications.
Longtime Hassel Island activist Killebrew foresees junior and senior high school students using the old barracks building as a classroom while they work on restoring the ruins on the hill. He said, "The magazine is the first building on top, then Cowell's Battery and Fort Willoughby. They will be actually participating in the restoration, learning how to restore ruins." Their payback, Killebrew said, will be when they lead guided tours interpreting the ruins.
Killebrew was one of the first volunteer teachers on St. Thomas in the 1970s and has worked closely with the National Park Service and Friends of the V.I. National Park. He was a founding member of KATS — the Kids and the Sea program.
He wondered Thursday about the hue and cry on the talk shows about the project. "I got the permit. I was over there for three weeks. It didn't happen overnight." he said.
He conceded that the road needs to be covered to make it blend in with the hillside and is currently working on getting the road seeded. "The park will have to approve the seeds," he said.
Killebrew also said the road provides a natural firebreak and will be a lifesaver should there be a fire on the island. He said he has spoken to the fire chief, who highly approves of it for a place to run his fire trucks, if necessary. The brush atop Hassel Islands has twice caught fire in recent years when errant fireworks at the end of V.I. Carnival ignited the dry tinder.
Park partisans prefer low, or no, tower
King objects to the proposed tower. He said Wednesday, "I am concerned about the visual impact of the tower. We have written the Port Authority stating our objections." He said he suggested as an alternative, if it were "necessary and appropriate," that the tower be no higher than 30 feet and constructed as a historic replica of the original signal tower.
Since Signal Hill is not national park land, any decision must be the Port Authority's, he noted.
The tower issue aside, King heartily endorses Killebrew's project. "That's a great idea," he said. "We'd like to see some historical interpretation for children and others. It's a prime venue, especially for cruise ship passengers … For those not interested in a beach experience, and Hassel Island being in such close proximity to the cruise ship dock, it would be very convenient. It's a safe place for people to learn the island's history, a meritorious idea."
And, he added, "it would help relieve some of the congestion in the park on St. John."
Joe Kessler, president of the not-for-profit Friends of the Park, agrees with King, except he said he sees no need for any tower at all. "It's not in keeping with the rest of the park," he said. "It&# 39;s not being done on park land, which is part of the problem. It's an eyesore for people entering the harbor, and for people on Charlotte Amalie. It's so out of place, it would be nice not to do it at all."
Kessler said Killebrew has done a "great job" in helping to clean up the historic Creque Marine Railway ruins on the western side of the island, an ongoing project which he noted is one of Killebrew's passions. But he said the Friends are not involved in the Signal Hill project; "Harmon is into that on his own."
The Friends group is seeking to complete the cleanup of the marine railway, Kessler said, but the project is at a "hiatus" now. It is strictly a volunteer project, he said, and it is "difficult to find people willing to do that hard work."
Killebrew is disappointed at all the commotion the project has caused. "This is for the kids," he said. "That's what it's always about — the kids."
He said he hopes the VIPA board will consider a variance to his lease to allow for the tower Should the board approve a variance, it would require Senate approval, something Killebrew wants. "Then the whole situation will be out there for everybody to see, and the public will know what's going on," he said.
Paiewonsky said in one of his e-mails that "Neither Isaac Paiewonsky nor Ralph and Isidor Paiewonsky granted any 30-foot easement road across their land prior to turning that land over to the national park more than 30 years ago."
Although Paiewonsky has been openly critical of Prior and Killebrew in his e-mail barrage and on talk radio programs, it appears that all share a common idea. Killebrew wants a historic site restored by students in an educational effort to benefit visitors and locals; Prior wants to sponsor that effort; and Paiewonsky says he wants to see a "St Thomas park with all the cultural and economic benefits that will accrue."
It may be just a matter of getting there, although it doesn't appear that getting there will be "half the fun."
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
The Port Authority, private property owners on the island, Atlantic Tele-Network chief executive Cornelius Prior, the V.I. National Park, Friends of the Park and Edward "Harmon" Killebrew, 26-year champion of the island's restoration, all have something to say. Some more than others.
At issue is not the road itself — easily visible from the downtown St. Thomas waterfront — but the proposed construction of a communications tower 80 to 90 feet high atop Signal Hill at the end of the newly cleared access road. The property is zoned W-1, Waterfront-pleasure, which does not allow for a radio tower.
Former senator Michael Paiewonsky, whose family once owned the whole island, is waging an e-mail and radio campaign against the project. He says he has sent out electronic messages to more than a thousand private and public entities and individuals.
The National Park Service owns the property the road is on and most of Hassel Island, but the Port Authority owns the Signal Hill area at the top of the road. Killebrew and Prior have leases for that property. Killebrew, doing business as Island Treasures Co., has a lease for 14,828 square feet, and Prior has the balance of the area, some 2,000 square feet. Killebrew wants to get a zoning variance to allow for the tower.
Opinions vary on the legality of the road on that property. A 1945 Public Works Department survey map of Hassel Island indicates a 35-foot-wide access road going up Signal Hill to the old signal tower and barracks. It is a drawing of "Estate Orkanshullet, #9 So. South Side Quarter," which includes at the top of the hill Cowell's Battery, the area where the signal tower stood beckoning mariners into the harbor and informing the town of incoming traffic.
Killebrew said he dug the map, which is now on the wall in one of the Coastal Zone Management offices, out of the archives in hopes of defining the situation.
The present road underwent several design changes before it was cut.
V.I. National Park Superintendent John King said the park "issued a permit to the Port Authority Sept. 18, 2002, in answer to a formal request to commence work on the existing easement access road." He said the park notified VIPA "to get the necessary permits" from the Planning and Natural Resources Department and its Coastal Zone Management division "and forward them."
Between that date and Dec. 27, King said, "We reviewed five versions and made revisions and submitted them to the Port Authority. For example, they wanted guard rails, but we objected about their visual impact. We also monitored environmental concerns, like water bras to divert water flow."
Pointing out that the park owns the land the road is on, Killebrew said: "They granted the Port Authority the right of way, but it's not a new thing — it's always been there. It wasn't in use due to the fact that it's on an angle, and it became a foot path after World War II when nobody used it." He said the U.S. Army built the initial road and the barracks.
Because of the turmoil stirred up by opponents, the project may be added to the agenda of VIPA's board meeting next Wednesday, according to Dale Gregory, Port Authority director of engineering and acting executive director in the absence of Darlan Brin, who is expected back on island Thursday evening. "It is such a hot topic now, he may add it to the agenda," Gregory said referring to Brin. "He is very much concerned about it; he may lead the charge in rectifying it."
At a VIPA press conference on airport landing fees last week, when asked about the proposed tower, Brin had said his objections were "aesthetic," adding that he might consider a shorter tower.
Partnership as a means to two ends
Killebrew is anxious to develop the Signal Hill area as a place to educate V.I. students with an eye to their later serving as interpreters of the historic site for visitors. He is quick to counter criticism that has been leveled at Prior, who he said is financing his project in exchange for being able to construct the communications tower.
Killebrew explained that he needed financing to pay for his lease and the equipment required for his project. He came up with the idea of a communications tower on the hill and he approached Prior about the project. He said Prior thought the student training project worth while and agreed to fund it.
"Mr. Prior and I are partners," Killebrew said. "I don't have the money to do what I want, but he is sponsoring the project — that's the situation. I got the permit to cut the road, but Mr. Prior paid for it."
Prior, who was off-island Thursday, told the Source last week that although he had been told by the Port Authority that he could erect a 90-foot tower on Hassel Island, he hadn't decided on what kind of tower it would be. His interest, he said, was in having better communications connectivity for downtown Charlotte Amalie. Atlantic Tele-Network is the parent company of Choice Communications.
Longtime Hassel Island activist Killebrew foresees junior and senior high school students using the old barracks building as a classroom while they work on restoring the ruins on the hill. He said, "The magazine is the first building on top, then Cowell's Battery and Fort Willoughby. They will be actually participating in the restoration, learning how to restore ruins." Their payback, Killebrew said, will be when they lead guided tours interpreting the ruins.
Killebrew was one of the first volunteer teachers on St. Thomas in the 1970s and has worked closely with the National Park Service and Friends of the V.I. National Park. He was a founding member of KATS — the Kids and the Sea program.
He wondered Thursday about the hue and cry on the talk shows about the project. "I got the permit. I was over there for three weeks. It didn't happen overnight." he said.
He conceded that the road needs to be covered to make it blend in with the hillside and is currently working on getting the road seeded. "The park will have to approve the seeds," he said.
Killebrew also said the road provides a natural firebreak and will be a lifesaver should there be a fire on the island. He said he has spoken to the fire chief, who highly approves of it for a place to run his fire trucks, if necessary. The brush atop Hassel Islands has twice caught fire in recent years when errant fireworks at the end of V.I. Carnival ignited the dry tinder.
Park partisans prefer low, or no, tower
King objects to the proposed tower. He said Wednesday, "I am concerned about the visual impact of the tower. We have written the Port Authority stating our objections." He said he suggested as an alternative, if it were "necessary and appropriate," that the tower be no higher than 30 feet and constructed as a historic replica of the original signal tower.
Since Signal Hill is not national park land, any decision must be the Port Authority's, he noted.
The tower issue aside, King heartily endorses Killebrew's project. "That's a great idea," he said. "We'd like to see some historical interpretation for children and others. It's a prime venue, especially for cruise ship passengers … For those not interested in a beach experience, and Hassel Island being in such close proximity to the cruise ship dock, it would be very convenient. It's a safe place for people to learn the island's history, a meritorious idea."
And, he added, "it would help relieve some of the congestion in the park on St. John."
Joe Kessler, president of the not-for-profit Friends of the Park, agrees with King, except he said he sees no need for any tower at all. "It's not in keeping with the rest of the park," he said. "It&# 39;s not being done on park land, which is part of the problem. It's an eyesore for people entering the harbor, and for people on Charlotte Amalie. It's so out of place, it would be nice not to do it at all."
Kessler said Killebrew has done a "great job" in helping to clean up the historic Creque Marine Railway ruins on the western side of the island, an ongoing project which he noted is one of Killebrew's passions. But he said the Friends are not involved in the Signal Hill project; "Harmon is into that on his own."
The Friends group is seeking to complete the cleanup of the marine railway, Kessler said, but the project is at a "hiatus" now. It is strictly a volunteer project, he said, and it is "difficult to find people willing to do that hard work."
Killebrew is disappointed at all the commotion the project has caused. "This is for the kids," he said. "That's what it's always about — the kids."
He said he hopes the VIPA board will consider a variance to his lease to allow for the tower Should the board approve a variance, it would require Senate approval, something Killebrew wants. "Then the whole situation will be out there for everybody to see, and the public will know what's going on," he said.
Paiewonsky said in one of his e-mails that "Neither Isaac Paiewonsky nor Ralph and Isidor Paiewonsky granted any 30-foot easement road across their land prior to turning that land over to the national park more than 30 years ago."
Although Paiewonsky has been openly critical of Prior and Killebrew in his e-mail barrage and on talk radio programs, it appears that all share a common idea. Killebrew wants a historic site restored by students in an educational effort to benefit visitors and locals; Prior wants to sponsor that effort; and Paiewonsky says he wants to see a "St Thomas park with all the cultural and economic benefits that will accrue."
It may be just a matter of getting there, although it doesn't appear that getting there will be "half the fun."
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
NO QUICK FIXES FOR HOVENSA, SENATORS ARE TOLD
Feb. 20, 2003 – Full rehiring of the hundreds of workers recently laid off at the Hovensa oil refinery is likely a long time off, company spokesman Alexander A. Moorhead told a Senate committee on Thursday.
Moorhead, Hovensa's vice president for government affairs and community relations, said the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the mainland accelerated the decline of U.S. and world economies, both reducing the demand for petroleum and increasing security costs.
Last year, the situation did not improve, he told the Labor and Veterans Affairs Committee. "That, coupled with a sharp increase in the cost of general liability insurance coverage, caused Hovensa to have a net loss of approximately $90 million in 2002," he said
A lengthy, crippling strike in Venezuela, which had been providing 60 percent of the refinery's crude oil for processing and export, halted oil shipments in December and January, Moorhead said, and the South American nation currently is supplying about one-third the normal amount of crude oil.
Hovensa is a joint venture of Amerada Hess, parent company of Hess Oil Virgin Islands Corp., and Venezuela's state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela. It was created to secure financing for a $600 million coker facility that took two years to build and that began operating last summer, enabling the refinery to process lower-grade and less-expensive crude oil.
Until regular oil shipments resume and the U.S. economy improves to its pre-Sept. 11 level, Moorhead said, "it is unlikely that Hovensa will resume all of the programs that it has deferred or curtailed at the refinery."
Along with his grim projections, Moorhead did say that the refinery's financial situation has improved somewhat in the last week. Cold weather on the mainland increased the demand for heating oil, and shipments from Venezuela resumed in part, making it possible for Hovensa to increase production, he said.
"However, I must caution that this may only be temporary," he added, explaining that spring will bring warmer weather and the crude shipments could be sporadic, as the strike is ongoing.
"I've listened to your testimony, and frankly, my spirit isn't lifted," Sen. Norman Jn Baptiste, committee chair, said. "I haven't seen the hope I had looked forward to."
Moorhead would not speculate as to how a war with Iraq would affect the refinery's finances. However, he said that the Gulf War in 1991 did increase the demand for oil by the U.S. military.
Finding ways to shrink the cost of general liability insurance and reconsidering a law passed by the 24th Legislature that outlaws mandatory pre-dispute arbitration agreements are ways that the 25th Legislature could help put the company back on track, Moorhead said.
In the case of liability insurance, Hovensa's costs shot up to $8 million from $2 million just last year, he said. The rise was likely caused by insurers incurring high losses in lawsuits, despite a mandated improvement in the safety performance of the contractor workforce, Moorhead said.
As for the arbitration issue, he pointed out that Hovensa and the V.I. government are both spending scarce dollars in litigation over dispute-resolution agreements. Hovensa and at least one of its major contractors, Wyatt V.I., require non-union employees to agree to have disputes resolved by binding arbitration rather than litigation.
Labor Department officials were at Thursday's hearing to answer questions about the plight of workers displaced by layoffs.
"Please bear in mind that the strike in Venezuela has only compounded an already staggering unemployment rate in the territory, specifically on St. Croix," Assistant Labor Commissioner John Sheen said, reading comments on behalf of Labor Commissioner Cecil Benjamin.
St. Croix's jobless rate in December, the most recent month for which figures are available, was officially 12 percent. However, the actual rate could be significantly higher because the figure covers only displaced workers registered with the Labor Department.
Sheen said that of 300 Hovensa workers laid off in the last two months, 183 have filed for unemployment insurance. The Job Service Division has seen a notable increase in clients since January, he added.
Economic Development Commission tax-break beneficiaries are required to employ a certain number of local workers. But Sheen testified that decimation of Labor's own Enforcement Division means that compliance is not being fully monitored.
The division staff has dwindled from 14 employees to two. "I wouldn't say there is proper monitoring of the EDC companies," Sheen said. "It's impossible to say that all of them are in compliance."
Nadine Marchena, assistant chief executive officer of the Economic Development Authority, said the EDC Compliance Division had duties to those of Labor's Enforcement Division. However, she said,"ours is a much more detailed process in regard to other things we're looking for, like procurement, investment, training, etc."
Sheen said the mandates do not overlap: "We look more for residency requirements and discrimination issues. We would like to have compliance officers on the scale of the EDC, but we don't have the money."
Committee members present at the hearing were Sens. Baptiste, Louis Hill, Raymond "Usie" Richards and Celestino A. White Sr. The fifth committee member, Sen. Douglas Canton, was absent. Also present were Sens. Luther Renee and Ronald Russell, who are not committee members.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
Moorhead, Hovensa's vice president for government affairs and community relations, said the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the mainland accelerated the decline of U.S. and world economies, both reducing the demand for petroleum and increasing security costs.
Last year, the situation did not improve, he told the Labor and Veterans Affairs Committee. "That, coupled with a sharp increase in the cost of general liability insurance coverage, caused Hovensa to have a net loss of approximately $90 million in 2002," he said
A lengthy, crippling strike in Venezuela, which had been providing 60 percent of the refinery's crude oil for processing and export, halted oil shipments in December and January, Moorhead said, and the South American nation currently is supplying about one-third the normal amount of crude oil.
Hovensa is a joint venture of Amerada Hess, parent company of Hess Oil Virgin Islands Corp., and Venezuela's state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela. It was created to secure financing for a $600 million coker facility that took two years to build and that began operating last summer, enabling the refinery to process lower-grade and less-expensive crude oil.
Until regular oil shipments resume and the U.S. economy improves to its pre-Sept. 11 level, Moorhead said, "it is unlikely that Hovensa will resume all of the programs that it has deferred or curtailed at the refinery."
Along with his grim projections, Moorhead did say that the refinery's financial situation has improved somewhat in the last week. Cold weather on the mainland increased the demand for heating oil, and shipments from Venezuela resumed in part, making it possible for Hovensa to increase production, he said.
"However, I must caution that this may only be temporary," he added, explaining that spring will bring warmer weather and the crude shipments could be sporadic, as the strike is ongoing.
"I've listened to your testimony, and frankly, my spirit isn't lifted," Sen. Norman Jn Baptiste, committee chair, said. "I haven't seen the hope I had looked forward to."
Moorhead would not speculate as to how a war with Iraq would affect the refinery's finances. However, he said that the Gulf War in 1991 did increase the demand for oil by the U.S. military.
Finding ways to shrink the cost of general liability insurance and reconsidering a law passed by the 24th Legislature that outlaws mandatory pre-dispute arbitration agreements are ways that the 25th Legislature could help put the company back on track, Moorhead said.
In the case of liability insurance, Hovensa's costs shot up to $8 million from $2 million just last year, he said. The rise was likely caused by insurers incurring high losses in lawsuits, despite a mandated improvement in the safety performance of the contractor workforce, Moorhead said.
As for the arbitration issue, he pointed out that Hovensa and the V.I. government are both spending scarce dollars in litigation over dispute-resolution agreements. Hovensa and at least one of its major contractors, Wyatt V.I., require non-union employees to agree to have disputes resolved by binding arbitration rather than litigation.
Labor Department officials were at Thursday's hearing to answer questions about the plight of workers displaced by layoffs.
"Please bear in mind that the strike in Venezuela has only compounded an already staggering unemployment rate in the territory, specifically on St. Croix," Assistant Labor Commissioner John Sheen said, reading comments on behalf of Labor Commissioner Cecil Benjamin.
St. Croix's jobless rate in December, the most recent month for which figures are available, was officially 12 percent. However, the actual rate could be significantly higher because the figure covers only displaced workers registered with the Labor Department.
Sheen said that of 300 Hovensa workers laid off in the last two months, 183 have filed for unemployment insurance. The Job Service Division has seen a notable increase in clients since January, he added.
Economic Development Commission tax-break beneficiaries are required to employ a certain number of local workers. But Sheen testified that decimation of Labor's own Enforcement Division means that compliance is not being fully monitored.
The division staff has dwindled from 14 employees to two. "I wouldn't say there is proper monitoring of the EDC companies," Sheen said. "It's impossible to say that all of them are in compliance."
Nadine Marchena, assistant chief executive officer of the Economic Development Authority, said the EDC Compliance Division had duties to those of Labor's Enforcement Division. However, she said,"ours is a much more detailed process in regard to other things we're looking for, like procurement, investment, training, etc."
Sheen said the mandates do not overlap: "We look more for residency requirements and discrimination issues. We would like to have compliance officers on the scale of the EDC, but we don't have the money."
Committee members present at the hearing were Sens. Baptiste, Louis Hill, Raymond "Usie" Richards and Celestino A. White Sr. The fifth committee member, Sen. Douglas Canton, was absent. Also present were Sens. Luther Renee and Ronald Russell, who are not committee members.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
CULTURAL, SPIRITUAL TIES STRONG AT FOLKLIFE FEST
Feb. 20, 2003 – With a quick hop, Marquetta L. Goodwine, who carries the title Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation, was up on the platform and dancing with a group of Lockhart Elementary School fourth graders to the compelling lyrics of "Shake It Up."
Goodwine is the official liaison and spokesperson of the Gullah/Geechee Nation of the South Carolina islands of St. Helena, Polowana and Dataw. And she is the featured guest at the V.I. National Park's 12th annual Folklife Festival this week at Annaberg Plantation.
"I feel connected here. It's like a family reunion," she said.
There are many similarities between the Gullah/Geechee culture and that of the Virgin Islands, Goodwine said. While the hundreds of school children who attended the celebration had a bit of trouble understanding her when she spoke in her native language, she said it has similarities with the Creole language of the Virgin Islands.
And she sees a connection between her islands' plantation history and that of the territory. Her ancestors and those of Virgin Islanders, she said, "had the same kind of hardships, bondage and isolation on an island."
Goodwine said there is even a parallel in the historical account of slaves in the 1733 St. John rebellion jumping off the cliffs at nearby Mary's Point to their death on the rocks in the water below, rather than face recapture, torture and death at the hands of their captors.
She said that her islands saw a similar experience. In that case, the rebels walked into the water to escape slavery. "The islands are flat," she pointed out.
Yolandra Morton, busy selling calabash bowls, bird feeders and jewelry, also felt connected to those who jumped from the Mary's Point cliffs. "That's where my people died. I'm here to let their spirits know they can rest," she said.
Khalil Osiris, who accompanied Goodwine, said he felt a spiritual connection to Annaberg. "It's a pilgrimage for me, more than a trip," he said, describing how moved he felt when he visited Annaberg's dungeon.
Lockhart teacher Tisha Faulkner said it is important for students to experience black history at Annaberg. "Most of these children never heard of slavery," she said.
While the more than 50 students from Lockhart along with hundreds more from other schools learned about slavery at the folklife fest, they also explored plantation life.
"I learned they used a windmill to crush the cane to make the juice," Travis Clarke, 10, said.
The dungeon impressed Kayana Walters, 9. "It's where the slaves went when they did something bad," she said.
While history reigns at Annaberg, the students also got a smattering of nature in their lessons. "I learned don't touch certain trees unless you have supervision," said Dhuha Abiff, 9.
The festival brought out some of St. John's more senior residents, too.
Andromeada Childs, strolling with her friend Vashti Boynes, said it was good to get back to her roots. "It touches something deep inside of you … hearing an old time story or seeing a game," Childs said.
St. John residents Kent and Paula Savel were on hand as volunteer docents, giving park rangers a hand in helping visitors learn about the history of Annaberg and the island. "Just looking at a sign doesn't give you a sense of history," Paula Savel said.
It was very much a learning experience for St. Louis residents Knoll and Gail Walter, who just happened on the Folklife Festival as they were touring St. John on Thursday. "It taught us of life we're not familiar with," Knoll Walter said.
The festival continues through Saturday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday. For more background, see "Park folklife fest to focus on Gullah culture".
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
Goodwine is the official liaison and spokesperson of the Gullah/Geechee Nation of the South Carolina islands of St. Helena, Polowana and Dataw. And she is the featured guest at the V.I. National Park's 12th annual Folklife Festival this week at Annaberg Plantation.
"I feel connected here. It's like a family reunion," she said.
There are many similarities between the Gullah/Geechee culture and that of the Virgin Islands, Goodwine said. While the hundreds of school children who attended the celebration had a bit of trouble understanding her when she spoke in her native language, she said it has similarities with the Creole language of the Virgin Islands.
And she sees a connection between her islands' plantation history and that of the territory. Her ancestors and those of Virgin Islanders, she said, "had the same kind of hardships, bondage and isolation on an island."
Goodwine said there is even a parallel in the historical account of slaves in the 1733 St. John rebellion jumping off the cliffs at nearby Mary's Point to their death on the rocks in the water below, rather than face recapture, torture and death at the hands of their captors.
She said that her islands saw a similar experience. In that case, the rebels walked into the water to escape slavery. "The islands are flat," she pointed out.
Yolandra Morton, busy selling calabash bowls, bird feeders and jewelry, also felt connected to those who jumped from the Mary's Point cliffs. "That's where my people died. I'm here to let their spirits know they can rest," she said.
Khalil Osiris, who accompanied Goodwine, said he felt a spiritual connection to Annaberg. "It's a pilgrimage for me, more than a trip," he said, describing how moved he felt when he visited Annaberg's dungeon.
Lockhart teacher Tisha Faulkner said it is important for students to experience black history at Annaberg. "Most of these children never heard of slavery," she said.
While the more than 50 students from Lockhart along with hundreds more from other schools learned about slavery at the folklife fest, they also explored plantation life.
"I learned they used a windmill to crush the cane to make the juice," Travis Clarke, 10, said.
The dungeon impressed Kayana Walters, 9. "It's where the slaves went when they did something bad," she said.
While history reigns at Annaberg, the students also got a smattering of nature in their lessons. "I learned don't touch certain trees unless you have supervision," said Dhuha Abiff, 9.
The festival brought out some of St. John's more senior residents, too.
Andromeada Childs, strolling with her friend Vashti Boynes, said it was good to get back to her roots. "It touches something deep inside of you … hearing an old time story or seeing a game," Childs said.
St. John residents Kent and Paula Savel were on hand as volunteer docents, giving park rangers a hand in helping visitors learn about the history of Annaberg and the island. "Just looking at a sign doesn't give you a sense of history," Paula Savel said.
It was very much a learning experience for St. Louis residents Knoll and Gail Walter, who just happened on the Folklife Festival as they were touring St. John on Thursday. "It taught us of life we're not familiar with," Knoll Walter said.
The festival continues through Saturday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday. For more background, see "Park folklife fest to focus on Gullah culture".
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
JUDGE IRATE OVER MOVE TO SEND OUT 2001 TAX BILLS
Feb. 20, 2003 – District Judge Thomas K. Moore has chastised V.I. government officials for failing to follow his orders to fix the territory's system of assessing property taxes and accused the government of trying to usurp his ban on issuing any more property tax bills until an ongoing legal challenge is resolved.
Moore made his displeasure known Wednesday during the final hearing on the consolidated case of 11 V.I. property owners who are suing the government over what they say are grossly inflated tax bills based on replacement value, not market value.
According to a Virgin Islands Daily News report, Moore was particularly incensed over a bill submitted by the governor and passed by the Legislature at a special session last week calling for the Tax Assessor's Office to send out 2001 property tax bills calculated on the basis of 1999 assessments. The case currently in District Court is challenging the assessments made for 2000.
Moore was furious "that the government is interfering with his order," David Bornn, a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs, said.
Published accounts said the judge stormed off the bench and declared the hearing adjourned when V.I. Justice Department lead attorney Kerrie Drue rose to offer an explanation as to why the governor sought the Senate action.
Moore said the government was "wasting the court's time," Bornn said, and that "the governor was wasting the time of the Legislature and engaging in a charade."
And he told the V.I. government's legal team that their time would have been better spent trying to revise the tax system.
Attempts to reach Attorney General Iver Stridiron and Government House spokesman James O'Bryan Jr. for comment were unsuccessful Thursday. Stridiron was quoted in the Daily News as saying that it is not unusual for judges to get angry at lawyers. "We take the position that we believe is in the best interest of the territory," he was quoted as saying.
Gov. Charles W. Turnbull has yet to sign the property tax proposal. No government officials were available to comment on the prospects of his doing so. He could also veto the measure or allow it to become law without his signature.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
Moore made his displeasure known Wednesday during the final hearing on the consolidated case of 11 V.I. property owners who are suing the government over what they say are grossly inflated tax bills based on replacement value, not market value.
According to a Virgin Islands Daily News report, Moore was particularly incensed over a bill submitted by the governor and passed by the Legislature at a special session last week calling for the Tax Assessor's Office to send out 2001 property tax bills calculated on the basis of 1999 assessments. The case currently in District Court is challenging the assessments made for 2000.
Moore was furious "that the government is interfering with his order," David Bornn, a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs, said.
Published accounts said the judge stormed off the bench and declared the hearing adjourned when V.I. Justice Department lead attorney Kerrie Drue rose to offer an explanation as to why the governor sought the Senate action.
Moore said the government was "wasting the court's time," Bornn said, and that "the governor was wasting the time of the Legislature and engaging in a charade."
And he told the V.I. government's legal team that their time would have been better spent trying to revise the tax system.
Attempts to reach Attorney General Iver Stridiron and Government House spokesman James O'Bryan Jr. for comment were unsuccessful Thursday. Stridiron was quoted in the Daily News as saying that it is not unusual for judges to get angry at lawyers. "We take the position that we believe is in the best interest of the territory," he was quoted as saying.
Gov. Charles W. Turnbull has yet to sign the property tax proposal. No government officials were available to comment on the prospects of his doing so. He could also veto the measure or allow it to become law without his signature.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
NEW HOSPITALITY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN PLACE
Feb. 20, 2003 – The St. Thomas-St. John Hotel and Tourism Association unveiled its new internship program for young people interested in exploring careers in the hospitality industry at a luncheon meeting Thursday at the Ritz-Carlton Resort.
Internships have been offering young people a taste of tourism-related careers for years, the Ritz-Carlton's general manager, Jaime Holmes, said but the association wants to ensure more opportunities for them to truly get involved.
"What we want to do is take an already great program and bring it to the next level by adding a little structure to it," said Holmes, who also heads the association's Education and Training Committee.
Human resource managers at properties including the Ritz-Carlton, Westin St. John Resort, Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort, Renaissance Grand Beach Resort and Caneel Bay Resort are involved in the committee. For Caneel Bay's Celine Joseph, investing in internship programs is a way to make sure there will be a capable new generation of trainees ready to take their place in the industry. "It's the main industry in the Virgin Islands, and we need to train our young people to take over from us," she said.
If the new program meets its goals, Holmes said, pre-screened interns will be matched to specific interests, be they food and beverage, accounting or engineering. Even those students who are not sold on a career in the hospitality sector will get general exposure that will make them better-informed travelers, he said.
For former V.I. Carnival Queen Canika-Chisa George, the decision to pursue a tourism career stemmed from pride in her islands. Three years after graduating from Charlotte Amalie High School, she is executive assistant for the Hotel and Tourism Association.
"The islands are my islands. I grew up here. I was born here," George said. She said she is committed "to do anything to help the islands out, the economy, and to tell the visitors that come on island that this is a good place to be, either to live or to spend a couple of days."
The committee presented the details of the new internship program to the people who provide most of their interns in the form of a booklet handed out at the luncheon. It illustrates how students applying for internships will be interviewed, evaluated and assigned; how their progress will be tracked once they are placed; and how their responsibilities will be spelled out to work site managers and referring agencies.
If a student placement doesn't work out, there are guidelines for ending the internship and explaining why it happened.
Along the way, Holmes said, the committee has built in opportunities to coach the interns on the details that make a difference, such as good grooming, good posture and not showing up for an interview with friends or family members.
Internships are available for high school and college students. Selected high school students will receive a stipend. College students have the option of a stipend or getting college credits for their work.
The program was well received by the luncheon guests, including members of the staffs of senators in a position to refer students to the internships. Referrals are also expected to come from high school guidance counselors and The West Indian Co., which has run its own successful internship program for several years.
Shortly after the presentation was over, the referral process began, as counselors and sponsors sat down with committee members to ask questions about how their students can qualify for the new program.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
Internships have been offering young people a taste of tourism-related careers for years, the Ritz-Carlton's general manager, Jaime Holmes, said but the association wants to ensure more opportunities for them to truly get involved.
"What we want to do is take an already great program and bring it to the next level by adding a little structure to it," said Holmes, who also heads the association's Education and Training Committee.
Human resource managers at properties including the Ritz-Carlton, Westin St. John Resort, Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort, Renaissance Grand Beach Resort and Caneel Bay Resort are involved in the committee. For Caneel Bay's Celine Joseph, investing in internship programs is a way to make sure there will be a capable new generation of trainees ready to take their place in the industry. "It's the main industry in the Virgin Islands, and we need to train our young people to take over from us," she said.
If the new program meets its goals, Holmes said, pre-screened interns will be matched to specific interests, be they food and beverage, accounting or engineering. Even those students who are not sold on a career in the hospitality sector will get general exposure that will make them better-informed travelers, he said.
For former V.I. Carnival Queen Canika-Chisa George, the decision to pursue a tourism career stemmed from pride in her islands. Three years after graduating from Charlotte Amalie High School, she is executive assistant for the Hotel and Tourism Association.
"The islands are my islands. I grew up here. I was born here," George said. She said she is committed "to do anything to help the islands out, the economy, and to tell the visitors that come on island that this is a good place to be, either to live or to spend a couple of days."
The committee presented the details of the new internship program to the people who provide most of their interns in the form of a booklet handed out at the luncheon. It illustrates how students applying for internships will be interviewed, evaluated and assigned; how their progress will be tracked once they are placed; and how their responsibilities will be spelled out to work site managers and referring agencies.
If a student placement doesn't work out, there are guidelines for ending the internship and explaining why it happened.
Along the way, Holmes said, the committee has built in opportunities to coach the interns on the details that make a difference, such as good grooming, good posture and not showing up for an interview with friends or family members.
Internships are available for high school and college students. Selected high school students will receive a stipend. College students have the option of a stipend or getting college credits for their work.
The program was well received by the luncheon guests, including members of the staffs of senators in a position to refer students to the internships. Referrals are also expected to come from high school guidance counselors and The West Indian Co., which has run its own successful internship program for several years.
Shortly after the presentation was over, the referral process began, as counselors and sponsors sat down with committee members to ask questions about how their students can qualify for the new program.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
