Nov. 13, 2002 – It's official. A Virgin Islander could become a multimillionaire this Saturday with a Powerball ticket.
Austin Andrews, V.I. Lottery executive director, said at a public hearing Wednesday morning that the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), which oversees Powerball, approved the territory's participation late Tuesday afternoon. He said the tickets will go on sale Thursday.
This makes the territory the newest member in the massive lottery drawings, which includes participation by 21 states and the District of Columbia. The jackpot once reached almost $295 million, though the average prize is closer to $30 million. Andrews said Saturday's drawing is for $29 million.
Wednesday was the second in three public meetings Andrews has been holding on each island. The third meeting was scheduled at 4 p.m.Wednesday on St. John.
Ed Lewis, Leeward Islands Lottery Holding Co. vice president of government operations, said Powerball will be a boon to the territory. LILH is the parent company of Caribbean Lottery Services, which has been running computerized regional lottery games in the territory since mid-February.
"It's very powerful," Lewis said. "It will be very beneficial to the V.I. It will increase the 10 percent CLS now pays to the V.I. Lottery.
Lewis estimated Powerball could bring in about $3.5 million a year to the V.I. Lottery's ailing coffers.
Andrews agreed. "It will bring in some serious money," he said. Andrews said that in its 10 months of operation, CLS has paid the V.I. Lottery an average of about $80,000 per month.
He said the lottery is in better fiscal shape. "We're holding our own right now," he said, "which is better than when I took the job last year."
Andrews said the public seems to have a wrong perception of CLS. "We need to make the public understand that CLS is working for us, not against us."
When CLS began operation in February, there was concern, especially by lottery dealers, that CLS would injure the V.I. Lottery. Andrews made it clear that CLS is leading the V.I. Lottery out of its many years of being in debt.
One of the most pressing concerns right now, Andrews said, is security. "CLS runs the machines, but we are responsible for the money, a lot of money." Andrews said deadbolts and a new ceiling were recently added to the Lottery's computer room at its Barbel Plaza headquarters. "Security is one of the main concerns the MUSL had when they did their inspection last week.
"We are going to have two new enforcement officers on St. Thomas, and two on St. Croix," Andrews said. They must go through Police Academy training. Andrews said they would be paid out of the anticipated $3.5 million of Powerball sales revenues.
Though sales start Thursday, there are still kinks to be worked out. One of them is the commission ticket vendors will get on the Powerball tickets.
Vendors Maggie and Kenneth O'Neal asked Andrews how that would be worked out. Andrews said that it was one of the things he was still working on and that he would work on it Wednesday afternoon. He assured the vendors, however, that they would be getting a fair commission.
On V.I. Lottery ticket sales, the vendors get 20 percent, or $5 per ticket sheet. There are about 575 vendors in the territory.
Vendor Kenneth O'Neal said he expected his sales to go down initially. "It will affect us at the beginning. We will still sell traditional lottery tickets, but our odds will be better in time and make up for the loss."
Another boon for the local economy, Andrews said, will be Powerball sales to tourists. "They won't have to pay the federal tax here, so that will be a big inducement to play here, not in the states." He said that in the states they would have to pay both state and federal tax, about 27 or 28 percent. "Here, they would have to pay only one tax, our 28 percent," he said. "However, they would have to return to the territory to redeem their tickets."
Virgin Islanders and any of the territory's two million annual visitors will be able to purchase tickets from mobile agents and in any of Caribbean Lottery's 110 locations outfitted with the technology to print the tickets, such as gas stations, grocery stores and the company's offices.
Chances on the Powerball tickets are 36 to one, Lewis said. However, he meant on all the possible options included on the Powerball ticket. Players have nine ways to win on Powerball. For one more dollar, a player can get a Power Play ticket which entitles him to multiply his prize – except the jackpot – by two, three, four or five times.
To win the jackpot, you must match five white balls in any order, and one red Powerball. For more information on Powerball visit its Web site at www.powerball.com. There you can even discover names of past winners, but no helpful hints.
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AFTERNOON EARTHQUAKE SHAKES UP RESIDENTS
Nov. 13, 2002 – Buildings shook, cats went skittering across the floor and people clutched their furniture Wednesday as a 5.0 earthquake rocked the territory at 4:26 p.m.
"It was a good rumble," said Marilyn Mackay, who was sunning herself at the beach on the East End of St. John when she felt the wall underneath her start to shake.
According to geophysicist Waverly Person at the National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo., the earthquake was centered 45 miles east-northeast of Road Town, Tortola.
Person said he did not have the depth, but said it was "shallow," which he explained meant less than 42 miles under the earth's crust. He said the earthquake lasted about 10 to 12 seconds.
The Puerto Rico Seismic Network's Web site reported the earthquake as a 4.7 on the Richter scale. Different facilities have different equipment in different locations, so the reports often differ slightly.
The Seismic Network pegged the earthquake's center at 15 miles northeast of Anegada and recorded the depth at 15.5 miles.
Person said a magnitude 5.0 earthquake was not that unusual for this area. However, most are in the lower 4.0 range.
Person said he doesn't expect any immediate reoccurrences like the cluster of earthquakes that happened in October 2001.
During that swarm, the Seismic Network reports that the region saw 204 earthquakes, with the biggest being a 5.2 on Oct. 17, 2001.
Clayton Sutton, deputy director at the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency, said there were no reports of damage. Sutton added that the farther east one was, the greater the chance he or she felt this earthquake.
Kathy Demar, a resident of Catherineberg, St. John, was on the phone with a potential guest at one of her vacation villas when the trembling started. "He wanted to know if we were still going to be here," she said.
Demar said she was just getting ready to run out the door of her house when the shaking stopped.
Ashley Tomas, a clerk at Ace Hardware at Red Hook Shopping Center on St. Thomas, is a newcomer to earthquakes. She said she didn't know that they happened here.
"But I wasn't scared," Tomas said, adding that a woman in the adjacent store came running out during the earthquake.
Roger Damon, who lives at Ajax Peak on St. John, said he heard it rather than felt it. He speculated that because he was on the third floor of a concrete house, he wasn't able to feel the shaking experienced by others in the same neighborhood.
An office worker in downtown Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas said that everything in the office was shaking. "I had to go under my desk. I felt like it lasted two minutes or so," she said.
While this one set nerves on edge, it wasn't the big one that experts keep predicting will happen here. The odds are good that a severe earthquake will hit because the territory is in the same earthquake zone as earthquake-prone California.
According to the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Unit Web site, an 1867 tsunami generated from an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 between St. Thomas and St. Croix resulted in 20 deaths in the Virgin Islands.
Wednesday's earthquake was a reminder that Virgin Islands residents should be prepared for one that could cause major damage.
This means securing whatever you can. Things like gas cylinders and bookshelves should be secured to prevent damage to the items and to stop them from hitting someone if they fall over during an earthquake.
Should a big earthquake hit, residents should drop, cover and hold, meaning they should turn away from windows, crouch under a desk or chair, and if the desk or table moves, grab the legs and move with it.
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.
"It was a good rumble," said Marilyn Mackay, who was sunning herself at the beach on the East End of St. John when she felt the wall underneath her start to shake.
According to geophysicist Waverly Person at the National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo., the earthquake was centered 45 miles east-northeast of Road Town, Tortola.
Person said he did not have the depth, but said it was "shallow," which he explained meant less than 42 miles under the earth's crust. He said the earthquake lasted about 10 to 12 seconds.
The Puerto Rico Seismic Network's Web site reported the earthquake as a 4.7 on the Richter scale. Different facilities have different equipment in different locations, so the reports often differ slightly.
The Seismic Network pegged the earthquake's center at 15 miles northeast of Anegada and recorded the depth at 15.5 miles.
Person said a magnitude 5.0 earthquake was not that unusual for this area. However, most are in the lower 4.0 range.
Person said he doesn't expect any immediate reoccurrences like the cluster of earthquakes that happened in October 2001.
During that swarm, the Seismic Network reports that the region saw 204 earthquakes, with the biggest being a 5.2 on Oct. 17, 2001.
Clayton Sutton, deputy director at the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency, said there were no reports of damage. Sutton added that the farther east one was, the greater the chance he or she felt this earthquake.
Kathy Demar, a resident of Catherineberg, St. John, was on the phone with a potential guest at one of her vacation villas when the trembling started. "He wanted to know if we were still going to be here," she said.
Demar said she was just getting ready to run out the door of her house when the shaking stopped.
Ashley Tomas, a clerk at Ace Hardware at Red Hook Shopping Center on St. Thomas, is a newcomer to earthquakes. She said she didn't know that they happened here.
"But I wasn't scared," Tomas said, adding that a woman in the adjacent store came running out during the earthquake.
Roger Damon, who lives at Ajax Peak on St. John, said he heard it rather than felt it. He speculated that because he was on the third floor of a concrete house, he wasn't able to feel the shaking experienced by others in the same neighborhood.
An office worker in downtown Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas said that everything in the office was shaking. "I had to go under my desk. I felt like it lasted two minutes or so," she said.
While this one set nerves on edge, it wasn't the big one that experts keep predicting will happen here. The odds are good that a severe earthquake will hit because the territory is in the same earthquake zone as earthquake-prone California.
According to the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Unit Web site, an 1867 tsunami generated from an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 between St. Thomas and St. Croix resulted in 20 deaths in the Virgin Islands.
Wednesday's earthquake was a reminder that Virgin Islands residents should be prepared for one that could cause major damage.
This means securing whatever you can. Things like gas cylinders and bookshelves should be secured to prevent damage to the items and to stop them from hitting someone if they fall over during an earthquake.
Should a big earthquake hit, residents should drop, cover and hold, meaning they should turn away from windows, crouch under a desk or chair, and if the desk or table moves, grab the legs and move with it.
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.
EPIPHANY SETS AUDITIONS FOR 'THE SHADOW BOX'
Nov. 13, 2002 – A week before the opening of its first show of the season, "The Fantastics," Epiphany Theater Company of St. John will be holding auditions for its second planned production, "The Shadow Box."
The casting call for this prize-winning drama is for nine characters — four men, four women and one teen-ager. Epiphany's managing director, Paul Devine, said tryouts will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday and Monday, Nov. 17 and 18, at Julius E. Sprauve School.
Epiphany's Frank Bartolucci will direct the production.
"The Shadow Box" won playwright Michael Cristofer a Tony Award for best play and the Pulitzer Prize for best drama in 1977. It actually is three stories, each set in a cottage on the grounds of a large hospice. One critic described it as "a taut, poetic meditation on life, love and the ultimate journey."
Each of the three cottage inhabitants interacts with loved ones as all try to face and make sense of death. One is a working-class man whose wife, in denial, has not told their 14-year-old son of his father's condition. Another is a forthright gay man with a doting lover and a wild ex-wife. The third is a blind, wheelchair-bound but feisty woman with a long-suffering, dutiful daughter. The voice of an unseen "interviewer" from time to time poses questions in a rather mechanical manner that elicit insights into the various characters.
For more information about auditioning, call Devine at 914-2897.
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.
The casting call for this prize-winning drama is for nine characters — four men, four women and one teen-ager. Epiphany's managing director, Paul Devine, said tryouts will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday and Monday, Nov. 17 and 18, at Julius E. Sprauve School.
Epiphany's Frank Bartolucci will direct the production.
"The Shadow Box" won playwright Michael Cristofer a Tony Award for best play and the Pulitzer Prize for best drama in 1977. It actually is three stories, each set in a cottage on the grounds of a large hospice. One critic described it as "a taut, poetic meditation on life, love and the ultimate journey."
Each of the three cottage inhabitants interacts with loved ones as all try to face and make sense of death. One is a working-class man whose wife, in denial, has not told their 14-year-old son of his father's condition. Another is a forthright gay man with a doting lover and a wild ex-wife. The third is a blind, wheelchair-bound but feisty woman with a long-suffering, dutiful daughter. The voice of an unseen "interviewer" from time to time poses questions in a rather mechanical manner that elicit insights into the various characters.
For more information about auditioning, call Devine at 914-2897.
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.
PARADISE JAM SCHEDULE AND TICKET OUTLETS
Nov. 13, 2002 – The Paradise Jam Basketball Tournament at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center offers the community more than a week of great NCAA basketball – men and women. And the price is right for locals.
Tickets are $10 per game for local adults, $5 for young people ages 5-17. Out of state gamegoers are charged $40 per game.
Ticket outlets are: Connections on St. John, Family Health Center in Barbel Plaza, Modern Music in Havensight, Nisky Pharmacy, and The Race at Tutu Park Mall.
PARADISE JAM SCHEDULE
Nov. 22
6:15 p.m. St. Bonaventure vs. Virginia Tech
8:30 p.m. BYU vs. Toledo
Nov. 23
6:15 p.m. Kansas State vs. BYU
8:30 p.m. Michigan vs. St. Bonaventure
Nov. 24
6:15 p.m. Toledo vs. Kansas State
8:30 p.m. Virginia Tech vs. Michigan
Nov. 25
4 p.m. Fifth Place Consolation
6:15 p.m. Third Place Consolation
8:30 p.m. Men's Championship Game
Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day)
4 p.m. Duke vs. Hampton
6:15 p.m. Arkansas vs. Old Dominion
8:30 p.m. South Carolina vs. Oregon
Nov. 29
5 p.m. Hampton vs. Arkansas
6:15 p.m. Old Dominion vs. Duke
8:30 p.m. Oregon vs. Boston College
Nov. 30
4 p.m Boston College vs. South Carolina
6:15 p.m. Hampton vs. Old Dominion
8:30 p.m. Duke vs. Arkansas
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.
Tickets are $10 per game for local adults, $5 for young people ages 5-17. Out of state gamegoers are charged $40 per game.
Ticket outlets are: Connections on St. John, Family Health Center in Barbel Plaza, Modern Music in Havensight, Nisky Pharmacy, and The Race at Tutu Park Mall.
Nov. 22
6:15 p.m. St. Bonaventure vs. Virginia Tech
8:30 p.m. BYU vs. Toledo
Nov. 23
6:15 p.m. Kansas State vs. BYU
8:30 p.m. Michigan vs. St. Bonaventure
Nov. 24
6:15 p.m. Toledo vs. Kansas State
8:30 p.m. Virginia Tech vs. Michigan
Nov. 25
4 p.m. Fifth Place Consolation
6:15 p.m. Third Place Consolation
8:30 p.m. Men's Championship Game
Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day)
4 p.m. Duke vs. Hampton
6:15 p.m. Arkansas vs. Old Dominion
8:30 p.m. South Carolina vs. Oregon
Nov. 29
5 p.m. Hampton vs. Arkansas
6:15 p.m. Old Dominion vs. Duke
8:30 p.m. Oregon vs. Boston College
Nov. 30
4 p.m Boston College vs. South Carolina
6:15 p.m. Hampton vs. Old Dominion
8:30 p.m. Duke vs. Arkansas
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.
PARADISE JAM SCHEDULE AND TICKET OUTLETS
Nov. 13, 2002 – The Paradise Jam Basketball Tournament at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center offers the community more than a week of great NCAA basketball – men and women. And the price is right for locals.
Tickets are $10 per game for local adults, $5 for young people ages 5-17. Out of state gamegoers are charged $40 per game.
Ticket outlets are: Connections on St. John, Family Health Center in Barbel Plaza, Modern Music in Havensight, Nisky Pharmacy, and The Race at Tutu Park Mall.
PARADISE JAM SCHEDULE
Nov. 22
6:15 p.m. St. Bonaventure vs. Virginia Tech
8:30 p.m. BYU vs. Toledo
Nov. 23
6:15 p.m. Kansas State vs. BYU
8:30 p.m. Michigan vs. St. Bonaventure
Nov. 24
6:15 p.m. Toledo vs. Kansas State
8:30 p.m. Virginia Tech vs. Michigan
Nov. 25
4 p.m. Fifth Place Consolation
6:15 p.m. Third Place Consolation
8:30 p.m. Men's Championship Game
Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day)
4 p.m. Duke vs. Hampton
6:15 p.m. Arkansas vs. Old Dominion
8:30 p.m. South Carolina vs. Oregon
Nov. 29
5 p.m. Hampton vs. Arkansas
6:15 p.m. Old Dominion vs. Duke
8:30 p.m. Oregon vs. Boston College
Nov. 30
4 p.m Boston College vs. South Carolina
6:15 p.m. Hampton vs. Old Dominion
8:30 p.m. Duke vs. Arkansas
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.
Tickets are $10 per game for local adults, $5 for young people ages 5-17. Out of state gamegoers are charged $40 per game.
Ticket outlets are: Connections on St. John, Family Health Center in Barbel Plaza, Modern Music in Havensight, Nisky Pharmacy, and The Race at Tutu Park Mall.
Nov. 22
6:15 p.m. St. Bonaventure vs. Virginia Tech
8:30 p.m. BYU vs. Toledo
Nov. 23
6:15 p.m. Kansas State vs. BYU
8:30 p.m. Michigan vs. St. Bonaventure
Nov. 24
6:15 p.m. Toledo vs. Kansas State
8:30 p.m. Virginia Tech vs. Michigan
Nov. 25
4 p.m. Fifth Place Consolation
6:15 p.m. Third Place Consolation
8:30 p.m. Men's Championship Game
Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day)
4 p.m. Duke vs. Hampton
6:15 p.m. Arkansas vs. Old Dominion
8:30 p.m. South Carolina vs. Oregon
Nov. 29
5 p.m. Hampton vs. Arkansas
6:15 p.m. Old Dominion vs. Duke
8:30 p.m. Oregon vs. Boston College
Nov. 30
4 p.m Boston College vs. South Carolina
6:15 p.m. Hampton vs. Old Dominion
8:30 p.m. Duke vs. Arkansas
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.
PARADISE JAM SCHEDULE AND TICKET OUTLETS
Nov. 13, 2002 – The Paradise Jam Basketball Tournament at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center offers the community more than a week of great NCAA basketball – men and women. And the price is right for locals.
Tickets are $10 per game for local adults, $5 for young people ages 5-17. Out of state gamegoers are charged $40 per game.
Ticket outlets are: Connections on St. John, Family Health Center in Barbel Plaza, Modern Music in Havensight, Nisky Pharmacy, and The Race at Tutu Park Mall.
PARADISE JAM SCHEDULE
Nov. 22
6:15 p.m. St. Bonaventure vs. Virginia Tech
8:30 p.m. BYU vs. Toledo
Nov. 23
6:15 p.m. Kansas State vs. BYU
8:30 p.m. Michigan vs. St. Bonaventure
Nov. 24
6:15 p.m. Toledo vs. Kansas State
8:30 p.m. Virginia Tech vs. Michigan
Nov. 25
4 p.m. Fifth Place Consolation
6:15 p.m. Third Place Consolation
8:30 p.m. Men's Championship Game
Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day)
4 p.m. Duke vs. Hampton
6:15 p.m. Arkansas vs. Old Dominion
8:30 p.m. South Carolina vs. Oregon
Nov. 29
5 p.m. Hampton vs. Arkansas
6:15 p.m. Old Dominion vs. Duke
8:30 p.m. Oregon vs. Boston College
Nov. 30
4 p.m Boston College vs. South Carolina
6:15 p.m. Hampton vs. Old Dominion
8:30 p.m. Duke vs. Arkansas
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.
Tickets are $10 per game for local adults, $5 for young people ages 5-17. Out of state gamegoers are charged $40 per game.
Ticket outlets are: Connections on St. John, Family Health Center in Barbel Plaza, Modern Music in Havensight, Nisky Pharmacy, and The Race at Tutu Park Mall.
Nov. 22
6:15 p.m. St. Bonaventure vs. Virginia Tech
8:30 p.m. BYU vs. Toledo
Nov. 23
6:15 p.m. Kansas State vs. BYU
8:30 p.m. Michigan vs. St. Bonaventure
Nov. 24
6:15 p.m. Toledo vs. Kansas State
8:30 p.m. Virginia Tech vs. Michigan
Nov. 25
4 p.m. Fifth Place Consolation
6:15 p.m. Third Place Consolation
8:30 p.m. Men's Championship Game
Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day)
4 p.m. Duke vs. Hampton
6:15 p.m. Arkansas vs. Old Dominion
8:30 p.m. South Carolina vs. Oregon
Nov. 29
5 p.m. Hampton vs. Arkansas
6:15 p.m. Old Dominion vs. Duke
8:30 p.m. Oregon vs. Boston College
Nov. 30
4 p.m Boston College vs. South Carolina
6:15 p.m. Hampton vs. Old Dominion
8:30 p.m. Duke vs. Arkansas
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.
OUR CRIME PROBLEM
Dear Source:
The number of homicides is multiplying at an alarming rate and it appears to be getting the attention of the community at large. We have just completed what is considered the most significant process of our democratic system, that of electing representatives to our government. Did that exercise provide us with any hope of gaining control of our crime problem and particularly the high incidence of homicides? We have little less than two months for the year 2002 to come to an end and there seems to be no stop to the number of homicides in the territory. It is not the first time that the territory has experienced a high incidence of homicides in a calendar year. Can anyone remember how we have dealt with the crime wave in the past?
As I remember past performances of the V.I. Police taking control of the streets and consequently control of criminal activities in public places. As I recall there was a time police were more proactive in dealing with the high incidences of violent crimes. There was of course better leadership in the police rank and file than we have presently. I am a member of VIRPO (Virgin Islands Retired Police Organization). I and other members have been expressing our concern over the state of the Police Department and the level of lawlessness that is ever present in our community. We have been recollecting our experiences while on active duty.
We have been comparing the current state of the institution of law enforcement in the government. When most of us started in Public Safety, the former name of the Police Department, the police were the only peace officers or the principal law enforcement agents.
Today we have more agents with peace officer status than in any other period of our history, and law enforcement is at one of its lowest states. A consensus was arrived at: the principal difference is the commitment of the officers and the quality of the leadership. We discussed that perhaps someone should whisper to the governor that he needs to show better leadership and make some serious changes and provide the Police Department the help it really needs. Higher salaries, more vehicles or even more police officers are not the greatest needs; it is good leadership. The morale is very low in the department and that affects performance. There is too much in-fighting and lack of mutual respect among the rank and file police officers. While it may be politically expedient to offer high salaries and equipment, it does not solve the problem of the police poor performance. Human resource is most important, in my view, in any institution, but the current administration seems not to give much importance to that factor in seeking to improve productivity, better public service.
It is our hope that a new administration would realize the need to focus on the morale factor in our government service; that is the key to begin improving government service. Poor or bad leadership contributes to low morale. We need better training for top management and middle management as we raise the standard of performance. We need to reduce the influence of unions in public administration and not let them dictate administrative policies. We need more career administrators in place of political appointees to provide some higher degree of continuity in the administration of our government. We as a people need to be more involved in our government beyond voting for representatives; we need to be vigilant and monitor the performance of our public servants, elected and appointed. Let us pray that God Almighty will illumine our leaders and that they will submit to His will and do the right thing for all of us, the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
J.J. Estemac
St. Thomas
The number of homicides is multiplying at an alarming rate and it appears to be getting the attention of the community at large. We have just completed what is considered the most significant process of our democratic system, that of electing representatives to our government. Did that exercise provide us with any hope of gaining control of our crime problem and particularly the high incidence of homicides? We have little less than two months for the year 2002 to come to an end and there seems to be no stop to the number of homicides in the territory. It is not the first time that the territory has experienced a high incidence of homicides in a calendar year. Can anyone remember how we have dealt with the crime wave in the past?
As I remember past performances of the V.I. Police taking control of the streets and consequently control of criminal activities in public places. As I recall there was a time police were more proactive in dealing with the high incidences of violent crimes. There was of course better leadership in the police rank and file than we have presently. I am a member of VIRPO (Virgin Islands Retired Police Organization). I and other members have been expressing our concern over the state of the Police Department and the level of lawlessness that is ever present in our community. We have been recollecting our experiences while on active duty.
We have been comparing the current state of the institution of law enforcement in the government. When most of us started in Public Safety, the former name of the Police Department, the police were the only peace officers or the principal law enforcement agents.
Today we have more agents with peace officer status than in any other period of our history, and law enforcement is at one of its lowest states. A consensus was arrived at: the principal difference is the commitment of the officers and the quality of the leadership. We discussed that perhaps someone should whisper to the governor that he needs to show better leadership and make some serious changes and provide the Police Department the help it really needs. Higher salaries, more vehicles or even more police officers are not the greatest needs; it is good leadership. The morale is very low in the department and that affects performance. There is too much in-fighting and lack of mutual respect among the rank and file police officers. While it may be politically expedient to offer high salaries and equipment, it does not solve the problem of the police poor performance. Human resource is most important, in my view, in any institution, but the current administration seems not to give much importance to that factor in seeking to improve productivity, better public service.
It is our hope that a new administration would realize the need to focus on the morale factor in our government service; that is the key to begin improving government service. Poor or bad leadership contributes to low morale. We need better training for top management and middle management as we raise the standard of performance. We need to reduce the influence of unions in public administration and not let them dictate administrative policies. We need more career administrators in place of political appointees to provide some higher degree of continuity in the administration of our government. We as a people need to be more involved in our government beyond voting for representatives; we need to be vigilant and monitor the performance of our public servants, elected and appointed. Let us pray that God Almighty will illumine our leaders and that they will submit to His will and do the right thing for all of us, the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
J.J. Estemac
St. Thomas
Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to source@viaccess.net.
HUMAN SERVICES GETS $7.75 MILLION GRANT
Nov. 13, 2002 – The federal Department of Health and Human Services has granted $7,753,463 to the V.I. Department of Human Services for the full year Head Start and Training Program, according to a release from Delegate to Congress Donna Christian Christensen.
The additional grant is supplemental to the $1,093,000 given to Human Services in September. The money goes toward salaries and normal operating costs needed to run the program that assists 1,113 children in the territory.
For more information, contact the local Human Services Department.
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.
The additional grant is supplemental to the $1,093,000 given to Human Services in September. The money goes toward salaries and normal operating costs needed to run the program that assists 1,113 children in the territory.
For more information, contact the local Human Services Department.
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.
HUMAN SERVICES GETS $7.75 MILLION GRANT
Nov. 13, 2002 – The federal Department of Health and Human Services has granted $7,753,463 to the V.I. Department of Human Services for the full year Head Start and Training Program, according to a release from Delegate to Congress Donna Christian Christensen.
The additional grant is supplemental to the $1,093,000 given to Human Services in September. The money goes toward salaries and normal operating costs needed to run the program that assists 1,113 children in the territory.
For more information, contact the local Human Services Department.
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.
The additional grant is supplemental to the $1,093,000 given to Human Services in September. The money goes toward salaries and normal operating costs needed to run the program that assists 1,113 children in the territory.
For more information, contact the local Human Services Department.
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.
HUMAN SERVICES GETS $7.75 MILLION GRANT
Nov. 13, 2002 – The federal Department of Health and Human Services has granted $7,753,463 to the V.I. Department of Human Services for the full year Head Start and Training Program, according to a release from Delegate to Congress Donna Christian Christensen.
The additional grant is supplemental to the $1,093,000 given to Human Services in September. The money goes toward salaries and normal operating costs needed to run the program that assists 1,113 children in the territory.
For more information, contact the local Human Services Department.
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 additional grant is supplemental to the $1,093,000 given to Human Services in September. The money goes toward salaries and normal operating costs needed to run the program that assists 1,113 children in the territory.
For more information, contact the local Human Services Department.
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.
