Oct. 6 is the last day for registration for the general election. It is also the last day to change or cancel enrollment in a political party.
The Election System has extended St. Croix office hours every day through Sunday.
The schedule:
— Tuesday-Friday 5-7 p.m.
— Saturday, 10 a.m. -1 p.m.
— Sunday, the last chance – noon – 3 p.m.
ST. CROIX FOUNDATION TAKES 'CARE' OF THE LAND
Sept. 30, 2002 – St. Croix residents can look forward to new life at the Good Hope intersection later this month when three CARE Grant recipients begin transforming the busy intersection. Residents soon will see a cactus garden and ground covers.
Sylvia Thomas, CARE Grant Program administrator, said three grant recipients -– Steve Adams and the Music in Motion Parents Association, Helga Emde, and the Good Hope School Girl Scouts Troop -– have each adopted a corner of the intersection. Their plans for improvements include installing a cactus garden at the former dump site on the northwest corner and planting extensive groundcover on the northeast corner.
The CARE Grant Program was launched last year as a partnership between the Anti-Litter and Beautification Commission and the St. Croix Foundation for Community Development. Since then, it has enabled more than 30 individuals and organizations on St. Croix to embark on environmental education and beautification projects that benefit the entire community. And while its cycle is over, it has proven successful in providing money for small, environmentally focused grassroots grant initiatives.
"With the different initiatives we're seeing going on right now, St. Croix is the benefactor of long-term beautification efforts," Thomas said. "We hope to continue with similar projects so we can be proud of the added beauty of Ay Ay."
Anne Golden, Anti-Litter executive director, said the CARE Grant Program is one more success in the goal to "Keep St. Croix Clean."
"Our partnership with the St. Croix Foundation allows us to provide funding to community groups, government agencies, schools and nonprofit organizations to foster creative beautification projects," she said.
Golden said that, in spite of a decreased Fiscal Year 2003 budget and the governor's recent approval of the transfer of money from the commission to the Public Works Department, the commission intends to continue providing the resources for programs like CARE. "We're saddened by the shift away from the promotion of community responsibility to the bureaucracy," she said.
In addition to the work at the Good Hope intersection, several other CARE Grant projects got under way in September. Lumumba Coriette, founder of Ay Ay Eco Hike & Tours, conducted several mangrove ecology tours of Salt River with students from the Educational Complex, Central High School, Claude O. Markoe School and Good Hope School.
The St. Croix Women's Coalition began beautifying its East Street backyard, which co-director Mary Mingus said will be used for picnics and meetings. "There are some beautiful trees out there we want to take advantage of, but our normal budget would never have allowed us to do that," she said, "so, we're really grateful to Anti-Litter and the St. Croix Foundation."
At Elena Christian Junior High School, Joan Claxton, assistant principal, said students are cultivating flower gardens in front of the school and keeping the grounds litter free with new garbage bins and will be starting box gardens to grow peppers and plants for bush tea.
Delta Harris, La Vallee Development Association president, is spearheading efforts to revitalize the La Vallee Park. So far, with the help of friends and the Housing Parks and Recreation Department, the group has cleared and graded the softball field, repaired the basketball courts and begun fencing the area to keep sheep and goats from eating the landscaping. "It was basically a forgotten park," Harris said. "But eventually I want it to serve as a recreational sports facility, an after-school tutorial center and a senior center."
Residents can see the results of other projects, including:
– Improvements to Altona Lagoon by Lions Club East.
– New trees and lighting in front of the Whim Plantation Museum by the St. Croix Landmarks Society.
– Improvements to La Reine Fish Market by the Channel 12 teen talk show "Graffiti Street."
– Beautification projects at several schools by the Blue Marlins swim team and the St. Croix Swimming Association.
In Frederiksted, Our Town Frederiksted has landscaped the Children's Park, while the Clan Social Club and the Frederiksted Economic Development Association have painted and repaired benches and planted along the waterfront. Many of the groups will be putting up signs letting the public know they've adopted those areas, Thomas said.
A shining example of the success of the CARE Grant Program is the transformation of Girl Scout Camp Edith Consuelo in Estate Hope. Jacqueline Dennis, V.I. Girl Scouts Council president, said the CARE Grant Program has demonstrated the community's commitment to scouting. "The response from Girl Scout troops, adult volunteers, civic groups and the private sector was more than we could imagine," she said. "While we still have a challenging road ahead to transform Camp Edith Consuelo into a community camp, we know that we will get there, because the St. Croix community has shown it really cares about its children."
Dennis said the next cleanup at the camp is scheduled for Oct. 5.
To learn more about the dates and times of upcoming CARE Grant projects call:
– Ay Ay Eco Hike & Tours' Coriette at 772-4079.
– Women's Coalition co-directors Mingus and Clema Lewis at 773-9272.
– Elena Christian's Claxton, 773-4445
– La Vallee's Harris at 779-3767.
– The Girl Scouts' Dennis at 719-4759 or 774-3994.
– The St. Croix Foundation's Thomas, grants administrator, at 773-9898.
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.
Sylvia Thomas, CARE Grant Program administrator, said three grant recipients -– Steve Adams and the Music in Motion Parents Association, Helga Emde, and the Good Hope School Girl Scouts Troop -– have each adopted a corner of the intersection. Their plans for improvements include installing a cactus garden at the former dump site on the northwest corner and planting extensive groundcover on the northeast corner.
The CARE Grant Program was launched last year as a partnership between the Anti-Litter and Beautification Commission and the St. Croix Foundation for Community Development. Since then, it has enabled more than 30 individuals and organizations on St. Croix to embark on environmental education and beautification projects that benefit the entire community. And while its cycle is over, it has proven successful in providing money for small, environmentally focused grassroots grant initiatives.
"With the different initiatives we're seeing going on right now, St. Croix is the benefactor of long-term beautification efforts," Thomas said. "We hope to continue with similar projects so we can be proud of the added beauty of Ay Ay."
Anne Golden, Anti-Litter executive director, said the CARE Grant Program is one more success in the goal to "Keep St. Croix Clean."
"Our partnership with the St. Croix Foundation allows us to provide funding to community groups, government agencies, schools and nonprofit organizations to foster creative beautification projects," she said.
Golden said that, in spite of a decreased Fiscal Year 2003 budget and the governor's recent approval of the transfer of money from the commission to the Public Works Department, the commission intends to continue providing the resources for programs like CARE. "We're saddened by the shift away from the promotion of community responsibility to the bureaucracy," she said.
In addition to the work at the Good Hope intersection, several other CARE Grant projects got under way in September. Lumumba Coriette, founder of Ay Ay Eco Hike & Tours, conducted several mangrove ecology tours of Salt River with students from the Educational Complex, Central High School, Claude O. Markoe School and Good Hope School.
The St. Croix Women's Coalition began beautifying its East Street backyard, which co-director Mary Mingus said will be used for picnics and meetings. "There are some beautiful trees out there we want to take advantage of, but our normal budget would never have allowed us to do that," she said, "so, we're really grateful to Anti-Litter and the St. Croix Foundation."
At Elena Christian Junior High School, Joan Claxton, assistant principal, said students are cultivating flower gardens in front of the school and keeping the grounds litter free with new garbage bins and will be starting box gardens to grow peppers and plants for bush tea.
Delta Harris, La Vallee Development Association president, is spearheading efforts to revitalize the La Vallee Park. So far, with the help of friends and the Housing Parks and Recreation Department, the group has cleared and graded the softball field, repaired the basketball courts and begun fencing the area to keep sheep and goats from eating the landscaping. "It was basically a forgotten park," Harris said. "But eventually I want it to serve as a recreational sports facility, an after-school tutorial center and a senior center."
Residents can see the results of other projects, including:
– Improvements to Altona Lagoon by Lions Club East.
– New trees and lighting in front of the Whim Plantation Museum by the St. Croix Landmarks Society.
– Improvements to La Reine Fish Market by the Channel 12 teen talk show "Graffiti Street."
– Beautification projects at several schools by the Blue Marlins swim team and the St. Croix Swimming Association.
In Frederiksted, Our Town Frederiksted has landscaped the Children's Park, while the Clan Social Club and the Frederiksted Economic Development Association have painted and repaired benches and planted along the waterfront. Many of the groups will be putting up signs letting the public know they've adopted those areas, Thomas said.
A shining example of the success of the CARE Grant Program is the transformation of Girl Scout Camp Edith Consuelo in Estate Hope. Jacqueline Dennis, V.I. Girl Scouts Council president, said the CARE Grant Program has demonstrated the community's commitment to scouting. "The response from Girl Scout troops, adult volunteers, civic groups and the private sector was more than we could imagine," she said. "While we still have a challenging road ahead to transform Camp Edith Consuelo into a community camp, we know that we will get there, because the St. Croix community has shown it really cares about its children."
Dennis said the next cleanup at the camp is scheduled for Oct. 5.
To learn more about the dates and times of upcoming CARE Grant projects call:
– Ay Ay Eco Hike & Tours' Coriette at 772-4079.
– Women's Coalition co-directors Mingus and Clema Lewis at 773-9272.
– Elena Christian's Claxton, 773-4445
– La Vallee's Harris at 779-3767.
– The Girl Scouts' Dennis at 719-4759 or 774-3994.
– The St. Croix Foundation's Thomas, grants administrator, at 773-9898.
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.
V.I. BOND INDEBTEDNESS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION
Dear Source,
The Source's Sept. 25, 2002, story on the bond indebtedness of the government of the Virgin Islands (V.I. bonded debt soars to more than $1 billion") is astounding and invites the question of who is paying attention. This is a most serious situation and, like other serious problems, it must be addressed immediately and not postponed until another day.
The indebtedness of this government threatens the future of the territory overall. There are serious implications for both the private and public sectors of the Virgin Islands, and all of the current and future politicians must not only speak about but also set forth plans to control the "runaway" spending.
All of the bonds (revenue and general obligation) have been floated based on the return of federal taxes on rum, but that same tax source also supports general operating expenses for the central government. As such, 100 percent of the federal rum taxes returned to the territory cannot be dedicated only to retiring the bond indebtedness. There is a great danger in the reliance on this single source of revenue to retire the huge debt which the government has incurred. If there is no control of the ever-increasing debt, the territorial government could experience an implosion of astounding proportions which would amount to a collapse of government operations. If the bondholders are dissatisfied with the debt retirement schedule or if there is a default, they could call the debt as due and owing. In other words, if they want to be paid because of a default, they would demand everything within a certain short period of time.
A debt of more than $1 billion for the size of the territory (population of 110,000) with its limited resources should cause anyone who understands public financing to stop and take notice. Among those running for various political offices (governor and the Legislature), few have addressed this huge problem, and it would be interesting to see how their comments and solutions shape the debate on public financing. Someone has to have the courage to say, "Stop," let us take an inventory of where we are heading. The question should be couched as, "What are our real needs, as opposed to the things which would be nice to have?" While it is good to have what we "want," we must address the dire "needs" of the territory (health, public safety and education). Building of "monuments" must be postponed until the current indebtedness is reduced to a manageable level.
The average citizen who is affected should seriously look at the implications of government paralysis and its inability to render the basic services which will result from the drying up of key financial resources. Usually, we don't take notice and call for action until the storm is upon us, and that could be too late.
Depending on the federal government for a bailout is out of the question, particularly since the federal government is now back in a heavy deficit situation itself and will cut spending in many areas of operations in fiscal 2004. Aside from the bond indebtedness, the local government has carried forward a deficit of various large amounts from one fiscal year to another for years. It is a snowballing exercise and getting larger; in reality, the government has been deficit financing for quite some time.
Overall, the debt of the government is being passed from one generation to the next. This current generation says spend; let the next generation worry about paying it back. My hope is that the people of the Virgin Islands will take serious notice of the government's indebtedness now and not sweep the matter under the rug.
Eric E. Dawson
Fairfax, Virginia
Editor's note: Eric Dawson is a former commissioner of the V.I. Economic Development and Agriculture Department.
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.
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 Source's Sept. 25, 2002, story on the bond indebtedness of the government of the Virgin Islands (V.I. bonded debt soars to more than $1 billion") is astounding and invites the question of who is paying attention. This is a most serious situation and, like other serious problems, it must be addressed immediately and not postponed until another day.
The indebtedness of this government threatens the future of the territory overall. There are serious implications for both the private and public sectors of the Virgin Islands, and all of the current and future politicians must not only speak about but also set forth plans to control the "runaway" spending.
All of the bonds (revenue and general obligation) have been floated based on the return of federal taxes on rum, but that same tax source also supports general operating expenses for the central government. As such, 100 percent of the federal rum taxes returned to the territory cannot be dedicated only to retiring the bond indebtedness. There is a great danger in the reliance on this single source of revenue to retire the huge debt which the government has incurred. If there is no control of the ever-increasing debt, the territorial government could experience an implosion of astounding proportions which would amount to a collapse of government operations. If the bondholders are dissatisfied with the debt retirement schedule or if there is a default, they could call the debt as due and owing. In other words, if they want to be paid because of a default, they would demand everything within a certain short period of time.
A debt of more than $1 billion for the size of the territory (population of 110,000) with its limited resources should cause anyone who understands public financing to stop and take notice. Among those running for various political offices (governor and the Legislature), few have addressed this huge problem, and it would be interesting to see how their comments and solutions shape the debate on public financing. Someone has to have the courage to say, "Stop," let us take an inventory of where we are heading. The question should be couched as, "What are our real needs, as opposed to the things which would be nice to have?" While it is good to have what we "want," we must address the dire "needs" of the territory (health, public safety and education). Building of "monuments" must be postponed until the current indebtedness is reduced to a manageable level.
The average citizen who is affected should seriously look at the implications of government paralysis and its inability to render the basic services which will result from the drying up of key financial resources. Usually, we don't take notice and call for action until the storm is upon us, and that could be too late.
Depending on the federal government for a bailout is out of the question, particularly since the federal government is now back in a heavy deficit situation itself and will cut spending in many areas of operations in fiscal 2004. Aside from the bond indebtedness, the local government has carried forward a deficit of various large amounts from one fiscal year to another for years. It is a snowballing exercise and getting larger; in reality, the government has been deficit financing for quite some time.
Overall, the debt of the government is being passed from one generation to the next. This current generation says spend; let the next generation worry about paying it back. My hope is that the people of the Virgin Islands will take serious notice of the government's indebtedness now and not sweep the matter under the rug.
Eric E. Dawson
Fairfax, Virginia
Editor's note: Eric Dawson is a former commissioner of the V.I. Economic Development and Agriculture Department.
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.
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.
V.I. BOND INDEBTEDNESS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION
Dear Source,
The Source's Sept. 25, 2002, story on the bond indebtedness of the government of the Virgin Islands (V.I. bonded debt soars to more than $1 billion") is astounding and invites the question of who is paying attention. This is a most serious situation and, like other serious problems, it must be addressed immediately and not postponed until another day.
The indebtedness of this government threatens the future of the territory overall. There are serious implications for both the private and public sectors of the Virgin Islands, and all of the current and future politicians must not only speak about but also set forth plans to control the "runaway" spending.
All of the bonds (revenue and general obligation) have been floated based on the return of federal taxes on rum, but that same tax source also supports general operating expenses for the central government. As such, 100 percent of the federal rum taxes returned to the territory cannot be dedicated only to retiring the bond indebtedness. There is a great danger in the reliance on this single source of revenue to retire the huge debt which the government has incurred. If there is no control of the ever-increasing debt, the territorial government could experience an implosion of astounding proportions which would amount to a collapse of government operations. If the bondholders are dissatisfied with the debt retirement schedule or if there is a default, they could call the debt as due and owing. In other words, if they want to be paid because of a default, they would demand everything within a certain short period of time.
A debt of more than $1 billion for the size of the territory (population of 110,000) with its limited resources should cause anyone who understands public financing to stop and take notice. Among those running for various political offices (governor and the Legislature), few have addressed this huge problem, and it would be interesting to see how their comments and solutions shape the debate on public financing. Someone has to have the courage to say, "Stop," let us take an inventory of where we are heading. The question should be couched as, "What are our real needs, as opposed to the things which would be nice to have?" While it is good to have what we "want," we must address the dire "needs" of the territory (health, public safety and education). Building of "monuments" must be postponed until the current indebtedness is reduced to a manageable level.
The average citizen who is affected should seriously look at the implications of government paralysis and its inability to render the basic services which will result from the drying up of key financial resources. Usually, we don't take notice and call for action until the storm is upon us, and that could be too late.
Depending on the federal government for a bailout is out of the question, particularly since the federal government is now back in a heavy deficit situation itself and will cut spending in many areas of operations in fiscal 2004. Aside from the bond indebtedness, the local government has carried forward a deficit of various large amounts from one fiscal year to another for years. It is a snowballing exercise and getting larger; in reality, the government has been deficit financing for quite some time.
Overall, the debt of the government is being passed from one generation to the next. This current generation says spend; let the next generation worry about paying it back. My hope is that the people of the Virgin Islands will take serious notice of the government's indebtedness now and not sweep the matter under the rug.
Eric E. Dawson
Fairfax, Virginia
Editor's note: Eric Dawson is a former commissioner of the V.I. Economic Development and Agriculture Department.
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.
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 Source's Sept. 25, 2002, story on the bond indebtedness of the government of the Virgin Islands (V.I. bonded debt soars to more than $1 billion") is astounding and invites the question of who is paying attention. This is a most serious situation and, like other serious problems, it must be addressed immediately and not postponed until another day.
The indebtedness of this government threatens the future of the territory overall. There are serious implications for both the private and public sectors of the Virgin Islands, and all of the current and future politicians must not only speak about but also set forth plans to control the "runaway" spending.
All of the bonds (revenue and general obligation) have been floated based on the return of federal taxes on rum, but that same tax source also supports general operating expenses for the central government. As such, 100 percent of the federal rum taxes returned to the territory cannot be dedicated only to retiring the bond indebtedness. There is a great danger in the reliance on this single source of revenue to retire the huge debt which the government has incurred. If there is no control of the ever-increasing debt, the territorial government could experience an implosion of astounding proportions which would amount to a collapse of government operations. If the bondholders are dissatisfied with the debt retirement schedule or if there is a default, they could call the debt as due and owing. In other words, if they want to be paid because of a default, they would demand everything within a certain short period of time.
A debt of more than $1 billion for the size of the territory (population of 110,000) with its limited resources should cause anyone who understands public financing to stop and take notice. Among those running for various political offices (governor and the Legislature), few have addressed this huge problem, and it would be interesting to see how their comments and solutions shape the debate on public financing. Someone has to have the courage to say, "Stop," let us take an inventory of where we are heading. The question should be couched as, "What are our real needs, as opposed to the things which would be nice to have?" While it is good to have what we "want," we must address the dire "needs" of the territory (health, public safety and education). Building of "monuments" must be postponed until the current indebtedness is reduced to a manageable level.
The average citizen who is affected should seriously look at the implications of government paralysis and its inability to render the basic services which will result from the drying up of key financial resources. Usually, we don't take notice and call for action until the storm is upon us, and that could be too late.
Depending on the federal government for a bailout is out of the question, particularly since the federal government is now back in a heavy deficit situation itself and will cut spending in many areas of operations in fiscal 2004. Aside from the bond indebtedness, the local government has carried forward a deficit of various large amounts from one fiscal year to another for years. It is a snowballing exercise and getting larger; in reality, the government has been deficit financing for quite some time.
Overall, the debt of the government is being passed from one generation to the next. This current generation says spend; let the next generation worry about paying it back. My hope is that the people of the Virgin Islands will take serious notice of the government's indebtedness now and not sweep the matter under the rug.
Eric E. Dawson
Fairfax, Virginia
Editor's note: Eric Dawson is a former commissioner of the V.I. Economic Development and Agriculture Department.
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.
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.
V.I. BOND INDEBTEDNESS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION
Dear Source,
The St. Thomas Source's Sept. 25, 2002, story on the bond indebtedness of the government of the Virgin Islands (V.I. bonded debt soars to more than $1 billion") is astounding and invites the question of who is paying attention. This is a most serious situation and, like other serious problems, it must be addressed immediately and not postponed until another day.
The indebtedness of this government threatens the future of the territory overall. There are serious implications for both the private and public sectors of the Virgin Islands, and all of the current and future politicians must not only speak about but also set forth plans to control the "runaway" spending.
All of the bonds (revenue and general obligation) have been floated based on the return of federal taxes on rum, but that same tax source also supports general operating expenses for the central government. As such, 100 percent of the federal rum taxes returned to the territory cannot be dedicated only to retiring the bond indebtedness. There is a great danger in the reliance on this single source of revenue to retire the huge debt which the government has incurred. If there is no control of the ever-increasing debt, the territorial government could experience an implosion of astounding proportions which would amount to a collapse of government operations. If the bondholders are dissatisfied with the debt retirement schedule or if there is a default, they could call the debt as due and owing. In other words, if they want to be paid because of a default, they would demand everything within a certain short period of time.
A debt of more than $1 billion for the size of the territory (population of 110,000) with its limited resources should cause anyone who understands public financing to stop and take notice. Among those running for various political offices (governor and the Legislature), few have addressed this huge problem, and it would be interesting to see how their comments and solutions shape the debate on public financing. Someone has to have the courage to say, "Stop," let us take an inventory of where we are heading. The question should be couched as, "What are our real needs, as opposed to the things which would be nice to have?" While it is good to have what we "want," we must address the dire "needs" of the territory (health, public safety and education). Building of "monuments" must be postponed until the current indebtedness is reduced to a manageable level.
The average citizen who is affected should seriously look at the implications of government paralysis and its inability to render the basic services which will result from the drying up of key financial resources. Usually, we don't take notice and call for action until the storm is upon us, and that could be too late.
Depending on the federal government for a bailout is out of the question, particularly since the federal government is now back in a heavy deficit situation itself and will cut spending in many areas of operations in fiscal 2004. Aside from the bond indebtedness, the local government has carried forward a deficit of various large amounts from one fiscal year to another for years. It is a snowballing exercise and getting larger; in reality, the government has been deficit financing for quite some time.
Overall, the debt of the government is being passed from one generation to the next. This current generation says spend; let the next generation worry about paying it back. My hope is that the people of the Virgin Islands will take serious notice of the government's indebtedness now and not sweep the matter under the rug.
Eric E. Dawson
Fairfax, Virginia
Editor's note: Eric Dawson is a former commissioner of the V.I. Economic Development and Agriculture Department.
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.
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 St. Thomas Source's Sept. 25, 2002, story on the bond indebtedness of the government of the Virgin Islands (V.I. bonded debt soars to more than $1 billion") is astounding and invites the question of who is paying attention. This is a most serious situation and, like other serious problems, it must be addressed immediately and not postponed until another day.
The indebtedness of this government threatens the future of the territory overall. There are serious implications for both the private and public sectors of the Virgin Islands, and all of the current and future politicians must not only speak about but also set forth plans to control the "runaway" spending.
All of the bonds (revenue and general obligation) have been floated based on the return of federal taxes on rum, but that same tax source also supports general operating expenses for the central government. As such, 100 percent of the federal rum taxes returned to the territory cannot be dedicated only to retiring the bond indebtedness. There is a great danger in the reliance on this single source of revenue to retire the huge debt which the government has incurred. If there is no control of the ever-increasing debt, the territorial government could experience an implosion of astounding proportions which would amount to a collapse of government operations. If the bondholders are dissatisfied with the debt retirement schedule or if there is a default, they could call the debt as due and owing. In other words, if they want to be paid because of a default, they would demand everything within a certain short period of time.
A debt of more than $1 billion for the size of the territory (population of 110,000) with its limited resources should cause anyone who understands public financing to stop and take notice. Among those running for various political offices (governor and the Legislature), few have addressed this huge problem, and it would be interesting to see how their comments and solutions shape the debate on public financing. Someone has to have the courage to say, "Stop," let us take an inventory of where we are heading. The question should be couched as, "What are our real needs, as opposed to the things which would be nice to have?" While it is good to have what we "want," we must address the dire "needs" of the territory (health, public safety and education). Building of "monuments" must be postponed until the current indebtedness is reduced to a manageable level.
The average citizen who is affected should seriously look at the implications of government paralysis and its inability to render the basic services which will result from the drying up of key financial resources. Usually, we don't take notice and call for action until the storm is upon us, and that could be too late.
Depending on the federal government for a bailout is out of the question, particularly since the federal government is now back in a heavy deficit situation itself and will cut spending in many areas of operations in fiscal 2004. Aside from the bond indebtedness, the local government has carried forward a deficit of various large amounts from one fiscal year to another for years. It is a snowballing exercise and getting larger; in reality, the government has been deficit financing for quite some time.
Overall, the debt of the government is being passed from one generation to the next. This current generation says spend; let the next generation worry about paying it back. My hope is that the people of the Virgin Islands will take serious notice of the government's indebtedness now and not sweep the matter under the rug.
Eric E. Dawson
Fairfax, Virginia
Editor's note: Eric Dawson is a former commissioner of the V.I. Economic Development and Agriculture Department.
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.
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.
FIRSTBANK GETS FDIC APPROVAL ON CHASE PURCHASE
Sept. 30, 2002 – FirstBank's acquisition of the JP Morgan Chase Bank operations in the Virgin Islands is almost complete. A major hurdle in the bid was cleared late Friday afternoon when the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation endorsed the planned buyout.
The transaction involves seven Chase branches in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands along with Chase Agency Services, an insurance agency on St. Thomas, and Chase Trade Inc., a foreign sales corporation management company with offices on St. Thomas and Barbados.
The FDIC approval was widely anticipated and it followed approval by the V.I. Banking Board in August. At the time, Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II had termed the acquisition a positive development for the territory's economy. James is chairman of the Banking Board.
Chase President Cassan Pancham predicted Saturday that there will be a very competitive banking environment once the deal closes in October. "We hope that FirstBank will become a significant competitor for both consumer and commercial bank services," Pancham said.
He said staff from both FirstBank and JP Morgan Chase have worked hard during the past few months "to put together our services and capabilities." Pancham, who is expected to become the manager of the combined operations, offered assurances that the market would "be happy" with the outstanding service delivered to the customer. Pancham is also president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce.
Early Saturday morning, workmen were already out with a scissor-lift removing the Chase logos from the exterior of the St. Thomas Waterfront branch. Pancham declined to comment on whether Chase's last day of existence would be Oct. 12 and that the bank branches would reopen on Oct. 15 as FirstBank branches. "We are still working through a number of things before we can pin down a date," he said.
The final approval, which remains pending to date, comes from the BVI Financial Services Commission. "We must get the approval from the BVI before a date can be set for bringing the deal to a close," Pancham said.
The FirstBank presence will be evident at six branches on St. Thomas, at Port of Sale, Waterfront, GERS building, Estate Thomas, Tutu Park Mall and Red Hook; one branch in Cruz Bay, St. John; and three branches on St. Croix.
FirstBank and JP Morgan Chase reached agreement on the acquisition in February, after two and a half years of negotiations by Jeffrey Prosser and his V.I. Community Bank to buy the Chase interests ended unsuccessfully. Chase and VICB ended up suing each other, then "amicably resolved" their dispute, while mutually declaring the deal dead. Figures have never been mentioned for the purchase of the Chase interests, either in the case of the VICB or now with FirstBank.
Chase has more than 280 employees and assets, relative to the transaction, in excess of $500 million. First BanCorp. is an $8.2 billion financial holding company. As its subsidiary, FirstBank operates 92 financial service facilities throughout Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the U.S. mainland.
The Chase acquisition will add to the Puerto Rico bank's growing presence in the Virgin Islands. In 1999, FirstBank bought the Citibank branch at Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas. In early 2000, it acquired First V.I. Federal Savings Bank, headquartered on St. Thomas with a branch on St. Croix.
The other major banks in the U.S. Virgin Islands include Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of St. Croix and the V.I. Community Bank.
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 transaction involves seven Chase branches in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands along with Chase Agency Services, an insurance agency on St. Thomas, and Chase Trade Inc., a foreign sales corporation management company with offices on St. Thomas and Barbados.
The FDIC approval was widely anticipated and it followed approval by the V.I. Banking Board in August. At the time, Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II had termed the acquisition a positive development for the territory's economy. James is chairman of the Banking Board.
Chase President Cassan Pancham predicted Saturday that there will be a very competitive banking environment once the deal closes in October. "We hope that FirstBank will become a significant competitor for both consumer and commercial bank services," Pancham said.
He said staff from both FirstBank and JP Morgan Chase have worked hard during the past few months "to put together our services and capabilities." Pancham, who is expected to become the manager of the combined operations, offered assurances that the market would "be happy" with the outstanding service delivered to the customer. Pancham is also president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce.
Early Saturday morning, workmen were already out with a scissor-lift removing the Chase logos from the exterior of the St. Thomas Waterfront branch. Pancham declined to comment on whether Chase's last day of existence would be Oct. 12 and that the bank branches would reopen on Oct. 15 as FirstBank branches. "We are still working through a number of things before we can pin down a date," he said.
The final approval, which remains pending to date, comes from the BVI Financial Services Commission. "We must get the approval from the BVI before a date can be set for bringing the deal to a close," Pancham said.
The FirstBank presence will be evident at six branches on St. Thomas, at Port of Sale, Waterfront, GERS building, Estate Thomas, Tutu Park Mall and Red Hook; one branch in Cruz Bay, St. John; and three branches on St. Croix.
FirstBank and JP Morgan Chase reached agreement on the acquisition in February, after two and a half years of negotiations by Jeffrey Prosser and his V.I. Community Bank to buy the Chase interests ended unsuccessfully. Chase and VICB ended up suing each other, then "amicably resolved" their dispute, while mutually declaring the deal dead. Figures have never been mentioned for the purchase of the Chase interests, either in the case of the VICB or now with FirstBank.
Chase has more than 280 employees and assets, relative to the transaction, in excess of $500 million. First BanCorp. is an $8.2 billion financial holding company. As its subsidiary, FirstBank operates 92 financial service facilities throughout Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the U.S. mainland.
The Chase acquisition will add to the Puerto Rico bank's growing presence in the Virgin Islands. In 1999, FirstBank bought the Citibank branch at Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas. In early 2000, it acquired First V.I. Federal Savings Bank, headquartered on St. Thomas with a branch on St. Croix.
The other major banks in the U.S. Virgin Islands include Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of St. Croix and the V.I. Community Bank.
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.
FIRSTBANK GETS FDIC APPROVAL ON CHASE PURCHASE
Sept. 30, 2002 – FirstBank's acquisition of the JP Morgan Chase Bank operations in the Virgin Islands is almost complete. A major hurdle in the bid was cleared late Friday afternoon when the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation endorsed the planned buyout.
The transaction involves seven Chase branches in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands along with Chase Agency Services, an insurance agency on St. Thomas, and Chase Trade Inc., a foreign sales corporation management company with offices on St. Thomas and Barbados.
The FDIC approval was widely anticipated and it followed approval by the V.I. Banking Board in August. At the time, Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II had termed the acquisition a positive development for the territory's economy. James is chairman of the Banking Board.
Chase President Cassan Pancham predicted Saturday that there will be a very competitive banking environment once the deal closes in October. "We hope that FirstBank will become a significant competitor for both consumer and commercial bank services," Pancham said.
He said staff from both FirstBank and JP Morgan Chase have worked hard during the past few months "to put together our services and capabilities." Pancham, who is expected to become the manager of the combined operations, offered assurances that the market would "be happy" with the outstanding service delivered to the customer. Pancham is also president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce.
Early Saturday morning, workmen were already out with a scissor-lift removing the Chase logos from the exterior of the St. Thomas Waterfront branch. Pancham declined to comment on whether Chase's last day of existence would be Oct. 12 and that the bank branches would reopen on Oct. 15 as FirstBank branches. "We are still working through a number of things before we can pin down a date," he said.
The final approval, which remains pending to date, comes from the BVI Financial Services Commission. "We must get the approval from the BVI before a date can be set for bringing the deal to a close," Pancham said.
The FirstBank presence will be evident at six branches on St. Thomas, at Port of Sale, Waterfront, GERS building, Estate Thomas, Tutu Park Mall and Red Hook; one branch in Cruz Bay, St. John; and three branches on St. Croix.
FirstBank and JP Morgan Chase reached agreement on the acquisition in February, after two and a half years of negotiations by Jeffrey Prosser and his V.I. Community Bank to buy the Chase interests ended unsuccessfully. Chase and VICB ended up suing each other, then "amicably resolved" their dispute, while mutually declaring the deal dead. Figures have never been mentioned for the purchase of the Chase interests, either in the case of the VICB or now with FirstBank.
Chase has more than 280 employees and assets, relative to the transaction, in excess of $500 million. First BanCorp. is an $8.2 billion financial holding company. As its subsidiary, FirstBank operates 92 financial service facilities throughout Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the U.S. mainland.
The Chase acquisition will add to the Puerto Rico bank's growing presence in the Virgin Islands. In 1999, FirstBank bought the Citibank branch at Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas. In early 2000, it acquired First V.I. Federal Savings Bank, headquartered on St. Thomas with a branch on St. Croix.
The other major banks in the U.S. Virgin Islands include Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of St. Croix and the V.I. Community Bank.
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 transaction involves seven Chase branches in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands along with Chase Agency Services, an insurance agency on St. Thomas, and Chase Trade Inc., a foreign sales corporation management company with offices on St. Thomas and Barbados.
The FDIC approval was widely anticipated and it followed approval by the V.I. Banking Board in August. At the time, Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II had termed the acquisition a positive development for the territory's economy. James is chairman of the Banking Board.
Chase President Cassan Pancham predicted Saturday that there will be a very competitive banking environment once the deal closes in October. "We hope that FirstBank will become a significant competitor for both consumer and commercial bank services," Pancham said.
He said staff from both FirstBank and JP Morgan Chase have worked hard during the past few months "to put together our services and capabilities." Pancham, who is expected to become the manager of the combined operations, offered assurances that the market would "be happy" with the outstanding service delivered to the customer. Pancham is also president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce.
Early Saturday morning, workmen were already out with a scissor-lift removing the Chase logos from the exterior of the St. Thomas Waterfront branch. Pancham declined to comment on whether Chase's last day of existence would be Oct. 12 and that the bank branches would reopen on Oct. 15 as FirstBank branches. "We are still working through a number of things before we can pin down a date," he said.
The final approval, which remains pending to date, comes from the BVI Financial Services Commission. "We must get the approval from the BVI before a date can be set for bringing the deal to a close," Pancham said.
The FirstBank presence will be evident at six branches on St. Thomas, at Port of Sale, Waterfront, GERS building, Estate Thomas, Tutu Park Mall and Red Hook; one branch in Cruz Bay, St. John; and three branches on St. Croix.
FirstBank and JP Morgan Chase reached agreement on the acquisition in February, after two and a half years of negotiations by Jeffrey Prosser and his V.I. Community Bank to buy the Chase interests ended unsuccessfully. Chase and VICB ended up suing each other, then "amicably resolved" their dispute, while mutually declaring the deal dead. Figures have never been mentioned for the purchase of the Chase interests, either in the case of the VICB or now with FirstBank.
Chase has more than 280 employees and assets, relative to the transaction, in excess of $500 million. First BanCorp. is an $8.2 billion financial holding company. As its subsidiary, FirstBank operates 92 financial service facilities throughout Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the U.S. mainland.
The Chase acquisition will add to the Puerto Rico bank's growing presence in the Virgin Islands. In 1999, FirstBank bought the Citibank branch at Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas. In early 2000, it acquired First V.I. Federal Savings Bank, headquartered on St. Thomas with a branch on St. Croix.
The other major banks in the U.S. Virgin Islands include Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of St. Croix and the V.I. Community Bank.
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.
FIRSTBANK GETS FDIC APPROVAL ON CHASE PURCHASE
Sept. 30, 2002 – FirstBank's acquisition of the JP Morgan Chase Bank operations in the Virgin Islands is almost complete. A major hurdle in the bid was cleared late Friday afternoon when the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation endorsed the planned buyout.
The transaction involves seven Chase branches in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands along with Chase Agency Services, an insurance agency on St. Thomas, and Chase Trade Inc., a foreign sales corporation management company with offices on St. Thomas and Barbados.
The FDIC approval was widely anticipated and it followed approval by the V.I. Banking Board in August. At the time, Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II had termed the acquisition a positive development for the territory's economy. James is chairman of the Banking Board.
Chase President Cassan Pancham predicted Saturday that there will be a very competitive banking environment once the deal closes in October. "We hope that FirstBank will become a significant competitor for both consumer and commercial bank services," Pancham said.
He said staff from both FirstBank and JP Morgan Chase have worked hard during the past few months "to put together our services and capabilities." Pancham, who is expected to become the manager of the combined operations, offered assurances that the market would "be happy" with the outstanding service delivered to the customer. Pancham is also president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce.
Early Saturday morning, workmen were already out with a scissor-lift removing the Chase logos from the exterior of the St. Thomas Waterfront branch. Pancham declined to comment on whether Chase's last day of existence would be Oct. 12 and that the bank branches would reopen on Oct. 15 as FirstBank branches. "We are still working through a number of things before we can pin down a date," he said.
The final approval, which remains pending to date, comes from the BVI Financial Services Commission. "We must get the approval from the BVI before a date can be set for bringing the deal to a close," Pancham said.
The FirstBank presence will be evident at six branches on St. Thomas, at Port of Sale, Waterfront, GERS building, Estate Thomas, Tutu Park Mall and Red Hook; one branch in Cruz Bay, St. John; and three branches on St. Croix.
FirstBank and JP Morgan Chase reached agreement on the acquisition in February, after two and a half years of negotiations by Jeffrey Prosser and his V.I. Community Bank to buy the Chase interests ended unsuccessfully. Chase and VICB ended up suing each other, then "amicably resolved" their dispute, while mutually declaring the deal dead. Figures have never been mentioned for the purchase of the Chase interests, either in the case of the VICB or now with FirstBank.
Chase has more than 280 employees and assets, relative to the transaction, in excess of $500 million. First BanCorp. is an $8.2 billion financial holding company. As its subsidiary, FirstBank operates 92 financial service facilities throughout Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the U.S. mainland.
The Chase acquisition will add to the Puerto Rico bank's growing presence in the Virgin Islands. In 1999, FirstBank bought the Citibank branch at Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas. In early 2000, it acquired First V.I. Federal Savings Bank, headquartered on St. Thomas with a branch on St. Croix.
The other major banks in the U.S. Virgin Islands include Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of St. Croix and the V.I. Community Bank.
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 transaction involves seven Chase branches in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands along with Chase Agency Services, an insurance agency on St. Thomas, and Chase Trade Inc., a foreign sales corporation management company with offices on St. Thomas and Barbados.
The FDIC approval was widely anticipated and it followed approval by the V.I. Banking Board in August. At the time, Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II had termed the acquisition a positive development for the territory's economy. James is chairman of the Banking Board.
Chase President Cassan Pancham predicted Saturday that there will be a very competitive banking environment once the deal closes in October. "We hope that FirstBank will become a significant competitor for both consumer and commercial bank services," Pancham said.
He said staff from both FirstBank and JP Morgan Chase have worked hard during the past few months "to put together our services and capabilities." Pancham, who is expected to become the manager of the combined operations, offered assurances that the market would "be happy" with the outstanding service delivered to the customer. Pancham is also president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce.
Early Saturday morning, workmen were already out with a scissor-lift removing the Chase logos from the exterior of the St. Thomas Waterfront branch. Pancham declined to comment on whether Chase's last day of existence would be Oct. 12 and that the bank branches would reopen on Oct. 15 as FirstBank branches. "We are still working through a number of things before we can pin down a date," he said.
The final approval, which remains pending to date, comes from the BVI Financial Services Commission. "We must get the approval from the BVI before a date can be set for bringing the deal to a close," Pancham said.
The FirstBank presence will be evident at six branches on St. Thomas, at Port of Sale, Waterfront, GERS building, Estate Thomas, Tutu Park Mall and Red Hook; one branch in Cruz Bay, St. John; and three branches on St. Croix.
FirstBank and JP Morgan Chase reached agreement on the acquisition in February, after two and a half years of negotiations by Jeffrey Prosser and his V.I. Community Bank to buy the Chase interests ended unsuccessfully. Chase and VICB ended up suing each other, then "amicably resolved" their dispute, while mutually declaring the deal dead. Figures have never been mentioned for the purchase of the Chase interests, either in the case of the VICB or now with FirstBank.
Chase has more than 280 employees and assets, relative to the transaction, in excess of $500 million. First BanCorp. is an $8.2 billion financial holding company. As its subsidiary, FirstBank operates 92 financial service facilities throughout Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the U.S. mainland.
The Chase acquisition will add to the Puerto Rico bank's growing presence in the Virgin Islands. In 1999, FirstBank bought the Citibank branch at Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas. In early 2000, it acquired First V.I. Federal Savings Bank, headquartered on St. Thomas with a branch on St. Croix.
The other major banks in the U.S. Virgin Islands include Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of St. Croix and the V.I. Community Bank.
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.
NOWADAYS, PORK'S BAD RAP ISN'T NECESSARILY SO
Sept. 29, 2002 – Say the word "pork" and many folks immediately think "fat," "cholesterol" and "heart disease." While this is true for fatty cuts such as ribs and pigtail, many cuts of pork are much leaner today than in the past. So, you truly can have your pork and good health, too.
If you want to seek out lean pork at the supermarket, look for pork tenderloin, sirloin chop, loin roast, loin chop, rib chop, sirloin roast or rib roast.
And in case you think even "lean" pork is "fatter" than lean chicken or beef, here are the facts and figures:
– 3 ounces of lean, trimmed pork tenderloin has 140 calories, 4 grams of fat and 67 milligrams of cholesterol.
– 3 ounces of skinless roast chicken thigh has 178 calories, 9 grams of fat and 81 milligrams of cholesterol.
– 3 ounces of lean, trimmed beef tenderloin has 175 calories, 8 grams of fat and 71 milligrams of cholesterol.
The cooking method is as important as the cut of pork. Roasting on a rack so that any fat can drip off is best. Frying only adds fat to a lean food.
In the recipe here, the black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg add a real zing of flavor. Serve your roast pork with rice and a green veggie, and you've got a meal that's good and good for you!
Caribbean Roast Pork
3 lb. boneless pork loin roast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
Trim pork of any outer fat. Wash well and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Apply this mixture to all surfaces of the pork roast. Place the roast in a shallow pan and roast in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for an hour to an a hour and a quarter — until the internal temperature, measured with a meat thermometer, registers 155 degrees F.
Remove roast from oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing to serve.
Serves 8. Per serving: 167 calories, 5 gms fat (26 percent fat calories), 69 mg cholesterol, 77 mg sodium.
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.
If you want to seek out lean pork at the supermarket, look for pork tenderloin, sirloin chop, loin roast, loin chop, rib chop, sirloin roast or rib roast.
And in case you think even "lean" pork is "fatter" than lean chicken or beef, here are the facts and figures:
– 3 ounces of lean, trimmed pork tenderloin has 140 calories, 4 grams of fat and 67 milligrams of cholesterol.
– 3 ounces of skinless roast chicken thigh has 178 calories, 9 grams of fat and 81 milligrams of cholesterol.
– 3 ounces of lean, trimmed beef tenderloin has 175 calories, 8 grams of fat and 71 milligrams of cholesterol.
The cooking method is as important as the cut of pork. Roasting on a rack so that any fat can drip off is best. Frying only adds fat to a lean food.
In the recipe here, the black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg add a real zing of flavor. Serve your roast pork with rice and a green veggie, and you've got a meal that's good and good for you!
Caribbean Roast Pork
3 lb. boneless pork loin roast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
Trim pork of any outer fat. Wash well and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Apply this mixture to all surfaces of the pork roast. Place the roast in a shallow pan and roast in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for an hour to an a hour and a quarter — until the internal temperature, measured with a meat thermometer, registers 155 degrees F.
Remove roast from oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing to serve.
Serves 8. Per serving: 167 calories, 5 gms fat (26 percent fat calories), 69 mg cholesterol, 77 mg sodium.
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.
NOWADAYS, PORK'S BAD RAP ISN'T NECESSARILY SO
Sept. 29, 2002 – Say the word "pork" and many folks immediately think "fat," "cholesterol" and "heart disease." While this is true for fatty cuts such as ribs and pigtail, many cuts of pork are much leaner today than in the past. So, you truly can have your pork and good health, too.
If you want to seek out lean pork at the supermarket, look for pork tenderloin, sirloin chop, loin roast, loin chop, rib chop, sirloin roast or rib roast.
And in case you think even "lean" pork is "fatter" than lean chicken or beef, here are the facts and figures:
– 3 ounces of lean, trimmed pork tenderloin has 140 calories, 4 grams of fat and 67 milligrams of cholesterol.
– 3 ounces of skinless roast chicken thigh has 178 calories, 9 grams of fat and 81 milligrams of cholesterol.
– 3 ounces of lean, trimmed beef tenderloin has 175 calories, 8 grams of fat and 71 milligrams of cholesterol.
The cooking method is as important as the cut of pork. Roasting on a rack so that any fat can drip off is best. Frying only adds fat to a lean food.
In the recipe here, the black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg add a real zing of flavor. Serve your roast pork with rice and a green veggie, and you've got a meal that's good and good for you!
Caribbean Roast Pork
3 lb. boneless pork loin roast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
Trim pork of any outer fat. Wash well and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Apply this mixture to all surfaces of the pork roast. Place the roast in a shallow pan and roast in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for an hour to an a hour and a quarter — until the internal temperature, measured with a meat thermometer, registers 155 degrees F.
Remove roast from oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing to serve.
Serves 8. Per serving: 167 calories, 5 gms fat (26 percent fat calories), 69 mg cholesterol, 77 mg sodium.
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.
If you want to seek out lean pork at the supermarket, look for pork tenderloin, sirloin chop, loin roast, loin chop, rib chop, sirloin roast or rib roast.
And in case you think even "lean" pork is "fatter" than lean chicken or beef, here are the facts and figures:
– 3 ounces of lean, trimmed pork tenderloin has 140 calories, 4 grams of fat and 67 milligrams of cholesterol.
– 3 ounces of skinless roast chicken thigh has 178 calories, 9 grams of fat and 81 milligrams of cholesterol.
– 3 ounces of lean, trimmed beef tenderloin has 175 calories, 8 grams of fat and 71 milligrams of cholesterol.
The cooking method is as important as the cut of pork. Roasting on a rack so that any fat can drip off is best. Frying only adds fat to a lean food.
In the recipe here, the black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg add a real zing of flavor. Serve your roast pork with rice and a green veggie, and you've got a meal that's good and good for you!
Caribbean Roast Pork
3 lb. boneless pork loin roast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
Trim pork of any outer fat. Wash well and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Apply this mixture to all surfaces of the pork roast. Place the roast in a shallow pan and roast in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for an hour to an a hour and a quarter — until the internal temperature, measured with a meat thermometer, registers 155 degrees F.
Remove roast from oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing to serve.
Serves 8. Per serving: 167 calories, 5 gms fat (26 percent fat calories), 69 mg cholesterol, 77 mg sodium.
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.
