Dear Source,
I read the letter in your Open Forum by Ms. Janet Trapani (See preceding letter, "Sekou on terrorism drifted into same old blame.") I appreciate her interest in my views on U.S. foreign policy. At minimum, Ms. Trapani considers my views well written and important — otherwise, she would not have written her comments. Clearly, she disagrees with me, and in any democratic society, everyone has the right to his/her opinion. However, everyone including Ms. Trapani does not have a right to his/her "facts."
I made no "allusions" in the article. Obviously, Ms. Trapani is deficient in her reading comprehension skills. Everything is written clearly for you to read, agree or disagree. The "facts" are out there. The literature on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and Central Asia is very extensive. Except for the neo-conservative elements of the U.S. political system, just about everyone knows that Sept. 11, 2001, is tied to U.S. foreign policy in the above-noted areas. No one questions that except the extremely uninformed.
Curiously, I noticed Ms. Trapani compared me to Julian Bond. Is this the Julian Bond of the NAACP? Somehow, indirectly, she tied me to Louis Farrakhan. Is this the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam? I am flattered by the comparisons. With these ridiculous innuendos, I question if Ms. Trapani ever lived in the Virgin Islands. Everyone in the Virgin Islands knows my political views on just about every topic.
I have only a well-earned and verifiable Ph.D. in political science. My views are not necessarily correct, but they are well grounded in literature that exists and the collective experiences of Africans/African-Americans and African-Caribbean people. I do not hide my political orientation, and I am very proud of my African heritage. I respect Ms. Trapani's Puerto Rican heritage and the rich culture of every human on this planet. But I demand respect for my heritage at the same time. Is this communism? Anti-Americanism? Anti-white sentiment? How does my love for my heritage translate to anti-anything? Something is grossly wrong with Ms. Trapani's understanding of humanity.
I must add that the Virgin Islands people nourished me when I was in my hour of need. The people sent me to school from first grade to the Ph.D. Today, they demand that I remain an honest, intelligible voice, not one who cowers before bigots. You insult the people of the Virgin Islands when you incredibly link me to domestic U.S. personalities, and then describe one of them, Mr. Bond, as a demagogue and a divisive figure.
I challenge Ms. Trapani, or anyone for that matter, to find one divisive comment, incendiary rhetoric, or racist statement I have made in my lifetime.
For the record, I must inform Ms. Trapani and readers of the Source of my expertise. I earned a Ph.D. in political science; I did not get it due to affirmative action or any preferential treatment based on "race." Except for my veteran status, which also was honorably earned, I have received no special treatment for my schooling in the territory or on the mainland.
I must tell you some facts. Every political science and international relations student who sought a Ph.D. at an accredited U.S. university during the 1980s-1990s had to study communism, fascism and democracy. If you attended a middle- to an upper-tier university, you rapidly had to read, comprehend and analyze the closing chapter of the Cold War, roughly 1979-1989.
I began graduate school at the University of Delaware in the fall 1989 semester. Students in political science and international relations literally observed the collapse of the Soviet bloc. Most of our texts were obsolete due to the rapid changes of the period. In fact, there was a rush toward examining "totalitarian regime transition" in 1989-1992. All students had to read the literature on the transition to "democratic stabilization."
One subject was hot: What led to the Soviet implosion? The answers varied, but everyone agreed that the Soviet involvement in Afghanistan in 1979-1988 led to its collapse. Ms. Trapani does not have to believe me. I recommend that she read the seminal works of Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter. Two good Brzezinski texts are "Power and Principle" and "The Grand Chessboard." It was well known that the U.S. government supported Islamic fundamentalists in Afghanistan to dislodge the Soviet-leftist Afghan Alliance. Everyone who wanted to earn a Ph.D. in political science and international relations had to learn this historic fact. It was openly stated, written, and boasted. Afghanistan was the Soviet Vietnam. This is a fact!
The U.S. supported Islamic fundamentalists in Central Asia as a strategy to undermine Communists in the Soviet Union. This strategy worked, and now there is no Soviet Union, only Islamic fundamentalists. How is this examination of concrete reality showing "sympathy" with anyone?
Ms. Trapani's comments are convoluted because she threw an anti-leftist innuendo by classifying Congresswoman Barbara Lee as an "avowed Communist." What does that have to do with the price of cheese in China? Congresswoman Lee's vote against a rush to war is heroic and principled. She only wanted the facts first. Isn't this the role of congressmen/women? Don't they ask the tough questions and demand restraint based on principles? History will absolve her.
Ms. Trapani asked if I "support this type of thinking?" Actually, I support thinking in the first place and not a knee-jerk reaction to tragedy. I was annoyed by the loaded terms that can only be considered the right-wing garbage of the last years of the Cold War.
Obviously, she does not read much about the Caribbean. The comment about a "puppet regime in Grenada" is absurd. I can only hope she is referring to the New Jewel Movement (1979-1983). This so-called puppet regime was removed 20 years ago, and I do not know how anyone can logically link the present decision for restraint against suspects in Afghanistan in 2001 to a collapsed leftist regime in Grenada in 1983. What kind of thinking is this?
I recommend that Ms. Trapani avoid drifting when she reads. There is no "blame" diatribe in the Op-ed piece. I read, write and speak English quite well. Within this territory, I am among the handful who is well trained in U.S. foreign policy. I write from my perspective, but I respect concrete facts. It is disturbing when another islander, someone who claims to be "raised very much a Virgin Islander," writes a letter that is laden with lies, innuendos and nonsense. This islander took one year to engage in dialogue, and she picked an election period. This is suspicious.
Our elders say, in Creole, "When you dig a pit, dig two, one for me, and one for you." I welcome frank debate, discussion and dialogue, but please get your facts straight. Otherwise, dig two pits — I will walk out of mine. I am not sure about you.
Malik Sekou
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.
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.

Dear Source,
I read the letter in your Open Forum by Ms. Janet Trapani (See preceding letter, "Sekou on terrorism drifted into same old blame.") I appreciate her interest in my views on U.S. foreign policy. At minimum, Ms. Trapani considers my views well written and important — otherwise, she would not have written her comments. Clearly, she disagrees with me, and in any democratic society, everyone has the right to his/her opinion. However, everyone including Ms. Trapani does not have a right to his/her "facts."
I made no "allusions" in the article. Obviously, Ms. Trapani is deficient in her reading comprehension skills. Everything is written clearly for you to read, agree or disagree. The "facts" are out there. The literature on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and Central Asia is very extensive. Except for the neo-conservative elements of the U.S. political system, just about everyone knows that Sept. 11, 2001, is tied to U.S. foreign policy in the above-noted areas. No one questions that except the extremely uninformed.
Curiously, I noticed Ms. Trapani compared me to Julian Bond. Is this the Julian Bond of the NAACP? Somehow, indirectly, she tied me to Louis Farrakhan. Is this the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam? I am flattered by the comparisons. With these ridiculous innuendos, I question if Ms. Trapani ever lived in the Virgin Islands. Everyone in the Virgin Islands knows my political views on just about every topic.
I have only a well-earned and verifiable Ph.D. in political science. My views are not necessarily correct, but they are well grounded in literature that exists and the collective experiences of Africans/African-Americans and African-Caribbean people. I do not hide my political orientation, and I am very proud of my African heritage. I respect Ms. Trapani's Puerto Rican heritage and the rich culture of every human on this planet. But I demand respect for my heritage at the same time. Is this communism? Anti-Americanism? Anti-white sentiment? How does my love for my heritage translate to anti-anything? Something is grossly wrong with Ms. Trapani's understanding of humanity.
I must add that the Virgin Islands people nourished me when I was in my hour of need. The people sent me to school from first grade to the Ph.D. Today, they demand that I remain an honest, intelligible voice, not one who cowers before bigots. You insult the people of the Virgin Islands when you incredibly link me to domestic U.S. personalities, and then describe one of them, Mr. Bond, as a demagogue and a divisive figure.
I challenge Ms. Trapani, or anyone for that matter, to find one divisive comment, incendiary rhetoric, or racist statement I have made in my lifetime.
For the record, I must inform Ms. Trapani and readers of the Source of my expertise. I earned a Ph.D. in political science; I did not get it due to affirmative action or any preferential treatment based on "race." Except for my veteran status, which also was honorably earned, I have received no special treatment for my schooling in the territory or on the mainland.
I must tell you some facts. Every political science and international relations student who sought a Ph.D. at an accredited U.S. university during the 1980s-1990s had to study communism, fascism and democracy. If you attended a middle- to an upper-tier university, you rapidly had to read, comprehend and analyze the closing chapter of the Cold War, roughly 1979-1989.
I began graduate school at the University of Delaware in the fall 1989 semester. Students in political science and international relations literally observed the collapse of the Soviet bloc. Most of our texts were obsolete due to the rapid changes of the period. In fact, there was a rush toward examining "totalitarian regime transition" in 1989-1992. All students had to read the literature on the transition to "democratic stabilization."
One subject was hot: What led to the Soviet implosion? The answers varied, but everyone agreed that the Soviet involvement in Afghanistan in 1979-1988 led to its collapse. Ms. Trapani does not have to believe me. I recommend that she read the seminal works of Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter. Two good Brzezinski texts are "Power and Principle" and "The Grand Chessboard." It was well known that the U.S. government supported Islamic fundamentalists in Afghanistan to dislodge the Soviet-leftist Afghan Alliance. Everyone who wanted to earn a Ph.D. in political science and international relations had to learn this historic fact. It was openly stated, written, and boasted. Afghanistan was the Soviet Vietnam. This is a fact!
The U.S. supported Islamic fundamentalists in Central Asia as a strategy to undermine Communists in the Soviet Union. This strategy worked, and now there is no Soviet Union, only Islamic fundamentalists. How is this examination of concrete reality showing "sympathy" with anyone?
Ms. Trapani's comments are convoluted because she threw an anti-leftist innuendo by classifying Congresswoman Barbara Lee as an "avowed Communist." What does that have to do with the price of cheese in China? Congresswoman Lee's vote against a rush to war is heroic and principled. She only wanted the facts first. Isn't this the role of congressmen/women? Don't they ask the tough questions and demand restraint based on principles? History will absolve her.
Ms. Trapani asked if I "support this type of thinking?" Actually, I support thinking in the first place and not a knee-jerk reaction to tragedy. I was annoyed by the loaded terms that can only be considered the right-wing garbage of the last years of the Cold War.
Obviously, she does not read much about the Caribbean. The comment about a "puppet regime in Grenada" is absurd. I can only hope she is referring to the New Jewel Movement (1979-1983). This so-called puppet regime was removed 20 years ago, and I do not know how anyone can logically link the present decision for restraint against suspects in Afghanistan in 2001 to a collapsed leftist regime in Grenada in 1983. What kind of thinking is this?
I recommend that Ms. Trapani avoid drifting when she reads. There is no "blame" diatribe in the Op-ed piece. I read, write and speak English quite well. Within this territory, I am among the handful who is well trained in U.S. foreign policy. I write from my perspective, but I respect concrete facts. It is disturbing when another islander, someone who claims to be "raised very much a Virgin Islander," writes a letter that is laden with lies, innuendos and nonsense. This islander took one year to engage in dialogue, and she picked an election period. This is suspicious.
Our elders say, in Creole, "When you dig a pit, dig two, one for me, and one for you." I welcome frank debate, discussion and dialogue, but please get your facts straight. Otherwise, dig two pits — I will walk out of mine. I am not sure about you.
Malik Sekou
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.
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.

Dear Source,
I read the letter in your Open Forum by Ms. Janet Trapani (See preceding letter, "Sekou on terrorism drifted into same old blame.") I appreciate her interest in my views on U.S. foreign policy. At minimum, Ms. Trapani considers my views well written and important — otherwise, she would not have written her comments. Clearly, she disagrees with me, and in any democratic society, everyone has the right to his/her opinion. However, everyone including Ms. Trapani does not have a right to his/her "facts."
I made no "allusions" in the article. Obviously, Ms. Trapani is deficient in her reading comprehension skills. Everything is written clearly for you to read, agree or disagree. The "facts" are out there. The literature on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and Central Asia is very extensive. Except for the neo-conservative elements of the U.S. political system, just about everyone knows that Sept. 11, 2001, is tied to U.S. foreign policy in the above-noted areas. No one questions that except the extremely uninformed.
Curiously, I noticed Ms. Trapani compared me to Julian Bond. Is this the Julian Bond of the NAACP? Somehow, indirectly, she tied me to Louis Farrakhan. Is this the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam? I am flattered by the comparisons. With these ridiculous innuendos, I question if Ms. Trapani ever lived in the Virgin Islands. Everyone in the Virgin Islands knows my political views on just about every topic.
I have only a well-earned and verifiable Ph.D. in political science. My views are not necessarily correct, but they are well grounded in literature that exists and the collective experiences of Africans/African-Americans and African-Caribbean people. I do not hide my political orientation, and I am very proud of my African heritage. I respect Ms. Trapani's Puerto Rican heritage and the rich culture of every human on this planet. But I demand respect for my heritage at the same time. Is this communism? Anti-Americanism? Anti-white sentiment? How does my love for my heritage translate to anti-anything? Something is grossly wrong with Ms. Trapani's understanding of humanity.
I must add that the Virgin Islands people nourished me when I was in my hour of need. The people sent me to school from first grade to the Ph.D. Today, they demand that I remain an honest, intelligible voice, not one who cowers before bigots. You insult the people of the Virgin Islands when you incredibly link me to domestic U.S. personalities, and then describe one of them, Mr. Bond, as a demagogue and a divisive figure.
I challenge Ms. Trapani, or anyone for that matter, to find one divisive comment, incendiary rhetoric, or racist statement I have made in my lifetime.
For the record, I must inform Ms. Trapani and readers of the Source of my expertise. I earned a Ph.D. in political science; I did not get it due to affirmative action or any preferential treatment based on "race." Except for my veteran status, which also was honorably earned, I have received no special treatment for my schooling in the territory or on the mainland.
I must tell you some facts. Every political science and international relations student who sought a Ph.D. at an accredited U.S. university during the 1980s-1990s had to study communism, fascism and democracy. If you attended a middle- to an upper-tier university, you rapidly had to read, comprehend and analyze the closing chapter of the Cold War, roughly 1979-1989.
I began graduate school at the University of Delaware in the fall 1989 semester. Students in political science and international relations literally observed the collapse of the Soviet bloc. Most of our texts were obsolete due to the rapid changes of the period. In fact, there was a rush toward examining "totalitarian regime transition" in 1989-1992. All students had to read the literature on the transition to "democratic stabilization."
One subject was hot: What led to the Soviet implosion? The answers varied, but everyone agreed that the Soviet involvement in Afghanistan in 1979-1988 led to its collapse. Ms. Trapani does not have to believe me. I recommend that she read the seminal works of Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter. Two good Brzezinski texts are "Power and Principle" and "The Grand Chessboard." It was well known that the U.S. government supported Islamic fundamentalists in Afghanistan to dislodge the Soviet-leftist Afghan Alliance. Everyone who wanted to earn a Ph.D. in political science and international relations had to learn this historic fact. It was openly stated, written, and boasted. Afghanistan was the Soviet Vietnam. This is a fact!
The U.S. supported Islamic fundamentalists in Central Asia as a strategy to undermine Communists in the Soviet Union. This strategy worked, and now there is no Soviet Union, only Islamic fundamentalists. How is this examination of concrete reality showing "sympathy" with anyone?
Ms. Trapani's comments are convoluted because she threw an anti-leftist innuendo by classifying Congresswoman Barbara Lee as an "avowed Communist." What does that have to do with the price of cheese in China? Congresswoman Lee's vote against a rush to war is heroic and principled. She only wanted the facts first. Isn't this the role of congressmen/women? Don't they ask the tough questions and demand restraint based on principles? History will absolve her.
Ms. Trapani asked if I "support this type of thinking?" Actually, I support thinking in the first place and not a knee-jerk reaction to tragedy. I was annoyed by the loaded terms that can only be considered the right-wing garbage of the last years of the Cold War.
Obviously, she does not read much about the Caribbean. The comment about a "puppet regime in Grenada" is absurd. I can only hope she is referring to the New Jewel Movement (1979-1983). This so-called puppet regime was removed 20 years ago, and I do not know how anyone can logically link the present decision for restraint against suspects in Afghanistan in 2001 to a collapsed leftist regime in Grenada in 1983. What kind of thinking is this?
I recommend that Ms. Trapani avoid drifting when she reads. There is no "blame" diatribe in the Op-ed piece. I read, write and speak English quite well. Within this territory, I am among the handful who is well trained in U.S. foreign policy. I write from my perspective, but I respect concrete facts. It is disturbing when another islander, someone who claims to be "raised very much a Virgin Islander," writes a letter that is laden with lies, innuendos and nonsense. This islander took one year to engage in dialogue, and she picked an election period. This is suspicious.
Our elders say, in Creole, "When you dig a pit, dig two, one for me, and one for you." I welcome frank debate, discussion and dialogue, but please get your facts straight. Otherwise, dig two pits — I will walk out of mine. I am not sure about you.
Malik Sekou
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.
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.

Sept. 16, 2002 – Airline representatives will get a chance to air their views on coming increases in airport fees at a Port Authority public meeting set for Tuesday.
The meeting, scheduled for 9 a.m. in the conference room at the Port Authority building across from the Cyril E. King Airport terminal on St. Thomas, is expected to draw officials of the territory's signatory carriers — American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines and US Airways.
Under the new aviation rate schedule approved by the VIPA board, landing fees for signatory airlines will increase from $2.50 to 3.38 per 1,000 pounds, VIPA's executive director, Gordon Finch, said in a release. The 35 percent increase is scheduled to take effect with the start of the V.I. government's Fiscal Year 2003 on Oct 1.
The per passenger fee VIPA charges the airlines will go up $10. The airlines "currently pay $22 per passenger," Finch said. "With the increase, they will now have to pay $32."
Finch said in the release that the Port Authority, under its signatory agreement with the national airlines serving the territory, is not allowed to make a profit on aviation revenues; any surplus must be returned to the carriers. At the same time, the airlines have agreed to absorb any losses that VIPA might experience.
Because of last year's Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the mainland and the resultant fall-off in air travel, Finch said recently, the Port Authority's aviation system will finish the current fiscal year about $3.3 million in the red.
Increasing the landing fees has met with stiff opposition from the private sector. (See "Airport fee hikes: solution or further problem?)
Finch said this is the first time in six years the authority has been "compelled to raise its landing and passenger fees." The last time the landing fees were raised, he said, was in 1996, and that was because insurance costs skyrocketed after Hurricane Marilyn. For the last three years, he said, the Port Authority has reduced the landing fees, because of a "steady increase in the number of passengers visiting the territory, which generated a surplus in aviation revenues."
Finch said because of Sept. 11, the territory's airports, like others across the nation, were "dramatically impacted," resulting in a 9 percent reduction in aviation revenues, especially on St. Croix, which experienced a 12.8 decrease in traffic flow.
According to Finch, the coming increase in landing fees "should not have a significant impact on the cost of airline tickets." Landing fees typically account for only about 2 percent of the cost of an airline ticket, he said, and for this reason, "some airlines do not lower ticket prices when we lower our rates."

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.

Sept. 16, 2002 – Airline representatives will get a chance to air their views on coming increases in airport fees at a Port Authority public meeting set for Tuesday.
The meeting, scheduled for 9 a.m. in the conference room at the Port Authority building across from the Cyril E. King Airport terminal on St. Thomas, is expected to draw officials of the territory's signatory carriers — American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines and US Airways.
Under the new aviation rate schedule approved by the VIPA board, landing fees for signatory airlines will increase from $2.50 to 3.38 per 1,000 pounds, VIPA's executive director, Gordon Finch, said in a release. The 35 percent increase is scheduled to take effect with the start of the V.I. government's Fiscal Year 2003 on Oct 1.
The per passenger fee VIPA charges the airlines will go up $10. The airlines "currently pay $22 per passenger," Finch said. "With the increase, they will now have to pay $32."
Finch said in the release that the Port Authority, under its signatory agreement with the national airlines serving the territory, is not allowed to make a profit on aviation revenues; any surplus must be returned to the carriers. At the same time, the airlines have agreed to absorb any losses that VIPA might experience.
Because of last year's Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the mainland and the resultant fall-off in air travel, Finch said recently, the Port Authority's aviation system will finish the current fiscal year about $3.3 million in the red.
Increasing the landing fees has met with stiff opposition from the private sector. (See "Airport fee hikes: solution or further problem?)
Finch said this is the first time in six years the authority has been "compelled to raise its landing and passenger fees." The last time the landing fees were raised, he said, was in 1996, and that was because insurance costs skyrocketed after Hurricane Marilyn. For the last three years, he said, the Port Authority has reduced the landing fees, because of a "steady increase in the number of passengers visiting the territory, which generated a surplus in aviation revenues."
Finch said because of Sept. 11, the territory's airports, like others across the nation, were "dramatically impacted," resulting in a 9 percent reduction in aviation revenues, especially on St. Croix, which experienced a 12.8 decrease in traffic flow.
According to Finch, the coming increase in landing fees "should not have a significant impact on the cost of airline tickets." Landing fees typically account for only about 2 percent of the cost of an airline ticket, he said, and for this reason, "some airlines do not lower ticket prices when we lower our rates."

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.

Sept. 16, 2002 – Airline representatives will get a chance to air their views on coming increases in airport fees at a Port Authority public meeting set for Tuesday.
The meeting, scheduled for 9 a.m. in the conference room at the Port Authority building across from the Cyril E. King Airport terminal, is expected to draw officials of the territory's signatory carriers — American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines and US Airways.
Under the new aviation rate schedule approved by the VIPA board, landing fees for signatory airlines will increase from $2.50 to 3.38 per 1,000 pounds, VIPA's executive director, Gordon Finch, said in a release. The 35 percent increase is scheduled to take effect with the start of the V.I. government's Fiscal Year 2003 on Oct 1.
Tthe per passenger fee VIPA charges the airlines will go up $10. The airlines "currently pay $22 per passenger," Finch said. "With the increase, they will now have to pay $32."
Finch said in the release that the Port Authority, under its signatory agreement with the national airlines serving the territory, is not allowed to make a profit on aviation revenues; any surplus must be returned to the carriers. At the same time, the airlines have agreed to absorb any losses that VIPA might experience.
Because of last year's Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the mainland and the resultant fall-off in air travel, Finch said recently, the Port Authority's aviation system will finish the current fiscal year about $3.3 million in the red.
Increasing the landing fees has met with stiff opposition from the private sector. (See "Airport fee hikes: solution or further problem?)
Finch said this is the first time in six years the authority has been "compelled to raise its landing and passenger fees." The last time the landing fees were raised, he said, was in 1996, and that was because insurance costs skyrocketed after Hurricane Marilyn. For the last three years, he said, the Port Authority has reduced the landing fees, because of a "steady increase in the number of passengers visiting the territory, which generated a surplus in aviation revenues."
Finch said because of Sept. 11, the territory's airports, like others across the nation, were "dramatically impacted," resulting in a 9 percent reduction in aviation revenues, especially on St. Croix, which experienced a 12.8 decrease in traffic flow.
According to Finch, the coming increase in landing fees "should not have a significant impact on the cost of airline tickets." Landing fees typically account for only about 2 percent of the cost of an airline ticket, he said, and for this reason, "some airlines do not lower ticket prices when we lower our rates."

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..

Sept. 16, 2002 – Delegate Donna M. Christensen received the National Innovator Role Model Award on Sunday from Minority Access, a Maryland-based education organization dedicated to diversification in the American health-care workplace.
The award was in recognition of Christensen's work as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust. Through this group, she has supported increased training, education and recruitment of minority physicians.
"I am extremely honored to receive this award on behalf of myself, the CBC and the people of the Virgin Islands," Christensen, a physician, said in a release. She said the award capped a week of meetings and forums sponsored by the Health Braintrust that were held during the annual Legislative Conference on Global Understanding.
Conference discussion topics included African-Americans with disabilities, mobilization of a health-care movement, the HIV/AIDS crisis, problems of minority physicians, reparations and health care, and improving care for minorities nearing the end of life.
Christensen said the conference showed a clear need for the minority community to mobilize in order to obtain quality health care.
She noted that many health-care issues faced by Virgin Islands residents, including lack of insurance coverage; high rates of cancer, hypertension and HIV/AIDS; and the need for more physicians and funding for hospitals, clinics and outreach are faced by other minority communities. She said the territory needs to be part of the movement to ensure all Americans get quality health care.
Virgin Islanders Pat and Alton A. Adams Jr. attended the conference, the release stated.

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.

Sept. 16, 2002 – Delegate Donna M. Christensen received the National Innovator Role Model Award on Sunday from Minority Access, a Maryland-based education organization dedicated to diversification in the American health-care workplace.
The award was in recognition of Christensen's work as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust. Through this group, she has supported increased training, education and recruitment of minority physicians.
"I am extremely honored to receive this award on behalf of myself, the CBC and the people of the Virgin Islands," Christensen, a physician, said in a release. She said the award capped a week of meetings and forums sponsored by the Health Braintrust that were held during the annual Legislative Conference on Global Understanding.
Conference discussion topics included African-Americans with disabilities, mobilization of a health-care movement, the HIV/AIDS crisis, problems of minority physicians, reparations and health care, and improving care for minorities nearing the end of life.
Christensen said the conference showed a clear need for the minority community to mobilize in order to obtain quality health care.
She noted that many health-care issues faced by Virgin Islands residents, including lack of insurance coverage; high rates of cancer, hypertension and HIV/AIDS; and the need for more physicians and funding for hospitals, clinics and outreach are faced by other minority communities. She said the territory needs to be part of the movement to ensure all Americans get quality health care.
Virgin Islanders Pat and Alton A. Adams Jr. attended the conference, the release stated.

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.

Sept. 16, 2002 – Delegate Donna M. Christensen received the National Innovator Role Model Award on Sunday from Minority Access, a Maryland-based education organization dedicated to diversification in the American health-care workplace.
The award was in recognition of Christensen's work as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust. Through this group, she has supported increased training, education and recruitment of minority physicians.
"I am extremely honored to receive this award on behalf of myself, the CBC and the people of the Virgin Islands," Christensen, a physician, said in a release. She said the award capped a week of meetings and forums sponsored by the Health Braintrust that were held during the annual Legislative Conference on Global Understanding.
Conference discussion topics included African-Americans with disabilities, mobilization of a health-care movement, the HIV/AIDS crisis, problems of minority physicians, reparations and health care, and improving care for minorities nearing the end of life.
Christensen said the conference showed a clear need for the minority community to mobilize in order to obtain quality health care.
She noted that many health-care issues faced by Virgin Islands residents, including lack of insurance coverage; high rates of cancer, hypertension and HIV/AIDS; and the need for more physicians and funding for hospitals, clinics and outreach are faced by other minority communities. She said the territory needs to be part of the movement to ensure all Americans get quality health care.
Virgin Islanders Pat and Alton A. Adams Jr. attended the conference, the release stated.

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Sept. 13, 2002 – Juan F. Luis Hospital is asking the St. Croix community to roll up its sleeves. On Sept. 21, the St. Croix Board of Realtors is sponsoring a blood drive to help replenish the hospital's depleted blood supply.
From 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the hospital van will be parked at Schooner Bay Marketplace, with staff members on hand to assist with blood donations.
Donors must be at least 17 and weigh 110 pounds. Donors must not have given blood for the last 56 days.
Roger W. Morgan of Rock' N 'Roll Rewind Broadcasting will broadcast live from the blood drive on Mongoose Radio 104.9.
Dwain Ford, Board of Realtors president elect, is calling on members and the public to help.
"We've got a serious problem," Ford said.
On Friday, the hospital had 52 pints of blood on hand, according to Debra Andrews, a technician at the hospital's blood bank. Andrews said the hospital uses about 80 to 110 pints a month, but doesn’t collect even half that much.
The hospital must buy what it doesn’t receive in donations, and blood from the American Red Cross in Puerto Rico is purchased for $250 a pint.
Andrews said that if six people a day gave blood, the hospital would be in good shape. Blood has a 42-day shelf life, so the hospital needs a steady supply to keep it fresh.
"We need people to be aware that we need blood consistently," Andrews said, adding that she hopes other organizations will follow the Board of Realtors’ example and hold other blood drives.
Andrews also suggested that when patients use blood, their family members and friends come by the blood bank to donate, and when patients are in better health, they also give blood to replace what was used.
People may choose to give blood during the week at the hospital, Ford said, between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
People giving blood, at either the hospital or the blood drive, can fill out entry forms to win gift certificates from St. Croix restaurants and stores.
For more information on the blood drive, call the Board of Realtors at 773-1855.