MEETING ON HEALTH CARE IS MONDAY EVENING

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The St. John public is invited to attend a town meeting sponsored by the Myrah Keating Smith Health Center on Monday, July 24, at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of the Julius E. Sprauve School.
Results of the health services community survey conducted last year will be presented and discussed, as will an update on plans for the future of the health center, according to administrator Erica McDonald.
For further information, contact McDonald at 693-8900.

TURNOUT SMALL FOR POLICE UNION PROTEST

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Wednesday's much-publicized Police Benevolent Association demonstration cum "press conference" began with a whimper, and it never reached a bang.
At the 10 a.m. starting time, there were three people before Havensight Mall's locked gates – PBA president Elroy Raymo and two reporters. Raymo had called the demonstration to air police grievances before tourists, making good his threat last month to do so if Gov. Charles W. Turnbull didn't come to the bargaining table.
Turnbull did meet with Raymo and PBA vice president Alphonso Boyce at 6 p.m. Tuesday, after the demonstration had been announced. But according to Boyce, it was too little, too late.
"He called us to come in, and then he couldn't offer us anything –- he just wanted to stop the demonstration," Boyce said.
Wednesday morning, the governor telephoned two radio stations asking the PBA to cancel the demonstration.
Edward Thomas, president of the West Indian Co. Ltd., which manages Havensight Mall for the Government Employees Retirement System, had ordered the mall gates locked in order to avoid confrontations between the demonstrators and tourists, and the move was effective. About 20 PBA supporters and even fewer tourists walked up to peer through the bars of the gates.
As supporters came straggling in carrying placards, Police Commissioner Franz Christian and Sen. Allie-Allison Petrus arrived on the scene.
"They're not going to change anything," Petrus said of the demonstrators. "What it amounts to is they are sabotaging the government. It's outrageous. Their level of logic is lacking."
Petrus said the union leaders needed to be more responsible. "If the membership follows them, they're just not using logic," he said.
Christian said he was present to see that there was "no disrespect shown to the chief executive, and that the demonstration be peaceful."
After speaking privately with Raymo for a few minutes, he said he was satisfied that the demonstrators would remain peaceful and "obey police procedures."
The commissioner said he would be checking back throughout the day to make sure things were in order. Police Chief Jose Garcia was also on hand "to ensure police rules and regulations are observed."
Among the placards carried by the demonstrators was one reading "Welcome to America's Parasite." One that Raymo kept a firm grip on throughout the protest said "Our Islands under Siege." Not all were so strident, though. One read "Police are Human too — take Care."
Joining the demonstration was St. Thomas-St. John firefighters union representative Daryl George, who decried the "lack of government leadership –- not money." He said, "We have told them what we need."
George said only two fire stations are open on St. Thomas, downtown and in Tutu, with only 12 firefighters on duty. "God forbid one of these cruise ships should catch fire," he remarked. George also said firefighters are operating with 6,000 gallons of water when they should have 10,000 to 15,000.
Raymo, George and St. Croix PBA president Naomi Joseph spoke to the few onlookers. Much horn honking from passersby appeared to be in support of the union efforts.
There had been much horn honking earlier, too — from astonished and angry would-be shoppers who couldn't get into the mall.
Raymo said he didn't want to "bring down the government" but had to get the administration's attention.
All three speakers covered a familiar litany of complaints. They cited lack of uniforms, lockers, flashlights, flares and psychological support for the officers.
Joseph said she has been trying to meet with the governor for six months, with every effort rebuffed, even though, she said, "he's in St. Croix every Tuesday." She said her calls were never answered.
"I don't want to do this," she said, "not like this. The whole thing could have been avoided if he had met with us, even once." She also questioned whether, since the mall is owned by the GERS, WICO had the right to lock the gates.
Police territorywide are owed $500,000 from Hurricanes Marilyn, Georges and Lenny, Joseph said. She said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided $257,309 but the administration won't release any of the money to the police until it gets the full amount from FEMA.
George and Joseph noted that the unionized police, firefighters, corrections officers and emergency medical technicians recently formed a unit which will continue to demonstrate. A meeting was planned for Thursday, George said, to decide whether to demonstrate over the coming weekend. He promised more protests next week.
The demonstrators announced they were forming a motorcade to go downtown and protest, but it didn't materialize. Later, in Emancipation Garden, Boyce said the plan was to "regroup and make further plans."
One tourist who had wandered up to the locked gates asked if the demonstrators were on strike. Given a brief explanation, he added, "They should do a slowdown, not a strike." He added, "Money does strange things to people."
Money problems force many police officers and firefighters to work two and three jobs, according to Boyce and others at the demonstration.
The Havensight Mall gates were reopened around noon. WICO spokesman Calvin Wheatley said later in the day that he was pleased to have observed little effect by the protestors on the tourists. "There's no question about that," he said, adding, "I just wonder what they expect to accomplish."

HAVENSIGHT SHOPS HURT BY LOCKING OF GATES

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The main damage done by a police union demonstration Wednesday morning at Havensight Mall was to the merchants -– the taxpayers -– who had virtually no business as the West Indian Co. Ltd. kept the main gates to the shopping area locked until noon.
WICO took the precautionary measure to avoid confrontations between Police Benevolent Association demonstrators and cruis ship visitors. The PBA had announced its intention to take its grievances to the tourists. However, owing to WICO's strategy, few tourists were aware of the demonstration.
Shopkeepers in the mall and across the road outside were much less concerned with police travails than with their silent cash registers. An employee of Soapy's Station, an online café next to Al Cohen's Mall, observed the protest, noting, "Nobody can get to us, anyhow."
Gourmet Gallery manager Mamoud Suid was less sanguine about his lack of sales. "It was a significant drop," he said. "All that brouhaha, very disappointing and for nothing -– what are they going to get?"
Quik Pix owner Jeffrey Kreiner was also unhappy. "It just killed business," he said, "and I don't know what they're going to prove."
Kathy Schlesinger of Dockside Bookshop said, "We were extremely aggravated with the locked gates. Our customers drive here, they don't walk off the ship." She said she couldn't estimate offhand how much business the shop had lost but said there were literally no customers until noon, when the demonstrators left and the gates were unlocked.
Betsy Woodward, manager of the Pussers' Outlet store across from the mall, said business during the morning was "awful -– nothing at all, not even any crew members." Pussers' gets most of its customers from the ships, as passengers exiting the mall just walk across the street. But with the gates locked, they couldn't do that.
It was possible for drivers to get to the mall stores by parking at the adjacent Port of Sale Mall and walking to the harbor side of the area and back up. However, most prospective shoppers didn't take that option, but just drove off.

10 DRUG-STING DEFENDANTS PLEAD NOT GUILTY

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Nine men accused of street drug dealing in the vicinity of local schools and another facing unrelated drug dealing charges all pleaded not guilty Wednesday in District Court to charges stemming from a recent federal undercover operation.
U.S. Magistrate Geoffrey Barnard accepted the pleas entered by a battery of defense attorneys and set trial dates for late August and early September for Mariano Amaro, Myron Callwood, Gregory Gonzalez, Travis Greenaway, George Penn, Ashana Powell, Michael Powell, Leon Stridiron, Albert Subin and Liston Todman.
Greenaway, Penn, the Powells, Stridiron and Todman have been free on bond since their arrests between June 30 and July 2. Amaro, Callwood, Gonzalez and Subin, who have remained behind bars, were led into the St. Thomas courtroom in tan prison uniforms and leg irons for Wednesday's proceedings.
Attorney Alan Smith, representing Amaro, arranged a $25,000 property bond, and his client was freed shortly after the arraignment.
Barnard said he would agree to a request from Gonzalez for travel leave to attend a family wedding off island with the provisions that he be accompanied by a responsible family member and that he check in with the local probation office for the duration of his stay.
All 10 defendants face federal charges of conspiracy to possess cocaine and/or crack cocaine with intent to distribute and related counts. All but Greenaway face the additional charge of possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school – a charge authorities have said will, upon conviction, bring a mandatory jail term even for first offenders. The schools cited were Ivanna Eudora Kean High School on St. Thomas and Julius E. Sprauve School on St. John.
Another defendant in the schools-related cases, Monroe Forbes, did not appear at the hearing. His attorney, George Hodge, said he had not received notice of the hearing in time to arrange for his client to be present. Barnard rescheduled Forbes's hearing for July 26.

ST. THOMAS GETS 10 NEW CORRECTIONS OFFICERS

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For the first time in almost five years, a group of new corrections officers was sworn in on St. Thomas Wednesday.
The 10 men and women formally became Corrections Bureau officers at a morning ceremony presided over by Judge Rhys S. Hodge, himself the Territorial Court's newest judicial official.
According to Corrections Bureau assistant director Ewin Harris, the 10 completed a six-week National Institute of Corrections training and certification course. All will be assigned to the Corrections annex in Sub Base, he said.
Attorney General Iver Stridiron recently announced his intention to hire 42 new corrections officers for the territory, in large part to meet the staffing needs of the recently expanded Golden Grove Correctional Facility. The St. Croix facility is in the process of receiving 90 V.I. prisoners who have been incarcerated on the mainland.
Harris said the guards sworn in on Wednesday – Larry Amey, Hermon Bell, Orvin Clarke, Lionel Fahie, Maurice Foy, Carmen James, Carol Jones, Elise Moore, Rochelle Perryman and Elvis Weekes – are not a part of that plan.
"These are not the officers he was talking about," Harris said. "We're talking about hiring an additional 42 officers. We're presently going through the procedure of interviewing candidates."
Of that additional group, he said, 12 more guards will be assigned to St. Thomas, and the other 30 others are expected to be assigned to Golden Grove.

STEEP ST. JOHN TAX HIKE OPPOSED, EXPLAINED

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Sen. Almando "Rocky" Liburd addressed a letter to V.I. Tax Assesssor Roy Martin Wednesday objecting to a 10 percent increase in property taxes on St. John while St. Thomas and St. Croix had lesser rates in increase.
In the letter, circulated to the news media, the at-large senator said he also had written to Senate Finance Committee chair Lorraine Berry "asking her to convene a hearing to look into why there is such a big disparity" in the rates.
Martin said it's a matter of mathematics and the real estate market on the three islands.
Liburd's letter cited increases of 6 percent for St. Thomas and 5 percent for St. Croix in addition to the 10 percent for St. John. According to Martin, the figure for St. Thomas is 7 percent and the other two are correct.
By law and in current practice, Martin said, the actual worth of real property is re-evaluated every two years. This is done by two means, he said – with personnel from his office "out in the field doing the evaluations in new construction and additions and improvements to existing property," and from sales recorded during the period.
The most property taxes can go up for any one year is 10 percent. But Martin said the most recent re-evaluations found that the actual value for residential property on St. John increased much more than that from two years earlier. "Depending on the type of residential property category," he said, the increase ranged "from 20 percent up to as high as 35 to 40 percent."
On all three islands, he said, "the assessed values have gone up because of the market conditions." The large increase for St. John was not a surprise, he added. "We knew from a little while back that St. John was a little ahead of the other islands, based on the sales," he said.
Liburd in his letter stated that while the law allows for a maximum 10 percent increase, "I think it is totally unfair for St. John's tax rate to be placed at the highest level, considering the economic hardships many of our residents are experiencing."
He added, "This situation has caused major concern for the residents of St. John, who are wondering why the district of St. Thomas-St. John has two different tax rates being assessed." He asked Martin for "an explanation as to why the St. John property tax rate is the highest in the territory, whereas St. Thomas and St. Croix rates are still considerably under the 10 percent maximum cap increase."
Whether a 10 percent increase is steep, Martin said, "depends on what point you're looking at it from. Historically that has been the maximum percentage applied, with two exceptions: If property since the last evaluation has been improved by $50,000 or more, or if the property was sold since the last evluation."
Liburd also asked Martin for his help "in securing a more fair and equitable way of applying property tax increases for the island of St. John." Later Wednesday, Liburd said that Sen. Berry had agreed to schedule a Finance Committee hearing on the matter next Tuesday on St. John.
Martin also noted that, technically speaking, there was a change in the formula for calculating property tax this year – but one that makes no difference in the bottom line. The change was made to conform to a provision of the enabling legislation for the government's $300 million bond issue late last year, he said. "The law dictates that we show the 100 percent value of properties," he said, whereas this had not previously been the case. But, applying the formula, "what you should come up with is the same," he added.
Property tax bills were sent out in mid-June, Martin said, with the first deadline for payment June 30. However, property owners have until Aug. 31 to make their payments without penalty. As of Sept. 1, he said, "a penalty of 1.5 percent per month starts."
Martin noted that property owners can request an administrative review of their tax bills by telephoning or visiting an office of the Tax Assessor. "If we find any errors, we will correct them," he said. "And if the parties are still not satisfied, they can file a formal appeal."
He urged property owners who who have not yet received their bills to call the nearest office of the Tax Assessor – 776-8505 on St. Thomas, 776-6737 on St. John, 772-3125 in Frederiksted and 773-6449 in Christiansted.

THIEVES DRIVE OFF WITH ATM — BUT THAT'S ALL

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An individual or individuals in the Frederiksted area early Wednesday morning used a vehicle to reach an automated teller machine — one that was not of the drive-through sort.
Thieves reportedly drove a stolen pickup truck through the doors of the Prosperity Service Station around 2 a.m., threw the ATM into the back of the truck and sped off, according to WSTX radio. Priscilla Lynn, spokeswoman for the owner of the ATM, Caribbean Exchange Enterprises, said the device was brand new and had yet to be stocked with cash.
"Some kind of truck just drove right through the wall, and they put it in the back," Lynn said. "The machines are placed inside buildings to make them more secure. Obviously, though, that doesn’t matter to some people."
Caribbean Exchange is the only company licensed in the Virgin Islands to operate non-bank ATMs so far, although Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Andrew Rutnik said recently that his office has received an application from a second firm. Until a recent change in the law, only banks could install and operate such machines in the territory.
The firm has installed 15 ATMs on St. Croix, six on St. John and 18 on St. Thomas in recent weeks. Company president Frank Nassetta has said it will take six months to a year to recover the costs of shipping and installing the devices.

18 V.I. COLLEGE STUDENTS GET CFVI SCHOLARSHIPS

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Eighteen Virgin Islands students will benefit from college scholarships for the 2000-2001 academic year that have just been awarded by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands from three funding sources.
Celeste Bermudez of St. Croix has been granted the Artrelle M. Wheatley Scholarship, which provides for full tuition at the University of the Virgin Islands for one year.
Cari Loveland, a 2000 Antilles School graduate, and Silka Nicole Ritter, a member of the Class of 2000 at Charlotte Amalie High School, have been designated Theodore E. Sharp Scholars, an honor that carries a $1,000 award for each.
And 15 students from St. Thomas and St. Croix have been designated to receive a total of $10,000 in Anna Walsh Scholar Awards, in amounts ranging from $400 to $850.
One of the services the Community Foundation provides is to serve as a not-for-profit umbrella organization for individuals and entities wishing to donate funds within the community but lacking an administrative and tax structure by which to do so.
Artrelle M. Wheatley Scholarship
The Wheatley Scholarship, which has been awarded since 1997, was established at CFVI by Henry Wheatley and other family members and friends to honor his late wife's dedication to the Virgin Islands. It "recognizes Artrelle's years of volunteer work with the League of Women Voters and Rotary Club of St. Thomas as well as her many other contributions to this community," Henry Wheatley said. The annual grants are for students at UVI, where Artrelle Wheatley worked for 24 years.
Bermudez, the recipient for the coming academic year, was also last year's recipient and "has further distinguished herself this year" by achieving a 3.8 grade-point average and by her involvement in the Golden Key National Honor Society. A graduate of Central High School, she is a working mother with three young children, as well as a full-time UVI student majoring in business administration.
Theodore E. Sharp Scholars
To honor the memory of the late Theodore "Ted" Sharp, family and friends established the scholarship award bearing his name. A career Navy man and longtime St. Thomas resident, Sharp served as a supply officer for the Navy at the Sub Base and was an active Rotarian and ham radio operator locally. He married Elisabeth Swinson, daughter of the then-rector of All Saints Cathedral. After retiring from the Navy, he became admissions officer at California State University at Northridge. He founded the not-for-profit International Education Research Foundation and co-authored a pioneering guide to education admissions records.
Loveland plans to attend the University of Delaware in the fall to pursue a career in economics. Her senior year at Antilles she held three part-time jobs and was a volunteer with or participant in programs of the Humane Society, St. Thomas Swimming Association, Boys and Girls Club, Girl Scouts, Interact, St. Thomas Pony Club, Victim Advocates and National Honor Society beach cleanup.
Ritter plans to attend Campbell University in North Carolina and aspires to become a pediatric surgeon. She has taken enrichment courses at UVI and Wellesley College; was active at CAHS in the Spotlight radio show, athletics and Moot Court Competition; and chaired the Senior Council's community service and social affairs program. She volunteered with SPARKS (Students Promoting Awareness, Responsibility, Knowledge and Service), "Graffiti Street," the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Peer Helpers of the U.S. Attorney's Office, Schneider Hospital laboratory and Beacon Schools.
Anna Walsh Scholar Awards
CFVI has awarded more than $37,000 in scholarships funded by a bequest from Anna Greene Walsh to 58 students since 1996. A social worker in New York, Walsh worked under Hulita Blyden, a Virgin Islander. After retiring in 1973, Walsh moved to St. Thomas, where friendship with James Bough and Thyra Hodge Smith led her to bequeath her estate to be distributed in the territory as university scholarships.
The 15 recipients for the coming school year are UVI students Virginia Anthony, Marthious Clavier, Steve Lawrence, Tamisha Ottley and Fyama Wenner; University of Miami students Gail Douglas, Aesha Thomas and Janine Turbe; Xavier University of Louisiana students Theresa Brissett and Julene Chapman; and Monifa Armstrong (Johnson and Wales University, Providence), Alexandria Baltimore (Spelman College), Shanique Bonelli (Syracuse University), Desiree Commodore (Morgan State University) and Trevor Julien (Morehouse College).
For more information about the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, call Dee Baecher-Brown at 774-6031.

CALLING ALL ALUMNI OF ALL SAINTS SCHOOL

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The All Saints Cathedral School Capital Development Committee is developing a directory of All Saints Cathedral School graduates.
Alumni and anyone who has contact information for alumni are asked to submit names, postal addresses, e-mail addresses and telephone numbers to the school by faxing to (340) 774-1707 or e-mailing to Nadine Marchena at nmarchena@hotmail.com.
The capital development committee is co-chaired by Catherine Mills and Carole Oriol.

CFVI AWARDS 18 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

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Eighteen Virgin Islands students will benefit from college scholarships for the 2000-2001 academic year that have just been awarded by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands from three funding sources.
Celeste Bermudez of St. Croix has been granted the Artrelle M. Wheatley Scholarship, which provides for full tuition at the University of the Virgin Islands for one year.
Cari Loveland, a 2000 Antilles School graduate, and Silka Nicole Ritter, a member of the Class of 2000 at Charlotte Amalie High School, have been designated Theodore E. Sharp Scholars, an honor that carries a $1,000 award for each.
And 15 students from St. Thomas and St. Croix have been designated to receive a total of $10,000 in Anna Walsh Scholar Awards, in amounts ranging from $400 to $850.
One of the services the Community Foundation provides is to serve as a not-for-profit umbrella organization for individuals and entities wishing to donate funds within the community but lacking an administrative and tax structure by which to do so.
Artrelle M. Wheatley Scholarship
The Wheatley Scholarship, which has been awarded since 1997, was established at CFVI by Henry Wheatley and other family members and friends to honor his late wife's dedication to the Virgin Islands. It "recognizes Artrelle's years of volunteer work with the League of Women Voters and Rotary Club of St. Thomas as well as her many other contributions to this community," Henry Wheatley said. The annual grants are for students at UVI, where Artrelle Wheatley worked for 24 years.
Bermudez, the recipient for the coming academic year, was also last year's recipient and "has further distinguished herself this year" by achieving a 3.8 grade-point average and by her involvement in the Golden Key National Honor Society. A graduate of Central High School, she is a working mother with three young children, as well as a full-time UVI student majoring in business administration.
Theodore E. Sharp Scholars
To honor the memory of the late Theodore "Ted" Sharp, family and friends established the scholarship award bearing his name. A career Navy man and longtime St. Thomas resident, Sharp served as a supply officer for the Navy at the Sub Base and was an active Rotarian and ham radio operator locally. He married Elisabeth Swinson, daughter of the then-rector of All Saints Cathedral. After retiring from the Navy, he became admissions officer at California State University at Northridge. He founded the not-for-profit International Education Research Foundation and co-authored a pioneering guide to education admissions records.
Loveland plans to attend the University of Delaware in the fall to pursue a career in economics. Her senior year at Antilles she held three part-time jobs and was a volunteer with or participant in programs of the Humane Society, St. Thomas Swimming Association, Boys and Girls Club, Girl Scouts, Interact, St. Thomas Pony Club, Victim Advocates and National Honor Society beach cleanup.
Ritter plans to attend Campbell University in North Carolina and aspires to become a pediatric surgeon. She has taken enrichment courses at UVI and Wellesley College; was active at CAHS in the Spotlight radio show, athletics and Moot Court Competition; and chaired the Senior Council's community service and social affairs program. She volunteered with SPARKS (Students Promoting Awareness, Responsibility, Knowledge and Service), "Graffiti Street," the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Peer Helpers of the U.S. Attorney's Office, Schneider Hospital laboratory and Beacon Schools.
Anna Walsh Scholar Awards
CFVI has awarded more than $37,000 in scholarships funded by a bequest from Anna Greene Walsh to 58 students since 1996. A social worker in New York, Walsh worked under Hulita Blyden, a Virgin Islander. After retiring in 1973, Walsh moved to St. Thomas, where friendship with James Bough and Thyra Hodge Smith led her to bequeath her estate to be distributed in the territory as university scholarships.
The 15 recipients for the coming school year are UVI students Virginia Anthony, Marthious Clavier, Steve Lawrence, Tamisha Ottley and Fyama Wenner; University of Miami students Gail Douglas, Aesha Thomas and Janine Turbe; Xavier University of Louisiana students Theresa Brissett and Julene Chapman; and Monifa Armstrong (Johnson and Wales University, Providence), Alexandria Baltimore (Spelman College), Shanique Bonelli (Syracuse University), Desiree Commodore (Morgan State University) and Trevor Julien (Morehouse College).
For more information about the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, call Dee Baecher-Brown at 774-6031.