Oct. 30, 2001- Works by St. Thomas artist Silvia Kahn will be featured at the next exhibition at Alexander's Cafe, which opened with a champagne reception on Friday, Nov. 9. The work will hang until Dec. 13.
Although Kahn, a St. Thomas resident for more than a decade, was born in Venezuela, her parents were Austrian. She studied in Caracas, Barbados, Canada and New York City before graduating with high honors in fashion design at the Hetzendorfer Modelschule in Vienna.
"It is my distinct pleasure to exhibit in Alexander's Café, with its Austrian roots and also a cuisine that matches my Euro-Caribbean style of painting," Kahn says.
She will be exhibiting a series of seascape paintings as well as her signature Danzantes — semi-abstract cubist figures in gouache and pencil on paper — and still lifes and tropical flowers. The subjects of the paintings "are easily recognizable, although they are Kahn's personal interpretations of images or emotions, rather than faithful reproductions of reality," publicity material states.
Kahn has won several awards and has had solo shows in Puerto Rico, St. Martin and St. Barths. Locally, she was the featured artist at the first exhibit at the old Jimmy's Studio and also the first Da Da Wine Down exhibitor at Café Amici. Her work has been shown at the Fort Christian Museum and can be seen regularly at her own kiosk in Palm Passage, where passersby can watch her work, as well as in the Camille Pissarro Art Gallery on St. Thomas and the Kareso Art Gallery on St. John.
She and her work were recently featured in the Austrian international travel magazine Reies Aktwell. According to Kahn, ''The publisher was visiting St. Thomas on a cruise, and his visit to my Palm Passage location resulted in this article!"
For further information, visit the Silvia Kahn web site.
A special post-reception dinner will follow at Alexander's, with reservations requested. To reserve, call 774-4349.
GRAND GALLERIA SHOWING ST. JOHN ARTIST'S WORK
Nov. 9, 2001 – An exhibition of paintings and sculpture by St. John artist Tonia Zambrano will go on display Saturday at the grand opening of The Grand Galleria Art Gallery.
"A Feast for the Eyes" is the title of the show, which will be hanging on the upstairs level when the gallery in the former Grand Hotel in downtown Charlotte Amalie opens at 9 a.m. Saturday. The artist will be on hand Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to discuss her work.
A week later, on Nov. 16, the gallery will expand the exhibit to a group show that will include works by St. Croix's Roy Lawaetz; St. Thomas's Pam Benedetto, Pita Gonzalez, Madeleine Meehan, Shansi Miller, Eunice Summer and Page Winter; and St. John's Les Anderson, Kimberly Boulon, Deborah St. Clair and Kat Sowa.
The expanded show also will include "the last family holdings" of the late Eric Winter, "including a private collection of oils never shown before," gallery owner Michael Paiewonsky said. And, he added, "We shall have a room apart with life studies by Eric Winter and Eunice Summer that have never been shown before."
The exhibition will remain in place through February 2002. "If successfully supported by the community, it will reopen when the restorations are complete in midsummer," Paiewonsky said. Plans also call for exhibiting the work of other artists — paintings, sculpture, photography and more, he said.
"We are dedicated to the non-Caribbean-style paintings that move you, teach you, reach you," Paiewonsky states in a MAPes MONDe release. "We welcome school tours. We will offer any school or community organization free lectures by appointment."
To arrange tours or lectures, e-mail a request to MAPes MONDe or telephone 771-4908 or 776-2160.
Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, extended to 10 p.m. on Fridays. For those on St. John, arrangements have been made for a special ferry trip to downtown Charlotte Amalie on Fridays. The boat will depart Cruz Bay at 7 p.m. each week and leave the St. Thomas waterfront at 10 p.m. for the return trip. The round-trip fare is $10, and tickets may be purchased on St. John at MAPes MONDe in Mongoose Junction and at Connections.
Also, Paiewonsky said, "St. John hotels and villas can contact us for special transportation arrangements for their guests, as can St. John Artist Association members." To do so, call 771-4908 or e-mail to St. John MAPes MONDe.
Through the end of February, Paiewonsky said, 10 percent of the gross profits from the Zambrano exhibition and the group show will be donated to a not-for-profit service organization. "We will announce the charity after the show," he said.
In addition to mounting special shows such as the Zambrano and group exhibitions, Paiewonsky said, the gallery will continue to represent a growing roster of island artists. "We have just added several and will continue to do so," he said. "The shows will keep changing," he added, and for the art lover "will require many visits to comprehend the scope of the islands' best artists."
"A Feast for the Eyes" is the title of the show, which will be hanging on the upstairs level when the gallery in the former Grand Hotel in downtown Charlotte Amalie opens at 9 a.m. Saturday. The artist will be on hand Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to discuss her work.
A week later, on Nov. 16, the gallery will expand the exhibit to a group show that will include works by St. Croix's Roy Lawaetz; St. Thomas's Pam Benedetto, Pita Gonzalez, Madeleine Meehan, Shansi Miller, Eunice Summer and Page Winter; and St. John's Les Anderson, Kimberly Boulon, Deborah St. Clair and Kat Sowa.
The expanded show also will include "the last family holdings" of the late Eric Winter, "including a private collection of oils never shown before," gallery owner Michael Paiewonsky said. And, he added, "We shall have a room apart with life studies by Eric Winter and Eunice Summer that have never been shown before."
The exhibition will remain in place through February 2002. "If successfully supported by the community, it will reopen when the restorations are complete in midsummer," Paiewonsky said. Plans also call for exhibiting the work of other artists — paintings, sculpture, photography and more, he said.
"We are dedicated to the non-Caribbean-style paintings that move you, teach you, reach you," Paiewonsky states in a MAPes MONDe release. "We welcome school tours. We will offer any school or community organization free lectures by appointment."
To arrange tours or lectures, e-mail a request to MAPes MONDe or telephone 771-4908 or 776-2160.
Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, extended to 10 p.m. on Fridays. For those on St. John, arrangements have been made for a special ferry trip to downtown Charlotte Amalie on Fridays. The boat will depart Cruz Bay at 7 p.m. each week and leave the St. Thomas waterfront at 10 p.m. for the return trip. The round-trip fare is $10, and tickets may be purchased on St. John at MAPes MONDe in Mongoose Junction and at Connections.
Also, Paiewonsky said, "St. John hotels and villas can contact us for special transportation arrangements for their guests, as can St. John Artist Association members." To do so, call 771-4908 or e-mail to St. John MAPes MONDe.
Through the end of February, Paiewonsky said, 10 percent of the gross profits from the Zambrano exhibition and the group show will be donated to a not-for-profit service organization. "We will announce the charity after the show," he said.
In addition to mounting special shows such as the Zambrano and group exhibitions, Paiewonsky said, the gallery will continue to represent a growing roster of island artists. "We have just added several and will continue to do so," he said. "The shows will keep changing," he added, and for the art lover "will require many visits to comprehend the scope of the islands' best artists."
AD CLUB TO HOST EDWARD THOMAS
Nov. 9, 2001 – Edward Thomas, president and chief executive officer of The West Indian Co. Ltd., will discuss "The Cruise Industry in the New Economy" at the next monthly meeting of the Ad Club of the Virgin Islands.
Thomas will address how the cruise industry is dealing with the aftermath of Sept. 11 and how they are handling the challenge of dealing with the new economy. What was the reality of a soft economy the cruise industry faced before the tragedy has now become a challenge to restore consumer confidence in a world that has changed. Thomas will speak on how the cruise industry is overcoming these new obstacles.
The meeting will be at 12 p.m. Tuesday Nov. 13 at The Point at Villa Olga. Luncheon is $25 for members, $30 for non-members and reservations must be made by Mon., Nov. 12, no later than noon. For reservations call 774-8478 or e-mail rhonda@mlbcreative.com.
Thomas will address how the cruise industry is dealing with the aftermath of Sept. 11 and how they are handling the challenge of dealing with the new economy. What was the reality of a soft economy the cruise industry faced before the tragedy has now become a challenge to restore consumer confidence in a world that has changed. Thomas will speak on how the cruise industry is overcoming these new obstacles.
The meeting will be at 12 p.m. Tuesday Nov. 13 at The Point at Villa Olga. Luncheon is $25 for members, $30 for non-members and reservations must be made by Mon., Nov. 12, no later than noon. For reservations call 774-8478 or e-mail rhonda@mlbcreative.com.
AYSO PLAYS IN CORAL BAY
Nov. 7, 2001 – The American Youth Soccer Organization announces its schedule for Nov. 10 games at the Coral Bay ballfield in St. John.
St. John U12 vs. Antilles (1) kick-off is at 3 p.m. Teams will play four 15-minute quarters. The Antilles U12 boys group should take the 1 p.m. ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay. A taxi will meet the ferry to transport the team to Coral Bay, with arrival scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Teams will be transported via taxi back to Cruz Bay at around 4:20 p.m. to catch the 5 p.m. ferry from Cruz Bay to Red Hook.
The St. John U13 Girls vs. St. Thomas U13 Girls kick-off is at 4:30 p.m. Teams will play four 17-minute quarters. The St. Thomas U13 girls group should take the 3 p.m. ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay. A taxi will meet the ferry to transport the team to Coral Bay, with arrive scheduled for 4:15 p.m. Teams will be transported back to Cruz Bay at around 6 p.m. to catch the 7 p.m. ferry from Cruz Bay to Red Hook.
Neal Sullivan, who serves as assistant regional commissioner for St. John, said he did not know how much the taxi fare would run the players.
For more information, call Sullivan at 776-6540.
St. John U12 vs. Antilles (1) kick-off is at 3 p.m. Teams will play four 15-minute quarters. The Antilles U12 boys group should take the 1 p.m. ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay. A taxi will meet the ferry to transport the team to Coral Bay, with arrival scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Teams will be transported via taxi back to Cruz Bay at around 4:20 p.m. to catch the 5 p.m. ferry from Cruz Bay to Red Hook.
The St. John U13 Girls vs. St. Thomas U13 Girls kick-off is at 4:30 p.m. Teams will play four 17-minute quarters. The St. Thomas U13 girls group should take the 3 p.m. ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay. A taxi will meet the ferry to transport the team to Coral Bay, with arrive scheduled for 4:15 p.m. Teams will be transported back to Cruz Bay at around 6 p.m. to catch the 7 p.m. ferry from Cruz Bay to Red Hook.
Neal Sullivan, who serves as assistant regional commissioner for St. John, said he did not know how much the taxi fare would run the players.
For more information, call Sullivan at 776-6540.
AYSO PLAYS IN CORAL BAY
Nov. 7, 2001 – The American Youth Soccer Organization announces its schedule for Nov. 10 games at the Coral Bay ballfield in St. John.
St. John U12 vs. Antilles (1) kick-off is at 3 p.m. Teams will play four 15-minute quarters. The Antilles U12 boys group should take the 1 p.m. ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay. A taxi will meet the ferry to transport the team to Coral Bay, with arrival scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Teams will be transported via taxi back to Cruz Bay at around 4:20 p.m. to catch the 5 p.m. ferry from Cruz Bay to Red Hook.
The St. John U13 Girls vs. St. Thomas U13 Girls kick-off is at 4:30 p.m. Teams will play four 17-minute quarters. The St. Thomas U13 girls group should take the 3 p.m. ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay. A taxi will meet the ferry to transport the team to Coral Bay, with arrive scheduled for 4:15 p.m. Teams will be transported back to Cruz Bay at around 6 p.m. to catch the 7 p.m. ferry from Cruz Bay to Red Hook.
Neal Sullivan, who serves as assistant regional commissioner for St. John, said he did not know how much the taxi fare would run the players.
For more information, call Sullivan at 776-6540.
St. John U12 vs. Antilles (1) kick-off is at 3 p.m. Teams will play four 15-minute quarters. The Antilles U12 boys group should take the 1 p.m. ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay. A taxi will meet the ferry to transport the team to Coral Bay, with arrival scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Teams will be transported via taxi back to Cruz Bay at around 4:20 p.m. to catch the 5 p.m. ferry from Cruz Bay to Red Hook.
The St. John U13 Girls vs. St. Thomas U13 Girls kick-off is at 4:30 p.m. Teams will play four 17-minute quarters. The St. Thomas U13 girls group should take the 3 p.m. ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay. A taxi will meet the ferry to transport the team to Coral Bay, with arrive scheduled for 4:15 p.m. Teams will be transported back to Cruz Bay at around 6 p.m. to catch the 7 p.m. ferry from Cruz Bay to Red Hook.
Neal Sullivan, who serves as assistant regional commissioner for St. John, said he did not know how much the taxi fare would run the players.
For more information, call Sullivan at 776-6540.
HOW ABOUT A V.I. AIRLINE?
Dear Source,
I agree with a previous article regarding allocating more money for the
tourism industry in the Virgin Islands. To be honest with you if it was not
for the e-mail reminders from American Airlines, which I feel has a monopoly
not only on the U.S. Virgin Islands but the entire Caribbean, I would not
know of deals/events that will be occurring in the V.I.
I live in Miami and I constantly hear of Bahamian, Jamaican, Cayman even Mexican getaways….I have yet to hear of something from the Virgin Islands. Depending on the time of year some of the fares to these destinations are equal or sometimes even more expensive than fares for some getaways to the V.I.
I guess we need our own airline. Nothing big. We can start with one or two planes and work our way up.
How about a big tax break for the first couple of years like the Government likes to give to non-local business ventures?
Who is the V.I. targeting as tourist/visitors?
I know of about 25 to 50 people who would rather spend their money to visit an island where a passport is not needed, there is no departure tax and there is no hassle with having to change the currency. These are just a few things the V.I. can use on its campaign.
Johnny Munoz
Miami Fla.
I agree with a previous article regarding allocating more money for the
tourism industry in the Virgin Islands. To be honest with you if it was not
for the e-mail reminders from American Airlines, which I feel has a monopoly
not only on the U.S. Virgin Islands but the entire Caribbean, I would not
know of deals/events that will be occurring in the V.I.
I live in Miami and I constantly hear of Bahamian, Jamaican, Cayman even Mexican getaways….I have yet to hear of something from the Virgin Islands. Depending on the time of year some of the fares to these destinations are equal or sometimes even more expensive than fares for some getaways to the V.I.
I guess we need our own airline. Nothing big. We can start with one or two planes and work our way up.
How about a big tax break for the first couple of years like the Government likes to give to non-local business ventures?
Who is the V.I. targeting as tourist/visitors?
I know of about 25 to 50 people who would rather spend their money to visit an island where a passport is not needed, there is no departure tax and there is no hassle with having to change the currency. These are just a few things the V.I. can use on its campaign.
Johnny Munoz
Miami Fla.
'AYLA'S PARADISE' IS ONE VIRGIN ISLANDERS KNOW
Ayla's Paradise
by Esther Slade
Robert D. Reed, 145 pp, $11.95
Nov. 9, 2001 – Esther Slade is a native Crucian, and therein lies much of the charm of this slim work of fiction. Those of us who live in the Virgin Islands will more than likely feel a warm appreciation for this writer who gets the facts right. The characters are realistic; the places on St. Croix exist and are recognizable. This provides an ideal setting for the story, a West Indian romance.
Life is not all mangos and bananas for Ayla, who is 9 years old when her beloved mother dies. Her twin brothers, four years her junior, are hers to mother, with all that this entails. Their father is devoted to them but works long hours to provide for them with little time to spare. Life is hard for Ayla, merely a child herself, but she manages to do it all, boggling our minds.
The family is a religious one; the children attend their church school and are devoutly Christian. A sensitive picture is drawn of the love and care given West Indian children, not only by their families but by neighbors and friends. The village in which they live, Paradise, is situated near Frederiksted, and Slade's description brings it to life in bright Caribbean colors.
This is a story of a girl who leaves her island home for the first time to attend college in Philadelphia. The ups and downs she experiences, the sources of courage and determination that sustain her and impel her forward, are familiar to us. We find ourselves wishing her to succeed.
Ayla comes home to teach school and meets her handsome prince on the beach at Cramer's Park, where the Cruzan Rum and reggae music enhance the high spirits at the annual Teachers Picnic. Her saga is off and running.
Writers from Will Shakespeare to Sidney Sheldon remind us that life is like today's stock market, with exhilarating highs and crushing lows. So it is with Ayla Walker Johnson. I think Virgin Islands readers, in particular, will enjoy taking the journey with her.
"Ayla's Paradise" is available at Dockside Bookshop in Havensight Mall on St. Thomas. To check out other Dockside favorites, click here.
by Esther Slade
Robert D. Reed, 145 pp, $11.95
Nov. 9, 2001 – Esther Slade is a native Crucian, and therein lies much of the charm of this slim work of fiction. Those of us who live in the Virgin Islands will more than likely feel a warm appreciation for this writer who gets the facts right. The characters are realistic; the places on St. Croix exist and are recognizable. This provides an ideal setting for the story, a West Indian romance.
Life is not all mangos and bananas for Ayla, who is 9 years old when her beloved mother dies. Her twin brothers, four years her junior, are hers to mother, with all that this entails. Their father is devoted to them but works long hours to provide for them with little time to spare. Life is hard for Ayla, merely a child herself, but she manages to do it all, boggling our minds.
The family is a religious one; the children attend their church school and are devoutly Christian. A sensitive picture is drawn of the love and care given West Indian children, not only by their families but by neighbors and friends. The village in which they live, Paradise, is situated near Frederiksted, and Slade's description brings it to life in bright Caribbean colors.
This is a story of a girl who leaves her island home for the first time to attend college in Philadelphia. The ups and downs she experiences, the sources of courage and determination that sustain her and impel her forward, are familiar to us. We find ourselves wishing her to succeed.
Ayla comes home to teach school and meets her handsome prince on the beach at Cramer's Park, where the Cruzan Rum and reggae music enhance the high spirits at the annual Teachers Picnic. Her saga is off and running.
Writers from Will Shakespeare to Sidney Sheldon remind us that life is like today's stock market, with exhilarating highs and crushing lows. So it is with Ayla Walker Johnson. I think Virgin Islands readers, in particular, will enjoy taking the journey with her.
"Ayla's Paradise" is available at Dockside Bookshop in Havensight Mall on St. Thomas. To check out other Dockside favorites, click here.
$4.4M APPROVED TO UPGRADE SEWAGE SYSTEM
Nov. 8, 2001 – On the third and final day of its current session, the Legislature appropriated $4.4 million Thursday from the Anti-litter and Beautification Fund for the Public Works Department to repair and maintain the territory's waste disposal systems, approved a lease for a veterans center and increased unemployment benefits.
Public Works Commissioner Wayne Callwood has stated it would cost about $30 million to overhaul the sewage treatment facilities on St. Croix alone.
Callwood appeared with Gov. Charles W. Turnbull before U.S. District Judge Thomas Moore in October in a contempt-of-court hearing. He told the judge what progress the V.I. government was making to upgrade wastewater treatment plants and pumping stations in the territory.
Moore scheduled the hearing after the V.I. government failed to show progress in bringing the facilities into compliance with federal Environmental Protection Agency standards, which the government is under court order to do.
"I'm going to do all I can. I'm going to have to do some micromanaging," Turnbull told the judge as he pledged to bring the sewage facilities up to standards. "I told my people, 'The judge is right.' When you're wrong, you have to admit you're wrong."
EPA attorney Donald Frankel said he believed the allocation of $4.4 million was a major step forward, but he noted that it came about only after Moore had scheduled the contempt-of-court hearing.
Enthusiastic in their endorsement of the $4.4 million allocation Thursday, senators made no mention of the $30 million figure. The bill, proposed by Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd at the request of the governor, states that it would satisfy the District Court order stipulation.
"Something is extremely wrong when the court orders the governor to do something that is common sense," Liburd said. "This is embarrassing for our people." Liburd was still presiding over the Senate into the night Thursday and unavailable for comment.
Lease of V.I. Hotel property
Sen. Norma Pickard-Samuel's legislation to lease the former V.I. Hilton/Virgin Isles Hotel property on St. Thomas for use as a multipurpose veterans center was approved, but not without lively debate.
The measure had been in hot water since its inception earlier this year, most recently because of Pickard-Samuel's selection of her husband, Gilbert Samuel, to head the corporation which would manage the veterans center. Pickard-Samuel introduced the legislation Thursday by announcing that her husband had resigned from the position in October, although she produced no documentation of the resignation. "We have my husband out of the mix now," she said.
At hearings on the bill, Pickard-Samuel had not mentioned that her husband, a veteran, was to head the corporation. When the fact became known, it met a barrage of news media criticism calling it a conflict of interest and questioning her honesty. Nonetheless, the Rules Committee approved the legislation and passed it to the full Senate.
The legislation calls for a $300,000 grant from the interest earned on bond proceeds to Veterans Resources and Development Inc., which would build and manage the center. The money is to cover architectural services, plans and specifications, construction, labor, materials and other expenses. It doesn't stipulate who would head the corporation.
Earlier this year, Pickard-Samuel traveled to Washington, D.C., to discuss the matter with the national Veterans Affairs Office, after which she received criticism in the media about spending taxpayers' money on the trip. She said at the time that her efforts would be rewarded and that it was a fruitful trip.
Until Pickard-Samuel's proposal emerged, the government had shown little interest in rehabilitating the property, which it was given three years ago. Since Hurricane Hugo, the hillside complex west of downtown, once the island's most prestigious resort, has been a haven for squatters and a graveyard for abandoned vehicles.
Gov. Roy Schneider at one point touted it as future affordable housing, and there was periodic interest in converting it into a training facility for vocational education, the hospitality industry and other purposes. But no effort had been made to rehabilitate the property since 1989.
What was left of the V.I. Hotel was deeded to the government on Dec. 31, 1998, by the Maribe Hotel Corp., the consortium that owned the derelict Upper John Dunkoe property, after the University of the Virgin Islands turned down a similar offer. The owners stipulated that the onetime showplace of the territory's new high-profile tourism industry be used for a public purpose. The owners had been trying since Hurricane Hugo to unload the ruined resort and deal with tax and insurance issues; they reportedly had most recently had it on the market for $4 million, with no takers.
Although all senators lauded the intent of the bill Thursday, some wondered about its legality.
Sen. Lorraine Berry introduced a "memorandum of law" which she had asked Yvonne Tharpes, the legislature's legal counsel, to prepare. Berry questioned the scope of the authority granted to the governor in leasing the property. She also wondered about the authority of the veterans center development corporation to float bonds, responsibility for the obligations incurred in establishing the center, and whether a bidding process would be required for the corporation to contract with the investors.
Tharpes' opinion basically said the bill was limited in scope. She said if the governor exercises the authority granted him in the bill, he must do so in accordance with conditions set forth in the bill. She said if the bill is intended to be mandatory, constitutional questions may surface.
The bill doesn't involve financing of the project, Tharpes said; it merely provides a grant to the corporation to carry out a public purpose. It doesn't authorize the government to issue bonds, nor does it delegate authority to the corporation to issue bonds.
The bill passed 12-3 with Sens. Berry, Roosevelt David and Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg casting the negative votes.
Cut in jobless contributions, hike in benefits
A bill to amend the Unemployment Insurance Fund was passed, along with an amendment increasing unemployment benefits. The bill addresses the fact that the government has an excess of about $60 million in the fund.
There have been calls for years for the government to change the way in which employers pay into the fund. The criticisms have come both from local business leaders and from the federal government, which acts as custodian of the fund.
In every jurisdiction nationwide, employers are required to pay a percentage of their workers' salaries into the fund in order to cover benefits to workers who are laid off. The percentage for a given business is supposed to be based on the demands previously placed on the fund by that employer's workers. But in the Virgin Islands the system has been marked by wide swings in the level of contributions required of employers — and, in general, by overly high contributions compared to payout demands.
Pickard-Samuel has been working with the Labor Department to reduce the amount of unemployment taxes employers pay into the fund. At the same time, she plans to amend the bill to levy a surcharge on them of 0.1 percent of wages paid. That money would filter through the insurance fund but would remain at the disposal of the local government for use in computer and Internet services training programs. That, she said, translates into retraining for laid-off workers.
The bill passed 14-1, with Sen. David Jones absent for the vote.
Pickard-Samuel and all of the other majority senators supported an amendment to the bill which would increase the weekly unemployment compensation benefit paid to eligible claimants by $200 weekly. The benefits would last through Jan. 30, 2002, and be retroactive to Se pt. 11, 2001. The bill was passed 14-1, with Sen. Vargrave Richards not voting.
The session, which was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., got under way at 11:40 a.m. Liburd declared the body would "go right through" until finished. At 9 p.m. Thursday, still on the agenda were more than 30 amendments to be heard, along with at least eight bills and two lease agreements.
Public Works Commissioner Wayne Callwood has stated it would cost about $30 million to overhaul the sewage treatment facilities on St. Croix alone.
Callwood appeared with Gov. Charles W. Turnbull before U.S. District Judge Thomas Moore in October in a contempt-of-court hearing. He told the judge what progress the V.I. government was making to upgrade wastewater treatment plants and pumping stations in the territory.
Moore scheduled the hearing after the V.I. government failed to show progress in bringing the facilities into compliance with federal Environmental Protection Agency standards, which the government is under court order to do.
"I'm going to do all I can. I'm going to have to do some micromanaging," Turnbull told the judge as he pledged to bring the sewage facilities up to standards. "I told my people, 'The judge is right.' When you're wrong, you have to admit you're wrong."
EPA attorney Donald Frankel said he believed the allocation of $4.4 million was a major step forward, but he noted that it came about only after Moore had scheduled the contempt-of-court hearing.
Enthusiastic in their endorsement of the $4.4 million allocation Thursday, senators made no mention of the $30 million figure. The bill, proposed by Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd at the request of the governor, states that it would satisfy the District Court order stipulation.
"Something is extremely wrong when the court orders the governor to do something that is common sense," Liburd said. "This is embarrassing for our people." Liburd was still presiding over the Senate into the night Thursday and unavailable for comment.
Lease of V.I. Hotel property
Sen. Norma Pickard-Samuel's legislation to lease the former V.I. Hilton/Virgin Isles Hotel property on St. Thomas for use as a multipurpose veterans center was approved, but not without lively debate.
The measure had been in hot water since its inception earlier this year, most recently because of Pickard-Samuel's selection of her husband, Gilbert Samuel, to head the corporation which would manage the veterans center. Pickard-Samuel introduced the legislation Thursday by announcing that her husband had resigned from the position in October, although she produced no documentation of the resignation. "We have my husband out of the mix now," she said.
At hearings on the bill, Pickard-Samuel had not mentioned that her husband, a veteran, was to head the corporation. When the fact became known, it met a barrage of news media criticism calling it a conflict of interest and questioning her honesty. Nonetheless, the Rules Committee approved the legislation and passed it to the full Senate.
The legislation calls for a $300,000 grant from the interest earned on bond proceeds to Veterans Resources and Development Inc., which would build and manage the center. The money is to cover architectural services, plans and specifications, construction, labor, materials and other expenses. It doesn't stipulate who would head the corporation.
Earlier this year, Pickard-Samuel traveled to Washington, D.C., to discuss the matter with the national Veterans Affairs Office, after which she received criticism in the media about spending taxpayers' money on the trip. She said at the time that her efforts would be rewarded and that it was a fruitful trip.
Until Pickard-Samuel's proposal emerged, the government had shown little interest in rehabilitating the property, which it was given three years ago. Since Hurricane Hugo, the hillside complex west of downtown, once the island's most prestigious resort, has been a haven for squatters and a graveyard for abandoned vehicles.
Gov. Roy Schneider at one point touted it as future affordable housing, and there was periodic interest in converting it into a training facility for vocational education, the hospitality industry and other purposes. But no effort had been made to rehabilitate the property since 1989.
What was left of the V.I. Hotel was deeded to the government on Dec. 31, 1998, by the Maribe Hotel Corp., the consortium that owned the derelict Upper John Dunkoe property, after the University of the Virgin Islands turned down a similar offer. The owners stipulated that the onetime showplace of the territory's new high-profile tourism industry be used for a public purpose. The owners had been trying since Hurricane Hugo to unload the ruined resort and deal with tax and insurance issues; they reportedly had most recently had it on the market for $4 million, with no takers.
Although all senators lauded the intent of the bill Thursday, some wondered about its legality.
Sen. Lorraine Berry introduced a "memorandum of law" which she had asked Yvonne Tharpes, the legislature's legal counsel, to prepare. Berry questioned the scope of the authority granted to the governor in leasing the property. She also wondered about the authority of the veterans center development corporation to float bonds, responsibility for the obligations incurred in establishing the center, and whether a bidding process would be required for the corporation to contract with the investors.
Tharpes' opinion basically said the bill was limited in scope. She said if the governor exercises the authority granted him in the bill, he must do so in accordance with conditions set forth in the bill. She said if the bill is intended to be mandatory, constitutional questions may surface.
The bill doesn't involve financing of the project, Tharpes said; it merely provides a grant to the corporation to carry out a public purpose. It doesn't authorize the government to issue bonds, nor does it delegate authority to the corporation to issue bonds.
The bill passed 12-3 with Sens. Berry, Roosevelt David and Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg casting the negative votes.
Cut in jobless contributions, hike in benefits
A bill to amend the Unemployment Insurance Fund was passed, along with an amendment increasing unemployment benefits. The bill addresses the fact that the government has an excess of about $60 million in the fund.
There have been calls for years for the government to change the way in which employers pay into the fund. The criticisms have come both from local business leaders and from the federal government, which acts as custodian of the fund.
In every jurisdiction nationwide, employers are required to pay a percentage of their workers' salaries into the fund in order to cover benefits to workers who are laid off. The percentage for a given business is supposed to be based on the demands previously placed on the fund by that employer's workers. But in the Virgin Islands the system has been marked by wide swings in the level of contributions required of employers — and, in general, by overly high contributions compared to payout demands.
Pickard-Samuel has been working with the Labor Department to reduce the amount of unemployment taxes employers pay into the fund. At the same time, she plans to amend the bill to levy a surcharge on them of 0.1 percent of wages paid. That money would filter through the insurance fund but would remain at the disposal of the local government for use in computer and Internet services training programs. That, she said, translates into retraining for laid-off workers.
The bill passed 14-1, with Sen. David Jones absent for the vote.
Pickard-Samuel and all of the other majority senators supported an amendment to the bill which would increase the weekly unemployment compensation benefit paid to eligible claimants by $200 weekly. The benefits would last through Jan. 30, 2002, and be retroactive to Se pt. 11, 2001. The bill was passed 14-1, with Sen. Vargrave Richards not voting.
The session, which was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., got under way at 11:40 a.m. Liburd declared the body would "go right through" until finished. At 9 p.m. Thursday, still on the agenda were more than 30 amendments to be heard, along with at least eight bills and two lease agreements.
$4.4M APPROVED TO FIX SEWAGE SYSTEMS
Nov. 8, 2001 – On the third and final day of its current session, the Legislature appropriated $4.4 million Thursday from the Anti-litter and Beautification Fund for the Public Works Department to repair and maintain the territory's waste disposal systems, approved a lease for a veterans center and increased unemployment benefits.
Public Works Commissioner Wayne Callwood has stated it would cost about $30 million to overhaul the sewage treatment facilities on St. Croix alone.
Callwood appeared with Gov. Charles W. Turnbull before U.S. District Judge Thomas Moore in October in a contempt-of-court hearing. He told the judge what progress the V.I. government was making to upgrade wastewater treatment plants and pumping stations in the territory.
Moore scheduled the hearing after the V.I. government failed to show progress in bringing the facilities into compliance with federal Environmental Protection Agency standards, which the government is under court order to do.
"I'm going to do all I can. I'm going to have to do some micromanaging," Turnbull told the judge as he pledged to bring the sewage facilities up to standards. "I told my people, 'The judge is right.' When you're wrong, you have to admit you're wrong."
EPA attorney Donald Frankel said he believed the allocation of $4.4 million was a major step forward, but he noted that it came about only after Moore had scheduled the contempt-of-court hearing.
Enthusiastic in their endorsement of the $4.4 million allocation Thursday, senators made no mention of the $30 million figure. The bill, proposed by Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd at the request of the governor, states that it would satisfy the District Court order stipulation.
"Something is extremely wrong when the court orders the governor to do something that is common sense," Liburd said. "This is embarrassing for our people." Liburd was still presiding over the Senate into the night Thursday and unavailable for comment.
Lease of V.I. Hotel property
Sen. Norma Pickard-Samuel's legislation to lease the former V.I. Hilton/Virgin Isles Hotel property on St. Thomas for use as a multipurpose veterans center was approved, but not without lively debate.
The measure had been in hot water since its inception earlier this year, most recently because of Pickard-Samuel's selection of her husband, Gilbert Samuel, to head the corporation which would manage the veterans center. Pickard-Samuel introduced the legislation Thursday by announcing that her husband had resigned from the position in October, although she produced no documentation of the resignation. "We have my husband out of the mix now," she said.
At hearings on the bill, Pickard-Samuel had not mentioned that her husband, a veteran, was to head the corporation. When the fact became known, it met a barrage of news media criticism calling it a conflict of interest and questioning her honesty. Nonetheless, the Rules Committee approved the legislation and passed it to the full Senate.
The legislation calls for a $300,000 grant from the interest earned on bond proceeds to Veterans Resources and Development Inc., which would build and manage the center. The money is to cover architectural services, plans and specifications, construction, labor, materials and other expenses. It doesn't stipulate who would head the corporation.
Earlier this year, Pickard-Samuel traveled to Washington, D.C., to discuss the matter with the national Veterans Affairs Office, after which she received criticism in the media about spending taxpayers' money on the trip. She said at the time that her efforts would be rewarded and that it was a fruitful trip.
Until Pickard-Samuel's proposal emerged, the government had shown little interest in rehabilitating the property, which it was given three years ago. Since Hurricane Hugo, the hillside complex west of downtown, once the island's most prestigious resort, has been a haven for squatters and a graveyard for abandoned vehicles.
Gov. Roy Schneider at one point touted it as future affordable housing, and there was periodic interest in converting it into a training facility for vocational education, the hospitality industry and other purposes. But no effort had been made to rehabilitate the property since 1989.
What was left of the V.I. Hotel was deeded to the government on Dec. 31, 1998, by the Maribe Hotel Corp., the consortium that owned the derelict Upper John Dunkoe property, after the University of the Virgin Islands turned down a similar offer. The owners stipulated that the onetime showplace of the territory's new high-profile tourism industry be used for a public purpose. The owners had been trying since Hurricane Hugo to unload the ruined resort and deal with tax and insurance issues; they reportedly had most recently had it on the market for $4 million, with no takers.
Although all senators lauded the intent of the bill Thursday, some wondered about its legality.
Sen. Lorraine Berry introduced a "memorandum of law" which she had asked Yvonne Tharpes, the legislature's legal counsel, to prepare. Berry questioned the scope of the authority granted to the governor in leasing the property. She also wondered about the authority of the veterans center development corporation to float bonds, responsibility for the obligations incurred in establishing the center, and whether a bidding process would be required for the corporation to contract with the investors.
Tharpes' opinion basically said the bill was limited in scope. She said if the governor exercises the authority granted him in the bill, he must do so in accordance with conditions set forth in the bill. She said if the bill is intended to be mandatory, constitutional questions may surface.
The bill doesn't involve financing of the project, Tharpes said; it merely provides a grant to the corporation to carry out a public purpose. It doesn't authorize the government to issue bonds, nor does it delegate authority to the corporation to issue bonds.
The bill passed 12-3 with Sens. Berry, Roosevelt David and Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg casting the negative votes.
Cut in jobless contributions, hike in benefits
A bill to amend the Unemployment Insurance Fund was passed, along with an amendment increasing unemployment benefits. The bill addresses the fact that the government has an excess of about $60 million in the fund.
There have been calls for years for the government to change the way in which employers pay into the fund. The criticisms have come both from local business leaders and from the federal government, which acts as custodian of the fund.
In every jurisdiction nationwide, employers are required to pay a percentage of their workers' salaries into the fund in order to cover benefits to workers who are laid off. The percentage for a given business is supposed to be based on the demands previously placed on the fund by that employer's workers. But in the Virgin Islands the system has been marked by wide swings in the level of contributions required of employers — and, in general, by overly high contributions compared to payout demands.
Pickard-Samuel has been working with the Labor Department to reduce the amount of unemployment taxes employers pay into the fund. At the same time, she plans to amend the bill to levy a surcharge on them of 0.1 percent of wages paid. That money would filter through the insurance fund but would remain at the disposal of the local government for use in computer and Internet services training programs. That, she said, translates into retraining for laid-off workers.
The bill passed 14-1, with Sen. David Jones absent for the vote.
Pickard-Samuel and all of the other majority senators supported an amendment to the bill which would increase the weekly unemployment compensation benefit paid to eligible claimants by $200 weekly. The benefits would last through Jan. 30, 2002, and be retroactive to Se pt. 11, 2001. The bill was passed 14-1, with Sen. Vargrave Richards not voting.
The session, which was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., got under way at 11:40 a.m. Liburd declared the body would "go right through" until finished. At 9 p.m. Thursday, still on the agenda were more than 30 amendments to be heard, along with at least eight bills and two lease agreements.
Public Works Commissioner Wayne Callwood has stated it would cost about $30 million to overhaul the sewage treatment facilities on St. Croix alone.
Callwood appeared with Gov. Charles W. Turnbull before U.S. District Judge Thomas Moore in October in a contempt-of-court hearing. He told the judge what progress the V.I. government was making to upgrade wastewater treatment plants and pumping stations in the territory.
Moore scheduled the hearing after the V.I. government failed to show progress in bringing the facilities into compliance with federal Environmental Protection Agency standards, which the government is under court order to do.
"I'm going to do all I can. I'm going to have to do some micromanaging," Turnbull told the judge as he pledged to bring the sewage facilities up to standards. "I told my people, 'The judge is right.' When you're wrong, you have to admit you're wrong."
EPA attorney Donald Frankel said he believed the allocation of $4.4 million was a major step forward, but he noted that it came about only after Moore had scheduled the contempt-of-court hearing.
Enthusiastic in their endorsement of the $4.4 million allocation Thursday, senators made no mention of the $30 million figure. The bill, proposed by Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd at the request of the governor, states that it would satisfy the District Court order stipulation.
"Something is extremely wrong when the court orders the governor to do something that is common sense," Liburd said. "This is embarrassing for our people." Liburd was still presiding over the Senate into the night Thursday and unavailable for comment.
Lease of V.I. Hotel property
Sen. Norma Pickard-Samuel's legislation to lease the former V.I. Hilton/Virgin Isles Hotel property on St. Thomas for use as a multipurpose veterans center was approved, but not without lively debate.
The measure had been in hot water since its inception earlier this year, most recently because of Pickard-Samuel's selection of her husband, Gilbert Samuel, to head the corporation which would manage the veterans center. Pickard-Samuel introduced the legislation Thursday by announcing that her husband had resigned from the position in October, although she produced no documentation of the resignation. "We have my husband out of the mix now," she said.
At hearings on the bill, Pickard-Samuel had not mentioned that her husband, a veteran, was to head the corporation. When the fact became known, it met a barrage of news media criticism calling it a conflict of interest and questioning her honesty. Nonetheless, the Rules Committee approved the legislation and passed it to the full Senate.
The legislation calls for a $300,000 grant from the interest earned on bond proceeds to Veterans Resources and Development Inc., which would build and manage the center. The money is to cover architectural services, plans and specifications, construction, labor, materials and other expenses. It doesn't stipulate who would head the corporation.
Earlier this year, Pickard-Samuel traveled to Washington, D.C., to discuss the matter with the national Veterans Affairs Office, after which she received criticism in the media about spending taxpayers' money on the trip. She said at the time that her efforts would be rewarded and that it was a fruitful trip.
Until Pickard-Samuel's proposal emerged, the government had shown little interest in rehabilitating the property, which it was given three years ago. Since Hurricane Hugo, the hillside complex west of downtown, once the island's most prestigious resort, has been a haven for squatters and a graveyard for abandoned vehicles.
Gov. Roy Schneider at one point touted it as future affordable housing, and there was periodic interest in converting it into a training facility for vocational education, the hospitality industry and other purposes. But no effort had been made to rehabilitate the property since 1989.
What was left of the V.I. Hotel was deeded to the government on Dec. 31, 1998, by the Maribe Hotel Corp., the consortium that owned the derelict Upper John Dunkoe property, after the University of the Virgin Islands turned down a similar offer. The owners stipulated that the onetime showplace of the territory's new high-profile tourism industry be used for a public purpose. The owners had been trying since Hurricane Hugo to unload the ruined resort and deal with tax and insurance issues; they reportedly had most recently had it on the market for $4 million, with no takers.
Although all senators lauded the intent of the bill Thursday, some wondered about its legality.
Sen. Lorraine Berry introduced a "memorandum of law" which she had asked Yvonne Tharpes, the legislature's legal counsel, to prepare. Berry questioned the scope of the authority granted to the governor in leasing the property. She also wondered about the authority of the veterans center development corporation to float bonds, responsibility for the obligations incurred in establishing the center, and whether a bidding process would be required for the corporation to contract with the investors.
Tharpes' opinion basically said the bill was limited in scope. She said if the governor exercises the authority granted him in the bill, he must do so in accordance with conditions set forth in the bill. She said if the bill is intended to be mandatory, constitutional questions may surface.
The bill doesn't involve financing of the project, Tharpes said; it merely provides a grant to the corporation to carry out a public purpose. It doesn't authorize the government to issue bonds, nor does it delegate authority to the corporation to issue bonds.
The bill passed 12-3 with Sens. Berry, Roosevelt David and Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg casting the negative votes.
Cut in jobless contributions, hike in benefits
A bill to amend the Unemployment Insurance Fund was passed, along with an amendment increasing unemployment benefits. The bill addresses the fact that the government has an excess of about $60 million in the fund.
There have been calls for years for the government to change the way in which employers pay into the fund. The criticisms have come both from local business leaders and from the federal government, which acts as custodian of the fund.
In every jurisdiction nationwide, employers are required to pay a percentage of their workers' salaries into the fund in order to cover benefits to workers who are laid off. The percentage for a given business is supposed to be based on the demands previously placed on the fund by that employer's workers. But in the Virgin Islands the system has been marked by wide swings in the level of contributions required of employers — and, in general, by overly high contributions compared to payout demands.
Pickard-Samuel has been working with the Labor Department to reduce the amount of unemployment taxes employers pay into the fund. At the same time, she plans to amend the bill to levy a surcharge on them of 0.1 percent of wages paid. That money would filter through the insurance fund but would remain at the disposal of the local government for use in computer and Internet services training programs. That, she said, translates into retraining for laid-off workers.
The bill passed 14-1, with Sen. David Jones absent for the vote.
Pickard-Samuel and all of the other majority senators supported an amendment to the bill which would increase the weekly unemployment compensation benefit paid to eligible claimants by $200 weekly. The benefits would last through Jan. 30, 2002, and be retroactive to Se pt. 11, 2001. The bill was passed 14-1, with Sen. Vargrave Richards not voting.
The session, which was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., got under way at 11:40 a.m. Liburd declared the body would "go right through" until finished. At 9 p.m. Thursday, still on the agenda were more than 30 amendments to be heard, along with at least eight bills and two lease agreements.
ISLAND'S FIRST FIRE STATION CAN'T COME TOO SOON
Nov. 8, 2001 – Wednesday was a lucky day for Water Islanders in more ways than one. In a meeting with U.S. Department of Interior officials, residents were promised something their island has never had: a fire station complete with sleeping quarters, a kitchen, an office area, housing for a pumper truck and, eventually, four full-time firefighters. (See earlier story "Interior to build Water Island fire station").
Even luckier, though, earlier in the day, a brigade of 10 island residents was able to avert a disaster by putting out a ground fire armed only with garden hoses, rakes, shovels and buckets.
"It was really lucky that people were home," island resident Brad Monroe said Thursday morning. Monroe had gotten a call for help around 11 a.m. from neighbor Linda Gidley, who said the fire, fanned by dry south winds, was moving toward her home. Chuck Gidley was already at the scene trying to stop the fire, which had started at the top of a utility pole about a hundred feet from their house.
By the time the volunteers put the fire out, it was less than 50 feet from the Gidley home.
"Another lucky part was the fire was close to a house; you could use the cistern water," Chuck Gidley reflected Thursday. "If not, well …"
He said Water Island residents are all equipped with lengths of garden hose and buckets, for good reason. In fact, several rushed to a car fire on Monday, which also was successfully put out.
On Wednesday morning, though, "It was just lucky I saw the smoke," Gidley said. "How about if I wasn't home? Ninety percent of the time I would have been in town."
It was also lucky, he said, that the fire was almost out by the time the power line went down, cutting off electricity — and, therefore, use of water pumps — for four hours.
Water and Power Authority response "was excellent," Gidley said. Three linemen arrived in less than an hour, transported by Charles "Hap" Starr, another Water Island resident, in his boat. One lineman climbed to the top of the pole and put out the fire.
WAPA officials couldn't say Thursday what started the fire at the top of the pole. In fact, they said they had not been informed about the fire.
Gidley said one of the linemen told him that a fire of that sort "happens once in a while."
Gidley said he never made it to the 4 p.m. meeting where plans for the new fire station were announced. "I figured it was more important to stay here and make sure all the embers were out," he said.
Even luckier, though, earlier in the day, a brigade of 10 island residents was able to avert a disaster by putting out a ground fire armed only with garden hoses, rakes, shovels and buckets.
"It was really lucky that people were home," island resident Brad Monroe said Thursday morning. Monroe had gotten a call for help around 11 a.m. from neighbor Linda Gidley, who said the fire, fanned by dry south winds, was moving toward her home. Chuck Gidley was already at the scene trying to stop the fire, which had started at the top of a utility pole about a hundred feet from their house.
By the time the volunteers put the fire out, it was less than 50 feet from the Gidley home.
"Another lucky part was the fire was close to a house; you could use the cistern water," Chuck Gidley reflected Thursday. "If not, well …"
He said Water Island residents are all equipped with lengths of garden hose and buckets, for good reason. In fact, several rushed to a car fire on Monday, which also was successfully put out.
On Wednesday morning, though, "It was just lucky I saw the smoke," Gidley said. "How about if I wasn't home? Ninety percent of the time I would have been in town."
It was also lucky, he said, that the fire was almost out by the time the power line went down, cutting off electricity — and, therefore, use of water pumps — for four hours.
Water and Power Authority response "was excellent," Gidley said. Three linemen arrived in less than an hour, transported by Charles "Hap" Starr, another Water Island resident, in his boat. One lineman climbed to the top of the pole and put out the fire.
WAPA officials couldn't say Thursday what started the fire at the top of the pole. In fact, they said they had not been informed about the fire.
Gidley said one of the linemen told him that a fire of that sort "happens once in a while."
Gidley said he never made it to the 4 p.m. meeting where plans for the new fire station were announced. "I figured it was more important to stay here and make sure all the embers were out," he said.
