Oct. 20, 2001 – What does a bored and over-privileged Oregon housewife do for fun? She could join up with two dashing bank robbers and have a rip-roaring time as the distaff member of "Bandits."
Which she does and, in the process, makes what critics have called a "off-beat comedic gem." The smooth-talking Joe Blake (Bruce Willis) and his sidekick, the hypochondriac Terry Collins (Billy Bob Thornton) have worked their way from Oregon through California robbing banks, having fun and becoming the most successful bank robbers in U.S. history. They are saving their rather ill-gotten gains for a quasi-legitimate life south of the border.
Then they meet Kate Wheeler (Cate Blanchett), willingly their accomplice but soon to become the object of a media-frenzy womanhunt as a supposed hostage. Leaving a trail of chaos, disguises and wrecked cars, the trio has a wonderful time plotting the perfect bank robbery. The others were just practice, it appears.
Kate finds herself in a terrible dilemma, falling for both of her cohorts who, combined, -– the one exciting, the other sensitive — make her ideal man, which the husband she abandoned in Oregon obviously, is not.
Director Barry Levinson, whose broad comedy ("Good Morning Vietnam") and satire ("Wag the Dog") have served him well, really has fun here, according to most critics. He's "great at letting his actors go and giving them plenty of room to explore their characters … and Blanchett, Willis and Thornton grab that and run with it," says CNN Reviews.
An Internet search found nary a bad review, which in itself could put some of us off, but … why not?
The movie is two hours long and rated PG-13 for some sexual content, language and violence.
It is playing at Market Square East.
PANEL OKS FERRY FRANCHISES FOR 25 MORE YEARS
Oct. 20, 2001 – The Senate Government Operations Committee on Friday approved extending to the year 2026 the exclusive franchise held by Transportation Services of St. John Inc. and Varlack Ventures Inc. to operate ferry service between St. Thomas and St. John.
However, much of the committee hearing was taken up with debate on another matter: the competition for passengers between the ferry companies and the barge services.
Attorney Derek Hodge, representing Transportation Services, said a 1996 study had shown the ferry companies lose as much as $500,000 a year in passenger fares to the barge services, which allow passengers to ride in their cars.
Cheryl Boynes-Jackson, vice president of Boyson Inc., which operates two barges, said her company and Ocean Link Enterprises were asked by the ferry companies to help reduce the excess walk-on passengers on barges and to divert the passengers back to the ferry. After discussion, Boynes-Jackson said, "We decided to limit the vehicles to four passengers until new barge services came in and started carrying safari buses with up to 25 passengers and trucks loaded with workmen."
Boynes-Jackson said in her prepared statement that "the franchised [ferry] companies are currently suing Boyson and Ocean Link Enterprises. The franchise and its applicable laws were never made clear as to what jurisdiction there is."
Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole questioned whether the Legislature is the appropriate venue to deal with the disputes. The ferry companies are regulated by the Public Services Commission. The barges come under the V.I. Port Authority's jurisdiction.
Several senators said they would try to come up with amendments to clarify the relationship between the two entities before the franchise legislation moves to the Rules Committee, the next step. Sen. Adelbert Bryan said the Legislature needs to work out a franchise to cover not only passenger carriers but also cargo and all other marine transportation between the islands.
Committee members attending the meeting were Sens. Emmett Hansen II, committee chair; and Bryan, Cole, Roosevelt David, Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and Carlton Dowe. Sen. Norma Pickard-Samuel was absent.
However, much of the committee hearing was taken up with debate on another matter: the competition for passengers between the ferry companies and the barge services.
Attorney Derek Hodge, representing Transportation Services, said a 1996 study had shown the ferry companies lose as much as $500,000 a year in passenger fares to the barge services, which allow passengers to ride in their cars.
Cheryl Boynes-Jackson, vice president of Boyson Inc., which operates two barges, said her company and Ocean Link Enterprises were asked by the ferry companies to help reduce the excess walk-on passengers on barges and to divert the passengers back to the ferry. After discussion, Boynes-Jackson said, "We decided to limit the vehicles to four passengers until new barge services came in and started carrying safari buses with up to 25 passengers and trucks loaded with workmen."
Boynes-Jackson said in her prepared statement that "the franchised [ferry] companies are currently suing Boyson and Ocean Link Enterprises. The franchise and its applicable laws were never made clear as to what jurisdiction there is."
Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole questioned whether the Legislature is the appropriate venue to deal with the disputes. The ferry companies are regulated by the Public Services Commission. The barges come under the V.I. Port Authority's jurisdiction.
Several senators said they would try to come up with amendments to clarify the relationship between the two entities before the franchise legislation moves to the Rules Committee, the next step. Sen. Adelbert Bryan said the Legislature needs to work out a franchise to cover not only passenger carriers but also cargo and all other marine transportation between the islands.
Committee members attending the meeting were Sens. Emmett Hansen II, committee chair; and Bryan, Cole, Roosevelt David, Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and Carlton Dowe. Sen. Norma Pickard-Samuel was absent.
CERTAIN MARINER CREDENTIALS TO BE CHECKED
Oct. 20, 2001 – U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner credentials bearing questionable serial numbers will be inspected and, upon confirmation, reissued Monday on St. Thomas and Tuesday on St. Croix by a visiting Coast Guard license evaluation team.
The move stems from a finding in the Coast Guard Licensing Office in San Juan in January that numerous license blanks could not be accounted for and might have been issued fraudulently. The Coast Guard investigation into the matter is ongoing.
Lt. John Reinert, supervisor of the Marine Safety Detachment on St. Thomas, said the Coast Guard has requested assistance from the maritime industry, unions and other concerned individuals to help locate any possibly invalid credentials. He said local employers should check the serial numbers on Merchant Marine credentials in their records and send mariners "with credentials containing questionable serial numbers to us to have their documents confirmed and replaced."
The Coast Guard certificates in question contain serial numbers that fall in the following control number ranges:
765001-765100,
864001-864100,
865401-865500,
878001-878100, and
878601-878700.
"Some of the serial numbers in that bunch are legitimate renewals for mariners who have had licenses for decades," Reinert said. But, he added, it is suspected that "there are some first-time licenses in that bunch that will be fraudulent."
Any mariners holding confirmed credentials with serial numbers falling into the control ranges noted above will have their credentials reissued by the visiting evaluation team from the Coast Guard regional examination center in Miami free of charge, Reinert said.
The evaluation team will be available to inspect credential on St. Thomas on a first-come, first-served basis in the Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment offices by Kings Wharf on Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The team will be on St. Croix at the Coast Guard resident inspection office in Christiansted on Tuesday, also from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a first-come basis.
Reinert said that mariners should arrive prepared to present their Merchant Marine credentials and all supporting documents to assist the Coast Guard evaluation team in its confirmation process.
For more information, contact Reinert at 776-3497 on St. Thomas or Lt. Robert Campbell at 772-5557 on St. Croix.
The move stems from a finding in the Coast Guard Licensing Office in San Juan in January that numerous license blanks could not be accounted for and might have been issued fraudulently. The Coast Guard investigation into the matter is ongoing.
Lt. John Reinert, supervisor of the Marine Safety Detachment on St. Thomas, said the Coast Guard has requested assistance from the maritime industry, unions and other concerned individuals to help locate any possibly invalid credentials. He said local employers should check the serial numbers on Merchant Marine credentials in their records and send mariners "with credentials containing questionable serial numbers to us to have their documents confirmed and replaced."
The Coast Guard certificates in question contain serial numbers that fall in the following control number ranges:
765001-765100,
864001-864100,
865401-865500,
878001-878100, and
878601-878700.
"Some of the serial numbers in that bunch are legitimate renewals for mariners who have had licenses for decades," Reinert said. But, he added, it is suspected that "there are some first-time licenses in that bunch that will be fraudulent."
Any mariners holding confirmed credentials with serial numbers falling into the control ranges noted above will have their credentials reissued by the visiting evaluation team from the Coast Guard regional examination center in Miami free of charge, Reinert said.
The evaluation team will be available to inspect credential on St. Thomas on a first-come, first-served basis in the Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment offices by Kings Wharf on Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The team will be on St. Croix at the Coast Guard resident inspection office in Christiansted on Tuesday, also from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a first-come basis.
Reinert said that mariners should arrive prepared to present their Merchant Marine credentials and all supporting documents to assist the Coast Guard evaluation team in its confirmation process.
For more information, contact Reinert at 776-3497 on St. Thomas or Lt. Robert Campbell at 772-5557 on St. Croix.
OFFICIALS: BIO-TERRORISM RESPONSE PLAN IN PLACE
Oct. 19, 2001 – Gov. Charles W. Turnbull and other top officials offered words of assurance Friday that the government is prepared to handle any threat or actual release of anthrax in the territory.
No reports of releases of the disease in the territory have been confirmed, although there have been several hoaxes and false alarms, FBI Special Agent Michael Clarke said at a Government House press conference on St. Thomas.
Hazardous materials specialists have responded to eight calls about possible anthrax contamination locally this week, according to Police Commissioner Franz Christian. They ranged from suspicions about unknown powders in public areas to suspicious-looking letters that turned out to be credit-card bills.
But each call has been and will be taken seriously in light of the numerous anthrax exposures that have been reported on the mainland, Christian said.
This week, government officials drafted a plan for responding to threats of biological terrorism in the territory, Maj. Gen. Cleve McBean of the V.I. National Guard said.
The response plan involves police, firefighters, health officials, the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency, several federal agencies and the Planning and Natural Resources Department, which will be the lead agency to respond to possible hazardous materials, DPNR Commissioner Dean Plaskett said.
The plan follows recommendations by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and is similar to plans being implemented around the nation in response to the anthrax scares, Plaskett said.
After 911 emergency dispatchers learn of a possible release, a team of people trained to handle hazardous materials will respond, Plaskett said. The teams have access to four full-body protection suits.
After those teams determine whether the substance or package in question fits the profile established for anthrax, they will determine whether to remove the substance for testing or, if it appears threatening, to turn the case over to the FBI.
The hazardous materials team has access to anthrax field testing kits, but the results of those tests are not always reliable, Plaskett said. If necessary, he added, substances will be taken to a laboratory for testing.
Dr. Mavis Matthew, acting commissioner of Health, said Health Department employees have been reviewing CDC advisories on dealing with possible anthrax exposures. Pharmacies in the territory have been asked to stock 60 days worth of antibiotics including ciprofloxacin, marketed by Bayer under the name Cipro, the most widely known agent for fighting anthrax.
Matthew urged people not to take anti-anthrax antibiotics unless a physician recommends them based on indications of an exposure, as the medications can have serious side effects. She also emphasized that anthrax is not contagious.
A Health Department hotline has been set up for people with questions or concerns about possible exposures to call for information. The number is 776-8311, ext. 2148.
Postmaster Louis Jackson asked people to watch out for suspicious pieces of mail, such as those that have no return address, that have oily stains in the corners, that are sealed with excessive tape or that have a strange odor. Do not smell suspicious packages, he warned.
Anyone who receives a suspicious package should seal it in a plastic bag or just leave it where it is, place something over it to cover it, get people out of the immediate area, and call 911, he said.
Turnbull and others urged people to be on the lookout for anything suspicious. The governor noted that investigating fake anthrax cases will further drain the territory's resources, and Christian said anyone caught trying to pull off a hoax will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.
"These are the defining moments in our history," Turnbull said in asking people to act responsibly. "We are being challenged, as those before us have risen to their challenges."
No reports of releases of the disease in the territory have been confirmed, although there have been several hoaxes and false alarms, FBI Special Agent Michael Clarke said at a Government House press conference on St. Thomas.
Hazardous materials specialists have responded to eight calls about possible anthrax contamination locally this week, according to Police Commissioner Franz Christian. They ranged from suspicions about unknown powders in public areas to suspicious-looking letters that turned out to be credit-card bills.
But each call has been and will be taken seriously in light of the numerous anthrax exposures that have been reported on the mainland, Christian said.
This week, government officials drafted a plan for responding to threats of biological terrorism in the territory, Maj. Gen. Cleve McBean of the V.I. National Guard said.
The response plan involves police, firefighters, health officials, the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency, several federal agencies and the Planning and Natural Resources Department, which will be the lead agency to respond to possible hazardous materials, DPNR Commissioner Dean Plaskett said.
The plan follows recommendations by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and is similar to plans being implemented around the nation in response to the anthrax scares, Plaskett said.
After 911 emergency dispatchers learn of a possible release, a team of people trained to handle hazardous materials will respond, Plaskett said. The teams have access to four full-body protection suits.
After those teams determine whether the substance or package in question fits the profile established for anthrax, they will determine whether to remove the substance for testing or, if it appears threatening, to turn the case over to the FBI.
The hazardous materials team has access to anthrax field testing kits, but the results of those tests are not always reliable, Plaskett said. If necessary, he added, substances will be taken to a laboratory for testing.
Dr. Mavis Matthew, acting commissioner of Health, said Health Department employees have been reviewing CDC advisories on dealing with possible anthrax exposures. Pharmacies in the territory have been asked to stock 60 days worth of antibiotics including ciprofloxacin, marketed by Bayer under the name Cipro, the most widely known agent for fighting anthrax.
Matthew urged people not to take anti-anthrax antibiotics unless a physician recommends them based on indications of an exposure, as the medications can have serious side effects. She also emphasized that anthrax is not contagious.
A Health Department hotline has been set up for people with questions or concerns about possible exposures to call for information. The number is 776-8311, ext. 2148.
Postmaster Louis Jackson asked people to watch out for suspicious pieces of mail, such as those that have no return address, that have oily stains in the corners, that are sealed with excessive tape or that have a strange odor. Do not smell suspicious packages, he warned.
Anyone who receives a suspicious package should seal it in a plastic bag or just leave it where it is, place something over it to cover it, get people out of the immediate area, and call 911, he said.
Turnbull and others urged people to be on the lookout for anything suspicious. The governor noted that investigating fake anthrax cases will further drain the territory's resources, and Christian said anyone caught trying to pull off a hoax will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.
"These are the defining moments in our history," Turnbull said in asking people to act responsibly. "We are being challenged, as those before us have risen to their challenges."
BILL WOULD UNPLUG GOVERNMENT PHONE ROBOTS
Oct. 19, 2001 – If a few senators have their way, it may soon be possible to call a government office and talk to a human being, as opposed to an electronic device.
The Government Operations Committee approved legislation Friday sponsored by Sens. Celestino A. White Sr. and Norma Pickard-Samuel that would do away with what the bill calls "the people's business being held hostage by an impregnable automated telephone system."
White, who is not a member of the committee, exercised his show business flair as he played a tape of a telephone being answered at the V.I. Housing Authority. It went through the usual routine: "If you know your party's extension, dial it now, or punch the first letter of the name you want, or … "
"We have to be responsive to the people who want information from government offices," White said. "We don't want to enter a spelling bee or a geography test."
His committee colleagues mostly agreed. Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg said the issue shouldn't have to be legislated. He asked if White had investigated using the federal Welfare to Work program to supplement government staffing if personnel are needed to answer phones. He said there might be federal money to pay for the program.
Donastorg also wondered, for the record, what Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd had done about the $58,000 automated voting system the Legislature purchased last year but has yet to put into effect. His inquiry went unanswered.
Sen. Roosevelt David suggested looking at phone systems used by several stateside agencies. "We don't want to take a back step," he said.
Several senators asked about the expense of changing over the system. White maintained there are receptionists in each agency who could answer the phones.
Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole complained about the system in use at The V.I. Daily News. "We should include that, too," he told Daily News reporter Hal Hatfield.
Sen. Adelbert Bryan amended the measure to read that government offices "be required to answer all initial calls (with a human being)," substituting the previous language "shall employ a sufficient number to answer."
The amended bill passed on a 4-2 vote. Committee chair Emmett Hansen II, Bryan, Cole and Sen. Carlton Dowe voted for the bill; Donastorg and David voted against. It will now go to the Rules Committee.
The committee also passed the Uniform Athlete Agents Act, a bill to protect student athletes and the educational institutions where they compete. Tom Bolt, chair of the V. I. Commission on Uniform State Laws, helped draft the legislation, which requires a background check of sports agents seeking to represent student athletes who are eligible to participate in intercollegiate sports.
The bill provides student athletes with a statutory right to cancel an agency contract within 14 days after signing without penalty. It also provides the University of the Virgin Islands and other educational institutions with a statutory right of action against an athlete agent or former student for certain damages. The bill passed unanimously.
Also unanimously, the panel approved a bill sponsored by White and Pickard-Samuel to impose a moratorium on the issuing of taxi medallions, taxi operator's badges and identification cards. The moratorium would become effective upon passage of the bill and would remain in effect unless and until the Legislature should repeal it.
White prides himself on being the voice of the taxi drivers and the housing communities, a fact he drew attention to Friday. He complimented Sens. Cole and David for trying to fill in during his absence from the 23rd Legislature but added, "You did a good job, but you didn't deliver the beef."
White and other senators said the moratorium is needed to protect the taxi drivers' livelihood from further competition. The legislation exempts V.I. military veterans who lived in the territory for at least five years before entering military service. Bryan amended the exemption to include such veterans' offspring, with the same five-year residency requirement.
David mentioned his efforts to form a unified taxi association to replace the various ones that exist. If the associations were united, he and White said, "They could have built their own hotel by now."
The measure passed unanimously 6-0. Committee member Pickard-Samuel was absent from the meeting.
Sen. Lorraine Berry had originally scheduled several bills on Friday's agenda, including the 2001 Child Protection Act. However, Berry was ill and asked Hansen to reschedule the bills for a November meeting.
Committee members attending the meeting were Sens. Emmett Hansen II, committee chair; and Bryan, Cole, Roosevelt David, Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and Carlton Dowe. Sen. Norma Pickard-Samuel was absent.
The Government Operations Committee approved legislation Friday sponsored by Sens. Celestino A. White Sr. and Norma Pickard-Samuel that would do away with what the bill calls "the people's business being held hostage by an impregnable automated telephone system."
White, who is not a member of the committee, exercised his show business flair as he played a tape of a telephone being answered at the V.I. Housing Authority. It went through the usual routine: "If you know your party's extension, dial it now, or punch the first letter of the name you want, or … "
"We have to be responsive to the people who want information from government offices," White said. "We don't want to enter a spelling bee or a geography test."
His committee colleagues mostly agreed. Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg said the issue shouldn't have to be legislated. He asked if White had investigated using the federal Welfare to Work program to supplement government staffing if personnel are needed to answer phones. He said there might be federal money to pay for the program.
Donastorg also wondered, for the record, what Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd had done about the $58,000 automated voting system the Legislature purchased last year but has yet to put into effect. His inquiry went unanswered.
Sen. Roosevelt David suggested looking at phone systems used by several stateside agencies. "We don't want to take a back step," he said.
Several senators asked about the expense of changing over the system. White maintained there are receptionists in each agency who could answer the phones.
Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole complained about the system in use at The V.I. Daily News. "We should include that, too," he told Daily News reporter Hal Hatfield.
Sen. Adelbert Bryan amended the measure to read that government offices "be required to answer all initial calls (with a human being)," substituting the previous language "shall employ a sufficient number to answer."
The amended bill passed on a 4-2 vote. Committee chair Emmett Hansen II, Bryan, Cole and Sen. Carlton Dowe voted for the bill; Donastorg and David voted against. It will now go to the Rules Committee.
The committee also passed the Uniform Athlete Agents Act, a bill to protect student athletes and the educational institutions where they compete. Tom Bolt, chair of the V. I. Commission on Uniform State Laws, helped draft the legislation, which requires a background check of sports agents seeking to represent student athletes who are eligible to participate in intercollegiate sports.
The bill provides student athletes with a statutory right to cancel an agency contract within 14 days after signing without penalty. It also provides the University of the Virgin Islands and other educational institutions with a statutory right of action against an athlete agent or former student for certain damages. The bill passed unanimously.
Also unanimously, the panel approved a bill sponsored by White and Pickard-Samuel to impose a moratorium on the issuing of taxi medallions, taxi operator's badges and identification cards. The moratorium would become effective upon passage of the bill and would remain in effect unless and until the Legislature should repeal it.
White prides himself on being the voice of the taxi drivers and the housing communities, a fact he drew attention to Friday. He complimented Sens. Cole and David for trying to fill in during his absence from the 23rd Legislature but added, "You did a good job, but you didn't deliver the beef."
White and other senators said the moratorium is needed to protect the taxi drivers' livelihood from further competition. The legislation exempts V.I. military veterans who lived in the territory for at least five years before entering military service. Bryan amended the exemption to include such veterans' offspring, with the same five-year residency requirement.
David mentioned his efforts to form a unified taxi association to replace the various ones that exist. If the associations were united, he and White said, "They could have built their own hotel by now."
The measure passed unanimously 6-0. Committee member Pickard-Samuel was absent from the meeting.
Sen. Lorraine Berry had originally scheduled several bills on Friday's agenda, including the 2001 Child Protection Act. However, Berry was ill and asked Hansen to reschedule the bills for a November meeting.
Committee members attending the meeting were Sens. Emmett Hansen II, committee chair; and Bryan, Cole, Roosevelt David, Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and Carlton Dowe. Sen. Norma Pickard-Samuel was absent.
NEW SAVAN BUILDING NEEDS MANAGEMENT GROUP
Oct. 19, 2001 – Eager to have the new Savan Multi-Purpose Building be fully used for the community's benefit, Commissioner Ira Hobson of V.I. Housing, Parks and Recreation Department is requesting proposals for management.
The new two-story building on General Gade in downtown St. Thomas opened with ceremony Aug. 27, 2001, the culmination of 20 years of efforts by the residents of the Savan area.
Hobson said it has not seen a good level of use because no groups responded to an earlier, informal request for overseeing programs and operations. We Savaneros and the Police Athletic League had earlier involvement.
An unwritten agreement is in place that programs and operations are to be managed by Savan residents, and Hobson says there are at least four Savan groups who are interested and would be eligible to provide the service.
All proposals should include name of the organization, intent of the organization, age, group targeted, and name of the person or persons affiliated with the program and service, Commissioner Ira Hobson said in a release. Specifics for management, programs, events, monitoring, and provision for safety must be outlined in the proposal.
His department will be glad to help organizations with their proposals, and he urged groups to contact assistant Housing, Parks and Recreation commissioner Stanley Smith at 774-0255.
Hobson is hoping that a group will assume responsibility for maintenance, including lights and water, as well. He said an organization assuming responsibility for both programs and maintenance would not have to pay rent; if an organization wants to do only programs, the government will have to charge rent in order to provide lights and water.
The department reserves the right to monitor all operations and events that take place at the center. "A sanitary and safe environment for youths and adults is mandatory," Hobson said.
The new two-story building on General Gade in downtown St. Thomas opened with ceremony Aug. 27, 2001, the culmination of 20 years of efforts by the residents of the Savan area.
Hobson said it has not seen a good level of use because no groups responded to an earlier, informal request for overseeing programs and operations. We Savaneros and the Police Athletic League had earlier involvement.
An unwritten agreement is in place that programs and operations are to be managed by Savan residents, and Hobson says there are at least four Savan groups who are interested and would be eligible to provide the service.
All proposals should include name of the organization, intent of the organization, age, group targeted, and name of the person or persons affiliated with the program and service, Commissioner Ira Hobson said in a release. Specifics for management, programs, events, monitoring, and provision for safety must be outlined in the proposal.
His department will be glad to help organizations with their proposals, and he urged groups to contact assistant Housing, Parks and Recreation commissioner Stanley Smith at 774-0255.
Hobson is hoping that a group will assume responsibility for maintenance, including lights and water, as well. He said an organization assuming responsibility for both programs and maintenance would not have to pay rent; if an organization wants to do only programs, the government will have to charge rent in order to provide lights and water.
The department reserves the right to monitor all operations and events that take place at the center. "A sanitary and safe environment for youths and adults is mandatory," Hobson said.
DLCA NOW ACCEPTING CREDIT, DEBIT CARDS
Oct. 19, 2001 – Business people now can pay V.I. license fees and/or penalties by plastic.
Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Andrew Rutnik inaugurated his department's new procedure Wednesday. Visa and MasterCard credit cards and most local debit cards can be used.
St. Croix real estate broker Jan Hanley was the first to renew her business license using her Visa credit card. "I’ve been waiting for this for 24 years," she said, calling the new process "a welcome change for the business community." She predicted that "renewing will go much smoother now."
Rutnik expressed appreciation to his staff, the Finance Department and Banco Popular "for assisting with this endeavor."
And there's more to come, according to a release from the Licensing and Consumer Affairs Department. It said Rutnik expects that within a month the public will be able to renew business licenses online at the DLCA web site, again using credit or debit cards.
In addition to Visa and MasterCard credit carts, the department accepts all debit cards except those of Chase Bank and Scotiabank, the release stated.
For further information, call the DLCA Licensing Division at 774-3130 on St. Thomas or 773-2226 on St. Croix.
Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Andrew Rutnik inaugurated his department's new procedure Wednesday. Visa and MasterCard credit cards and most local debit cards can be used.
St. Croix real estate broker Jan Hanley was the first to renew her business license using her Visa credit card. "I’ve been waiting for this for 24 years," she said, calling the new process "a welcome change for the business community." She predicted that "renewing will go much smoother now."
Rutnik expressed appreciation to his staff, the Finance Department and Banco Popular "for assisting with this endeavor."
And there's more to come, according to a release from the Licensing and Consumer Affairs Department. It said Rutnik expects that within a month the public will be able to renew business licenses online at the DLCA web site, again using credit or debit cards.
In addition to Visa and MasterCard credit carts, the department accepts all debit cards except those of Chase Bank and Scotiabank, the release stated.
For further information, call the DLCA Licensing Division at 774-3130 on St. Thomas or 773-2226 on St. Croix.
V.I. FIRMS MAY BE ABLE TO GET SBA DISASTER LOANS
Oct. 19, 2001 — In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Small Business Administration will extend financial assistance to businesses affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks -– even those that aren’t located in the immediate vicinity of the tragedies.
Virgin Islands businesses that have suffered economic losses as a direct result of the drop-off in tourism since the attacks may be eligible for the low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
The SBA’s newly widened access to such loans represents a major, unprecedented change," Delegate Donna Christian Christensen said.
Until now, only businesses located in communities where a federal disaster had been declared were eligible to apply for SBA disaster loan assistance. In the case of the Sept. 11 attacks, that would have limited assistance to New York City and Washington, D.C., and adjacent counties.
But because of the wide-ranging economic effects of the attacks, the SBA will authorize assistance across the country to eligible small businesses that have suffered substantial economic injury as a result of the terrorism or action taken by the federal government directly after the attacks, Christensen said.
The Economic Injury Disaster Loans will provide eligible small businesses with money to meet ordinary operating expenses that they would have normally been able to cover had the attacks not occurred. Christensen said businesses can apply for loans of up to $1.5 million if they have suffered "substantial economic injury" as a result of the terrorism.
The interest rate on the loans is 4 percent for a maximum of 30 years. Christensen said the SBA determines the amount of economic injury, the term of each loan and the payment amount, based on the financial circumstances of each borrower.
In the Virgin Islands, tourism-related businesses have been hit especially hard because of the traveling public’s reluctance to fly since the terrorist attacks, in which hijacked passenger jets were crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Officials of the territory's two hotel and tourism associations have reported occupancy rates of as little as 10 percent since Sept. 11, and some properties have laid off employees.
"This is an opportunity for our hotels, travel agents, small airlines, taxi operators and other tourism-related businesses who have been affected by the Sept. 11 attacks to apply for economic assistance," Christensen said.
Businesses in the territory interested in applying for economic disaster loans should call 1-800-659-2955 to request an application. The application deadline is Jan. 21, 2002.
For more information, see the SBA website, or call the delegate’s office at 778-5900 on St. Croix or 774-4408 on St. Thomas.
Virgin Islands businesses that have suffered economic losses as a direct result of the drop-off in tourism since the attacks may be eligible for the low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
The SBA’s newly widened access to such loans represents a major, unprecedented change," Delegate Donna Christian Christensen said.
Until now, only businesses located in communities where a federal disaster had been declared were eligible to apply for SBA disaster loan assistance. In the case of the Sept. 11 attacks, that would have limited assistance to New York City and Washington, D.C., and adjacent counties.
But because of the wide-ranging economic effects of the attacks, the SBA will authorize assistance across the country to eligible small businesses that have suffered substantial economic injury as a result of the terrorism or action taken by the federal government directly after the attacks, Christensen said.
The Economic Injury Disaster Loans will provide eligible small businesses with money to meet ordinary operating expenses that they would have normally been able to cover had the attacks not occurred. Christensen said businesses can apply for loans of up to $1.5 million if they have suffered "substantial economic injury" as a result of the terrorism.
The interest rate on the loans is 4 percent for a maximum of 30 years. Christensen said the SBA determines the amount of economic injury, the term of each loan and the payment amount, based on the financial circumstances of each borrower.
In the Virgin Islands, tourism-related businesses have been hit especially hard because of the traveling public’s reluctance to fly since the terrorist attacks, in which hijacked passenger jets were crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Officials of the territory's two hotel and tourism associations have reported occupancy rates of as little as 10 percent since Sept. 11, and some properties have laid off employees.
"This is an opportunity for our hotels, travel agents, small airlines, taxi operators and other tourism-related businesses who have been affected by the Sept. 11 attacks to apply for economic assistance," Christensen said.
Businesses in the territory interested in applying for economic disaster loans should call 1-800-659-2955 to request an application. The application deadline is Jan. 21, 2002.
For more information, see the SBA website, or call the delegate’s office at 778-5900 on St. Croix or 774-4408 on St. Thomas.
HIRE THE MOST QUALIFIED, NOT THE MOST LOCAL
Dear Source,
I am absolutely incensed that, at this time when the economy of the Virgin Islands is being gravely battered by the ripple effect of the Sept. 11 terrorist actions, one of our simpleton senators — Norma Pickard-Samuel — has the audacity and outright rudeness to condemn her fellow Americans who just happen to live on the mainland as being "slave masters" who "walk all over locals."
(
I am absolutely incensed that, at this time when the economy of the Virgin Islands is being gravely battered by the ripple effect of the Sept. 11 terrorist actions, one of our simpleton senators — Norma Pickard-Samuel — has the audacity and outright rudeness to condemn her fellow Americans who just happen to live on the mainland as being "slave masters" who "walk all over locals."
(
Editor's note: See the news story "No Virgin Islanders for RLS Hospital CEO spot".)
How dare she! Just who does she think she is? The only requirement to apply for any job within the Virgin Islands is that the person be a legal resident of the United States. Brain-dead as she appears to be, it's pretty obvious to clear-headed thinkers that the person picked for the job should be the most qualified, not the most local. I mean, really.
With an attitude like hers and the power she wields — locally only — the Virgin Islands will never get out of the mess it's gotten itself into oftentimes because a local was given a job over a possibly more qualified fellow American.
That's like saying the firefighters from New Jersey shouldn't have gone to New York City, because the weren't bahn there. Or that American Airlines and Delta Air Lines shouldn't fly to the Virgin Islands, because they come from off-island. Or that off-island corporations like Pueblo, KFC, McDonald's, Marriott, Wyndham, Holiday Inn, Ritz-Carleton, etc. should not be allowed to operate in the Virgin Islands, either. How petty. How retarded.
From what I have seen over many years, one of our biggest and most damaging problems has been that the V.I. government doesn't hire the best, we hire the most local and politically connected — because "off-Islanders think they are slave masters and walk all over locals." Maybe it isn't that the off-islanders walk all over locals but, more likely, that they are professionals who have a job to do — and find that, once they arrive to do the job they were hired to do, they encounter anti-American bigots like Norma Pickard-Samuel. Maybe that's why they leave before they have completed their assignments.
Come on, Senators, get a grip on reality. Rome is burning, and you guys are fiddling! The economy is suffering, and some of you continue to supply and support the tools of destruction. You are no better than the traits you complain about. Stop shoving your head in the sand, and wake up! Do the right thing.
The people of the United States Virgin Islands need, expect and fully deserve nothing but the best. And it really shouldn't matter if you're from St. Thomas or Detroit or Guam for that matter. If the person meets the job criteria and accepts the compensation package, then that person should be considered. Hire the most qualified, not the most local.
Oh, and by the way, Madam Senator, stop already with the racial remarks. You sound like an old, worthless, broken record. And you're only alienating your constituents and fellow Americans. Remember: United we stand, divided we fall. It's all o' we!
Patrick Deery
St. Thomas and Miami
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.
HIRE THE MOST QUALIFIED, NOT THE MOST LOCAL
Dear Source,
I am absolutely incensed that, at this time when the economy of the Virgin Islands is being gravely battered by the ripple effect of the Sept. 11 terrorist actions, one of our simpleton senators — Norma Pickard-Samuel — has the audacity and outright rudeness to condemn her fellow Americans who just happen to live on the mainland as being "slave masters" who "walk all over locals."
(
I am absolutely incensed that, at this time when the economy of the Virgin Islands is being gravely battered by the ripple effect of the Sept. 11 terrorist actions, one of our simpleton senators — Norma Pickard-Samuel — has the audacity and outright rudeness to condemn her fellow Americans who just happen to live on the mainland as being "slave masters" who "walk all over locals."
(
Editor's note: See the news story "No Virgin Islanders for RLS Hospital CEO spot".)
How dare she! Just who does she think she is? The only requirement to apply for any job within the Virgin Islands is that the person be a legal resident of the United States. Brain-dead as she appears to be, it's pretty obvious to clear-headed thinkers that the person picked for the job should be the most qualified, not the most local. I mean, really.
With an attitude like hers and the power she wields — locally only — the Virgin Islands will never get out of the mess it's gotten itself into oftentimes because a local was given a job over a possibly more qualified fellow American.
That's like saying the firefighters from New Jersey shouldn't have gone to New York City, because the weren't bahn there. Or that American Airlines and Delta Air Lines shouldn't fly to the Virgin Islands, because they come from off-island. Or that off-island corporations like Pueblo, KFC, McDonald's, Marriott, Wyndham, Holiday Inn, Ritz-Carleton, etc. should not be allowed to operate in the Virgin Islands, either. How petty. How retarded.
From what I have seen over many years, one of our biggest and most damaging problems has been that the V.I. government doesn't hire the best, we hire the most local and politically connected — because "off-Islanders think they are slave masters and walk all over locals." Maybe it isn't that the off-islanders walk all over locals but, more likely, that they are professionals who have a job to do — and find that, once they arrive to do the job they were hired to do, they encounter anti-American bigots like Norma Pickard-Samuel. Maybe that's why they leave before they have completed their assignments.
Come on, Senators, get a grip on reality. Rome is burning, and you guys are fiddling! The economy is suffering, and some of you continue to supply and support the tools of destruction. You are no better than the traits you complain about. Stop shoving your head in the sand, and wake up! Do the right thing.
The people of the United States Virgin Islands need, expect and fully deserve nothing but the best. And it really shouldn't matter if you're from St. Thomas or Detroit or Guam for that matter. If the person meets the job criteria and accepts the compensation package, then that person should be considered. Hire the most qualified, not the most local.
Oh, and by the way, Madam Senator, stop already with the racial remarks. You sound like an old, worthless, broken record. And you're only alienating your constituents and fellow Americans. Remember: United we stand, divided we fall. It's all o' we!
Patrick Deery
St. Thomas and Miami
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.
