Dear Source,
After reading both the news article regarding the termination of Kern's show, and her Open Forum piece about it, I am concerned that Kern is trying to paint the station owner with too broad a brush. While I heartily endorse, and actively defend, the First Amendment and what it represents to our citizenry, I feel it is also only reasonable to point out that the same applies to the owner of the station. He too has the right to express himself, through his selection of on-air material and personalities. It is, after all, his station.
If a station owner feels that a certain show or its host is not putting forth the message that he wishes his station to promulgate, then he has every right to change it. By owning the station and maintaining it, he has earned the privilege of deciding what the message of the station is going to be…just as Kern has the right to state her position or ask her questions.
Kern, however, is subject to the approval of the station management as long as she is utilizing their offices to propound her views. If she wishes to express views contrary to those of the station, she has every right to get her own station where she can say whatever she wishes, within the guidelines of federal law.
Kern is right when she says that there is a broad sense of outrage over the attack on the World Trade Center, and a widespread desire for "vengeance." The people of any country, or the adherents of any doctrine, do not operate differently from any other member of the animal kingdom when they are attacked. Those who feel that they are equal or better than their attackers will meet aggression with aggression, and those who feel inferior to their aggressors will respond with submission. It is not surprising that the citizens of the United States seek an aggressive response to these heinous acts of aggression. No nation that has the power and influence of the United States can afford to allow an attack such as this to go unanswered and unpunished. For centuries, this country has come to the aid of peoples oppressed by criminals, dictators and tyrants. We can do no less when we are the target than we would if it were another country. These acts must be met with the severest possible punishment. And by 'severest possible punishment' I don't mean that, as Kern said, "whoever did this must be found and put away forever". Nor do I think we should "confront our enemies with strength and with kindness", either. Quite the contrary. There can be no kindness or mercy shown to these madmen.
Those responsible for these outrageous and inhuman acts must be eradicated as completely and as swiftly as possible. We as a country cannot allow these monsters to remain alive and at large any more than we would suffer a rabid dog to run at large or a wildfire to burn uncontrolled. Rabid animals. wildfires, terrorists…all represent a clear and immediate menace to life and security that cannot and must not be negotiated with. I am frankly amazed that Kern would, in one breath, decry the "…'slap on the wrist' sentencing for perpetrators of statutory rape…" and with the next breath ask that we not seek vengeance for an act of war. Our country has been violated – raped, if you will, by these acts. We owe it to ourselves and to all the rest of the human race to take every action required to eliminate terrorists and their allies wherever we encounter them. The violation of the Pentagon and the World Trade Center are only the latest acts in a long and bloody assault on freedom and peace. It merits far, far more than a slap on the wrist.
Rich Waugh
St. Croix

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.

Sept. 26, 2001 — Even with economic uncertainty looming over the nation, the owners of the Divi Carina Bay Casino are moving ahead with expansion plans.
Bernie Burkholder, president and CEO of Treasure Bay V.I. Corp., the company that operates St. Croix's only casino, said Tuesday that the expansion will add 5,400 square feet to the facility's current 10,000 square feet. This will allow for 91 more slot machines and seven gaming tables, he said. The casino now has about 300 slot machines, 10 blackjack tables, two roulette tables and one craps table.
He said the expansion also will add 25 to 30 new casino jobs to the existing 150.
Burkholder said the project will generate about 75 jobs during construction, which is set to begin in mid-October. The opening is set for mid-February.
Burkholder's announcement was tempered by the recent terrorist attacks that have left thousands dead and the already shaky U.S. economy even shakier. Still, Burkholder said he is confident in the economy both in the territory and on the mainland.
While "the economy in the U.S. and the world is not at its peak," he said, "I believe in our economy long term, and I believe in the spirit of the American people."
Because most of the casino’s business is still being generated by local players and because the attacks occurred in the territory's off-season, Burkholder said that the direct impact isn't as great as it has been in some other casino gaming areas. He said business is off about 15 percent from last year.
But at Treasure Bay's other Caribbean casino, in Aruba, business is down about 60 percent, he said.
Because of the expected impact of fewer travelers from the U.S. mainland and Canada, Burkholder said, he has decided to forgo a "multimillion-dollar" advertising program in those markets. "I don't believe that plan is viable now," he said.
Instead, the effort to attract gamblers will shift to St. Thomas, St. John, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands.
The V.I. Casino Control Commission chair, Eileen Petersen, said she approved of the expansion. "I'm pleased Divi has decided to proceed with its expansion plans," she said. But meantime, she added, the events of the last two weeks have raised questions over two pending casino applications.
Petersen said she is in constant touch with the two prospective casino investors and will meet soon with one to gauge his willingness to proceed.
"This has really been a setback of some sort," she said.
Burkholder said the Divi casino expansion also will include a larger cashier cage, additional restrooms, a second beverage station and 200 parking places. There will be a new dining room, entrance and restrooms for employees and additional offices.
Burkholder declined to put a price on the expansion, saying that negotiations with subcontractors are still in progress.
"I think it's important to have some positive news," he said. "It's not a huge step, but it's a sign, a step to reinvest back into St. Croix."

Sept. 26, 2001 — In addition to the $15 billion bailout to the U.S. airline industry following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, congressional Democrats are trying to move legislation to help airline employees who will be affected, as well as to limit economic damage to small carriers.
At a press conference Tuesday in Washington, D.C., Delegate Donna Christian Christensen joined fellow Democrats in supporting legislation to provide financial assistance, training and health-care coverage for airline industry employees who have lost their jobs as a result of the events of Sept. 11.
"This package should not stop here," Christensen said at a press conference. "I want to go even further and urge the leadership in both houses of Congress to immediately pass legislation to provide relief, not just to displaced airline employees but to all workers similarly affected."
Christensen said she will continue to work with fellow Democrats to see that small tourism businesses and laid-off tourism workers also receive benefits.
The airline industry emergency-aid package that President George W. Bush signed into law on Saturday provides $5 billion in direct federal aid and $10 billion in loan guarantees for an industry that has announced tens of thousands of layoffs since the terrorist attacks. Christensen said she supports that move but also has joined fellow Democrats in seeking relief for others affected within the tourism industry.
In support of the Virgin Islands tourism industry in particular, Christensen wrote to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chair, Rep. Don Young, supporting the stand of the House Rural Caucus that small and rural airports should not be bypassed by the airlines in the wake of the tragedy. She also requested aid for travel agents and small carriers such as the territory's Seaborne Airlines.
"We in the Rural Caucus were successful in ensuring that the airlines would maintain service to small airports that they served before Sept. 11," Christensen said in a release, "and I am hopeful that Seaborne, the Virgin Islands' only local airline, will be able to seek redress under the airline bill."
Aviation experts have said the bailout of the airline industry, which has laid off about 100,000 workers in the past two weeks, would not ensure survival of all carriers if ticket sales remain slow.
Of the $5 billion in cash, more than half will go to the top five carriers, which control about 70 percent of available U.S. capacity. Smaller airlines — Alaska Air was cited as an example — would get a total of about $75 million.
The airline industry bailout package requires airlines to maintain routes to airports they served before Sept. 11. It also directs the Secretary of Transportation to ensure that the airlines maintain adequate service to small communities. However, it does not stipulate how such provisions will be enforced.
Continental Express, for example, has already announced that it will no longer fly to the Texas communities of Tyler, Waco, Abilene and San Angelo beginning in October, and it has reduced flights to other Texas airports, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Decisions on which of Continental's flights were curtailed and which airports were cut were based on market factors, Continental spokesman Jeff Awalt said.
US Airways has stopped regional jet service to Charleston, S.C., and had brought small turboprop planes back into service.
The real stimulus for regional airports must come through passenger demand, Texas Rep. Nick Lampson said. Since airlines were deregulated in 1978, many flights to small airports have been cut, and the cost of tickets on the remaining ones have increased enormously, Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., said.

Sept. 25, 2001 – After his bill to create a Virgin Islands Sustainable Economic Development Commission was voted down Tuesday afternoon, Sen. Adelbert Bryan decided he couldn't sustain his two executive positions in the 24th Legislature.
Following the measure's defeat, Bryan announced, "I would have thought that I had some trust and some respect and some commitment from this body … This has made it very clear to my conscience that this body needs to find a new vice president. I'm not willing to play games with no intellectual masturbation with nobody."
Bryan, who did not attend Monday's full Senate session dealing with the Fiscal Year 2002 budget bills, frequently sparred with his colleagues Tuesday.
His bill was to create a commission that he would head and that would also include one other senator of his choosing, the chair of the Economic Development Authority board, and two individuals from the private sector who participated in Bryan's 2001 Economic Development Summit in July.
Bryan said such a commission was necessary to address the territory's economic condition after the terrorist attacks on the mainland. The panel's purpose, he said, would be to prepare a final draft of an economic, social and political plan that would be submitted to the Legislature and then to the governor, after which it would be implemented "immediately." It would outline all areas necessary to diversify the V.I. economy completely, he said.
The plan called for the creation of a Virgin Islands Capital Market and would spell out "the ABC's for bringing a halt to the financial hemorrhaging in the V.I." With funding of $650,000 from the General Fund for FY 2002, the commission was to have engaged "the professional services of consultants and experts to assist the Committee on Economic Development, Agriculture and Consumer Protection," which Bryan chairs.
The bill lost by one vote, 5-6, and the votes crossed majority/minority lines. Voting for the measure were Sens. Bryan, Almando "Rocky" Liburd, Donald "Ducks" Cole, Emmett Hansen II and Vargrave Richards. Voting against were Sens. Lorraine Berry, Roosevelt David, Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, Carlton Dowe, Alicia "Chucky" Hansen and David Jones.
Later in the day, interrupting a motion David had on the floor to name the Coral Bay fire station on St. John in honor of the late Hugo Otis Liburd, Bryan launched another tirade.
"Mr. President," he said, "I'd like legal counsel to listen, because I expect them to draft a resolution. I'm serious. I don't wish to chair the Committee on Economic Development, Agriculture and Consumer Protection as of today. And, as of today, I don't wish to hold the office of vice president [of the 24th Legislature]. I want to be clear."
He continued, "You all know what I'm speaking about. If you don't understand, I'm not going to explain it — I've owed explanations to about seven people in my life, and none of them is in this body … We've been intellectually dishonest, people scrambling in the streets for health care and education. I'm not going to be a participant in my children's future destruction."
He concluded, "Everybody is worried about $650,000 going to the Legislature. These things cause lives to be lost, and friends and respect to be lost. Now I know who I can respect and trust."
Liburd returned Senate attention to the resolution on the floor and took a moment to thank David and to say a few words about his father, for whom the resolution was written.

Sept. 25, 2001 – The 24th Legislature continued its work on Fiscal Year 2002 budget bills Tuesday morning in a session that included a call from Majority Leader Celestino A. White Sr. for a march on Government House.
As the morning wore on and the senators still hadn't received word on the whereabouts of Gov. Charles Turnbull's health-care package for government employees, tempers in the Senate chamber began to flare.
Sen. Emmett Hansen II asked, "What is more important than health care? When does the governor plan to send down the health insurance package? Does he realize the deadline is Sunday, Sept. 30?" That's the final day of Fiscal Year 2001.
Turnbull, meanwhile, was in New York to attend the funeral of a family member.
The lawmakers have been working to get the budget into the governor's hands before the start of the new fiscal year. The Finance Committee concluded its work on the more than 20 budget bills at 2 a.m. Friday, and the Rules Committee processed them all in a Saturday session.
White decided the Senate should take the matter into its own hands. "This is a serious situation," he said. "We are within five days of the deadline. At our lunch break, the members should hold hands and walk to Government House. At this time we should show that leaders lead, and let followers follow."
White was spared his march at the eleventh hour — actually at 11:24 a.m., when the package arrived. In the accompanying letter of transmittal to Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd, the governor called the Legislature into special session on Friday to consider his bill to ratify the government's new group medical, health and dental insurance plans with Connecticut General Life Insurance Co. (CIGNA) and Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
The governor told Liburd, "The Government Health Insurance Board of Trustees has worked diligently to obtain the best health and dental insurance plans for our employees. Therefore, it is imperative that we ratify the new contracts to avoid any disruption of services to our employees."
The government's current health insurance contract expires Sept. 30. The governor provided no explanation for the late arrival of the new insurance package. Prior to its arrival, Liburd said, "This health insurance issue is uppermost in the minds of my colleagues. Not having a contract at this time is ridiculous … We have no knowledge or information as to where we are on this very important legislation."
Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen, the Finance Committee chair, said the information should have arrived in time for her committee to study it. She and other senators lamented the short period of time they now have to review the contract. Hansen did commend the governor and the Health Insurance Board for their choice of companies.
Also Monday morning, the Senate passed a resolution extending condolences on behalf of all Virgin Islanders to the people of New York City and Washington, D.C., and all those who suffered losses in the attacks. Sponsored by Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and cosponsored by all his colleagues, the resolution pledges the body's "full support toward the federal government's efforts to eradicate terrorism at home and abroad."
Copies of the resolution will be presented to President George W. Bush and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, to be read into the Congressional Record.
In other action, the committee approved:
Bill No. 24-0136 – authorizing the Office of Management and Budget director to allocate $44 million from the miscellaneous section of the FY 2002 budget to cover salary increases for executive branch workers and $12 million to cover executive branch salary and health insurance premium increases.
Bill No. 24-0138 – $12.8 million from the Transportation Trust Fund to the General Fund.
The session recessed about 2 p.m., scheduled to reconvene at 3 p.m. The Legislature has had telephone problems since Monday. Liburd said the system was still being worked on Tuesday.

Sept. 25, 2001 – The 24th Legislature continued its work on Fiscal Year 2002 budget bills Tuesday morning in a session that included a call from Majority Leader Celestino A. White Sr. for a march on Government House.
As the morning wore on and the senators still hadn't received word on the whereabouts of Gov. Charles Turnbull's health-care package for government employees, tempers in the Senate chamber began to flare.
Sen. Emmett Hansen II asked, "What is more important than health care? When does the governor plan to send down the health insurance package? Does he realize the deadline is Sunday, Sept. 30?" That's the final day of Fiscal Year 2001.
Turnbull, meanwhile, was in New York to attend the funeral of a family member.
The lawmakers have been working to get the budget into the governor's hands before the start of the new fiscal year. The Finance Committee concluded its work on the more than 20 budget bills at 2 a.m. Friday, and the Rules Committee processed them all in a Saturday session.
White decided the Senate should take the matter into its own hands. "This is a serious situation," he said. "We are within five days of the deadline. At our lunch break, the members should hold hands and walk to Government House. At this time we should show that leaders lead, and let followers follow."
White was spared his march at the eleventh hour — actually at 11:24 a.m., when the package arrived. In the accompanying letter of transmittal to Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd, the governor called the Legislature into special session on Friday to consider his bill to ratify the government's new group medical, health and dental insurance plans with Connecticut General Life Insurance Co. (CIGNA) and Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
The governor told Liburd, "The Government Health Insurance Board of Trustees has worked diligently to obtain the best health and dental insurance plans for our employees. Therefore, it is imperative that we ratify the new contracts to avoid any disruption of services to our employees."
The government's current health insurance contract expires Sept. 30. The governor provided no explanation for the late arrival of the new insurance package. Prior to its arrival, Liburd said, "This health insurance issue is uppermost in the minds of my colleagues. Not having a contract at this time is ridiculous … We have no knowledge or information as to where we are on this very important legislation."
Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen, the Finance Committee chair, said the information should have arrived in time for her committee to study it. She and other senators lamented the short period of time they now have to review the contract. Hansen did commend the governor and the Health Insurance Board for their choice of companies.
Also Monday morning, the Senate passed a resolution extending condolences on behalf of all Virgin Islanders to the people of New York City and Washington, D.C. and all those who suffered losses in the attacks. Sponsored by Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and cosponsored by all his colleagues, the resolution pledges the body's "full support toward the federal government's efforts to eradicate terrorism at home and abroad."
Copies of the resolution will be presented to President George W. Bush and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, to be read into the Congressional Record.
In other action, the committee approved:
Bill No. 24-0136 – authorizing the Office of Management and Budget director to allocate $44 million from the miscellaneous section of the FY 2002 budget to cover salary increases for executive branch workers and $12 million to cover executive branch salary and health insurance premium increases.
Bill No. 24-0138 – $12.8 million from the Transportation Trust Fund to the General Fund.
The session recessed about 2 p.m., scheduled to reconvene at 3 p.m. The Legislature has had telephone problems since Monday. Liburd said the system was still being worked on Tuesday.

Sept. 25, 2001 – The 24th Legislature continued its work on Fiscal Year 2002 budget bills Tuesday morning in a session that included a call from Majority Leader Celestino A. White Sr. for a march on Government House.
As the morning wore on and the senators still hadn't received word on the whereabouts of Gov. Charles Turnbull's health-care package for government employees, tempers in the Senate chamber began to flare.
Sen. Emmett Hansen II asked, "What is more important than health care? When does the governor plan to send down the health insurance package? Does he realize the deadline is Sunday, Sept. 30?" That's the final day of Fiscal Year 2001.
Turnbull, meanwhile, was in New York to attend the funeral of a family member.
The lawmakers have been working to get the budget into the governor's hands before the start of the new fiscal year. The Finance Committee concluded its work on the more than 20 budget bills at 2 a.m. Friday, and the Rules Committee processed them all in a Saturday session.
White decided the Senate should take the matter into its own hands. "This is a serious situation," he said. "We are within five days of the deadline. At our lunch break, the members should hold hands and walk to Government House. At this time we should show that leaders lead, and let followers follow."
White was spared his march at the eleventh hour — actually at 11:24 a.m., when the package arrived. In the accompanying letter of transmittal to Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd, the governor called the Legislature into special session on Friday to consider his bill to ratify the government's new group medical, health and dental insurance plans with Connecticut General Life Insurance Co. (CIGNA) and Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
The governor told Liburd, "The Government Health Insurance Board of Trustees has worked diligently to obtain the best health and dental insurance plans for our employees. Therefore, it is imperative that we ratify the new contracts to avoid any disruption of services to our employees."
The government's current health insurance contract expires Sept. 30. The governor provided no explanation for the late arrival of the new insurance package. Prior to its arrival, Liburd said, "This health insurance issue is uppermost in the minds of my colleagues. Not having a contract at this time is ridiculous … We have no knowledge or information as to where we are on this very important legislation."
Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen, the Finance Committee chair, said the information should have arrived in time for her committee to study it. She and other senators lamented the short period of time they now have to review the contract. Hansen did commend the governor and the Health Insurance Board for their choice of companies.
Also Monday morning, the Senate passed a resolution extending condolences on behalf of all Virgin Islanders to the people of New York City and Washington, D.C. and all those who suffered losses in the attacks. Sponsored by Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and cosponsored by all his colleagues, the resolution pledges the body's "full support toward the federal government's efforts to eradicate terrorism at home and abroad."
Copies of the resolution will be presented to President George W. Bush and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, to be read into the Congressional Record.
In other action, the committee approved:
Bill No. 24-0136 – authorizing the Office of Management and Budget director to allocate $44 million from the miscellaneous section of the FY 2002 budget to cover salary increases for executive branch workers and $12 million to cover executive branch salary and health insurance premium increases.
Bill No. 24-0138 – $12.8 million from the Transportation Trust Fund to the General Fund.
The session recessed about 2 p.m., scheduled to reconvene at 3 p.m. The Legislature has had telephone problems since Monday. Liburd said the system was still being worked on Tuesday.

Sept. 25, 2001 – With U.S. Navy warships back in the area to conduct training off the island of Vieques, a Navy spokesman says recreational calls at Virgin Islands ports in conjunction with the exercises are not out of the question.
"If we can schedule a chance to visit a liberty port during this or any other exercises, we will certainly try to do that," Cmdr. John Kirby said.
But that's as specific as Kirby, a Navy public affairs officer in Norfolk, Va., would be. "Because of the attacks earlier this month, nothing about the way the Navy does business will be ever be routine again," he said.
In the days preceding the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, local insiders had been looking forward to the visits in late September and early October of seven Navy ships — the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy and other vessels in its battle group. Calls at St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John were anticipated.
Afterward, the likelihood of the calls still occurring appeared remote, with national media reporting that the Kennedy had been deployed to the New York area.
A Navy press release distributed Monday stated that two Navy destroyers, Spruance and The Sullivans, had successfully conducted surface fire support exercises using the Vieques inner range, while 23 Hornet aircraft conducted air-to-ground training with inert, non-explosive ammunition. A call to Kirby brought confirmation that the 12 ships and approximately 85 aircraft in the JFK Battle Group began using the Vieques inner range on Monday in connection with a training exercise.
He said the exercise, which also is utilizing Puerto Rican operating areas, will involve complex battle group training events, naval surface fire support training and air-to-ground bombing. He said he expects the exercises to continue "into next month."
Asked whether recreational visits to the Virgin Islands in conjunction with the nearby exercises might still be in the offing, Kirby replied: "Given the recent attacks on the country, we are being very circumspect about the release of information. I am not going to be able to talk about potential port visits or where or when they may be."
He noted that the Navy is operating under "heightened threat conditions" and added, "We are dealing with a new kind of enemy and a new kind of threat."
However, he then added, "Generally speaking, when able, we like to give the ships and their crews some time off … We realize that is important for the sailors and the communities they visit."
Kirby said most liberty policy decisions are "up to the Navy's local area and regional commanders-in-chief to determine" on a case-by-case basis. "During periods of heightened threat conditions," he said, "they can make some allowances. The higher the threat conditions, the more limited the liberty policy exceptions are."
Sindi Coombs, owner of C&C Port Services, the Navy's local agent, said, "We are just sitting here keeping our fingers crossed" that some of the ships may be able to visit. "I have not been notified one way or the other," she said Monday.
According to Kirby, "There is nothing dramatically different" about the Navy's ongoing training exercises as a result of the Sept. 11 attacks. He said the exercises are an "essential part of the JFK Battle Group's pre-deployment training." And that training, he said, is "designed to forge the battle group into a cohesive fighting team and to certify the carrier and its embarked air wing as qualified for open ocean operations" without benefit of a "divert airfield."
The ships of the JFK Battle Group are the aircraft carrier Kennedy, the guided missile cruisers Hue City and Vicksburg, the guided missile destroyers Carney, The Sullivans and Roosevelt, the destroyer Spruance, the guided missile frigates Underwood and Taylor, the attack submarines Toledo and Boise, and the oiler Seattle.

Sept. 25, 2001 – Because of heightened security measures now in effect, anyone doing business with the V.I. National Guard will need to present photo identification.
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the mainland, all U.S. military facilities are requiring I.D. checks of anyone seeking access to the premises, a release from the V.I.N.G. stated. This applies to all individuals and agency representatives providing services, as well as to dependents of National Guard personnel and retirees wishing to enter the facilities, it said.
The release noted that Post Exchange (PX) operations are continuing as usual.
For more information, call the V.I.N.G. headquarters at 712-7715, or Staff Sgt. Karen Williams in the public affairs office at 712-7750.

Calvert C. Marsh died Monday, Sept. 24. Funeral services are pending.
He is survived by his wife Augusta M. Marsh; son David; daughter Liz Yvonne Tanner Marsh; brothers Kenneth and Meredith Marsh; sisters Eglah Clendenin, Myrine Hodge, Minerva Marsh Jacobs and Joan Marsh Krigger; and relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
Arrangements are in the care of Creque Funeral Home.