The royal youth of V.I. Carnival 2000 stepped into the sunshine Sunday afternoon to receive their crowns and to offer words of gratitude and encouragement to their community.
At the coronation ceremony in the Emancipation Garden, Queen Canika-Chisa George inclined her head to allow 1999 Queen Shani Smith to set the rhinestone symbol of her reign upon her head.
Dressed in a simple white floor-length gown with spaghetti straps and a sweetheart neckline, the new queen sat with the five contestants who competed with her for the crown. First runner-up Sencelia Gumbs and second runner-up Kanique Thomas came dressed in identical silver column dresses with beaded bodices. The others, Claudette Duggins, Khalilaj Espada and Vickki-Ann Samuel, wore the same dress in sapphire blue.
Queen Pageant Committee members presented each of the six young women with a bouquet of roses – a creamy champagne for Queen Chanika-Chisa, red for each member of her court.
William "Champagne" Chandler, five-time Carnival King of the Band and last year's Carnival Village honoree, looked on from a seat in the David Monsanto Bandstand as his sponsored couple, Prince Greglan Ward and Princess Stephanie Brathwaite, were draped in sashes and blue velvet robes.
The 1999 prince and princess, twins Stedman and Shayeeda Wallace, removed their crowns and placed them on the heads of Greglan and Stephanie.
The new royals displayed graciousness and class. Greglan, acknowledging contestant couples Mark Huggins and Beige Auradou and Kalida Mayers and Alberto Benjamin, said he felt a little sad that he and Stephanie had won almost every honor while the other couples had put up such fine efforts in the competition.
Princess Stephanie urged her peers to make their own stretch for the stars. "To the youth of this community, strive for excellence and you will excel always," she said. "Respect your elders, but most of all respect yourself."
The Wallace twins, who presented a synchronized speech at their coronation last year, thanked each other for their 1999 victory and reign. "To arrive together is a blessing. Winning together is progress. Working together is success," they said.
As 1999 Queen Shani prepared to pass on her crown and crystal scepter, she said her reign had left her with "a deep sense of appreciation and pride in the people" she represented. She pronounced her successor "the territory's most esteemed regal star."
But neither the crown nor the afternoon sun shining softly on her face appeared as bright as the smile worn by Queen Canika-Chisa, contestant No. 6 in a field of six who surprised many at the pageant with her showing. She told the crowd that she learned in winning the title of Carnival Queen to keep her poise in all situations.
She urged her listeners to make the territory a better place by working as volunteers. And at one point, she turned to those seated behind her and summoned her father, Cleve-Allan George Sr., to come forward. After she placed a red carnation in the pocket of his gold-color shirt, father and daughter captured the moment in a loving embrace.

Every year during the first week of May we celebrate Law Day. This year's theme is "Celebrate Your Freedom". As we recognize this Law Day 2000 and mark the new millennium, it is appropriate that we reflect upon our country's and territory's accomplishments and gaze ahead to the future. Looking back more than 200 years ago, we see a nation founded by dreamers and who's citizens wanted something better than the status quo. Our country's founders cherished diversity because they themselves were different. They created a democratic government built on the freedoms that we still enjoy today:
* Freedom to say what we believe.
* Freedom to choose how we worship .
* Freedom to criticize our government.
Today, America remains a beacon for people around the world who dream of freedom and a better life. The United States, with all its flaws and imperfections, is still the best hope for democracy and diversity.
"Freedom" is a word of deep reverence for Americans and particularly for Virgin Islanders. But what exactly do we mean by it and how are our freedoms protected by law? Freedom House, a nonpartisan organization devoted to strengthening free societies, analyzes the world's countries every year to determine the extent of freedom around the world. The criteria this group uses for its analysis are a helpful tool in our defining freedom, and showing how it is impossible without the protections of the law.
In the category of "political rights," for example, the group's criteria include, among others:
* Free and fair elections.
* Fair electoral laws, equal campaigning opportunities, fair polling and honest tabulation of votes.
* The ability to endow elected representatives with real power.
All of these criteria are addressed by the United States Constitution, our Virgin Islands Revised Organic Act and our statutory laws. More than half the amendments to the Constitution passed since the Bill of Rights deal with qualifications to vote (always extending the franchise) and procedures for electing public officials. In addition to these constitutional provisions, thousands of territorial and federal laws regulate elections, to guard against arbitrary abuses of power. Of course, the Constitution as a whole is a device for assuring that a free people can govern themselves — it's a kind of blueprint for democratic power — including an independent court system that can assure that these rights are enforced.
Political rights aren't the only freedoms. Freedom House's checklist for civil liberties provides another way for measuring freedom–and the need for a legal system that can protect it. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is our way of protecting a host of civil liberties identified by Freedom House as crucial components of freedom:
* Free and independent media.
* Open public discussion.
* Freedom of assembly.
* Free religious institutions and free religious expression.
The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees another of the group's building blocks of freedom-equality under law and access to an independent, nondiscriminatory judiciary. The due process amendments of the Bill of Rights address another civil liberties criterion–protection from unjustified imprisonment, exile or torture. The protections of private property embodied in the Constitution and protected through numerous laws, as well as legislation against discrimination, extend legal protection to other components of freedom identified by Freedom House, such as:
* Free businesses.
* Free professional and private organizations.
Of course, other criteria are possible. And we could choose many other ways of defining America's freedoms. But under any definition, the role of our Constitution and system of law and independent courts would be paramount. That's because freedom does not exist in a vacuum. It does not exist in the absence of laws–that would be chaos, in which the most aggressive, the most ruthless, and the strongest would flourish at the expense of the others. It exists under the nurture and protection of an orderly society, governed by laws, in which rights are respected.
The writer Hannah Arendt expressed this point in her book The Origins of Totalitarianism. She wrote that "to abolish the fences of laws" between people, as tyranny does, is to take away our liberties and destroy freedom, for the place between people, as it is hedged in by laws, "is the living space of freedom."
The great Supreme Court Justice, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., expressed the same point more pointedly. "The right to swing your fist," he wrote, "ends at the point of another person's nose".
So "celebrating freedom" is more than Fourth of July speeches and fireworks. It's a recognition by us all that freedom does not simply happen by itself. For men and women to be free, they need protections from tyrants, and bullies — and sometimes from each other. That protection, that structure, is provided by law and independent courts. And it's that structure we celebrate this week on Law Day, as we celebrate our freedom. And so today, may we all take time to celebrate Law Day in a nation and a territory built upon the rule of law and renew once again our effort to form a more perfect union.
Editor's note: Tom Bolt is a local attorney practicing in St. Thomas and serves as ABA Delegate for the Virgin Islands.

In his first public address of the V.I. Carnival season, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull expressed his wishes for "friendliness, fun and glorious and sensible moderation" during the festivities.
Speaking at Sunday's coronation of the 2000 V.I. Carnival queen, prince and princess in Emancipation Garden, the chief executive asked some 400 people in attendance to "make this Carnival memorable due to positive experiences."
The governor, a historian and educator by profession, appealed to the public to treasure the annual cultural fete and preserve it for future generations. He also urged his listeners not to abandon participation in Carnival events for fear of a small number of troublemakers and their bad deeds.
Turnbull met on Friday with top law enforcement officials to plan increased security at Carnival events in light of a recent rash of violence on St. Thomas.
The governor congratulated the V.I. Carnival Committee, chair Kenneth Blake, executive director Caswill Callender and all the volunteers "for accomplishing what is mostly a tireless and thankless assignment." The committee had a quarter million dollars less in government support with which to do it this year because of Government House budget cuts.
Crime and the fiscal crisis aside, the order of the day was to witness the crowning of new Carnival royalty, and in this the governor took obvious delight. He began by commending the new queen, Chanika-Chisa George, recalling that as a child himself he had known her great-grandparents.
As the ceremony ended, the chief executive stood to the front of the David Monsanto Bandstand to congratulate Prince Greglan Ward and Princess Stephanie Brathwaite and all of the other contestants who competed in the queen and prince and princess pageants.
He paused at the top of the bandstand steps to pose for pictures with the new queen, along with Richard Doumeng, president of the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel and Tourism Association. For several years, the association and its member hotels have sponsored the queen competition.

Steelpan music fans largely stayed away from Carnival Pan-O-Rama 2000, making it an intimate festival of talented youth, their friends, parents and teachers.
About 500 people paid the newly instituted $5 child's and $10 adult's admission to the Lionel Roberts Stadium Sunday night to hear 14 steelpan groups perform. Those who stayed for the entire three and a half hour show were treated to a spontaneous tramp at the end led by the group Pan In Motion.
They also got to hear plenty of tributes played to the late calypsonian legend Lord Kitchener — Trinidadian Aldwyn Roberts, who died in February — by the V.I. Housing Authority Youth Steel Orchestra, Territorial Court Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra, Ivanna Eudora Kean Devil Rays and the adult St. Thomas All Stars.
Kitchener's spirit has been alive and lively at V.I. Carnival 2000. He received tributes Friday and Saturday at the Calypso Revues for his career as a performing artist and calypso composer. At Sunday's event, music group directors also acknowledged his many original tunes written for pan — dating from 1944, when he composed the first calypso for a steel orchestra..
Bands paying tribute to the "Grandmaster" launched into musical medleys with verve — bouncing, dancing, pumping the sky with outstreched hands. One young performer from the Devil Rays punctuated his phrasing by tossing a drumstick in the air, catching it and spinning it around his finger. Bands also honored the music of Antigua's Burning Flames, playing the band's recent hit "The Magician."
Almost every year a new steel orchestra joins the cast of Pan-O-Rama. This year saw the debut of the Ulla Muller Steel Band and the return — after an absence dating from Hurricane Marilyn — of the Joseph Sibilly Sun Rays. St. John was represented by the Love City Baby Pan Dragons. Private schools taking part were the Antilles Steel Hurricanes, Sts. Peter and Paul Angels of Steel (making their second appearance) and the Montessori Meteors, a perennial favorite, that performed a medley called "Celebrating in Steel."
Pan-O-Rama is a rare Carnival event in that it is a showcase, not a competition. There is no judging of the performers, and each group's organization receives a fee from the Carnival Committee for taking part.
Some Pan-O-Rama organizers expressed disappointment at the small audience turnout but also said they hoped attendance would improve next year. "I think a lot more parents could come out and support the kids," Derek Gumbs, a member of the V.I. Carnival Committee, said. "The kids are doing wonderfully, all of the bands. They put a lot of effort into it, and it would have been better if their parents came out and appreciated it."
But Carol Callwood, a former member of the St. Thomas All Stars who performed Sunday night with the Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School Burning Blazers, said she believed the crowds stayed away because the admission prices would have hit household pocketbooks too hard. She said she understood that the fees were imposed to help the cash-strapped committee cover the costs of putting on Pan-O-Rama, but attendees have traditionally been made up mainly of families who already spend lavishly on snacks, rides and games for their youngsters at the Carnival Village.
Callwood expressed hope that the steelpan committee could strike a better balance in the future by securing corporate sponsorship to help cover the costs of the family-oriented musical event that promotes cultural expression among young people.

The University of the Virgin Islands Eastern Caribbean Center and the Nature Conservancy announce the unveiling of the Rapid Ecological Assessment maps for the island of St. Croix.
The mapping of the island’s vegetation and marine communities will create baseline data that will permit researchers, natural resource managers, planners and developers to understand the natural resources that may be impacted by human activity and to assess change over time.
Prepared utilizing a geographic information system –– a computerized system that links maps to data –– the REA describes the various vegetation and marine communities present in the Virgin Islands, at a level of detail never before available. These maps can be used for conservation and development planning, natural resource management and fire suppression planning.
Interested members of the public are invited to attend a presentation on the REA on May 2 at 10 a.m. at the Student Activities Center on the St. Croix campus of UVI. For further information, contact Mr. Dayle Barry at UVI at 693-1030.

Dear Source,
There is no difference between crime in Maryland and crime in the Virgin Islands: Crime is crime.
Unfortunately Maryland does not sell itself primarily as a tourist destination. Most people won't intentionally vacation in crime riddled areas of Maryland, or anywhere else. People don't warm up to spending thousands of dollars for a trip to metro areas of Maryland, especially in dead of winter.
The simple truth is that people are not quick to fly to the Virgin Islands
when news of muggings and armed robberies are filtering back home.
It's about safety.
Simply complaining that prospective tourists are to blame for not understanding that crime is everywhere doesn't make them feel any more comfortable with traveling to the V.I. They want to know they will be safe.
Period.
Robert Miller
Detroit, Michigan

The kick-off for St. Croix International Triathlon week was Sunday with the 12th Annual Paradise 5K Road Race. And while the race had a new venue this year the winners were familiar.
The race, hosted by Divi Carina Bay Resort and Casino and organized by the Virgin Islands Pace Runners, started just west of Point Udall and winded its way along the east-end sea shore past Cramer Park and the Very Long Base Array dish to the Divi.
George Jules and Theresa Harper won the race with times of 16:27 and 20:26 respectively. Kent Bradbury in his last tune-up before next Sunday’s triathlon, of which he is the local favorite, was second in 17:25. George Willocks, middle distance runner and fellow staff member at Hovensa of Bradbury, was third in 19:47.
Susan Armstrong was the second female finishers in 21:47 and Jo Shim was third in 21:59. Peter Brown won the runners’ raffle – a night's accommodation at Divi Carina Bay Resort and Casino.
The Finishers Male: 1. George Jules 16:27.97; 2. Kent Bradbury 17:25.10; 3. George Willock 19:47.65; 4. Jabari Goodwin 19:49.27; 5. George Cannon 19:55.44; 6. Drew Villamagna 20:20.70; 7. Kevin Burton 20:24.62; 8. Teddy Seymour 20:31.67; 9. Martin Bromley 20:58.18; 10. Gunnar Sanden 21:26.06; 11. Donald Shillingford 21:44.56; 12. Barrymore Berley 21:52.70; 13. Bob Guilford 22:24.76; 14. Donald Mason 22:38.47; 15. Luke Fredrick 24:16.37; 16. Lyle Harris 24:25.68; 17. Eric Hutchins 25:42.13; 18. Jack Branch 28:29.75; 19. Gino Williams 31:18.11; 20. J. Reeves 32:44.38; 21. Peter Brown.
The Finishers Female: 1. Theresa Harper 20:26.96; 2. Susan Armstrong 21:47.49; 3. Jo Shim 21:59.73; 4. Earthla Arthur 22:33.45; 5. Jude Woodcock 24:28.37; 6. Jawana Goodwin 24:38.92; 7. Alicia Lewitt 24:44.36; 8. Patty Patton 24:48.85; 9. Angela Bradbury 27:28.30; 10. J'Kiwa Goodwin 24:42.43
The next event on the V.I.Pace Runners schedule is the 2nd Annual "The Children Run Christiansted" for runners 13 years old and under on May 5 at 6:00 P.M.
For more information call 777-0258 or visit: http://www.virginislandspace.org/page68.html

Top sailors in the 'Beach Cat' class started the St. Thomas Carnival Races with a display of hull flying speed. The 20 foot boats had almost perfect winds of 15 to 18 knots in the St. Thomas harbor and ran three races before making way for the usual power boats.
Terry Jackson, an V.I. Olympic hopeful, organized the races to show the waterfront crowd a sample of high speed sailing action. He was joined on the course by Kevin Raymond, second place Rolex Cup finisher, and three other 'Cat' sailors.
The long sail from the east end in these hi-tech light weight craft left one boat with a loose rudder and unable to race in the close confines of the harbor. The four boats left did battle. Raymond won the first race and Jackson the second. In the final race Jackson crossed the finish six seconds ahead of Raymond to win the Carnival Catamaran Races 2000.
Jackson explained, "We had three different (design) boats out there today, but plan to build up the fleet this summer, next year we hope to have two one design starts and really put on a close racing show."

An undetermined amount of cash and illegal drugs was confiscated from the Coki Point area Saturday as law enforcement officers converged there and took up to 12 persons into custody.
The raid was the result of an almost 2-month-long investigation into the widespread sale and distribution of illegal narcotics in the area, according to Wayne Chinnery, territorial drug policy adviser to the governor.
"We have studied this area the last month and a half, we have targeted it and today we came out to clean it up," he said.
Chinnery was not certain whether the detainees were residents of the Smith Bay/Coki Point area. He did say some will be formally charged with drug possession, conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs and possession with intent to distribute illegal drugs.
Two women were among those detained Saturday. Chinnery could not say what their roles were.
He confirmed that the rampant use and distribution of drugs in the area was the target of the probe. "During our surveillance we observed hand-to-hand deals as well as vehicle deals," Chinnery said.
It was unclear what type of drugs or the amounts were confiscated Saturday.
He said the Coki Point raid was just one of several investigations of illegal drugs now under way.
The operation was led by agents of the Narcotics Strike Force and backed up by enforcement officers from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, the V.I. Housing Police force and the V.I. Police Department.
Chinnery urged anyone with information on the illicit use of drugs to call the Narcotics Strike Force at 774-1813.

It's official. The Virgin Islands Daily News is a split shop. Employees in the production/operations area belong to the United Steelworkers of America, but reporters and editors do not.
Employees voted early in December and it was clear immediately that those in Unit A (business office, advertising, printing, circulation and maintenance) favored the union, but the vote in Unit B, the news department, was too close to call given a series of challenges to some of the ballots.
The issue landed in the lap of the National Labor Relations Board, which was to investigate the challenges before certifying the election.
Fred Nieves, a field examiner with the NLRB in Puerto Rico, said Friday that "the case is closed." He could give little details on the investigation; the man in charge of it was not in the office Friday.
However, Nieves said the results for Unit A were certified Feb. 2 and those for Unit B were certified April 6.
Attempts to reach Steelworkers president Luis "Tito" Morales over the weekend were unsuccessful. Earlier, union representatives had said work on a contract for representation could not begin until the vote was certified.