Sept. 22, 2001 – As the territory's economy continues to worsen in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the mainland, leaders of the territory's chambers of commerce and hotel associations met Friday with government officials to formulate a plan to stem the continuing downslide in tourism arrivals.
They presented a collectively worked-out plan that calls for, among other things:
– Deferred payment of gross receipts taxes and Water and Power Authority bills for four months.
– Free vacations for 500 New York and Washington emergency rescue workers, a move intended to generate positive public relations as well as thank those personnel.
– A campaign to market the territory as a friendly destination under the American flag.
– Lobbying to get the nation's airlines to restore flights to the Virgin Islands before they resume interrupted international service and to restore the recently slashed cap on travel-agent commissions for domestic ticketing.
– Creation of a Tax Reform Commission that would have 30 days to come up with its own plan.
"We can't go on much longer like this," Richard Doumeng, president of the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel and Tourism Association, said Saturday. "This has to be close to the bottom."
Wendall Snider, Doumeng's St. Croix counterpart, summed up the situation this way: "If something is not done, we're dead."
Hotel cancellations continue to pour in, both hotel executives said. Last September — traditionally the slowest time of year in the territory — the territory's hotels had a 36 percent occupancy rate, Snider said. At the moment, it stands at 13 percent.
"There are over $4 million in cancellations for October and November," he said, explaining that the figure represents 18,000 room nights.
John deJongh Jr., president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce, said retail sales are 25 to 30 percent lower than they were a year ago. He said retail workers are already on shortened summer hours. If there is no improvement in coming weeks, store and restaurant owners may not be able to bump them back up to full time.
DeJongh said he believes the V.I. government can work with the business sector on the actions being proposed. "I don't think there's anything in the plan that bothers them," he said.
He expects the plan to be implemented in the next three to four months.
Dick Doumeng, one of the elder statesmen of the territory's tourism industry and Richard Doumeng's father, said coming back from this blow will be difficult. "You can't market away being frightened to get on a plane," he said.
He predicted that by the winter season, the economy will be on the upswing. "But can we survive for four months? It's scary," he said.
As part of the multipronged plan, the hoteliers want immediate help to keep their doors open for the next four months via the postponed payment of gross receipts tax and WAPA power and water bills. "If they want me to keep my doors open, I need help to keep my lights on," said Richard Doumeng, who manages Bolongo Bay Beach Club and Villas on St. Thomas.
Beyond immediate efforts to cut back on operating costs, the plan calls for a program to entice tourists to the territory. First, the hoteliers hope the airlines will assist them in putting together the 500 free vacation packages for emergency crews that have been working on rescue efforts at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
It also calls for a tourism marketing campaign focusing on the fact that the American flag flies over the Virgin Islands, assuring visitors a friendly and safe environment. Snider, who manages the Hibiscus Beach Hotel on St. Croix, said the campaign would be introduced not immediately, but "at the appropriate time," when Americans are farther along in the recovery process.
The plan also calls for persuading the airlines, which had cut back on flights for the summer as usual, to increase the number of flights for season. It envisions the development of air/land packages aimed at markets with direct flights to the territory.
Marketing of the University of the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Women's Basketball Tournament, scheduled for Nov. 18-26, also is on the agenda.
On the national level, the plan asks that the $15 billion airline bailout package passed this week by Congress be tied to restoring flights to the territory before international flights resume. It also calls for reinstating the $50 cap on airline ticket commissions to travel agents for domestic flights, which include the Virgin Islands. The airline industry chopped the cap to $20 last month in a cost-saving move. Local hoteliers noted that the mainland focus aspects will need the support of Delegate Donna Christian Christensen.
Locally, the proposal calls for legislation to require that the government and its agencies as well as companies receiving Economic Development Commission benefits purchase all goods and services locally.
The plan also calls for the EDC immediately to complete the processing of the more than 30 applications already approved so the approved new companies can open up shop. And it calls for implementation of a recently announced long-term operating agreement with the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association which would strengthen the cruise industry's commitment to the territory.
Business leaders also ask that a Tax Reform Commission be created and be given the task of coming up with a tax reform plan within 30 days. The plan calls for release of funding for capital improvement projects. And it calls for increased security via a more visible police presence, enforcement of traffic and parking laws, implementation of caller ID across the territory, and an ongoing review of air and seaport security procedures.
The government's representatives brought a few plans of their own to the table. They included:
– Expediting capital projects on the books and speeding up those capital projects under way.
– Identifying what it can do to help private-sector projects get under way or move to completion.
– Establishing retraining programs for unemployed workers.
The government representatives said they would come up with ideas to increase air and cruise-ship passenger arrivals. They said they expect to accelerate approval of EDC benefits for new businesses and to wrap up plans for a UVI Research Park. And, they said, the government wants ongoing communication between the public and private sectors.
Sept. 22, 2001 – As the territory's economy continues to worsen in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the mainland, leaders of the territory's chambers of commerce and hotel associations met Friday with government officials to formulate a plan to stem the continuing downslide in tourism arrivals.
They presented a collectively worked-out plan that calls for, among other things:
– Deferred payment of gross receipts taxes and Water and Power Authority bills for four months.
– Free vacations for 500 New York and Washington emergency rescue workers, a move intended to generate positive public relations as well as thank those personnel.
– A campaign to market the territory as a friendly destination under the American flag.
– Lobbying to get the nation's airlines to restore flights to the Virgin Islands before they resume interrupted international service and to restore the recently slashed cap on travel-agent commissions for domestic ticketing.
– Creation of a Tax Reform Commission that would have 30 days to come up with its own plan.
"We can't go on much longer like this," Richard Doumeng, president of the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel and Tourism Association, said Saturday. "This has to be close to the bottom."
Wendall Snider, Doumeng's St. Croix counterpart, summed up the situation this way: "If something is not done, we're dead."
Hotel cancellations continue to pour in, both hotel executives s
aid. Last September — traditionally the slowest time of year in the territory — the territory's hotels had a 36 percent occupancy rate, Snider said. At the moment, it stands at 13 percent.
"There are over $4 million in cancellations for October and November," he said, explaining that the figure represents 18,000 room nights.
John deJongh Jr., president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce, said retail sales are 25 to 30 percent lower than they were a year ago. He said retail workers are already on shortened summer hours. If there is no improvement in coming weeks, store and restaurant owners may not be able to bump them back up to full time.
DeJongh said he believes the V.I. government can work with the business sector on the actions being proposed. "I don't think there's anything in the plan that bothers them," he said.
He expects the plan to be implemented in the next three to four months.
Dick Doumeng, one of the elder statesmen of the territory's tourism industry and Richard Doumeng's father, said coming back from this blow will be difficult. "You can't market away being frightened to get on a plane," he said.
He predicted that by the winter season, the economy will be on the upswing. "But can we survive for four months? It's scary," he said.
As part of the multipronged plan, the hoteliers want immediate help to keep their doors open for the next four months via the postponed payment of gross receipts tax and WAPA power and water bills. "If they want me to keep my doors open, I need help to keep my lights on," said Richard Doumeng, who manages Bolongo Bay Beach Club and Villas on St. Thomas.
Beyond immediate efforts to cut back on operating costs, the plan calls for a program to entice tourists to the territory. First, the hoteliers hope the airlines will assist them in putting together the 500 free vacation packages for emergency crews that have been working on rescue efforts at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
It also calls for a tourism marketing campaign focusing on the fact that the American flag flies over the Virgin Islands, assuring visitors a friendly and safe environment. Snider, who manages the Hibiscus Beach Hotel on St. Croix, said the campaign would be introduced not immediately, but "at the appropriate time," when Americans are farther along in the recovery process.
The plan also calls for persuading the airlines, which had cut back on flights for the summer as usual, to increase the number of flights for season. It envisions the development of air/land packages aimed at markets with direct flights to the territory.
Marketing of the University of the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Women's Basketball Tournament, scheduled for Nov. 18-26, also is on the agenda.
On the national level, the plan asks that the $15 billion airline bailout package passed this week by Congress be tied to restoring flights to the territory before international flights resume. It also calls for reinstating the $50 cap on airline ticket commissions to travel agents for domestic flights, which include the Virgin Islands. The airline industry chopped the cap to $20 last month in a cost-saving move. Local hoteliers noted that the mainland focus aspects will need the support of Delegate Donna Christian Christensen.
Locally, the proposal calls for legislation to require that the government and its agencies as well as companies receiving Economic Development Commission benefits purchase all goods and services locally.
The plan also calls for the EDC immediately to complete the processing of the more than 30 applications already approved so the approved new companies can open up shop. And it calls for implementation of a recently announced long-term operating agreement with the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association which would strengthen the cruise industry's commitment to the territory.
Business leaders also ask that a Tax Reform Commission be created and be given the task of coming up with a tax reform plan within 30 days. The plan calls for release of funding for capital improvement projects. And it calls for increased security via a more visible police presence, enforcement of traffic and parking laws, implementation of caller ID across the territory, and an ongoing review of air and seaport security procedures.
The government's representatives brought a few plans of their own to the table. They included:
– Expediting capital projects on the books and speeding up those capital projects under way.
– Identifying what it can do to help private-sector projects get under way or move to completion.
– Establishing retraining programs for unemployed workers.
The government representatives said they would come up with ideas to increase air and cruise-ship passenger arrivals. They said they expect to accelerate approval of EDC benefits for new businesses and to wrap up plans for a UVI Research Park. And, they said, the government wants ongoing communication between the public and private sectors.
BUSINESS SECTOR PRESENTS PLAN TO STAY AFLOAT
Sept. 22, 2001 – As the territory's economy continues to worsen in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the mainland, leaders of the territory's chambers of commerce and hotel associations met Friday with government officials to formulate a plan to stem the continuing downslide in tourism arrivals.
They presented a collectively worked-out plan that calls for, among other things:
– Deferred payment of gross receipts taxes and Water and Power Authority bills for four months.
– Free vacations for 500 New York and Washington emergency rescue workers, a move intended to generate positive public relations as well as thank those personnel.
– A campaign to market the territory as a friendly destination under the American flag.
– Lobbying to get the nation's airlines to restore flights to the Virgin Islands before they resume interrupted international service and to restore the recently slashed cap on travel-agent commissions for domestic ticketing.
– Creation of a Tax Reform Commission that would have 30 days to come up with its own plan.
"We can't go on much longer like this," Richard Doumeng, president of the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel and Tourism Association, said Saturday. "This has to be close to the bottom."
Wendall Snider, Doumeng's St. Croix counterpart, summed up the situation this way: "If something is not done, we're dead."
Hotel cancellations continue to pour in, both hotel executives said. Last September — traditionally the slowest time of year in the territory — the territory's hotels had a 36 percent occupancy rate, Snider said. At the moment, it stands at 13 percent.
"There are over $4 million in cancellations for October and November," he said, explaining that the figure represents 18,000 room nights.
John deJongh Jr., president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce, said retail sales are 25 to 30 percent lower than they were a year ago. He said retail workers are already on shortened summer hours. If there is no improvement in coming weeks, store and restaurant owners may not be able to bump them back up to full time.
DeJongh said he believes the V.I. government can work with the business sector on the actions being proposed. "I don't think there's anything in the plan that bothers them," he said.
He expects the plan to be implemented in the next three to four months.
Dick Doumeng, one of the elder statesmen of the territory's tourism industry and Richard Doumeng's father, said coming back from this blow will be difficult. "You can't market away being frightened to get on a plane," he said.
He predicted that by the winter season, the economy will be on the upswing. "But can we survive for four months? It's scary," he said.
As part of the multipronged plan, the hoteliers want immediate help to keep their doors open for the next four months via the postponed payment of gross receipts tax and WAPA power and water bills. "If they want me to keep my doors open, I need help to keep my lights on," said Richard Doumeng, who manages Bolongo Bay Beach Club and Villas on St. Thomas.
Beyond immediate efforts to cut back on operating costs, the plan calls for a program to entice tourists to the territory. First, the hoteliers hope the airlines will assist them in putting together the 500 free vacation packages for emergency crews that have been working on rescue efforts at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
It also calls for a tourism marketing campaign focusing on the fact that the American flag flies over the Virgin Islands, assuring visitors a friendly and safe environment. Snider, who manages the Hibiscus Beach Hotel on St. Croix, said the campaign would be introduced not immediately, but "at the appropriate time," when Americans are farther along in the recovery process.
The plan also calls for persuading the airlines, which had cut back on flights for the summer as usual, to increase the number of flights for season. It envisions the development of air/land packages aimed at markets with direct flights to the territory.
Marketing of the University of the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Women's Basketball Tournament, scheduled for Nov. 18-26, also is on the agenda.
On the national level, the plan asks that the $15 billion airline bailout package passed this week by Congress be tied to restoring flights to the territory before international flights resume. It also calls for reinstating the $50 cap on airline ticket commissions to travel agents for domestic flights, which include the Virgin Islands. The airline industry chopped the cap to $20 last month in a cost-saving move. Local hoteliers noted that the mainland focus aspects will need the support of Delegate Donna Christian Christensen.
Locally, the proposal calls for legislation to require that the government and its agencies as well as companies receiving Economic Development Commission benefits purchase all goods and services locally.
The plan also calls for the EDC immediately to complete the processing of the more than 30 applications already approved so the approved new companies can open up shop. And it calls for implementation of a recently announced long-term operating agreement with the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association which would strengthen the cruise industry's commitment to the territory.
Business leaders also ask that a Tax Reform Commission be created and be given the task of coming up with a tax reform plan within 30 days. The plan calls for release of funding for capital improvement projects. And it calls for increased security via a more visible police presence, enforcement of traffic and parking laws, implementation of caller ID across the territory, and an ongoing review of air and seaport security procedures.
The government's representatives brought a few plans of their own to the table. They included:
– Expediting capital projects on the books and speeding up those capital projects under way.
– Identifying what it can do to help private-sector projects get under way or move to completion.
– Establishing retraining programs for unemployed workers.
The government representatives said they would come up with ideas to increase air and cruise-ship passenger arrivals. They said they expect to accelerate approval of EDC benefits for new businesses and to wrap up plans for a UVI Research Park. And, they said, the government wants ongoing communication between the public and private sectors.
They presented a collectively worked-out plan that calls for, among other things:
– Deferred payment of gross receipts taxes and Water and Power Authority bills for four months.
– Free vacations for 500 New York and Washington emergency rescue workers, a move intended to generate positive public relations as well as thank those personnel.
– A campaign to market the territory as a friendly destination under the American flag.
– Lobbying to get the nation's airlines to restore flights to the Virgin Islands before they resume interrupted international service and to restore the recently slashed cap on travel-agent commissions for domestic ticketing.
– Creation of a Tax Reform Commission that would have 30 days to come up with its own plan.
"We can't go on much longer like this," Richard Doumeng, president of the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel and Tourism Association, said Saturday. "This has to be close to the bottom."
Wendall Snider, Doumeng's St. Croix counterpart, summed up the situation this way: "If something is not done, we're dead."
Hotel cancellations continue to pour in, both hotel executives said. Last September — traditionally the slowest time of year in the territory — the territory's hotels had a 36 percent occupancy rate, Snider said. At the moment, it stands at 13 percent.
"There are over $4 million in cancellations for October and November," he said, explaining that the figure represents 18,000 room nights.
John deJongh Jr., president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce, said retail sales are 25 to 30 percent lower than they were a year ago. He said retail workers are already on shortened summer hours. If there is no improvement in coming weeks, store and restaurant owners may not be able to bump them back up to full time.
DeJongh said he believes the V.I. government can work with the business sector on the actions being proposed. "I don't think there's anything in the plan that bothers them," he said.
He expects the plan to be implemented in the next three to four months.
Dick Doumeng, one of the elder statesmen of the territory's tourism industry and Richard Doumeng's father, said coming back from this blow will be difficult. "You can't market away being frightened to get on a plane," he said.
He predicted that by the winter season, the economy will be on the upswing. "But can we survive for four months? It's scary," he said.
As part of the multipronged plan, the hoteliers want immediate help to keep their doors open for the next four months via the postponed payment of gross receipts tax and WAPA power and water bills. "If they want me to keep my doors open, I need help to keep my lights on," said Richard Doumeng, who manages Bolongo Bay Beach Club and Villas on St. Thomas.
Beyond immediate efforts to cut back on operating costs, the plan calls for a program to entice tourists to the territory. First, the hoteliers hope the airlines will assist them in putting together the 500 free vacation packages for emergency crews that have been working on rescue efforts at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
It also calls for a tourism marketing campaign focusing on the fact that the American flag flies over the Virgin Islands, assuring visitors a friendly and safe environment. Snider, who manages the Hibiscus Beach Hotel on St. Croix, said the campaign would be introduced not immediately, but "at the appropriate time," when Americans are farther along in the recovery process.
The plan also calls for persuading the airlines, which had cut back on flights for the summer as usual, to increase the number of flights for season. It envisions the development of air/land packages aimed at markets with direct flights to the territory.
Marketing of the University of the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam Women's Basketball Tournament, scheduled for Nov. 18-26, also is on the agenda.
On the national level, the plan asks that the $15 billion airline bailout package passed this week by Congress be tied to restoring flights to the territory before international flights resume. It also calls for reinstating the $50 cap on airline ticket commissions to travel agents for domestic flights, which include the Virgin Islands. The airline industry chopped the cap to $20 last month in a cost-saving move. Local hoteliers noted that the mainland focus aspects will need the support of Delegate Donna Christian Christensen.
Locally, the proposal calls for legislation to require that the government and its agencies as well as companies receiving Economic Development Commission benefits purchase all goods and services locally.
The plan also calls for the EDC immediately to complete the processing of the more than 30 applications already approved so the approved new companies can open up shop. And it calls for implementation of a recently announced long-term operating agreement with the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association which would strengthen the cruise industry's commitment to the territory.
Business leaders also ask that a Tax Reform Commission be created and be given the task of coming up with a tax reform plan within 30 days. The plan calls for release of funding for capital improvement projects. And it calls for increased security via a more visible police presence, enforcement of traffic and parking laws, implementation of caller ID across the territory, and an ongoing review of air and seaport security procedures.
The government's representatives brought a few plans of their own to the table. They included:
– Expediting capital projects on the books and speeding up those capital projects under way.
– Identifying what it can do to help private-sector projects get under way or move to completion.
– Establishing retraining programs for unemployed workers.
The government representatives said they would come up with ideas to increase air and cruise-ship passenger arrivals. They said they expect to accelerate approval of EDC benefits for new businesses and to wrap up plans for a UVI Research Park. And, they said, the government wants ongoing communication between the public and private sectors.
MANY PAY LAST RESPECTS TO MARIO DE CHABERT
Sept. 22, 2001 — A "Who’s Who" of people in the territory — and then some — turned out Saturday for the funeral of one of St. Croix’s favorite sons, Mario de Chabert.
De Chabert died Monday on St. Croix after a long illness, at the age of 63. He wore many hats over the years, including those of businessman, attorney, entrepreneur, political player and prospective casino developer.
But at the funeral service at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Christiansted on Saturday, de Chabert also was remembered — by Sens. Almando "Rocky" Liburd and Adelbert Bryan, Delegate Donna Christian Christensen and businessman Jeffrey Prosser, among others — for the life experiences he loved, such as helping others, breaking bread with friends and jazz.
Christensen said de Chabert, an accomplished jazz musician, was at his best at the 1992 St. Croix Jazz Festival, an event he co-founded and produced.
"The Mario I knew was gentle and soft-spoken," she said, adding that he could also be "unyielding" in business.
De Chabert was the longest-serving member on the boards of V.I. Community Bank and Innovative Telephone, said Prosser, who owns both enterprises.
"By the number of people here today, Mario touched a lot of people," Prosser said, noting the overflow crowd that sat under tents set up with video monitors to watch the proceedings inside the church.
"If Mario couldn’t open a door for you, he knew someone that could," Prosser said.
Just prior to his death, de Chabert had been in the process of applying for a casino gaming license to develop a 193-room casino-resort on property adjacent to the Sunny Isle Shopping Center, a family-owned operation managed by de Chabert.
Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II noted that de Chabert gave him the casino bill that first surfaced in the 20th Legislature and later was introduced in the 21st.
"We have lost a son, we have lost a businessman, philanthropist and attorney — and St. Croix's biggest activist," James said in a message to the de Chabert family.
Bryan said of de Chabert: "He had his heart, his soul and his will in the people of the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean."
De Chabert died Monday on St. Croix after a long illness, at the age of 63. He wore many hats over the years, including those of businessman, attorney, entrepreneur, political player and prospective casino developer.
But at the funeral service at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Christiansted on Saturday, de Chabert also was remembered — by Sens. Almando "Rocky" Liburd and Adelbert Bryan, Delegate Donna Christian Christensen and businessman Jeffrey Prosser, among others — for the life experiences he loved, such as helping others, breaking bread with friends and jazz.
Christensen said de Chabert, an accomplished jazz musician, was at his best at the 1992 St. Croix Jazz Festival, an event he co-founded and produced.
"The Mario I knew was gentle and soft-spoken," she said, adding that he could also be "unyielding" in business.
De Chabert was the longest-serving member on the boards of V.I. Community Bank and Innovative Telephone, said Prosser, who owns both enterprises.
"By the number of people here today, Mario touched a lot of people," Prosser said, noting the overflow crowd that sat under tents set up with video monitors to watch the proceedings inside the church.
"If Mario couldn’t open a door for you, he knew someone that could," Prosser said.
Just prior to his death, de Chabert had been in the process of applying for a casino gaming license to develop a 193-room casino-resort on property adjacent to the Sunny Isle Shopping Center, a family-owned operation managed by de Chabert.
Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James II noted that de Chabert gave him the casino bill that first surfaced in the 20th Legislature and later was introduced in the 21st.
"We have lost a son, we have lost a businessman, philanthropist and attorney — and St. Croix's biggest activist," James said in a message to the de Chabert family.
Bryan said of de Chabert: "He had his heart, his soul and his will in the people of the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean."
MARIO DE CHABERT TO THE RESCUE
Dear Source,
Mario de Chabert was quite a man. An extraordinary person with an extraordinary character.
There is so much that can be said about Mario. But in one simple sentence: He embodied the soul of St. Croix first and the whole of the U.S. Virgin Islands second.
Known by close friends and associates by many loving nicknames — Uncle Mario, El Jefé, Big Buana, Capitán– Mario was Mr. Cool at all times, no matter the heat.
Personally, I'll never forget the day I met Mario. It was about the second day on my new job as publicist at the then Commerce Department.
WAPA was at its worst on St. Thomas and was in the middle of a major power outage. Power rotations were commonplace. To avoid a catastrophe, the power plant required a part that had to be ordered, which would take some time to ship. The part, however, was available on St. Croix.
The call went out for help to express courier this cumbersome machinery to St. Thomas from St. Croix.
To the rescue! Within hours, a high-performance speedboat came racing into Charlotte Amalie harbor. Lo and behold, like a knight in shining armor was this distinguished-looking man, Mario de Chabert, at the helm, and, of course, the precious cargo which would bring the lights back to St. Thomas!
That's Mario. A rare, true essence of the Virgin Islands. He knew no boundaries in friendship, politics and business. Rare because, although tall in stature, he was able to relate with great sensitivity and touch to everyone from all walks of life — from the most influential international statesmen to the impoverished, disadvantaged souls. He championed the causes of all Virgin Islanders, particularly Crucians, whom he so dearly loved.
A dreamer. A doer. He spearheaded the development of the hallmark Sunny Isle Shopping Center. With the help of his closest friends, he brought us the St. Croix Jazz Festival against all odds.
Speaking of odds, he quietly drove the locomotive to the establishment of casino gambling on St. Croix. And, I'm sure, yet to come from his inspiration is his dream of the Queen Anne Hotel Casino and Entertainment Center.
One of the jobs I always treasured was the one I had as associate producer of the St. Croix Jazz Festival, working alongside some of St. Croix's finest, including, but of course, Big Buana. (Thank you, Mario.)
The undying will, the quiet fire, yet the peaceful spirit of Mario continue to live in those of us he touched. The U.S. Virgin Islands.
Play de music, El Jefé!
Steve Bornn
St. Thomas
Mario de Chabert was quite a man. An extraordinary person with an extraordinary character.
There is so much that can be said about Mario. But in one simple sentence: He embodied the soul of St. Croix first and the whole of the U.S. Virgin Islands second.
Known by close friends and associates by many loving nicknames — Uncle Mario, El Jefé, Big Buana, Capitán– Mario was Mr. Cool at all times, no matter the heat.
Personally, I'll never forget the day I met Mario. It was about the second day on my new job as publicist at the then Commerce Department.
WAPA was at its worst on St. Thomas and was in the middle of a major power outage. Power rotations were commonplace. To avoid a catastrophe, the power plant required a part that had to be ordered, which would take some time to ship. The part, however, was available on St. Croix.
The call went out for help to express courier this cumbersome machinery to St. Thomas from St. Croix.
To the rescue! Within hours, a high-performance speedboat came racing into Charlotte Amalie harbor. Lo and behold, like a knight in shining armor was this distinguished-looking man, Mario de Chabert, at the helm, and, of course, the precious cargo which would bring the lights back to St. Thomas!
That's Mario. A rare, true essence of the Virgin Islands. He knew no boundaries in friendship, politics and business. Rare because, although tall in stature, he was able to relate with great sensitivity and touch to everyone from all walks of life — from the most influential international statesmen to the impoverished, disadvantaged souls. He championed the causes of all Virgin Islanders, particularly Crucians, whom he so dearly loved.
A dreamer. A doer. He spearheaded the development of the hallmark Sunny Isle Shopping Center. With the help of his closest friends, he brought us the St. Croix Jazz Festival against all odds.
Speaking of odds, he quietly drove the locomotive to the establishment of casino gambling on St. Croix. And, I'm sure, yet to come from his inspiration is his dream of the Queen Anne Hotel Casino and Entertainment Center.
One of the jobs I always treasured was the one I had as associate producer of the St. Croix Jazz Festival, working alongside some of St. Croix's finest, including, but of course, Big Buana. (Thank you, Mario.)
The undying will, the quiet fire, yet the peaceful spirit of Mario continue to live in those of us he touched. The U.S. Virgin Islands.
Play de music, El Jefé!
Steve Bornn
St. Thomas
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.
MARIO DE CHABERT TO THE RESCUE
Dear Source,
Mario de Chabert was quite a man. An extraordinary person with an extraordinary character.
There is so much that can be said about Mario. But in one simple sentence: He embodied the soul of St. Croix first and the whole of the U.S. Virgin Islands second.
Known by close friends and associates by many loving nicknames — Uncle Mario, El Jefé, Big Buana, Capitán– Mario was Mr. Cool at all times, no matter the heat.
Personally, I'll never forget the day I met Mario. It was about the second day on my new job as publicist at the then Commerce Department.
WAPA was at its worst on St. Thomas and was in the middle of a major power outage. Power rotations were commonplace. To avoid a catastrophe, the power plant required a part that had to be ordered, which would take some time to ship. The part, however, was available on St. Croix.
The call went out for help to express courier this cumbersome machinery to St. Thomas from St. Croix.
To the rescue! Within hours, a high-performance speedboat came racing into Charlotte Amalie harbor. Lo and behold, like a knight in shining armor was this distinguished-looking man, Mario de Chabert, at the helm, and, of course, the precious cargo which would bring the lights back to St. Thomas!
That's Mario. A rare, true essence of the Virgin Islands. He knew no boundaries in friendship, politics and business. Rare because, although tall in stature, he was able to relate with great sensitivity and touch to everyone from all walks of life — from the most influential international statesmen to the impoverished, disadvantaged souls. He championed the causes of all Virgin Islanders, particularly Crucians, whom he so dearly loved.
A dreamer. A doer. He spearheaded the development of the hallmark Sunny Isle Shopping Center. With the help of his closest friends, he brought us the St. Croix Jazz Festival against all odds.
Speaking of odds, he quietly drove the locomotive to the establishment of casino gambling on St. Croix. And, I'm sure, yet to come from his inspiration is his dream of the Queen Anne Hotel Casino and Entertainment Center.
One of the jobs I always treasured was the one I had as associate producer of the St. Croix Jazz Festival, working alongside some of St. Croix's finest, including, but of course, Big Buana. (Thank you, Mario.)
The undying will, the quiet fire, yet the peaceful spirit of Mario continue to live in those of us he touched. The U.S. Virgin Islands.
Play de music, El Jefé!
Steve Bornn
St. Thomas
Mario de Chabert was quite a man. An extraordinary person with an extraordinary character.
There is so much that can be said about Mario. But in one simple sentence: He embodied the soul of St. Croix first and the whole of the U.S. Virgin Islands second.
Known by close friends and associates by many loving nicknames — Uncle Mario, El Jefé, Big Buana, Capitán– Mario was Mr. Cool at all times, no matter the heat.
Personally, I'll never forget the day I met Mario. It was about the second day on my new job as publicist at the then Commerce Department.
WAPA was at its worst on St. Thomas and was in the middle of a major power outage. Power rotations were commonplace. To avoid a catastrophe, the power plant required a part that had to be ordered, which would take some time to ship. The part, however, was available on St. Croix.
The call went out for help to express courier this cumbersome machinery to St. Thomas from St. Croix.
To the rescue! Within hours, a high-performance speedboat came racing into Charlotte Amalie harbor. Lo and behold, like a knight in shining armor was this distinguished-looking man, Mario de Chabert, at the helm, and, of course, the precious cargo which would bring the lights back to St. Thomas!
That's Mario. A rare, true essence of the Virgin Islands. He knew no boundaries in friendship, politics and business. Rare because, although tall in stature, he was able to relate with great sensitivity and touch to everyone from all walks of life — from the most influential international statesmen to the impoverished, disadvantaged souls. He championed the causes of all Virgin Islanders, particularly Crucians, whom he so dearly loved.
A dreamer. A doer. He spearheaded the development of the hallmark Sunny Isle Shopping Center. With the help of his closest friends, he brought us the St. Croix Jazz Festival against all odds.
Speaking of odds, he quietly drove the locomotive to the establishment of casino gambling on St. Croix. And, I'm sure, yet to come from his inspiration is his dream of the Queen Anne Hotel Casino and Entertainment Center.
One of the jobs I always treasured was the one I had as associate producer of the St. Croix Jazz Festival, working alongside some of St. Croix's finest, including, but of course, Big Buana. (Thank you, Mario.)
The undying will, the quiet fire, yet the peaceful spirit of Mario continue to live in those of us he touched. The U.S. Virgin Islands.
Play de music, El Jefé!
Steve Bornn
St. Thomas
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.
MARIO DE CHABERT TO THE RESCUE
Dear Source,
Mario de Chabert was quite a man. An extraordinary person with an extraordinary character.
There is so much that can be said about Mario. But in one simple sentence: He embodied the soul of St. Croix first and the whole of the U.S. Virgin Islands second.
Known by close friends and associates by many loving nicknames — Uncle Mario, El Jefé, Big Buana, Capitán– Mario was Mr. Cool at all times, no matter the heat.
Personally, I'll never forget the day I met Mario. It was about the second day on my new job as publicist at the then Commerce Department.
WAPA was at its worst on St. Thomas and was in the middle of a major power outage. Power rotations were commonplace. To avoid a catastrophe, the power plant required a part that had to be ordered, which would take some time to ship. The part, however, was available on St. Croix.
The call went out for help to express courier this cumbersome machinery to St. Thomas from St. Croix.
To the rescue! Within hours, a high-performance speedboat came racing into Charlotte Amalie harbor. Lo and behold, like a knight in shining armor was this distinguished-looking man, Mario de Chabert, at the helm, and, of course, the precious cargo which would bring the lights back to St. Thomas!
That's Mario. A rare, true essence of the Virgin Islands. He knew no boundaries in friendship, politics and business. Rare because, although tall in stature, he was able to relate with great sensitivity and touch to everyone from all walks of life — from the most influential international statesmen to the impoverished, disadvantaged souls. He championed the causes of all Virgin Islanders, particularly Crucians, whom he so dearly loved.
A dreamer. A doer. He spearheaded the development of the hallmark Sunny Isle Shopping Center. With the help of his closest friends, he brought us the St. Croix Jazz Festival against all odds.
Speaking of odds, he quietly drove the locomotive to the establishment of casino gambling on St. Croix. And, I'm sure, yet to come from his inspiration is his dream of the Queen Anne Hotel Casino and Entertainment Center.
One of the jobs I always treasured was the one I had as associate producer of the St. Croix Jazz Festival, working alongside some of St. Croix's finest, including, but of course, Big Buana. (Thank you, Mario.)
The undying will, the quiet fire, yet the peaceful spirit of Mario continue to live in those of us he touched. The U.S. Virgin Islands.
Play de music, El Jefé!
Steve Bornn
St. Thomas
Mario de Chabert was quite a man. An extraordinary person with an extraordinary character.
There is so much that can be said about Mario. But in one simple sentence: He embodied the soul of St. Croix first and the whole of the U.S. Virgin Islands second.
Known by close friends and associates by many loving nicknames — Uncle Mario, El Jefé, Big Buana, Capitán– Mario was Mr. Cool at all times, no matter the heat.
Personally, I'll never forget the day I met Mario. It was about the second day on my new job as publicist at the then Commerce Department.
WAPA was at its worst on St. Thomas and was in the middle of a major power outage. Power rotations were commonplace. To avoid a catastrophe, the power plant required a part that had to be ordered, which would take some time to ship. The part, however, was available on St. Croix.
The call went out for help to express courier this cumbersome machinery to St. Thomas from St. Croix.
To the rescue! Within hours, a high-performance speedboat came racing into Charlotte Amalie harbor. Lo and behold, like a knight in shining armor was this distinguished-looking man, Mario de Chabert, at the helm, and, of course, the precious cargo which would bring the lights back to St. Thomas!
That's Mario. A rare, true essence of the Virgin Islands. He knew no boundaries in friendship, politics and business. Rare because, although tall in stature, he was able to relate with great sensitivity and touch to everyone from all walks of life — from the most influential international statesmen to the impoverished, disadvantaged souls. He championed the causes of all Virgin Islanders, particularly Crucians, whom he so dearly loved.
A dreamer. A doer. He spearheaded the development of the hallmark Sunny Isle Shopping Center. With the help of his closest friends, he brought us the St. Croix Jazz Festival against all odds.
Speaking of odds, he quietly drove the locomotive to the establishment of casino gambling on St. Croix. And, I'm sure, yet to come from his inspiration is his dream of the Queen Anne Hotel Casino and Entertainment Center.
One of the jobs I always treasured was the one I had as associate producer of the St. Croix Jazz Festival, working alongside some of St. Croix's finest, including, but of course, Big Buana. (Thank you, Mario.)
The undying will, the quiet fire, yet the peaceful spirit of Mario continue to live in those of us he touched. The U.S. Virgin Islands.
Play de music, El Jefé!
Steve Bornn
St. Thomas
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.
PANELISTS AGREE ELECTION REFORM NEEDED
Sept. 22, 2001 – The panel of political experts discussing election reform Saturday was in total agreement on only one thing: the need for it. The single most popular idea after that seemed to be instituting a system of numbered legislative seats.
About 40 residents gathered at the Holiday Inn/Windward Passage Hotel to attend the forum sponsored by Sen. Lorraine Berry's Virgin Islanders for Democratic Action Club, and not all of them were Democrats.
Several speakers indicated they favored either districting or numbered seats, but some felt numbered seats was the easier goal to achieve.
Under a district system, each island would be divided into seven districts (or less, if the total number of senators is reduced). A candidate would run from a specific district, opposed only by any other or candidates from the same district.
In the numbered seats system, a candidate would declare he or she was running for a specific seat, and thus go head-to-head only with any others running for that same seat.
John Abramson Jr., supervisor of elections, referred to the current system for electing senators as a "free-for-all" in which all of the candidates in a given district run against one another, with the top seven being the winners. Another panelist, former St. Thomas senator Arturo Watlington, state chair of the Democratic Party, called it "hodgepodge."
The system favors independent candidates, Watlington said, since members of the same party or other philosophically affiliated individuals must compete with one another to get into the top seven. Nothing illustrates this better than recent elections in which the last two or three seats have been determined after the election by the count of a few hundred absentee votes.
Paul Leary, longtime professor of political science at the University of the Virgin Islands, said under the current system "the most demagogic thrive" and "politics becomes a matter of personalities and maneuvering for narrow advantage, rather than a disciplined approach to solving complex issues."
St. Croix attorney and talk show host Maxwell McIntosh said numbered seats would put an end to bullet voting, the practice of voting for only one candidate, rather than seven, and thus multiplying the effect of that one vote.
Watlington circulated copies of his 1999 proposal for numbered seats, updated for possible use.
Former St. Croix senator Arnold Golden noted that the electorate has the right to initiate legislation and said he has petitions to begin the initiative process for numbered seats. He called the action a "short-term solution."
Golden was unable to attend the forum but sent written remarks, which McIntosh read.
McIntosh and Golden also mentioned municipal governments, Steve Black of St. John focused on that concept in his remarks. He argued that "island councils is the missing ingredient" of the local government and that they would "bring people back into the process." St. John is not represented now, he said, for even the senator who is supposed to be a St. John resident is elected not by St. Johnians, but at large.
Leary offered hope to St. John.
While under the U.S. one-man, one-vote rule, the island's population is too small to command a representative in the Legislature, he said, there is precedent in the Northern Marianas for small islands to have representation in local government.
Panelist Malik Sekou, who doubled as moderator, called for a decision on status and the development of a V.I. Constitution as well as the creation of an Electoral Reform Commission.
The forum was markedly cordial. It began on a somber note, with a rendition of "America," followed by a moment of silence for the victims in the terrorist attacks and also for the late Mario de Chabert.
About 40 residents gathered at the Holiday Inn/Windward Passage Hotel to attend the forum sponsored by Sen. Lorraine Berry's Virgin Islanders for Democratic Action Club, and not all of them were Democrats.
Several speakers indicated they favored either districting or numbered seats, but some felt numbered seats was the easier goal to achieve.
Under a district system, each island would be divided into seven districts (or less, if the total number of senators is reduced). A candidate would run from a specific district, opposed only by any other or candidates from the same district.
In the numbered seats system, a candidate would declare he or she was running for a specific seat, and thus go head-to-head only with any others running for that same seat.
John Abramson Jr., supervisor of elections, referred to the current system for electing senators as a "free-for-all" in which all of the candidates in a given district run against one another, with the top seven being the winners. Another panelist, former St. Thomas senator Arturo Watlington, state chair of the Democratic Party, called it "hodgepodge."
The system favors independent candidates, Watlington said, since members of the same party or other philosophically affiliated individuals must compete with one another to get into the top seven. Nothing illustrates this better than recent elections in which the last two or three seats have been determined after the election by the count of a few hundred absentee votes.
Paul Leary, longtime professor of political science at the University of the Virgin Islands, said under the current system "the most demagogic thrive" and "politics becomes a matter of personalities and maneuvering for narrow advantage, rather than a disciplined approach to solving complex issues."
St. Croix attorney and talk show host Maxwell McIntosh said numbered seats would put an end to bullet voting, the practice of voting for only one candidate, rather than seven, and thus multiplying the effect of that one vote.
Watlington circulated copies of his 1999 proposal for numbered seats, updated for possible use.
Former St. Croix senator Arnold Golden noted that the electorate has the right to initiate legislation and said he has petitions to begin the initiative process for numbered seats. He called the action a "short-term solution."
Golden was unable to attend the forum but sent written remarks, which McIntosh read.
McIntosh and Golden also mentioned municipal governments, Steve Black of St. John focused on that concept in his remarks. He argued that "island councils is the missing ingredient" of the local government and that they would "bring people back into the process." St. John is not represented now, he said, for even the senator who is supposed to be a St. John resident is elected not by St. Johnians, but at large.
Leary offered hope to St. John.
While under the U.S. one-man, one-vote rule, the island's population is too small to command a representative in the Legislature, he said, there is precedent in the Northern Marianas for small islands to have representation in local government.
Panelist Malik Sekou, who doubled as moderator, called for a decision on status and the development of a V.I. Constitution as well as the creation of an Electoral Reform Commission.
The forum was markedly cordial. It began on a somber note, with a rendition of "America," followed by a moment of silence for the victims in the terrorist attacks and also for the late Mario de Chabert.
JN. BAPTISTE AND SIMMONDS SPAR AT HEARING
Sept. 22, 2001 — The row between the chair of the Senate Education Committee and the commissioner of Education continued in public Friday in the legislative chambers in Frederiksted.
In a letter earlier this week, Sen. Norman Jn. Baptiste castigated Education Commissioner Ruby Simmonds for refusing to attend his Education Committee hearing on Friday. Simmonds said that, according to a policy laid out by Gov. Charles W. Turnbull in an Aug. 1 letter to Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd, the senator needed to write to the governor to request her presence. She said Jn. Baptiste failed to do so.
Jn. Baptiste, however, intimated that Simmonds’ decision not to attend had more to do with her mismanagement of the department, particularly the way emergency school repairs were contracted out in the summer of 2000. Simmonds did attend the hearing, but only after Jn. Baptiste subpoenaed her. For background on the matter, see the Aug. 17 Source story "Billing for school repairs under investigation".
During Friday's hearing, Jn. Baptiste cited several examples of what he termed questionable costs relating to the school repairs. One was an instance of a single ceiling tile costing hundreds of dollars. And, he said, contractor invoices for fluorescent lights and fixtures listed huge discrepancies in costs. He said one work order had a cost for lights at $325 each, but that was later changed to $200 each.
"I’m just showing the kinds of craziness we’re dealing with," he said.
Simmonds responded that during the summer of 2000, the governor had declared a state of emergency in education in order to expedite repairs. Some 15 contractors were hired and led by the Public Works Department, she said.
Randolph Valdemar, Property and Procurement assistant commissioner, said that, at the time, everyone involved was pressured to get 15 to 20 schools ready to open.
"A contract is a meeting of the minds," he said. "It’s also a fluid document, which means changes are made as you go along."
As the proceeding started, Jn. Baptiste said he felt something "under cover" was happening.
Simmonds' response was: "Let me make it crystal clear to you, senator, and to everybody else, that I … have nothing to hide."
In a letter earlier this week, Sen. Norman Jn. Baptiste castigated Education Commissioner Ruby Simmonds for refusing to attend his Education Committee hearing on Friday. Simmonds said that, according to a policy laid out by Gov. Charles W. Turnbull in an Aug. 1 letter to Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd, the senator needed to write to the governor to request her presence. She said Jn. Baptiste failed to do so.
Jn. Baptiste, however, intimated that Simmonds’ decision not to attend had more to do with her mismanagement of the department, particularly the way emergency school repairs were contracted out in the summer of 2000. Simmonds did attend the hearing, but only after Jn. Baptiste subpoenaed her. For background on the matter, see the Aug. 17 Source story "Billing for school repairs under investigation".
During Friday's hearing, Jn. Baptiste cited several examples of what he termed questionable costs relating to the school repairs. One was an instance of a single ceiling tile costing hundreds of dollars. And, he said, contractor invoices for fluorescent lights and fixtures listed huge discrepancies in costs. He said one work order had a cost for lights at $325 each, but that was later changed to $200 each.
"I’m just showing the kinds of craziness we’re dealing with," he said.
Simmonds responded that during the summer of 2000, the governor had declared a state of emergency in education in order to expedite repairs. Some 15 contractors were hired and led by the Public Works Department, she said.
Randolph Valdemar, Property and Procurement assistant commissioner, said that, at the time, everyone involved was pressured to get 15 to 20 schools ready to open.
"A contract is a meeting of the minds," he said. "It’s also a fluid document, which means changes are made as you go along."
As the proceeding started, Jn. Baptiste said he felt something "under cover" was happening.
Simmonds' response was: "Let me make it crystal clear to you, senator, and to everybody else, that I … have nothing to hide."
REACHING AND TEACHING CAN END TERRORISM
Last week, we were hit in the face with the realization that we cannot protect ourselves from random acts of terrorism. I suspect that even if we do manage to capture a leader of a particular terrorist group, there are many others willing to make a similar sacrifice for their "cause."
One thing that we can do is to work to improve the lives of all of the people in this world so that they feel that they have something to live for, that their lives have some meaning. When all of the peoples of the world feel that they have something to live for, none of us will tolerate, much less harbor, protect or join terrorist groups.
Every single human being on this Earth has a right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" (probably all of life, not just humans) and we who are fortunate enough to live in a country whose foundation rests on this principle must make every effort to assure that everyone else enjoys this basic right. Surely we risk losing it if we don't.
Last year, I was in Zambia doing volunteer engineering work to establish an agricultural training school in a small village of hunter-gatherers. The people of the village are slowly starving to death due to a lack of protein in their diet, caused by their extermination of all of the animal life in the area and their lack of farming skills.
I have worked on projects in Borneo, Bolivia, Haiti, India and the Philippines, and, in spite of their dilemmas, these people were the happiest people that I have worked with. I am sure that their happiness is largely due to a lack of oppression and a general lack of interest by the First World in them and the resources of their homeland.
I would like to share with you something that I wrote in my diary while on my flight home from Zambia, titled "Using Mass Communication-Info Technology to Educate the People of the World":
At the beginning of the 21st century, we can well afford to set up a radio-TV education system to be broadcast via satellite in local languages to all parts of the world.
These are some of the things that could be taught:
We could teach people that they have the right to live the way that they want to live, as long as they do not limit others' rights to live the way that they want.
We could teach people in Iraq, Afghanistan, The Republic of Congo and everywhere people are being oppressed that being human gives them the right to be free and to lead healthy and happy lives. If the leadership of the country that they live in does not provide that, they must change it, or move. We in the First World must find effective ways to help them move or change it, if we want to maintain our own freedom.
We could teach all people in the world that it is their unquestionable right to have any spiritual belief that they want, and that everyone else has the same right. No one and no group has the right to limit other people's spiritual beliefs.
We, the First World, have learned to live with each other — different races, cultures, religions, etc. through trading, which we call capitalism. Capitalism is where we willingly trade what we have or what we make for what someone else has or has made. We know that each of us has to be fairly compensated in the trade for capitalism to work. Don't we?
We could teach people how to participate in capitalism in a way that benefits them and improves their lives.
We could teach the idea that all humans must learn to live together in peace, and how to do it. Who has even seen a tree whose branches fought with each other? How long would one survive if it did? How much longer will we survive if we continue to fight with each other?
We live in a world where one fifth of the population — over a billion of us — goes to bed hungry every night, while more than enough food to remedy this problem is wasted each day. Can we use technology to stop the increasing gap between the haves and have nots and begin to reduce it?
In our rush to the 21st century, we have created an environment where a large number of the peoples of the world have become an endangered species. People deserve our efforts to protect them just as much as the whales, owls and Pacific salmon do.
One thing that we can do is to work to improve the lives of all of the people in this world so that they feel that they have something to live for, that their lives have some meaning. When all of the peoples of the world feel that they have something to live for, none of us will tolerate, much less harbor, protect or join terrorist groups.
Every single human being on this Earth has a right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" (probably all of life, not just humans) and we who are fortunate enough to live in a country whose foundation rests on this principle must make every effort to assure that everyone else enjoys this basic right. Surely we risk losing it if we don't.
Last year, I was in Zambia doing volunteer engineering work to establish an agricultural training school in a small village of hunter-gatherers. The people of the village are slowly starving to death due to a lack of protein in their diet, caused by their extermination of all of the animal life in the area and their lack of farming skills.
I have worked on projects in Borneo, Bolivia, Haiti, India and the Philippines, and, in spite of their dilemmas, these people were the happiest people that I have worked with. I am sure that their happiness is largely due to a lack of oppression and a general lack of interest by the First World in them and the resources of their homeland.
I would like to share with you something that I wrote in my diary while on my flight home from Zambia, titled "Using Mass Communication-Info Technology to Educate the People of the World":
At the beginning of the 21st century, we can well afford to set up a radio-TV education system to be broadcast via satellite in local languages to all parts of the world.
These are some of the things that could be taught:
We could teach people that they have the right to live the way that they want to live, as long as they do not limit others' rights to live the way that they want.
We could teach people in Iraq, Afghanistan, The Republic of Congo and everywhere people are being oppressed that being human gives them the right to be free and to lead healthy and happy lives. If the leadership of the country that they live in does not provide that, they must change it, or move. We in the First World must find effective ways to help them move or change it, if we want to maintain our own freedom.
We could teach all people in the world that it is their unquestionable right to have any spiritual belief that they want, and that everyone else has the same right. No one and no group has the right to limit other people's spiritual beliefs.
We, the First World, have learned to live with each other — different races, cultures, religions, etc. through trading, which we call capitalism. Capitalism is where we willingly trade what we have or what we make for what someone else has or has made. We know that each of us has to be fairly compensated in the trade for capitalism to work. Don't we?
We could teach people how to participate in capitalism in a way that benefits them and improves their lives.
We could teach the idea that all humans must learn to live together in peace, and how to do it. Who has even seen a tree whose branches fought with each other? How long would one survive if it did? How much longer will we survive if we continue to fight with each other?
We live in a world where one fifth of the population — over a billion of us — goes to bed hungry every night, while more than enough food to remedy this problem is wasted each day. Can we use technology to stop the increasing gap between the haves and have nots and begin to reduce it?
In our rush to the 21st century, we have created an environment where a large number of the peoples of the world have become an endangered species. People deserve our efforts to protect them just as much as the whales, owls and Pacific salmon do.
Editor's note: Greg Miller is a civil engineer and surveyor who lives on St. Thomas and works on St. John. He is active in EMI, a Christian engineering volunteer program, and is also pursuing second career as a photographer.
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.
EMERALD LADY FIGURE ADMITS KILLING BAR OWNER
Sept. 22, 2001 – Devin Hodge, 21, who pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in May to first-degree murder in the May 1998 death of Emerald Lady jewelry story owner Larry Davis, entered another guilty plea Friday in Territorial Court, to second-degree murder in the October 1998 shooting death of Paradise Bar owner Ainsley James.
Hodge was originally charged with first-degree murder in the James case, but the charge was reduced in a plea bargain that included his agreeing to testify against accomplices Delano Clark and Jakeem Elmes, according to The V.I. Daily News.
Hodge could serve life imprisonment for second-degree murder in the James case, according to published reports. He has not yet been sentenced in the high-profile Emerald Lady case, in which Davis was fatally shot during an armed robbery. Hodge and another defendant, his brother, could face the death sentence in that case.
According to authorities, James was fatally shot on Oct. 12, 1998, in his bar in Rothschild Francis "Market" Square after he opened fire on Hodge, Clark and Elmes, who were attempting to rob him.
Clark and Elmes, who both were minors at the time of the shooting, pleaded guilty in May to voluntary manslaughter and second-degree murder, respectively. Clark was sentenced to 10 years in prison and Elmes, to eight years for their parts in James's death.
A sentencing date for Hodge in the James case has been set for Nov. 28 or 29 in Territorial Court by Judge Ishmael Meyers.
Hodge was originally charged with first-degree murder in the James case, but the charge was reduced in a plea bargain that included his agreeing to testify against accomplices Delano Clark and Jakeem Elmes, according to The V.I. Daily News.
Hodge could serve life imprisonment for second-degree murder in the James case, according to published reports. He has not yet been sentenced in the high-profile Emerald Lady case, in which Davis was fatally shot during an armed robbery. Hodge and another defendant, his brother, could face the death sentence in that case.
According to authorities, James was fatally shot on Oct. 12, 1998, in his bar in Rothschild Francis "Market" Square after he opened fire on Hodge, Clark and Elmes, who were attempting to rob him.
Clark and Elmes, who both were minors at the time of the shooting, pleaded guilty in May to voluntary manslaughter and second-degree murder, respectively. Clark was sentenced to 10 years in prison and Elmes, to eight years for their parts in James's death.
A sentencing date for Hodge in the James case has been set for Nov. 28 or 29 in Territorial Court by Judge Ishmael Meyers.
