To the Source:
In a recent St. Thomas Source Open Forum piece, former senator Michael Paiewonsky decried what he called the "final coup de grace" to the historic district of Charlotte Amalie. [See "Build a mall and they won't come".]
What was this terrible development? Believe it or not, Mr. Paiewonsky was referring to the new shopping facilities to be built at Crown Bay under agreement with our Port Authority by two of the key cruise lines serving these islands.
To this hysteria about the so-called coup de grace, I can only respond: Let’s be real! The historic district of Charlotte Amalie is too rich in commercial activity, physical charm, shopping diversity and, yes, history to become a "sleepy hollow" bereft of tourist activity because of shopping alternatives at Havensight or Crown Bay.
What downtown Charlotte Amalie needs, however — and this is probably applicable to Christiansted, Frederiksted and Cruz Bay — is a common vision to guide the refurbishment of the district, its marketing and its maintenance as a place of beauty and interest for tourists — and, more importantly, for residents.
We need to take a page from the redevelopment chapters of New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., and establish public-private downtown development organizations that have as their sole focus the aesthetic appeal and economic vitality of their district. Such a "downtown" development organization would be no different, albeit larger, than the tenant organizations that are in place in most large shopping centers.
Such an organization would have as its mandate, for example, the cleaning of the area (thus relieving Public Works of the responsibility), providing security (enabling the Police to focus on other areas), and common marketing and advertising (to supplement the work of Tourism).
In the Five Year Operating and Strategic Financial Plan, the establishment of downtown development organizations was suggested. The governor has done nothing in response to this recommendation. The proposed approach is innovative but not unusual or risky. It would be a productive step toward ensuring economic opportunity for our people.
Just as we should avoid defeatist cries of doom and gloom, so we should not be afraid to try something new or different when we have problems that need some fixing!
John P. deJongh Jr.

Editor's note: John P. deJongh Jr. chaired the V.I. Economic Recovery Task Force that produced the Five Year Operating and Strategic Financial Plan and co-chaired the Cruise Ship Task Force that recently negotiated a Long Term Operating Agreement with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association and its member lines. He is serving his second term as president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce.

To the Source:
In a recent Open Forum piece, former senator Michael Paiewonsky decried what he called the "final coup de grace" to the historic district of Charlotte Amalie. [See "Build a mall and they won't come".]
What was this terrible development? Believe it or not, Mr. Paiewonsky was referring to the new shopping facilities to be built at Crown Bay under agreement with our Port Authority by two of the key cruise lines serving these islands.
To this hysteria about the so-called coup de grace, I can only respond: Let’s be real! The historic district of Charlotte Amalie is too rich in commercial activity, physical charm, shopping diversity and, yes, history to become a "sleepy hollow" bereft of tourist activity because of shopping alternatives at Havensight or Crown Bay.
What downtown Charlotte Amalie needs, however — and this is probably applicable to Christiansted, Frederiksted and Cruz Bay — is a common vision to guide the refurbishment of the district, its marketing and its maintenance as a place of beauty and interest for tourists — and, more importantly, for residents.
We need to take a page from the redevelopment chapters of New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., and establish public-private downtown development organizations that have as their sole focus the aesthetic appeal and economic vitality of their district. Such a "downtown" development organization would be no different, albeit larger, than the tenant organizations that are in place in most large shopping centers.
Such an organization would have as its mandate, for example, the cleaning of the area (thus relieving Public Works of the responsibility), providing security (enabling the Police to focus on other areas), and common marketing and advertising (to supplement the work of Tourism).
In the Five Year Operating and Strategic Financial Plan, the establishment of downtown development organizations was suggested. The governor has done nothing in response to this recommendation. The proposed approach is innovative but not unusual or risky. It would be a productive step toward ensuring economic opportunity for our people.
Just as we should avoid defeatist cries of doom and gloom, so we should not be afraid to try something new or different when we have problems that need some fixing!
John P. de Jongh Jr.

Editor's note: John P. de Jongh Jr. chaired the V.I. Economic Recovery Task Force that produced the Five Year Operating and Strategic Financial Plan and co-chaired the Cruise Ship Task Force that recently negotiated a Long Term Operating Agreement with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association and its member lines. He is serving his second term as president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce.

Aug. 23, 2001 – While the territory's Planning and Natural Resources Department previously controlled hurricane anchoring activities in St. John's Hurricane Hole, that responsibility now belongs to the V.I. National Park, according to park planner Jim Owens.
Although regulations have not been finalized, Hurricane Hole is now part of the V.I. Coral Reef National Monument. As a result, Owens said, this is the last hurricane season that random anchoring will be allowed in Hurricane Hole.
"We're converting from do-it-yourself mooring," he said.
The National Park Service, which oversees activities in the national monument, plans to install hurricane mooring systems similar to the ones used at Tortola's Paraquita Bay and St. Martin's Simpson Bay Lagoon. Work is expected to begin after this hurricane season ends on Nov. 30, Owens said.
Rafe Boulon, the park's chief of environmental protection, said the hurricane moorings will initially be installed in Princess Bay and Borck Creek, which are the innermost fingers of Hurricane Hole. As funding permits, he said, such systems also will go into Otter Creek and Water Creek, which are smaller fingers to the right as one enters Hurricane Hole.
The hurricane mooring system consists of two heavy chains laid about 100 feet apart and attached to the ocean floor with sand screws about every 20 feet along their length. To use them, boat crew members will dive down to secure their own chains or lines to the heavy chains. The bow of a vessel will be affixed to one length of chain and the stern to the other.
Boulon said grants totaling about $100,000 from the Friends of the V.I. National Park and from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will pay for the initial installations. Under monument regulations, he said, no anchoring will be allowed in Hurricane Hole at any time of year.
However, boaters will be able to use the hurricane mooring system throughout the year. To make it easier in fair weather, he said, the National Park Service may attach lines with floating mooring buoys to the hurricane chains. Boater would be able to tie up to the buoys without having to dive down to access the chain.
Should all of Hurricane Hole's fingers not have hurricane mooring systems installed by next hurricane season, Boulon said, anchoring will be permitted when a storm threatens. "We will not do anything to jeopardize people's boats or safety," he said, "but we will encourage them to use the hurricane moorings."
In preparation for the hurricane mooring installation, boaters who have installed sand screws to create secure moorings in Hurricane Hole will be required to remove them once hurricane season. Boaters are allowed to leave their ground tackle in place through Nov. 30 but must label it with name, telephone number and boat registration number. If they fail to do so, park staff will remove the ground tackle.
While boaters may set up their ground tackle at any time now, they cannot take their boats into Hurricane Hole until five days before a storm is projected to strike. They must leave within two days after such a storm passes.
The hurricane mooring system will protect the ocean floor from anchor damage, but the mangroves that fringe the edges remain under siege, Boulon said. Many of the trees have huge gouges where boaters have tied up. "If we lose these mangroves, we lose what makes Hurricane Hole special," he said.
To prevent further damage, the National Park Service does not allow boaters to tie up to the mangroves in either Hurricane Hole or Mary's Creek, located west of Leinster Bay.
Another environmental problem, Boulon said, is that some boaters apparently don't take their trash with them when they leave Hurricane Hole. He said the fingers of the inlet are lined with what appears to be debris, including oil filters, left behind by boaters.
Repeated telephone requests to the Planning and Natural Resources Department requesting copies of local hurricane rules and regulations received no response.

Aug. 23, 2001 – Gov. Charles W. Turnbull has pulled in some legislative reins, but Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen is not about to be bridled.
During Wednesday's Senate Finance Committee hearing, Hansen, who chairs the panel, expressed indignation at an edict issued by Turnbull stating that he alone will determine which of his executive branch employees may testify at the Legislature.
Turnbull said in a letter to Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd that effective immediately he will determine which of his officials will appear at hearings. And, he said, senators must submit written requests to have executive branch officers or employees testify before them.
"I shall carefully consider all requests, and in my sole discretion exercise my prerogative to manage and control the executive branch officers and employees appropriately," the governor said, adding that he would do so in a timely manner.
Turnbull told Liburd that having groups of cabinet members and other high-ranking executive branch officers "sitting in the Legislature chambers for countless hours removes these important people from performing their required functions." He said the procedure was "extremely disruptive and counterproductive to efficient government."
At the end of each week, the Legislature issues its calendar of committee hearings and other sessions for the coming week. The schedules often contain long lists of department heads and other administration officials who have been invited as "testifiers." On rare occasions, the Legislature has issued subpoenas for officials who have declined such invitations.
The looming battle of wills between the first and second branches of government may require intervention by the third branch for resolution.
Liburd responded to Turnbull that his action was "at the least, very highly disrespectful … and, at the most, it is unconstitutional, illegal and in violation of sections of the Revised Organic Act of 1954."
Liburd added that he was open to reaching an amicable solution "to avoid a time-consuming and costly court battle."
In their exchange of letters, both officials cited legal precedent for their positions. Liburd said Turnbull's policy violates the Separation of Powers clause of the U.S. Constitution and will limit the Legislature's ability to function. He wrote, "I am truly taken aback by your decision to try and circumvent the Legislative process … "
The situation developed soon after the 24th Legislature took office, as senators would call official after official to testify and leave them sitting ignored in the Senate chambers for hours while the lawmakers conducted other business. Once called to testify, they would sometimes have only minutes to state their views because of time constraints due to the lateness of the day.
On one occasion in July, Hansen had called more than 20 executive agency officials to testify on Turnbull's supplemental appropriations proposal. As the sat waiting, the majority bloc abandoned the chambers to caucus, leaving the officials not-so-silently steaming for about two hours. Hansen said at the time said that any agency representatives who didn't wait to testify could lose their Fiscal Year 2002 appropriations.
Although the consideration of nominations to boards and commissions is usually scheduled before other deliberations on a day's agenda, nominees many times are left sitting while the senators deal with other matters. One commissioner was called to the Senate three times in one week, and was repeatedly left sitting from morning until afternoon.
On Wednesday morning, Hansen made her views clear. "I will not have our authority tramped on," she said, telling Office of Management and Budget Director Ira Mills, "If you want to protect your budget, you have to be here." She added: "I want to put on record that no commissioner fails to attend these budget hearings … I am not accepting any second or third person to come and represent any department."
Hansen said she was speaking for her Finance Committee, not saying what other committees should do. If the top officials who are called to appear before her committee fail to do so, she said, either the committee will issue a subpoena for them, or it may dismiss any lower-ranking representatives who appear and then decide that agency's budget without its input.
Turnbull's letter to Liburd was dated Aug. 1. Liburd's reply was dated Aug. 10. Rina Jacobs McBrowne, Government House spokeswoman, said Thursday that the governor had not responded to Liburd's letter as far as she knew.

Aug. 23, 2001 – The Police Department Motor Vehicle Bureau inspection lane will be closed on Friday so the staff can relocate next door to the newly refurbished trailer, St. John Administrator Julien Harley said. Inspection services will resume on Monday.
Other government offices also will be relocating to the trailer, located next to the public tennis courts, but no date has been announced for those moves.

The Multi-purpose Center on St. John will relocate to Head Start Center as of Monday, Aug. 27. The Head Start Center is located next to the Elaine Ione Sprauve Library in Cruz Bay, St. John.
For more information, individuals may contact the Center at 776-6334.

The schedule for Guy Benjamin Elementary School announces the reporting schedule for the new school year.
All new, returning and transfer students in grades one through 6 are to report to school at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 28.
Kindergarten students are to attend an orientation at 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 28. A parent or guardian are to accompany each child for this session.
Parents are reminded to bring $8 for school insurance and $20 for workbooks.

All parents and guardians of returning and new students in grades one through six are advised of an important Open House at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 27.

Freida Farrow, principal of the Joseph Gomez Elementary School, announces the schedule for the opening of school as follows:
Students in grades first to sixth report to school at 7:50 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 26.
Kindergarten students with last names beginning with A-L report on Tuesday, Aug. 28.
Kindergarten students with last names beginning with M-Z report on Wednesday, Aug. 29.
All kindergarten students will report on Thursday, Aug. 30, for their first full day of classes.

All veterans are invited to join members of the Veteran's Service Organization at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 1, at the Kingshill Cemetery to help with the cleanup.
The service organization has adopted the veteran's section of the Kingshill Cemetery and have agreed to clean this section once a month.
Families who have loved ones buried in any cemetery thoughout the Virgin Islands are invited to join the veterans.
Residents who are participating in the cleanup are advised to bring a week eater, machete, pick ax, fork or a rake.