Three new members of the St. Thomas-St. John District of the Historic Preservation Commission will have their first meeting since being confirmed. The meeting is to be held Thursday, April 13.
The three recently confirmed members are:
– Chaneel Callwood-Daniels replacing Felipe Ayala
– Mabel Maduro replacing Edith deJongh Woods
– Karen Samuel replacing Avelino Samuel
In making the announcement of the meeting, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull said, "I am pleased that these three talented Virgin Islanders have accepted the responsibility of preserving, protecting and enhancing the historic character of the St. Thomas/St. John District."

At the March 16th United Way Board of Directors meeting, Averricia Williams, 1999-2000 campaign chair, reported that 95 percent of the year 2000 campaign goal of $500,000 had been achieved. She said that with the community's full support she was confident the remaining $23,000 would be forthcoming within the next week.
"There are many businesses and residents who have promised to make a contribution to the campaign and need to be reminded to do so now," she said.
The final campaign figure will be announced before the membership and agencies at United Way's annual meeting on March 31, 2000 at L'Escargot Restaurant.
Every dollar raised by the United Way stays in the community to support the following 16 human service agencies serving St. Thomas and St. John:
the American Red Cross, V.I. Council of Boy Scouts of America, Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands, Civil Air Patrol, Downstreet People's Youth in Action, Dial-A-Ride St. John, Dial-A-Ride St. Thomas, Ebenezer Gardens, Fair Haven Camp, Friends of Volunteers in Public Schools, Girl Scout Council, Legal Services of the Virgin Islands, Lutheran Reformation Summer Program, St. Thomas Reformed Church Summer Program, Shaky Acres, and Victim Advocate Program.

The recent comment by Ohanio Harris about a state of emergency for our public schools is typical of the cycle of secrecy we tolerate and support in the Virgin Islands.
Harris, special assistant to the governor on St. Croix, said the governor should be wary of declaring a state of emergency for our schools because it would send the wrong message via the media about the state of the territory.
With the advent of the Internet, and in particular the Source publications, the world can read in great detail exactly what is going on in the territory's schools: violence, arson and senators who don't want students in school on Memorial Day.
So why would a state of emergency declaration have any more of a detrimental effect?
It is typical of the dysfunctional family to try to hide the dysfunction rather than acknowledging it, exposing it and doing something about it.
There is a state of emergency in the territory's schools, declared or not.
Similar — though perhaps not as dire — problems have gripped other school systems across the country. But communities that truly care about their children have demanded that their leaders solve the problems and upgrade the system — whatever that takes.
In truth, a state of emergency is only verbiage. What really needs to happen to public education in the Virgin Islands is a drastic and comprehensive overhaul of the entire system, from testing teacher competency to upgrading our school buildings.
Be it charter schools, which some recommend, or a combination of magnet schools and smaller neighborhood schools, something must change, including our priorities.
The focus must return to the students in an open and honest way.
That won’t happen until we admit to ourselves — and to the world, if necessary — that the deficiencies in our public school system have reached critical proportions and that we are ready to do something about it. Until then, our schools will remain a public shame.

The Government Parking Lot in downtown Christiansted will be closed until repairs are completed, according to Public Works Commissioner Harold Thompson Jr.
Thompson didn't say what the work entailed or when it would be finished.
In the meantime, he said the public should park in the lot adjacent to the old seaplane shuttle ramp.
For more information contact Randy Germain at 773-1290, ext. 2252.

When Eddie Donoghue's new musical drama, "Jankombum," has its world premiere this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Reichhold Center for the Arts, it may open a can of worms, or it may spark constructive dialogue. At any rate, its subject matter is almost certain to have an impact reaching beyond the last row of seats in the theater's covered section, the only portion being utilized for the performances.
The play has many elements of a good soap opera — nothing new in the realm of Caribbean theater. Life, love, jealousy and betrayal are "universal concepts," Donoghue has been saying throughout the weeks of promoting the production. There's romance and intrigue under de taman' tree.
Throw in an hero of the underdogs — in this case, the slave population of the Danish West Indies in the early 1700s — who is fomenting an uprising, and you've got an adventure story.
Mix in an intellectual examination of the social, economic and ethnic differences within the forcibly intermingled Africans of diverse tribal societies, and add plots and power struggles within the leading church denominations in the colony, and the play becomes political.
Incorporate elements of African mythology and the work takes on spiritual significance.
Finally, intersperse 15 songs, chants and hymns, along with choreographed dancing and drumming, and you've got a musical.
All of which, we are told, "Jankombum" is. Plus, Donoghue says, it has a lot of humor.
The production, although it is taking place on the University of the Virgin Islands campus at the time of Humanities Festival 2000, is not a part of the UVI festival. The second and third nights of performance overlap with the first two of the Little Theater production of "Play Mas," which is a part of the fest.
The playwright says he created the work in the last year. While the play is set in the 1740s, Donoghue has telescoped time a bit to suit his needs. The title character, an educated free black of the Amina warrior people, is loosely based on a composite of leaders who played integral roles in the 1759 slave revolt on St. Croix. Jankombum (played by Mark Phillips, in his second dramatic role — "The first was in elementary school") derives his name in part from Jankommaajoo, in Amina lore the wife of the god Borriborri. The white society disdainfully calls him "Jim Cock."
Other main characters are Sister Rebecca (Josephine Lindqvist), a free mulatto teacher and staunch member of the Moravian Chruch; Freundlich, the Moravian missionary twice Rebecca's age who marries her; Mr. and Mrs. Carstens, a planter and his wife who are pillars of the Moravian Church but conspirators as well; Mama Luna, a former slave who runs an illegal bar and house of prostitution; and Advokat Brakte (Hans Eisler), a renowned Danish prosecutor. The cast of about 30 includes 10 slave children.
The story hinges on the marriage of Rebecca and the missionary and is based on an actual 1730s case — one of only two interracial marriages on record in the Danish West Indies as of that time, according to Donoghue. The Lutheran Church (the "state" church of the colony) and the Dutch Reformed Church took the couple to court and not only put the marriage asunder but sent Freundlich to a penal colony and Rebecca back into slavery.
This stance contrasted curiously with the code noir of France and the policy of Spain from as early as of the 16th Century of "encouraging interracial and intercultural marriage — including between planters and their concubines" in the New World colonies, Donoghue notes.
Secondary themes include talk of insurrection in the slave ranks and of abolition in the churches, efforts by planters to use alcohol and the opiate of religion to maintain control over their slaves, the early courting of Rebecca by Jamkombum, and the resentment among his followers that he should be attracted to a light-skinned woman.
Donoghue spent years in the employ of various senators and administrations in V.I. government until his unceremonious removal as Education Department public relations director by Gov. Roy Schneider. Meantime, over those years, he made his mark in the community as a keeper of the flame, acting in plays and in a film biography of Gov. Peter Von Scholten, producing documentaries for public television, and writing historical narratives and contemporary research articles for local newspapers on the lives of African-Caribbean people in the islands.
Not many may be aware that Donoghue, a native of Montserrat and a naturalized U.S. citizen, has also been a choreographer, a fashion designer and, yes, previously, a playwright. His first play, premiered in 1965, was "A Flap on Broken Wings," a drama about the struggles of immigrants in England. He wrote another called "Destination on Hate Street" And during his years studying in Sweden, where he earned a doctorate in sociology, he gained fame as a Caribbean dancer.
The play is the most ambitious production to date by the St. John-based Carabana Ensemble Theater Company. The work is being directed by Carabana artistic director Clarence Cuthbertson, himself a playwright who has had work produced Off-Broadway and elsewhere. Lee Vanterpool, an alumnus of George Balanchine's New York City Ballet, is the choreographer, and Robert Leonard is the musical director. As Cuthbertson — who worked with Donoghue 15 years ago on a UVI production of "Stages" — noted, "There are not that many musicals that are written by Caribbeans in a Caribbean setting."
The musical elements include an 8-minute prelude of chanting in a multiplicity of African tongues, five ballads, three cariso songs, two traditional Moravian hymns, a couple of "operette" renditions, a rallying song (We Are Chosen to Be Leaders) and an uptempo song set to drumming. The hymns are from The Moravian Hymn Book; two of the carisos are based on material from 18th and 19th Century authorities; for everything else, the lyrics are by Donoghue.
Although the play is predominantly in English, it contains phrases in Danish, Dutch Creole, Mokko, Ibo, Mandingo, Karabari, Akkim, Jalunkan, Kanga, Gien, Akkaran, Tembu, Sokko, Congo and Fula. Preparatory material for the production includes definitions for certain "key words." Among them: advokat (Danish for prosecuting attorney), bomba (a slave who supervised other slaves in the fields, but also the name of a popular drink in the 1730s), fribrev (a certificate of freedom that freed slaves had to carry), and kill-devil, uncured rum so potent that it could kill the drinker.
Curtain time is 8 p.m. each night. Tickets are $25, with all seating in the covered section of the theater. Ticket outlets are Modern Music in Havensight, Crystal & Gifts Galore, Parrot Fish, Drafting Shaft in Sub Base, the UVI Bookstore and the Reichhold box office on St. Thomas; and at Connections on St. John. Part of the opening-night proceeds will benefit the V.I. Montserrat Association to assist with ongoing hurricane recovery projects and local charitable initiatives.

The Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center is using scanner technology to bill Blue Cross/Blue Shield patients for services.
According to a release from the V.I. Government Hospitals and Health Facilities Corp., which oversees the Keating clinic, persons with Blue Cross/Blue Shield coverage should take their insurance cards with them when they go to the center. "Patients' cards will be scanned to pay for services," the release states. "This allows for patients to determine what amount they owe on the same day of service."
The release also notes that the center schedules outpatient appointments weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon, and outpatient services weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Emergency services are available at any time. There are two physicians on staff.
The clinic offers ophthalmology (eye surgery), podiatry (foot care) and high-risk gynecology (women's health) clinics by appointment. Regular women's health offerings include examinations, family planning services and pre- and post-natal care. Other clinic services include nutritional counseling, baby care check-ups and immunizations, laboratory and X-ray services, examinations for health cards and collections for health permits.
Those needing to renew food handler permits should take their expired or expiring cards with them to the clinic, for new cards will be issued only to new applicants, the release states.
Further information on clinic services is available by calling 693-8900.

A free workshop on drip irrigation will be held on Sunday, March 26, from 3 to 5 p.m.
The workshop will be held by the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service, Agriculture and Natural Resources Program. Those interested in learning about the design, installation and maintenance of a low-cost drip system should go to the university’s Agricultural Experiment Station Grounds on St. Croix.
For more information call Clinton George at 692-4069.

Inundated with complaints from families about a major disbursement delay in the Individual Family Grant (IFG), Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen said Tuesday she wants the Human Services Department to act.
The senator said the problem didn’t just start but dates back to December of last year.
"Complaints has been pouring into my office, indicating to me that letters were received since December of last year and continued into the months of January and February," Hansen said.
The letters, Hansen said, indicated that a check would arrive in 15 days, but to so far recipients have not received their allotments.
"A lot of time has past since Hurricane Lenny and these constituents would like to get their money that is due them, so that they can replace their furniture and appliances that were lost due to the storm."
Hansen said some semblance of normalcy should be in place for these individuals and she is calling on the Commissioner of Human Services, Sedonie Halbert to look into the matter.
"The commissioner needs to assist these IFG recipients immediately," Hansen said.

When Eddie Donoghue's new musical drama, "Jankombum," has its world premiere this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Reichhold Center for the Arts, it may open a can of worms, or it may spark constructive dialogue. At any rate, its subject matter is almost certain to have an impact reaching beyond the last row of seats in the theater's covered section, the only portion being utilized for the performances.
The play has many elements of a good soap opera — nothing new in the realm of Caribbean theater. Life, love, jealousy and betrayal are "universal concepts," Donoghue has been saying throughout the weeks of promoting the production. There's romance and intrigue under de taman' tree.
Throw in an hero of the underdogs — in this case, the slave population of the Danish West Indies in the early 1700s — who is fomenting an uprising, and you've got an adventure story.
Mix in an intellectual examination of the social, economic and ethnic differences within the forcibly intermingled Africans of diverse tribal societies, and add plots and power struggles within the leading church denominations in the colony, and the play becomes political.
Incorporate elements of African mythology and the work takes on spiritual significance.
Finally, intersperse 15 songs, chants and hymns, along with choreographed dancing and drumming, and you've got a musical.
All of which, we are told, "Jankombum" is. Plus, Donoghue says, it has a lot of humor.
The production, although it is taking place on the University of the Virgin Islands campus at the time of Humanities Festival 2000, is not a part of the UVI festival. The second and third nights of performance overlap with the first two of the Little Theater production of "Play Mas," which is a part of the fest.
The playwright says he created the work in the last year. While the play is set in the 1740s, Donoghue has telescoped time a bit to suit his needs. The title character, an educated free black of the Amina warrior people, is loosely based on a composite of leaders who played integral roles in the 1759 slave revolt on St. Croix. Jankombum (played by Mark Phillips, in his second dramatic role — "The first was in elementary school") derives his name in part from Jankommaajoo, in Amina lore the wife of the god Borriborri. The white society disdainfully calls him "Jim Cock."
Other main characters are Sister Rebecca (Josephine Lindqvist), a free mulatto teacher and staunch member of the Moravian Chruch; Freundlich, the Moravian missionary twice Rebecca's age who marries her; Mr. and Mrs. Carstens, a planter and his wife who are pillars of the Moravian Church but conspirators as well; Mama Luna, a former slave who runs an illegal bar and house of prostitution; and Advokat Brakte (Hans Eisler), a renowned Danish prosecutor. The cast of about 30 includes 10 slave children.
The story hinges on the marriage of Rebecca and the missionary and is based on an actual 1730s case — one of only two interracial marriages on record in the Danish West Indies as of that time, according to Donoghue. The Lutheran Church (the "state" church of the colony) and the Dutch Reformed Church took the couple to court and not only put the marriage asunder but sent Freundlich to a penal colony and Rebecca back into slavery.
This stance contrasted curiously with the code noir of France and the policy of Spain from as early as of the 16th Century of "encouraging interracial and intercultural marriage — including between planters and their concubines" in the New World colonies, Donoghue notes.
Secondary themes include talk of insurrection in the slave ranks and of abolition in the churches, efforts by planters to use alcohol and the opiate of religion to maintain control over their slaves, the early courting of Rebecca by Jamkombum, and the resentment among his followers that he should be attracted to a light-skinned woman.
Donoghue spent years in the employ of various senators and administrations in V.I. government until his unceremonious removal as Education Department public relations director by Gov. Roy Schneider. Meantime, over those years, he made his mark in the community as a keeper of the flame, acting in plays and in a film biography of Gov. Peter Von Scholten, producing documentaries for public television, and writing historical narratives and contemporary research articles for local newspapers on the lives of African-Caribbean people in the islands.
Not many may be aware that Donoghue, a native of Montserrat and a naturalized U.S. citizen, has also been a choreographer, a fashion designer and, yes, previously, a playwright. His first play, premiered in 1965, was "A Flap on Broken Wings," a drama about the struggles of immigrants in England. He wrote another called "Destination on Hate Street" And during his years studying in Sweden, where he earned a doctorate in sociology, he gained fame as a Caribbean dancer.
The play is the most ambitious production to date by the St. John-based Carabana Ensemble Theater Company. The work is being directed by Carabana artistic director Clarence Cuthbertson, himself a playwright who has had work produced Off-Broadway and elsewhere. Lee Vanterpool, an alumnus of George Balanchine's New York City Ballet, is the choreographer, and Robert Leonard is the musical director. As Cuthbertson — who worked with Donoghue 15 years ago on a UVI production of "Stages" — noted, "There are not that many musicals that are written by Caribbeans in a Caribbean setting."
The musical elements include an 8-minute prelude of chanting in a multiplicity of African tongues, five ballads, three cariso songs, two traditional Moravian hymns, a couple of "operette" renditions, a rallying song (We Are Chosen to Be Leaders) and an uptempo song set to drumming. The hymns are from The Moravian Hymn Book; two of the carisos are based on material from 18th and 19th Century authorities; for everything else, the lyrics are by Donoghue.
Although the play is predominantly in English, it contains phrases in Danish, Dutch Creole, Mokko, Ibo, Mandingo, Karabari, Akkim, Jalunkan, Kanga, Gien, Akkaran, Tembu, Sokko, Congo and Fula. Preparatory material for the production includes definitions for certain "key words." Among them: advokat (Danish for prosecuting attorney), bomba (a slave who supervised other slaves in the fields, but also the name of a popular drink in the 1730s), fribrev (a certificate of freedom that freed slaves had to carry), and kill-devil, uncured rum so potent that it could kill the drinker.
Curtain time is 8 p.m. each night. Tickets are $25, with all seating in the covered section of the theater. Ticket outlets are Modern Music in Havensight, Crystal & Gifts Galore, Parrot Fish, Drafting Shaft in Sub Base, the UVI Bookstore and the Reichhold box office on St. Thomas; and at Connections on St. John. Part of the opening-night proceeds will benefit the V.I. Montserrat Association to assist with ongoing hurricane recovery projects and local charitable initiatives.

Gov. Charles Turnbull’s line-item veto of a section of a potentially cost-saving election bill is raising questions.
The governor vetoed a part of a bill that would have required all political parties in the territory to select their own candidates for public office, and to pay for that process, either primary election, convention, or other method.
Considering the cost savings the move would have afforded the V.I. Election System, Raymond "Usie" Richards, chairman of the Joint Boards of Elections, said Turnbull must be "confused" about the bill.
"The major reason for having parties conduct their own primaries was due to the exorbitant cost the government has incurred over the years to conduct these primaries, at times with very low voter turn out," Richards said in a release Tuesday. "The action of Gov. Turnbull will require at least $175,000 from the non-existent coffers of the government of the Virgin Islands."
Richards added that the Election System’s present budget "does not include a single penny for the conduct of a primary."
In his veto message, Turnbull said the process requiring the Board of Elections to certify the election of candidates for public offices would "create an unnecessary expense and controversy" because of the general election in November. The general election also will include a referendum on reducing the size of the Senate.
Richards, however, said that wasn’t the case. Because of a series of public hearings three years ago on the issue, the affected parties were aware of – and supported – the move to have them conduct primaries for both candidates for party positions and public offices. Further, Richards said the November referendum has nothing to do with the primary elections that are held in September.
"It is obvious that Gov. Turnbull is confused relative to the difference between the primary and general elections," said Richards. "The referendum has absolutely nothing to do with the a primary election…
"Likewise, the only costly measure we will incur is based solely on Gov. Turnbull’s veto…"
Turnbull’s decision also puzzled Sen. Anne Golden, who supported the original bill to have political parties cover the cost of primaries. Along with saving money, she said the move was a first step in local election reform.
"I thought the administration was serious about cutting the cost of government," Golden said. "I’m completely surprised by the move. A convention run by parties cuts the cost to the government."
Richards criticized former Senate President Lorraine Berry for sitting on the Election System’s proposals in 1998. He also questioned why Turnbull, when Democrats and Republicans already conduct elections to send delegates to their respective conventions, objects to the change.
"Does the Gov. Turnbull realize that parties are already vested with the task of conduction primaries for party offices in September 2000? If this fact is acknowledged, then what is the problem with including the election of party members for public offices?"
Golden, meanwhile, said she wasn't immediately sure if are enough votes in the Senate to attempt an override of the veto.