Aug. 13, 2001 – It's not unanimous, but many in the local tourism industry are sporting sunny summer smiles, reporting one of the better off-seasons in recent years.
The biggest winners may be the restaurateurs.
"This has probably been our best summer ever" in five years of doing business for the Herve restaurant on Government Hill, St. Thomas, according to Paulette Chassin, who owns the establishment with her husband, its namesake.
She said they get a lot of business from Marriott Frenchman's Reef, and "the Reef's full." Between hotel guests and locals, there's plenty of trade to keep Herve open six nights a week this summer, she said.
For lunch business, Chassin depends largely on ship passengers, so the restaurant is closed during the day on Fridays and Saturdays for the summer, since no ships are in port then. "Without the ships at lunch time, it's not worth it" to stay open, she said.
Cruise ship passengers don't generally travel to Frenchtown, where Alex Treml of Alexander's Café does a lunch business that is "about 98 percent local," but he is seeing more traffic for dinner than he did last summer.
On St. Croix, longtime restaurateur Frank Duggin thinks he sees the beginning of a turnaround. "For my business at Duggin's Reef, it has been the best summer since Hurricane Hugo," in 1989, he said. "Last summer was decent, and this has been a little bit better. It seems to be on its way back."
Friday night he served 65 people "and I think I knew 15 of them," he said. The rest were visitors.
"I attribute a lot of it to the Divi Hotel and Casino, which is eight minutes from my door," Duggin said. He acknowledged that not everyone is having a banner summer, but believes the good times are well spread around St. Croix's East End. "It's been a nice surprise," he said.
On St. Thomas, the story is cruise ship traffic and hotel bargains.
Mike Daswani of Royal Caribbean on Main Street said this summer has been "fairly better than the past few ones," but he misses the ships on Fridays and Saturdays.
On no-ship days, hotel guests come into town, but they don't take up the slack in business. Daswani said that's because the tourists filling up the bigger hotels in the summer season have been lured here by bargain rates, and "these are not the big spenders."
But, he said, "they have to eat" — so restaurants seem to be doing well.
For Vashi Dadlani of Little Europe, the picture is less bright. He believes his sales are down from last summer, but he said there is one saving grace this season: Once a week, his stores are filled with teen-agers from Mexico, and they are big spenders.
"They come with lists from their parents or their uncles" and leave with high-end clothing, designer goods, perfumes and brand-name watches, he said.
For hotelier Richard Doumeng, the summer is a mixed bag at Bolongo Bay Beach Resort. "The bars and restaurants are doing great," he said. "We get a lot of support from other hotels, and a lot of local support."
But his occupancy is not so great and, worse still, the rates he is charging are too low. Forced to compete with the larger resorts that can afford to sustain reduced rates, Doumeng said, he isn't charging enough to cover expenses over the long haul.
He repeated a warning he has sounded before: "Don't just look at the head count. Look at what the heads are paying."
This summer his published room rate is $165 a day. "That's $10 a day less than when I moved back here in 1989" to get involved in the family business, he noted. And many guests check in under one package deal or another that brings the price well below the published rate.
Yet, while the rates are down, costs are up. For instance, Doumeng said, he paid $30,000 for property insurance for the hotel in 1989; the quote for 2001 is $190,000.
Several of those in the tourism private sector had suggestions for improving tourism.
Doumeng criticized the practice of shops and restaurants closing when there are no ships in port. "It diminishes the hotel guests' experience," he said. "They can't even go to the pharmacy" on some days. He and Chassin both said the government needs to spend more on advertising.
Daswani said the government should make more of an effort to get cruise ships to call at St. Thomas on Fridays and Saturdays. Having at least one ship in port "puts a life into the town," he said. "You want to see crowds and activity. That builds up the momentum."
No-cruise-ship days in the summer could become a thing of the past on alternate weeks as early as next year under an agreement between the V.I. government and the Florida Caribbean Cruise Lines association and its members. The agreement has been signed by Tourism and Port Authority executives and is now out for approval by the cruise line parties.
ONE WAY TO MAKE CHAYOTE TASTY: STUFF IT
Aug. 12, 2001 – Beneath the furrowed, pale-green skin of the chayote squash is a bland-tasting flesh that combines appetizingly with a host of more pungent-flavored ingredients. Also called christophene, this gourd-like fruit which we treat like a vegetable was a favorite food in the diets of the ancient Aztec and Maya peoples.
When shopping for chayotes, look for squash that are small, firm and unblemished. The skin is typically smooth, but some chayotes have prickles on the outside. Ready to eat, they can weigh anywhere from eight ounces to five pounds and range in length from 3 to 8 inches. You often can find the smaller ones at roadside stands as well as in the produce sections of local supermarkets.
Once you get them home, chayotes can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for up to a month. The chayote can be prepared in any way suitable for summer squash. With its zucchini- or cucumber-like taste, it can be eaten raw and used in salads. Or it can be fried, baked, broiled, sautéed, steamed, mashed or microwaved. It also goes well in soups and stews.
My favorite way to prepare chayotes is to boil them, split them in two, and then stuff them with a mixture of scooped-out chayote flesh sautéed with onion, garlic, bacon and Parmesan cheese. Even kids will like their veggie-fruit this way.
Chayote stuffed with cheese, onion and bacon
3 large chayotes
6 slices bacon
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
salt and black pepper, to taste
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
paprika
Place whole chayotes in a large pot; cover with salted water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, or until chayotes are tender. Remove fruit from water and allow to cool, then cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp (including the edible seed), mash and set aside. Reserve the shells. Fry bacon in skillet, then drain on paper toweling or newspapers. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the skillet. Fry onion and garlic in the oil. Mash and add chayote pulp, salt and pepper to taste. When pulp mixture become tender, stir in Parmesan cheese. Immediately stuff mixture into chayote shells. Place shells on a baking sheet. Sprinkle tops with paprika. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese browns. Makes 3 to 6 servings.
Food fact: The chayote is a good source of potassium, vitamin C and dietary fiber. One medium-sized fruit that weighs about 8 ounces has just 50 calories. That's before you add the bacon, of course.
When shopping for chayotes, look for squash that are small, firm and unblemished. The skin is typically smooth, but some chayotes have prickles on the outside. Ready to eat, they can weigh anywhere from eight ounces to five pounds and range in length from 3 to 8 inches. You often can find the smaller ones at roadside stands as well as in the produce sections of local supermarkets.
Once you get them home, chayotes can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for up to a month. The chayote can be prepared in any way suitable for summer squash. With its zucchini- or cucumber-like taste, it can be eaten raw and used in salads. Or it can be fried, baked, broiled, sautéed, steamed, mashed or microwaved. It also goes well in soups and stews.
My favorite way to prepare chayotes is to boil them, split them in two, and then stuff them with a mixture of scooped-out chayote flesh sautéed with onion, garlic, bacon and Parmesan cheese. Even kids will like their veggie-fruit this way.
Chayote stuffed with cheese, onion and bacon
3 large chayotes
6 slices bacon
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
salt and black pepper, to taste
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
paprika
Place whole chayotes in a large pot; cover with salted water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, or until chayotes are tender. Remove fruit from water and allow to cool, then cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp (including the edible seed), mash and set aside. Reserve the shells. Fry bacon in skillet, then drain on paper toweling or newspapers. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the skillet. Fry onion and garlic in the oil. Mash and add chayote pulp, salt and pepper to taste. When pulp mixture become tender, stir in Parmesan cheese. Immediately stuff mixture into chayote shells. Place shells on a baking sheet. Sprinkle tops with paprika. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese browns. Makes 3 to 6 servings.
Food fact: The chayote is a good source of potassium, vitamin C and dietary fiber. One medium-sized fruit that weighs about 8 ounces has just 50 calories. That's before you add the bacon, of course.
OFFICIALS TELL LWV FISCAL PICTURE IMPROVED
Aug. 11, 2001 – Three government financial officials said Saturday that initiatives taken by the Turnbull administration have resulted in a rosier fiscal picture for the Virgin Islands.
Ira Mills, director of the Office of Management and Budget, Louis Willis, director of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and Nathan Simmonds, head of the Office of Fiscal and Economic Recovery Implementation, took turns at a meeting of the League of Women Voters of the V.I. in outlining progress made in restoring the V.I. to financial health.
The greatest improvement appears to have been made in the increase in personal income tax collection and payment of refunds.
Willis was quick to credit his staff with working overtime to get tax refunds paid within the 45 days required to avoid compound interest payments of 8 percent.
The government has saved $1.2 million over fiscal year 1999 and $1.7 million over fiscal year 1998 in interest payments, he said. In the six years prior to 2000, the bureau had paid more than $24 million in interest on late returns -– or an average of $4 million per year. In contrast, and calling the time from 1994 to 2000 "seven years of waste," Willis said that as of Aug. 8, the bureau has paid $452,553 in interest.
One stumbling block the BIR still faces is payment of the unfunded Earned Income Credit, which is required because the Virgin Islands mirrors the federal tax system. Payments of the Earned Income Credit were a whopping 33 percent of income tax refunds paid for fiscal year 2000 in the V.I. The payments for earned income have been as high as 39 percent of all refunds in 1997.
The Earned Income Credit is a supplemental payment made to single heads of household who earn less than $31,000 per year and who have a least one child in the home.
Willis, along with members of the league, agreed the high percentage doesn't bode well for the average income of Virgin Islanders, which Willis pegged at about $18,000 per year.
He said the V.I. doesn't have the big incomes that partially fund the Earned Income Credit in the states.
The EIC is funded on the mainland, in part, through Social Security taxes as well. Willis said American Samoa is the only other U.S. territory that pays the credit. He said his recommendation to the governor would be to follow in Guam's footsteps and simply not pay it. He said Guam can't afford it, so officials there don't pay it.
Willis also said the V.I. has $96 million outstanding from uncollected taxes, but thanks to a plan he has submitted to Gov. Charles W. Turnbull, he expects to collect those back taxes. Part of his plan, which involves hiring 15 new employees, is to have lower-level BIR personnel make telephone calls seeking to collect back taxes from individuals owing less than $6,000, thus freeing up the current collectors to go after the big fish.
"They will call them at work; they'll call them at home," he said.
The breakdown of back taxes shows 74 individuals or firms in the top tax bracket owing between $100,000 and $400,000 each, for a total owed in excess of $34 million, with 24,977 taxpayers at the bottom end owing up to $6,000 each for a total of $26 million.
When questioned about the recent repeal of the attrition law, Mills cited the BIR as an example of why it was important to be able to hire new personnel departmentally. "Mr. Willis needs additional employees for collections," Mills said.
Under further questioning about keeping government hiring in check, Mills pointed out that "attrition took 1,200 people out of government." He said at that rate "we couldn't keep going and maintain services."
"Watch us," he said, indicating the government was being very selective in its hiring practices.
When asked about President Bush's tax credits, Willis said they were "a political tool to make the president look good," or according to Bush, to stimulate the economy. Willis said between the timely tax refunds and the recently promulgated step increases, the V.I. economy was sufficiently stimulated. Citing the overtime being worked by his staff to get the refunds out, he said if he'd had to deal with the credits, the staff, which was already working overtime, would have been working "11 hours a day."
Willis said the credits will be rolled in with 2001 tax returns, although he didn't say specifically how. However, in the past, he has said, "We are going to pay it next year." Some interpreted that to mean the credits would either be deducted from 2001 tax liabilities or added to 2001 tax refunds.
Both Mills and Simmonds pointed to initiatives derived from the Five Year Operating and Strategic Financial Plan as being part of the solution. Simmonds said 60 initiatives have been or are being implemented.
The suggested Tourism Authority isn't one of them, Simmonds said in response to a question from the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce president, Carmelo Rivera.
"The governor would prefer a tourism council," Simmonds said.
Rivera also asked what the government was doing to stem the tide of rampant public corruption and fraud. Simmonds said that due to the efforts of the Fraud and Corruption Task Force, "You should be seeing prosecutions shortly."
But Rivera said he was more concerned about fraud prevention.
The league's general membership meeting was teleconferenced between the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses of the University of the Virgin Islands. About three dozen people attended.
Ira Mills, director of the Office of Management and Budget, Louis Willis, director of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and Nathan Simmonds, head of the Office of Fiscal and Economic Recovery Implementation, took turns at a meeting of the League of Women Voters of the V.I. in outlining progress made in restoring the V.I. to financial health.
The greatest improvement appears to have been made in the increase in personal income tax collection and payment of refunds.
Willis was quick to credit his staff with working overtime to get tax refunds paid within the 45 days required to avoid compound interest payments of 8 percent.
The government has saved $1.2 million over fiscal year 1999 and $1.7 million over fiscal year 1998 in interest payments, he said. In the six years prior to 2000, the bureau had paid more than $24 million in interest on late returns -– or an average of $4 million per year. In contrast, and calling the time from 1994 to 2000 "seven years of waste," Willis said that as of Aug. 8, the bureau has paid $452,553 in interest.
One stumbling block the BIR still faces is payment of the unfunded Earned Income Credit, which is required because the Virgin Islands mirrors the federal tax system. Payments of the Earned Income Credit were a whopping 33 percent of income tax refunds paid for fiscal year 2000 in the V.I. The payments for earned income have been as high as 39 percent of all refunds in 1997.
The Earned Income Credit is a supplemental payment made to single heads of household who earn less than $31,000 per year and who have a least one child in the home.
Willis, along with members of the league, agreed the high percentage doesn't bode well for the average income of Virgin Islanders, which Willis pegged at about $18,000 per year.
He said the V.I. doesn't have the big incomes that partially fund the Earned Income Credit in the states.
The EIC is funded on the mainland, in part, through Social Security taxes as well. Willis said American Samoa is the only other U.S. territory that pays the credit. He said his recommendation to the governor would be to follow in Guam's footsteps and simply not pay it. He said Guam can't afford it, so officials there don't pay it.
Willis also said the V.I. has $96 million outstanding from uncollected taxes, but thanks to a plan he has submitted to Gov. Charles W. Turnbull, he expects to collect those back taxes. Part of his plan, which involves hiring 15 new employees, is to have lower-level BIR personnel make telephone calls seeking to collect back taxes from individuals owing less than $6,000, thus freeing up the current collectors to go after the big fish.
"They will call them at work; they'll call them at home," he said.
The breakdown of back taxes shows 74 individuals or firms in the top tax bracket owing between $100,000 and $400,000 each, for a total owed in excess of $34 million, with 24,977 taxpayers at the bottom end owing up to $6,000 each for a total of $26 million.
When questioned about the recent repeal of the attrition law, Mills cited the BIR as an example of why it was important to be able to hire new personnel departmentally. "Mr. Willis needs additional employees for collections," Mills said.
Under further questioning about keeping government hiring in check, Mills pointed out that "attrition took 1,200 people out of government." He said at that rate "we couldn't keep going and maintain services."
"Watch us," he said, indicating the government was being very selective in its hiring practices.
When asked about President Bush's tax credits, Willis said they were "a political tool to make the president look good," or according to Bush, to stimulate the economy. Willis said between the timely tax refunds and the recently promulgated step increases, the V.I. economy was sufficiently stimulated. Citing the overtime being worked by his staff to get the refunds out, he said if he'd had to deal with the credits, the staff, which was already working overtime, would have been working "11 hours a day."
Willis said the credits will be rolled in with 2001 tax returns, although he didn't say specifically how. However, in the past, he has said, "We are going to pay it next year." Some interpreted that to mean the credits would either be deducted from 2001 tax liabilities or added to 2001 tax refunds.
Both Mills and Simmonds pointed to initiatives derived from the Five Year Operating and Strategic Financial Plan as being part of the solution. Simmonds said 60 initiatives have been or are being implemented.
The suggested Tourism Authority isn't one of them, Simmonds said in response to a question from the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce president, Carmelo Rivera.
"The governor would prefer a tourism council," Simmonds said.
Rivera also asked what the government was doing to stem the tide of rampant public corruption and fraud. Simmonds said that due to the efforts of the Fraud and Corruption Task Force, "You should be seeing prosecutions shortly."
But Rivera said he was more concerned about fraud prevention.
The league's general membership meeting was teleconferenced between the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses of the University of the Virgin Islands. About three dozen people attended.
PATRICK DELGADO FUNERAL SERVICES
Patrick Julio Delgado, age 61, of Marshill Frederiksted, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 9, at the Juan F. Luis Hospital. Funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 16, at the St. Patrick Catholic Church. Viewing will be at 10 a.m. Internment will follow the service at Frederiksted Cemetery.
Patrick Delgado is survived by his wife Joy V. Delgado; father Julio Delgado Rucci; daughter Marie T. Delgado; son Patrick F. Delgado; grandchildren Angel Bermudez, Sonia Diosiris Bermudez and Dante Velazquea; sister Diana; niece Clarissa; nephews Francisco, Jaime and Glenn; uncles Emerano, Demetrio and Fernando; mother-in-law Sonia Gonzalez; father-in-law Antonio Gonzalez; daughter-in-law Maria E. Delgado; son-in-law Anthony Velazquez; sisters-in-law Penny and Kay; brothers-in-law Luis, Pierre and Rudy; other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
Patrick Delgado is survived by his wife Joy V. Delgado; father Julio Delgado Rucci; daughter Marie T. Delgado; son Patrick F. Delgado; grandchildren Angel Bermudez, Sonia Diosiris Bermudez and Dante Velazquea; sister Diana; niece Clarissa; nephews Francisco, Jaime and Glenn; uncles Emerano, Demetrio and Fernando; mother-in-law Sonia Gonzalez; father-in-law Antonio Gonzalez; daughter-in-law Maria E. Delgado; son-in-law Anthony Velazquez; sisters-in-law Penny and Kay; brothers-in-law Luis, Pierre and Rudy; other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
V.I. GETS $635K TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Aug. 11, 2001 — The Law Enforcement Planning Commission has received $635,000 from the federal government to prevent and respond to violence against women.
The award is funded under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and is part of the Services, Training, Officers and Prosecutors (STOP) grants program, according to Delegate Donna Christian Christensen. STOP funds are primarily used to promote partnerships among law enforcement, prosecution, the courts and victim advocacy groups to ensure the safety of victims and the accountability of offenders.
Since 1995, the U.S. Justice Department has awarded the Virgin Islands more than $3.1 million in VAWA funds under the STOP grant program. The LEPC works with the territory's Domestic Violence Coordinating Council and its Child Abuse Task Forces. The task forces consist of representatives of not-for-profit victim service providers, the justice system and government social service agencies.
With the funding, communities are urged to restructure and strengthen the criminal justice system response to domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft said in a statement.
"No American should feel outside the protection of the law or beyond the reach of the law," Ashcroft said. "The STOP program supports communities that champion victims’ rights and develops coordinated responses to violence against women.
"We must continue to provide our communities with the resources to hold offenders accountable and to meet the needs of victims," he said.
With the fiscal year 2001 STOP funding, the LEPC plans to:
– Enhance links between prosecution, law enforcement and the courts to track arrests, prosecution orders, violations of such orders and conviction rates.
– Purchase investigative equipment and supplies.
– Enhance procedures for responding to domestic violence calls.
– Assess whether a lethal threat exists in domestic violence cases.
– Train law-enforcement officers, prosecutors and advocates involved in cases of violence against women.
– Support a prosecutor and victim liaison position in the Attorney General's Office.
STOP grant funding must be divided among agencies — including 25 percent to law enforcement, 25 percent to prosecution, 30 percent to victim services and 5 percent to courts. The other 15 percent can be used at the discretion of the jurisdiction for other STOP programs.
For additional information, contact R. Maria Brady, director of Victim Witness Services in the Office of the Governor, at 774-6400. Also contact Delegate Christensen’s office on St. Thomas at 774-4408, or on St. Croix at 778-5900. Or visit the www.ojp.usdoj.gov web site.
The award is funded under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and is part of the Services, Training, Officers and Prosecutors (STOP) grants program, according to Delegate Donna Christian Christensen. STOP funds are primarily used to promote partnerships among law enforcement, prosecution, the courts and victim advocacy groups to ensure the safety of victims and the accountability of offenders.
Since 1995, the U.S. Justice Department has awarded the Virgin Islands more than $3.1 million in VAWA funds under the STOP grant program. The LEPC works with the territory's Domestic Violence Coordinating Council and its Child Abuse Task Forces. The task forces consist of representatives of not-for-profit victim service providers, the justice system and government social service agencies.
With the funding, communities are urged to restructure and strengthen the criminal justice system response to domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft said in a statement.
"No American should feel outside the protection of the law or beyond the reach of the law," Ashcroft said. "The STOP program supports communities that champion victims’ rights and develops coordinated responses to violence against women.
"We must continue to provide our communities with the resources to hold offenders accountable and to meet the needs of victims," he said.
With the fiscal year 2001 STOP funding, the LEPC plans to:
– Enhance links between prosecution, law enforcement and the courts to track arrests, prosecution orders, violations of such orders and conviction rates.
– Purchase investigative equipment and supplies.
– Enhance procedures for responding to domestic violence calls.
– Assess whether a lethal threat exists in domestic violence cases.
– Train law-enforcement officers, prosecutors and advocates involved in cases of violence against women.
– Support a prosecutor and victim liaison position in the Attorney General's Office.
STOP grant funding must be divided among agencies — including 25 percent to law enforcement, 25 percent to prosecution, 30 percent to victim services and 5 percent to courts. The other 15 percent can be used at the discretion of the jurisdiction for other STOP programs.
For additional information, contact R. Maria Brady, director of Victim Witness Services in the Office of the Governor, at 774-6400. Also contact Delegate Christensen’s office on St. Thomas at 774-4408, or on St. Croix at 778-5900. Or visit the www.ojp.usdoj.gov web site.
MINORITY SENATORS GET MINOR ALLOTMENT
Aug. 10, 2001 – The 24th Legislature has managed to inflate its $13 million budget by an additional $2.7 million so far this fiscal year. The minority bloc senators received $375,000 of that additional amount on Friday, or about one-seventh of the overall increase the Senate has voted itself. And that was before withholding, and it wasn't retroactive.
The five minority senators don't exactly see this as a "windfall" — one of the lawmakers' favorite expressions since June 11, when Gov. Charles W. Turnbull announced an Internal Revenue Bureau projection of $100 million in unanticipated tax collections this year.
Sen. Vargrave Richards said Friday afternoon that each minority senator's $75,000 allotment, added to their earlier allotments for the year of $100,000 apiece, had an "unprecedented caveat."
"It includes fringe benefits," he said, referring to what is withheld from pay in tax and other deductions.
Richards, who was president of the 23rd Legislature, said benefits are traditionally absorbed by the administration. Since that isn't the case now, he said, the $75,000 allocated to each minority senator "really means about $55,000 to $60,000 by the time vacation and taxes are taken out." He added, wryly, "So, the beat goes on. It's another unfair tactic."
Richards said a cover letter to the minority members from Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd stated that if there is a need for additional staffing, the fringe benefits will be deducted from their accounts. "Frankly, I'll use the money for my present staff, who have taken significant reductions in pay," he said.
Two minority senators are committee chairs — Richards of Youth and Human Services and Douglas Canton Jr. of Health and Hospitals. There had been an anticipation that additional funding also would be forthcoming for these two committees. However, Richards commented Friday, "I guess that comes out of the $75,000."
The Legislature's original $13 million budget for Fiscal Year 2001 represented a cut of $1 million from FY 2000. The Senate sought to undo the cut early this year by appropriating an additional $1 million for itself. Turnbull didn't see it that way and vetoed the measure, telling the lawmakers they should live within their means.
In a June 15 session called to appropriate the $100 million in additional projected tax revenues, Sen. Adelbert Bryan tacked on amendments allocating $1.5 million to the Legislature and $500,000 for repairs to the old territorial court building, which houses the Senate Post Audit section.
This time around, Turnbull approved the measure — plus an additional $700,000 in the supplemental appropriations bill he signed this week. The $700,000 appropriation is to "pay prior-year obligations from the unused portion of bond proceeds," according to the supplemental document.
The lopsided allotments doled out by the 24th Legislature majority bloc have been the subject of dispute since the body's inception. The Source sought unsuccessfully to obtain a listing of the majority senators' personal allotments. The minority senators allotments are documented at $100,000 each, which is believed to be about $150,000 or $200,000 less than their majority counterparts.
However, Liburd's office did provide the 24th Legislature members' staffing allotments earlier this year:
– Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd: 10 employees, $ 342,000
– Sen. Adelbert Bryan: 7 employees, $256,728
– Sen. Carlton Dowe: 8 employees, $240,000
– Sen. Norman Jn. Baptiste: 8 employees, $232,500
– Sen. Norma Samuel: 5 employees, $169,000
– Sen. Celestino A. White Sr.: 5 employees, $169,000
– Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole: 5 employees, $167,000
– Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen: 6 employees, $164,000
– Sen. Roosevelt David: 5 employees, $94,932
– Sen. David Jones: 3 employees, $90,000
– Sen. Douglas Canton Jr.: 3 employees, $87,000
– Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg: 3 employees, $85,000
– Sen. Vargrave Richards: 3 employees, $77,500
– Sen. Lorraine Berry: 3 employees, $60,000
– Sen. Emmett Hansen II: 3 employees, $39,000
Baptiste, Bryan, Dowe, Liburd, Samuel, White, Cole, Hansen and Hansen II are majority bloc members. David, Jones, Canton, Richards and Berry are minority members. Donastorg, who is unaligned, also received the additional $75,000 allotment.
Liburd's office also provide these figures on the Legislature's central staff appointments:
St. Thomas: 100 employees, $2,945,848
St. Croix: 59 employees, $1,655,000
Late Friday afternoon it was not possible to reach all minority senators. Jones, the minority leader, said he knew of the additional allotments but had not received written notification. Berry, David and Canton were not available. Neither was Liburd, but his chief of staff confirmed that the allotments were sent out Friday.
The five minority senators don't exactly see this as a "windfall" — one of the lawmakers' favorite expressions since June 11, when Gov. Charles W. Turnbull announced an Internal Revenue Bureau projection of $100 million in unanticipated tax collections this year.
Sen. Vargrave Richards said Friday afternoon that each minority senator's $75,000 allotment, added to their earlier allotments for the year of $100,000 apiece, had an "unprecedented caveat."
"It includes fringe benefits," he said, referring to what is withheld from pay in tax and other deductions.
Richards, who was president of the 23rd Legislature, said benefits are traditionally absorbed by the administration. Since that isn't the case now, he said, the $75,000 allocated to each minority senator "really means about $55,000 to $60,000 by the time vacation and taxes are taken out." He added, wryly, "So, the beat goes on. It's another unfair tactic."
Richards said a cover letter to the minority members from Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd stated that if there is a need for additional staffing, the fringe benefits will be deducted from their accounts. "Frankly, I'll use the money for my present staff, who have taken significant reductions in pay," he said.
Two minority senators are committee chairs — Richards of Youth and Human Services and Douglas Canton Jr. of Health and Hospitals. There had been an anticipation that additional funding also would be forthcoming for these two committees. However, Richards commented Friday, "I guess that comes out of the $75,000."
The Legislature's original $13 million budget for Fiscal Year 2001 represented a cut of $1 million from FY 2000. The Senate sought to undo the cut early this year by appropriating an additional $1 million for itself. Turnbull didn't see it that way and vetoed the measure, telling the lawmakers they should live within their means.
In a June 15 session called to appropriate the $100 million in additional projected tax revenues, Sen. Adelbert Bryan tacked on amendments allocating $1.5 million to the Legislature and $500,000 for repairs to the old territorial court building, which houses the Senate Post Audit section.
This time around, Turnbull approved the measure — plus an additional $700,000 in the supplemental appropriations bill he signed this week. The $700,000 appropriation is to "pay prior-year obligations from the unused portion of bond proceeds," according to the supplemental document.
The lopsided allotments doled out by the 24th Legislature majority bloc have been the subject of dispute since the body's inception. The Source sought unsuccessfully to obtain a listing of the majority senators' personal allotments. The minority senators allotments are documented at $100,000 each, which is believed to be about $150,000 or $200,000 less than their majority counterparts.
However, Liburd's office did provide the 24th Legislature members' staffing allotments earlier this year:
– Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd: 10 employees, $ 342,000
– Sen. Adelbert Bryan: 7 employees, $256,728
– Sen. Carlton Dowe: 8 employees, $240,000
– Sen. Norman Jn. Baptiste: 8 employees, $232,500
– Sen. Norma Samuel: 5 employees, $169,000
– Sen. Celestino A. White Sr.: 5 employees, $169,000
– Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole: 5 employees, $167,000
– Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen: 6 employees, $164,000
– Sen. Roosevelt David: 5 employees, $94,932
– Sen. David Jones: 3 employees, $90,000
– Sen. Douglas Canton Jr.: 3 employees, $87,000
– Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg: 3 employees, $85,000
– Sen. Vargrave Richards: 3 employees, $77,500
– Sen. Lorraine Berry: 3 employees, $60,000
– Sen. Emmett Hansen II: 3 employees, $39,000
Baptiste, Bryan, Dowe, Liburd, Samuel, White, Cole, Hansen and Hansen II are majority bloc members. David, Jones, Canton, Richards and Berry are minority members. Donastorg, who is unaligned, also received the additional $75,000 allotment.
Liburd's office also provide these figures on the Legislature's central staff appointments:
St. Thomas: 100 employees, $2,945,848
St. Croix: 59 employees, $1,655,000
Late Friday afternoon it was not possible to reach all minority senators. Jones, the minority leader, said he knew of the additional allotments but had not received written notification. Berry, David and Canton were not available. Neither was Liburd, but his chief of staff confirmed that the allotments were sent out Friday.
MINORITY SENATORS GET MINOR ALLOTMENT
Aug. 10, 2001 – The 24th Legislature has managed to inflate its $13 million budget by an additional $2.7 million so far this fiscal year. The minority bloc senators received $375,000 of that additional amount on Friday, or about one-seventh of the overall increase the Senate has voted itself. And that was before withholding.
The five minority senators don't exactly see this as a "windfall" — one of the lawmakers' favorite expressions since June 11, when Gov. Charles W. Turnbull announced an Internal Revenue Bureau projection of $100 million in unanticipated tax collections this year.
Sen. Vargrave Richards said Friday afternoon that each minority senator's $75,000 allotment, added to their earlier allotments for the year of $100,000 apiece, had an "unprecedented caveat."
"It includes fringe benefits," he said, referring to what is withheld from pay in tax and other deductions.
Richards, who was president of the 23rd Legislature, said benefits are traditionally absorbed by the administration. Since that isn't the case now, he said, the $75,000 allocated to each minority senator "really means about $55,000 to $60,000 by the time vacation and taxes are taken out." He added, wryly, "So, the beat goes on. It's another unfair tactic."
Richards said a cover letter to the minority members from Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd stated that if there is a need for additional staffing, the fringe benefits will be deducted from their accounts. "Frankly, I'll use the money for my present staff, who have taken significant reductions in pay," he said.
Two minority senators are committee chairs — Richards of Youth and Human Services and Douglas Canton Jr. of Health and Hospitals. There had been an anticipation that additional funding also would be forthcoming for these two committees. However, Richards commented Friday, "I guess that comes out of the $75,000."
The Legislature's original $13 million budget for Fiscal Year 2001 represented a cut of $1 million from FY 2000. The Senate sought to undo the cut early this year by appropriating an additional $1 million for itself. Turnbull didn't see it that way and vetoed the measure, telling the lawmakers they should live within their means.
In a June 15 session called to appropriate the $100 million in additional projected tax revenues, Sen. Adelbert Bryan tacked on amendments allocating $1.5 million to the Legislature and $500,000 for repairs to the old territorial court building, which houses the Senate Post Audit section.
This time around, Turnbull approved the measure — plus an additional $700,000 in the supplemental appropriations bill he signed this week. The $700,000 appropriation is to "pay prior-year obligations from the unused portion of bond proceeds," according to the supplemental document.
The lopsided allotments doled out by the 24th Legislature majority bloc have been the subject of dispute since the body's inception. The Source sought unsuccessfully to obtain a listing of the majority senators' personal allotments. The minority senators allotments are documented at $100,000 each, which is believed to be about $150,000 or $200,000 less than their majority counterparts.
However, Liburd's office did provide the 24th Legislature members' staffing allotments earlier this year:
– Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd: 10 employees, $ 342,000
– Sen. Adelbert Bryan: 7 employees, $256,728
– Sen. Carlton Dowe: 8 employees, $240,000
– Sen. Norman Jn. Baptiste: 8 employees, $232,500
– Sen. Norma Samuel: 5 employees, $169,000
– Sen. Celestino A. White Sr.: 5 employees, $169,000
– Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole: 5 employees, $167,000
– Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen: 6 employees, $164,000
– Sen. Roosevelt David: 5 employees, $94,932
– Sen. David Jones: 3 employees, $90,000
– Sen. Douglas Canton Jr.: 3 employees, $87,000
– Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg: 3 employees, $85,000
– Sen. Vargrave Richards: 3 employees, $77,500
– Sen. Lorraine Berry: 3 employees, $60,000
– Sen. Emmett Hansen II: 3 employees, $39,000
Baptiste, Bryan, Dowe, Liburd, Samuel, White, Cole, Hansen and Hansen II are majority bloc members. David, Jones, Canton, Richards and Berry are minority members.
Donastorg, who is unaligned, also received the additional $75,000 allotment.
Liburd's office also provide these figures on the Legislature's central staff appointments:
St. Thomas: 100 employees, $2,945,848
St. Croix: 59 employees, $1,655,000
Late Friday afternoon it was not possible to reach all minority senators. Jones, the minority leader, said he knew of the additional allotments but had not received written notification. Berry, David and Canton were not available. Neither was Liburd, but his chief of staff confirmed that the allotments were sent out Friday.
The five minority senators don't exactly see this as a "windfall" — one of the lawmakers' favorite expressions since June 11, when Gov. Charles W. Turnbull announced an Internal Revenue Bureau projection of $100 million in unanticipated tax collections this year.
Sen. Vargrave Richards said Friday afternoon that each minority senator's $75,000 allotment, added to their earlier allotments for the year of $100,000 apiece, had an "unprecedented caveat."
"It includes fringe benefits," he said, referring to what is withheld from pay in tax and other deductions.
Richards, who was president of the 23rd Legislature, said benefits are traditionally absorbed by the administration. Since that isn't the case now, he said, the $75,000 allocated to each minority senator "really means about $55,000 to $60,000 by the time vacation and taxes are taken out." He added, wryly, "So, the beat goes on. It's another unfair tactic."
Richards said a cover letter to the minority members from Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd stated that if there is a need for additional staffing, the fringe benefits will be deducted from their accounts. "Frankly, I'll use the money for my present staff, who have taken significant reductions in pay," he said.
Two minority senators are committee chairs — Richards of Youth and Human Services and Douglas Canton Jr. of Health and Hospitals. There had been an anticipation that additional funding also would be forthcoming for these two committees. However, Richards commented Friday, "I guess that comes out of the $75,000."
The Legislature's original $13 million budget for Fiscal Year 2001 represented a cut of $1 million from FY 2000. The Senate sought to undo the cut early this year by appropriating an additional $1 million for itself. Turnbull didn't see it that way and vetoed the measure, telling the lawmakers they should live within their means.
In a June 15 session called to appropriate the $100 million in additional projected tax revenues, Sen. Adelbert Bryan tacked on amendments allocating $1.5 million to the Legislature and $500,000 for repairs to the old territorial court building, which houses the Senate Post Audit section.
This time around, Turnbull approved the measure — plus an additional $700,000 in the supplemental appropriations bill he signed this week. The $700,000 appropriation is to "pay prior-year obligations from the unused portion of bond proceeds," according to the supplemental document.
The lopsided allotments doled out by the 24th Legislature majority bloc have been the subject of dispute since the body's inception. The Source sought unsuccessfully to obtain a listing of the majority senators' personal allotments. The minority senators allotments are documented at $100,000 each, which is believed to be about $150,000 or $200,000 less than their majority counterparts.
However, Liburd's office did provide the 24th Legislature members' staffing allotments earlier this year:
– Senate President Almando "Rocky" Liburd: 10 employees, $ 342,000
– Sen. Adelbert Bryan: 7 employees, $256,728
– Sen. Carlton Dowe: 8 employees, $240,000
– Sen. Norman Jn. Baptiste: 8 employees, $232,500
– Sen. Norma Samuel: 5 employees, $169,000
– Sen. Celestino A. White Sr.: 5 employees, $169,000
– Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole: 5 employees, $167,000
– Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen: 6 employees, $164,000
– Sen. Roosevelt David: 5 employees, $94,932
– Sen. David Jones: 3 employees, $90,000
– Sen. Douglas Canton Jr.: 3 employees, $87,000
– Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg: 3 employees, $85,000
– Sen. Vargrave Richards: 3 employees, $77,500
– Sen. Lorraine Berry: 3 employees, $60,000
– Sen. Emmett Hansen II: 3 employees, $39,000
Baptiste, Bryan, Dowe, Liburd, Samuel, White, Cole, Hansen and Hansen II are majority bloc members. David, Jones, Canton, Richards and Berry are minority members.
Donastorg, who is unaligned, also received the additional $75,000 allotment.
Liburd's office also provide these figures on the Legislature's central staff appointments:
St. Thomas: 100 employees, $2,945,848
St. Croix: 59 employees, $1,655,000
Late Friday afternoon it was not possible to reach all minority senators. Jones, the minority leader, said he knew of the additional allotments but had not received written notification. Berry, David and Canton were not available. Neither was Liburd, but his chief of staff confirmed that the allotments were sent out Friday.
STREET CLOSED FOR FRANKLIN BUILDING WORK
Aug. 10, 2001 – A portion of Strand Gade in downtown Charlotte Amalie, between the traffic light at the corner of the Franklin Building on Main Street and the old Lucy's Supermarket, has been closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic as Phase II of the Franklin Building renovation commences.
Marc A. Biggs, commissioner of Property and Procurement, said the renovation work is expected to be completed in November.
"Demolition and exterior structural repairs are under way," Biggs said. The work will entail wall reinforcement and window replacement.
The work is being done to bring the structure into compliance with the Uniform Building Code for windstorm and seismic activity adopted by the territory in 1996, he said.
Biggs asked the public to comply with traffic rerouting signs posted in the area.
Marc A. Biggs, commissioner of Property and Procurement, said the renovation work is expected to be completed in November.
"Demolition and exterior structural repairs are under way," Biggs said. The work will entail wall reinforcement and window replacement.
The work is being done to bring the structure into compliance with the Uniform Building Code for windstorm and seismic activity adopted by the territory in 1996, he said.
Biggs asked the public to comply with traffic rerouting signs posted in the area.
SCHOOLS NEED TEACHERS, NURSES, LIBRARIANS
Aug. 10, 2001 – With the start of school less than two weeks away, the Education Department put out a call Friday for more teachers, nurses and librarians in both districts, citing eight resignations just received from secondary school personnel on St. Croix.
Not counting the eight new resignations, classroom vacancies include two teachers of vocational education, one of math, and three of special education (two in the St. Thomas-St. John district and one on St. Croix), according to a department release distributed Friday. The additional eight St. Croix vacancies include four teachers — two of English, one of art and one of social studies.
"One of our greatest area of needs is nurses," the release stated, citing nine such vacancies on St. Croix and four in St. Thomas-St. John. And there are three vacancies in each district for librarians.
Alscess Lewis-Brown, Education human resources director, noted the problem of staff resigning "just prior to the beginning of a new school year." Classes are to begin resuming on Aug. 22, and Lewis-Brown indicated concern that there may be more resignations to come.
She said, "I implore all teachers who are planning to leave to consider the children impacted by the lateness of such resignations. The department needs to know in advance … so that appropriate scheduling can be achieved and students are best served."
Individuals within the education field have said that one reason some teachers intending not to return in the fall do not submit their resignations sooner is concern that they may not receive the last two months of their academic-year pay, which is pro-rated throughout the 12-month year.
Earlier this week, the Education Department announced the initiation of a new "job-sharing" program to address the territory's chronic teacher shortage. The plan is for two or more individuals to occupy one teacher slot, dividing up the courses and the entry-level pay while receiving no insurance, leave or retirement benefits.
A department release said candidates should be "professionals with content area credits and expertise" and must hold at least a bachelor's degree, except for those who would teach vocational education courses. There was no indication of how many teacher positions would need to be filled in this manner.
At a Board of Education meeting over the weekend of July 21-22, Lewis-Brown stated that the department anticipated about 40 vacancies in each district when school resumed.
On Aug. 1, at a Senate Finance Committee budget hearing for the Board of Education, senators were told that as many as half the territory's current public school teachers, mainly at the high school level, may not hold mandatory certification. The board executive director, Evadney Hodge, said such teachers may not have taken required education courses or may not have complied with a 1992 law requiring all teachers to complete a college course in Virgin Islands history.
Over the years, because the need for teachers "was so severe in the Virgin Islands, those persons were hired," Hodge told the committee.
Sen. Norman Jn. Baptiste has said the Teacher Recruitment Act of 2001, which he introduced and the governor signed into law a week ago, will help address the teacher shortage, by raising starting salaries and putting existing teachers on step.
For details on current vacancies, qualified individuals interested in either full-time teaching positions or job-sharing are asked to contact the Education Department human resources offices at 774-0100, ext. 3054, on St. Thomas and 773-1095 on St. Croix.
Not counting the eight new resignations, classroom vacancies include two teachers of vocational education, one of math, and three of special education (two in the St. Thomas-St. John district and one on St. Croix), according to a department release distributed Friday. The additional eight St. Croix vacancies include four teachers — two of English, one of art and one of social studies.
"One of our greatest area of needs is nurses," the release stated, citing nine such vacancies on St. Croix and four in St. Thomas-St. John. And there are three vacancies in each district for librarians.
Alscess Lewis-Brown, Education human resources director, noted the problem of staff resigning "just prior to the beginning of a new school year." Classes are to begin resuming on Aug. 22, and Lewis-Brown indicated concern that there may be more resignations to come.
She said, "I implore all teachers who are planning to leave to consider the children impacted by the lateness of such resignations. The department needs to know in advance … so that appropriate scheduling can be achieved and students are best served."
Individuals within the education field have said that one reason some teachers intending not to return in the fall do not submit their resignations sooner is concern that they may not receive the last two months of their academic-year pay, which is pro-rated throughout the 12-month year.
Earlier this week, the Education Department announced the initiation of a new "job-sharing" program to address the territory's chronic teacher shortage. The plan is for two or more individuals to occupy one teacher slot, dividing up the courses and the entry-level pay while receiving no insurance, leave or retirement benefits.
A department release said candidates should be "professionals with content area credits and expertise" and must hold at least a bachelor's degree, except for those who would teach vocational education courses. There was no indication of how many teacher positions would need to be filled in this manner.
At a Board of Education meeting over the weekend of July 21-22, Lewis-Brown stated that the department anticipated about 40 vacancies in each district when school resumed.
On Aug. 1, at a Senate Finance Committee budget hearing for the Board of Education, senators were told that as many as half the territory's current public school teachers, mainly at the high school level, may not hold mandatory certification. The board executive director, Evadney Hodge, said such teachers may not have taken required education courses or may not have complied with a 1992 law requiring all teachers to complete a college course in Virgin Islands history.
Over the years, because the need for teachers "was so severe in the Virgin Islands, those persons were hired," Hodge told the committee.
Sen. Norman Jn. Baptiste has said the Teacher Recruitment Act of 2001, which he introduced and the governor signed into law a week ago, will help address the teacher shortage, by raising starting salaries and putting existing teachers on step.
For details on current vacancies, qualified individuals interested in either full-time teaching positions or job-sharing are asked to contact the Education Department human resources offices at 774-0100, ext. 3054, on St. Thomas and 773-1095 on St. Croix.
DOROTHEA, BORDEAUX FIRE STATIONS TO REOPEN
Aug. 10, 2001 – V.I. Fire Services got a $1.6 million boost this week which will lay the groundwork for one new fire station and provide personnel and renovations for three others that currently are closed — the Dorothea and Fortuna/Bordeaux facilities on St. Thomas and the Cotton Valley station on St. Croix.
The $1.6 million supplemental appropriation signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Charles W. Turnbull along with other funds will be "seed money" for the creation of a new central facility that will replace the old "hotel fire station" alongside Fort Christian, Ian Williams Sr., Fire Services director, said
"We've been working on this," Williams said of the plan to relocate the in-town station. "It's a matter of full commitment to begin the project." He said the agency is eyeing government-owned property in the Ross-Taarneberg area at the foot of Pollyberg Hill for the new facility.
And it won't just be a fire station, Williams said. "It will be our administrative offices and training academy, and I would like to see the emergency medical technicians there, too."
What's needed is "a structure that will look to the future," he added. "We have more money in the Asset Recovery Fund. It's just a matter of the scope of work " He said Fire Services has been working with the Public Works Department on the design and site of the facility.
As far as rehabilitating the closed stations, "We will be doing the Dorothea station first," Williams said. He said Fire Services has the funds needed to reopen the North Side St. Thomas facility. Residents and community groups have protested the years-long shutdown of the station on Crown Mountain Road.
"We have $500,000 to hire an additional 11 firefighters to open the Fortuna station," on the island's West End, "but we will do Dorthea first, because it is more ready to be opened," he said.
He has targeted November for the reopening. "It depends on the hiring and training of the new firefighters," he said. The facility now there can be used, he said, until a new station is constructed –for which Fire Services "may need more money."
The supplemental appropriation provides $300,000 for construction of the Fortuna/Bordeaux station, which Williams said will be started as soon as the Dorothea station is reopened.
For the Cotton Valley station on St. Croix's East End, Fire Services has received $160,000 for a new pumper truck and $200,000 to hire six firefighters.
Williams said he also has received a grant of $241,780 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a new fleet of fire trucks and pumpers.
"We have already sent a proposal to lease 10 new fire trucks for the territory to Commissioner [Marc] Biggs at Property and Procurement," he said. "We have already made contact to make these projects a reality."
With all of these efforts in the works as hurricane season is in full swing, "I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have to stop," Williams said
The $1.6 million supplemental appropriation signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Charles W. Turnbull along with other funds will be "seed money" for the creation of a new central facility that will replace the old "hotel fire station" alongside Fort Christian, Ian Williams Sr., Fire Services director, said
"We've been working on this," Williams said of the plan to relocate the in-town station. "It's a matter of full commitment to begin the project." He said the agency is eyeing government-owned property in the Ross-Taarneberg area at the foot of Pollyberg Hill for the new facility.
And it won't just be a fire station, Williams said. "It will be our administrative offices and training academy, and I would like to see the emergency medical technicians there, too."
What's needed is "a structure that will look to the future," he added. "We have more money in the Asset Recovery Fund. It's just a matter of the scope of work " He said Fire Services has been working with the Public Works Department on the design and site of the facility.
As far as rehabilitating the closed stations, "We will be doing the Dorothea station first," Williams said. He said Fire Services has the funds needed to reopen the North Side St. Thomas facility. Residents and community groups have protested the years-long shutdown of the station on Crown Mountain Road.
"We have $500,000 to hire an additional 11 firefighters to open the Fortuna station," on the island's West End, "but we will do Dorthea first, because it is more ready to be opened," he said.
He has targeted November for the reopening. "It depends on the hiring and training of the new firefighters," he said. The facility now there can be used, he said, until a new station is constructed –for which Fire Services "may need more money."
The supplemental appropriation provides $300,000 for construction of the Fortuna/Bordeaux station, which Williams said will be started as soon as the Dorothea station is reopened.
For the Cotton Valley station on St. Croix's East End, Fire Services has received $160,000 for a new pumper truck and $200,000 to hire six firefighters.
Williams said he also has received a grant of $241,780 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a new fleet of fire trucks and pumpers.
"We have already sent a proposal to lease 10 new fire trucks for the territory to Commissioner [Marc] Biggs at Property and Procurement," he said. "We have already made contact to make these projects a reality."
With all of these efforts in the works as hurricane season is in full swing, "I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have to stop," Williams said
