The V.I. Montessori School will hold an Open House for new students at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 1, in the music room of the school in Vessup Bay.
Child care will be available. VIMS has openings for toddlers through middle school students.
Tour the campus, meet the faculty and learn about the internationally recognized Montessori learning method.
Financial aid is available. For more information call the school at 775-6360.
TERESA BURGOS SERVICES
Funeral services for Teresa Burgos, 48, of Nicasio Nico Housing Community, who passed away on Thursday, July 26, at the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital, will be held at 12 noon at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Viewing will begin at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Kingshill Cemetery.
Teresa "Tere" Burgos is survived by her daughters Maria T. Torres, Annette Rivera & Willnelia Acevedo: son William Acevedo Jr.; grandchildren Janette Marie Rivera, Jonathan Acevedo & Jasmine Marrero; sisters Elba Diaz, Luisa Burgos & Julia Burgos; brothers Isidro Burgos, Juan Burgos, Juan J. Burgos & Martin Burgos; nieces Anna I. Perez, Carmen Acosta, Rose I. Vazquez, Gloria Small, Clarissa, Delia & Yesenia Burgos; nephews Vicente Soto Sr., Jesus Nieves Jr., Jose E. Vazquez, Juan J. Burgos Jr., Juan J. Nieves, Jose J. Burgos, Aalex Burgos, Marcial Ramos Jr, Martin Burgos Jr., Jose E. Vazquez Jr., Wilfredo Daiz; aunts Angela & Zenita Gonzales; umcle Pablo Gonzales; son-in-law Hector L. Rivers Jr.; sister-in-law Carmen M. Burgos; close friends Vitalicia Torres, Nelida Cruz, Josefina Encarnacion & Elias Torres; numerous other relative and friends.
Professional service by James Memorial Funeral Home Inc.
Teresa "Tere" Burgos is survived by her daughters Maria T. Torres, Annette Rivera & Willnelia Acevedo: son William Acevedo Jr.; grandchildren Janette Marie Rivera, Jonathan Acevedo & Jasmine Marrero; sisters Elba Diaz, Luisa Burgos & Julia Burgos; brothers Isidro Burgos, Juan Burgos, Juan J. Burgos & Martin Burgos; nieces Anna I. Perez, Carmen Acosta, Rose I. Vazquez, Gloria Small, Clarissa, Delia & Yesenia Burgos; nephews Vicente Soto Sr., Jesus Nieves Jr., Jose E. Vazquez, Juan J. Burgos Jr., Juan J. Nieves, Jose J. Burgos, Aalex Burgos, Marcial Ramos Jr, Martin Burgos Jr., Jose E. Vazquez Jr., Wilfredo Daiz; aunts Angela & Zenita Gonzales; umcle Pablo Gonzales; son-in-law Hector L. Rivers Jr.; sister-in-law Carmen M. Burgos; close friends Vitalicia Torres, Nelida Cruz, Josefina Encarnacion & Elias Torres; numerous other relative and friends.
Professional service by James Memorial Funeral Home Inc.
'ASHFALL' ISN'T TOXIC BUT CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS
July 30, 2001 – Scientists call it "ashfall" — like rainfall or, in less temperate climes, snowfall. It started silently settling on the Virgin Islands and eastern Puerto Rico Sunday night, catching everyone by surprise when the sun came up.
The fresh volcanic ash that residents found coating their immediate worlds Monday is unsightly, abrasive and a hassle to clean up, but it's not toxic. However, breathing it in may cause trouble for young children, the elderly and anyone with chronic respiratory ailments.
That's the expert information to be found in a web site section titled "What to do in case of an ashfall." It's information from the U.S. Geological Survey and the state of Washington's Emergency Management Division that can be found at What to do during ashfall.
What initially was misdiagnosed as "Sahara dust" is, in fact, the airborne matter from a "volcanic event that occurred on the island of Montserrat," as a release Monday from the Planning and Natural Resources Department put it. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration issued advisories throughout the day Monday on the fallout from the Soufriere Hills volcano.
Reports noted that "the thin, diffuse plume emanating from the volcano was being obscured by high-level clouds to the west of Montserrat," making it impossible to capture any satellite imagery. However, it said, "Activity at the volcano remains low, similar to what has been observed over the last several weeks."
The V.I. Health Department issued a release Monday advising persons with respiratory ailments to limit outdoor activities and seek to avoid inhaling airborne ash.
"The volcanic ash is described as a non-organic sulphur-based compound, which does not pose an immediate health hazard," the release stated. It noted that those with respiratory conditions may experience eye irritation, nasal congestion, tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing. If these symptoms persist, it said, medical attention should be sought.
Further, it said, if the ash has gotten into cisterns, "it should settle to the bottom within a day or so."
The advisory recommended that users of cistern water boil it for 3 to 5 minutes before using it for drinking or cooking.
The release from Planning and Natural Resources, issued earlier in the day, advised residents to disconnect or block roof downspouts leading to cisterns, a recommendation in times of hurricane as well due to the threat of salt water contamination. It recommended hosing down roofs before reconnecting the spouts.
However, Lesley Leonard, acting supervisor of the DPNR Air Pollution Control Program, questioned whether boiling water would have any effect, since the ash is not a bacterial substance. Also, she noted, the ash is not water-soluble. What is being disseminated through the air is gases and particulate matter. She said filtering should eliminate any ash-related danger from otherwise safe drinking water.
As far as cleaning up, the DPNR release said the ash can be removed from surfaces with water but recommended wearing a face mask while trying to remove it in dry form.
The Geological Survey web site also notes if volcanic ash gets into the inner workings of mechanical devices, from computers to cars, it can jam things up. It can contaminate and clog ventilation systems, water supplies and drains. And it can cause short circuits — "Power often goes off during and after ashfall," it states.
Personal experiences
Cars all over the islands looked like misplaced mini-dinosaurs, covered in the gray, gritty ash. Farmers and car-wash operators were happy, but just about everyone else was perplexed by what to do about it. Many contact-lens wearers were in pain.
Carlos Robles, horticultural specialist at the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service, said both Sunday's downpour and Monday's ashfall bode well for the territory's farming community. If there is a high concentration of potassium in the ash, it could be incorporated back into the soil, and "farmers are likely to see a difference in plant growth" for the better, he said. He hadn't been able to get the ash analyzed Monday.
St. Thomas resident Jimmy Magras, noting that his trees and plants were covered in ash, said he had heard about the potentially beneficial effects of the potassium and added, "I hope it's good, and not not good."
On St. Croix, North Shore resident Lisa Giorgi said she listened to discussion of the ash situation on a St. Thomas radio station Monday morning and only then went outside, shortly before noon, to see if her island had been affected. "I discovered my car was covered with it, and the leaves on all the bushes," she said. Then she realized that inside her home, "the furniture was covered, too." The matter entered the house through louvered windows and a screened gallery. There would simply have been no way to keep it out.
Giorgi's eyeball analysis of the ash was that "it sort of sticks. Indoors, it looks as if it's dusty, but you can't just brush it off; there's a residue that clings to the furniture. It's a terrible mess."
On St. Thomas, Jane and Jerry Immel went out on their tugboat, Lady Salvor, around 2 a.m. Monday to take out a container ship, and all appeared normal. At 4 a.m., they went out again to bring another vessel into the harbor — and found their boat covered in gray matter.
"We didn't know what to make of it in the dark," Jane Immel said. By the time they got back to Crown Bay in the dawn's early light, they had figured out the cause. "I hope I'm finished sweeping now," she said. According to meteorologists, the odds are against it.
Further ash may fall
While the air was clear over the Virgin Islands late Monday afternoon, skies remained overcast. It was Sunday's tropical wave that carried the ash northwestward from Montserrat to the territory and Puerto Rico Sunday. Another tropical wave moving across the Atlantic is expected to bring similar rains and heavy winds to the territory by Wednesday, the National Weather Service reported. It could well carry — and drop — another layer of volcanic dust.
The Soufriere Hills volcano on the island of Montserrat, about 275 miles south of the Virgin Islands, has been active since 1995. The current activity apparently is implosive, as opposed to explosive, and does not pose any immediate threat to those still living on the island.
For continuous updates on the volcanic ash emanating from Montserrat, see the Washington Volcanic Ash Advisories page of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Satellite Services Division web site http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/messages.html.
The fresh volcanic ash that residents found coating their immediate worlds Monday is unsightly, abrasive and a hassle to clean up, but it's not toxic. However, breathing it in may cause trouble for young children, the elderly and anyone with chronic respiratory ailments.
That's the expert information to be found in a web site section titled "What to do in case of an ashfall." It's information from the U.S. Geological Survey and the state of Washington's Emergency Management Division that can be found at What to do during ashfall.
What initially was misdiagnosed as "Sahara dust" is, in fact, the airborne matter from a "volcanic event that occurred on the island of Montserrat," as a release Monday from the Planning and Natural Resources Department put it. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration issued advisories throughout the day Monday on the fallout from the Soufriere Hills volcano.
Reports noted that "the thin, diffuse plume emanating from the volcano was being obscured by high-level clouds to the west of Montserrat," making it impossible to capture any satellite imagery. However, it said, "Activity at the volcano remains low, similar to what has been observed over the last several weeks."
The V.I. Health Department issued a release Monday advising persons with respiratory ailments to limit outdoor activities and seek to avoid inhaling airborne ash.
"The volcanic ash is described as a non-organic sulphur-based compound, which does not pose an immediate health hazard," the release stated. It noted that those with respiratory conditions may experience eye irritation, nasal congestion, tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing. If these symptoms persist, it said, medical attention should be sought.
Further, it said, if the ash has gotten into cisterns, "it should settle to the bottom within a day or so."
The advisory recommended that users of cistern water boil it for 3 to 5 minutes before using it for drinking or cooking.
The release from Planning and Natural Resources, issued earlier in the day, advised residents to disconnect or block roof downspouts leading to cisterns, a recommendation in times of hurricane as well due to the threat of salt water contamination. It recommended hosing down roofs before reconnecting the spouts.
However, Lesley Leonard, acting supervisor of the DPNR Air Pollution Control Program, questioned whether boiling water would have any effect, since the ash is not a bacterial substance. Also, she noted, the ash is not water-soluble. What is being disseminated through the air is gases and particulate matter. She said filtering should eliminate any ash-related danger from otherwise safe drinking water.
As far as cleaning up, the DPNR release said the ash can be removed from surfaces with water but recommended wearing a face mask while trying to remove it in dry form.
The Geological Survey web site also notes if volcanic ash gets into the inner workings of mechanical devices, from computers to cars, it can jam things up. It can contaminate and clog ventilation systems, water supplies and drains. And it can cause short circuits — "Power often goes off during and after ashfall," it states.
Personal experiences
Cars all over the islands looked like misplaced mini-dinosaurs, covered in the gray, gritty ash. Farmers and car-wash operators were happy, but just about everyone else was perplexed by what to do about it. Many contact-lens wearers were in pain.
Carlos Robles, horticultural specialist at the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service, said both Sunday's downpour and Monday's ashfall bode well for the territory's farming community. If there is a high concentration of potassium in the ash, it could be incorporated back into the soil, and "farmers are likely to see a difference in plant growth" for the better, he said. He hadn't been able to get the ash analyzed Monday.
St. Thomas resident Jimmy Magras, noting that his trees and plants were covered in ash, said he had heard about the potentially beneficial effects of the potassium and added, "I hope it's good, and not not good."
On St. Croix, North Shore resident Lisa Giorgi said she listened to discussion of the ash situation on a St. Thomas radio station Monday morning and only then went outside, shortly before noon, to see if her island had been affected. "I discovered my car was covered with it, and the leaves on all the bushes," she said. Then she realized that inside her home, "the furniture was covered, too." The matter entered the house through louvered windows and a screened gallery. There would simply have been no way to keep it out.
Giorgi's eyeball analysis of the ash was that "it sort of sticks. Indoors, it looks as if it's dusty, but you can't just brush it off; there's a residue that clings to the furniture. It's a terrible mess."
On St. Thomas, Jane and Jerry Immel went out on their tugboat, Lady Salvor, around 2 a.m. Monday to take out a container ship, and all appeared normal. At 4 a.m., they went out again to bring another vessel into the harbor — and found their boat covered in gray matter.
"We didn't know what to make of it in the dark," Jane Immel said. By the time they got back to Crown Bay in the dawn's early light, they had figured out the cause. "I hope I'm finished sweeping now," she said. According to meteorologists, the odds are against it.
Further ash may fall
While the air was clear over the Virgin Islands late Monday afternoon, skies remained overcast. It was Sunday's tropical wave that carried the ash northwestward from Montserrat to the territory and Puerto Rico Sunday. Another tropical wave moving across the Atlantic is expected to bring similar rains and heavy winds to the territory by Wednesday, the National Weather Service reported. It could well carry — and drop — another layer of volcanic dust.
The Soufriere Hills volcano on the island of Montserrat, about 275 miles south of the Virgin Islands, has been active since 1995. The current activity apparently is implosive, as opposed to explosive, and does not pose any immediate threat to those still living on the island.
For continuous updates on the volcanic ash emanating from Montserrat, see the Washington Volcanic Ash Advisories page of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Satellite Services Division web site http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/messages.html.
'ASHFALL' ISN'T TOXIC BUT CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS
July 30, 2001 – Scientists call it "ashfall" — like rainfall, or, in less temperate climes, snowfall. It started silently settling on the Virgin Islands and eastern Puerto Rico Sunday night, catching everyone by surprise when the sun came up.
The fresh volcanic ash that residents found coating their immediate worlds Monday is unsightly, abrasive and a hassle to clean up, but it's not toxic. However, breathing it in may cause trouble for young children, the elderly and anyone with chronic respiratory ailments.
That's the expert information to be found in a web site section titled "What to do in case of an ashfall." It's information from the U.S. Geological Survey and the state of Washington's Emergency Management Division that can be found at What to do during ashfall.
What initially was misdiagnosed as "Sahara dust" is, in fact, the airborne matter from a "volcanic event that occurred on the island of Montserrat," as a release from the Planning and Natural Resources Department Monday put it. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration issued advisories throughout the day Monday on the fallout from the Soufriere Hills volcano.
Reports noted that "the thin, diffuse plume emanating from the volcano was being obscured by high-level clouds to the west of Montserrat," making it impossible to capture any satellite imagery. However, it said, "Activity at the volcano remains low, similar to what has been observed over the last several weeks."
The V.I. Health Department issued a release Monday advising persons with respiratory ailments to limit outdoor activities and seek to avoid inhaling airborne ash.
"The volcanic ash is described as a non-organic sulphur-based compound, which does not pose an immediate health hazard," the release stated. It noted that those with respiratory conditions may experience eye irritation, nasal congestion, tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing. If these symptoms persist, it said, medical attention should be sought.
Further, it said, if the ash has gotten into cisterns, "it should settle to the bottom within a day or so."
The advisory recommended that users of cistern water boil it for 3 to 5 minutes before using it for drinking or cooking purposes.
The release from Planning and Natural Resources, issued earlier in the day, advised residents to disconnect or block roof downspouts leading to cisterns, a recommendation in times of hurricane as well, due to the threat of salt water contamination. It recommended hosing down roofs before reconnecting the spouts.
However, Lesley Leonard, acting supervisor of the DPNR Air Pollution Control Program, questioned whether boiling water would have any effect, since the ash is not a bacterial substance. Also, she noted, the ash is not water-soluble. What is being disseminated through the air is gases and particulate matter. She said filtering should eliminate any ash-related danger from otherwise safe drinking water.
As far as cleaning up, the DPNR release said the ash can be removed from surfaces with water but recommended wearing a face mask while trying to remove it in dry form.
The Geological Survey web site also notes if volcanic ash gets into the inner workings of mechanical devices, from computers to cars, it can jam things up. It can contaminate and clog ventilation systems, water supplies and drains. And it can cause short circuits — "Power often goes off during and after ashfall," it states.
Personal experiences
Cars all over the islands looked like misplaced mini-dinosaurs, covered in the gray, gritty ash. Farmers and car-wash operators were happy, but just about everyone else was perplexed by what to do about it. Many contact-lens wearers were in pain.
Carlos Robles, horticultural specialist at the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service, said both Sunday's downpour and Monday's ashfall bode well for the territory's farming community. If there is a high concentration of potassium in the ash, it could be incorporated right back into the soil, and "farmers are likely to see a difference in plant growth" for the better, he said. He hadn't been able to get the ash analyzed Monday.
St. Thomas resident Jimmy Magras, noting that his trees and plants were covered in ash, said he had heard about the potentially beneficial effects of the potassium and added, "I hope it's good, and not not good."
On St. Croix, North Shore resident Lisa Giorgi said she listened to discussion of the ash situation on a St. Thomas radio station Monday morning and only then went outside, shortly before noon, to see if her island had been affected. "I discovered my car was covered with it, and the leaves on all the bushes," she said. And then she realized that inside her home, "the furniture was covered, too." The matter entered the house through louvered windows and a screened gallery. There would simply have been no way to keep it out.
Giorgi's eyeball analysis of the ash was that "it sort of sticks. Indoors, it looks as if it's dusty, but you can't just brush it off; there's a residue that clings to the furniture. It's a terrible mess."
On St. Thomas, Jane and Jerry Immel went out on their tugboat, Lady Salvor, around 2 a.m. Monday to take out a container ship, and all appeared normal. At 4 a.m., they went out again to bring another vessel into the harbor — and found their boat covered in gray matter.
"We didn't know what to make of it in the dark," Jane Immel said. By the time they got back to Crown Bay in the dawn's early light, they had figured out the cause. "I hope I'm finished sweeping now," she said. According to meteorologists, the odds are against it.
Further ash may fall
While the air was clear over the Virgin Islands late Monday afternoon, skies remained overcast. It was Sunday's tropical wave that carried the ash northwestward from Montserrat to the territory and Puerto Rico Sunday. Another tropical wave moving across the Atlantic is expected to bring weather similar rains and heavy winds to the territory by Wednesday, the National Weather Service reported. It could well carry — and drop — another layer of volcanic dust.
The Soufriere Hills volcano on the island of Montserrat, about 275 miles south of the Virgin Islands, has been active since 1995. The current activity apparently is implosive, as opposed to explosive, and does not pose any immediate threat to those still living on the island.
For continuous updates on the volcanic ash emanating from Montserrat, see the Washington Volcanic Ash Advisories page of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Satellite Services Division web site http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/messages.html.
The fresh volcanic ash that residents found coating their immediate worlds Monday is unsightly, abrasive and a hassle to clean up, but it's not toxic. However, breathing it in may cause trouble for young children, the elderly and anyone with chronic respiratory ailments.
That's the expert information to be found in a web site section titled "What to do in case of an ashfall." It's information from the U.S. Geological Survey and the state of Washington's Emergency Management Division that can be found at What to do during ashfall.
What initially was misdiagnosed as "Sahara dust" is, in fact, the airborne matter from a "volcanic event that occurred on the island of Montserrat," as a release from the Planning and Natural Resources Department Monday put it. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration issued advisories throughout the day Monday on the fallout from the Soufriere Hills volcano.
Reports noted that "the thin, diffuse plume emanating from the volcano was being obscured by high-level clouds to the west of Montserrat," making it impossible to capture any satellite imagery. However, it said, "Activity at the volcano remains low, similar to what has been observed over the last several weeks."
The V.I. Health Department issued a release Monday advising persons with respiratory ailments to limit outdoor activities and seek to avoid inhaling airborne ash.
"The volcanic ash is described as a non-organic sulphur-based compound, which does not pose an immediate health hazard," the release stated. It noted that those with respiratory conditions may experience eye irritation, nasal congestion, tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing. If these symptoms persist, it said, medical attention should be sought.
Further, it said, if the ash has gotten into cisterns, "it should settle to the bottom within a day or so."
The advisory recommended that users of cistern water boil it for 3 to 5 minutes before using it for drinking or cooking purposes.
The release from Planning and Natural Resources, issued earlier in the day, advised residents to disconnect or block roof downspouts leading to cisterns, a recommendation in times of hurricane as well, due to the threat of salt water contamination. It recommended hosing down roofs before reconnecting the spouts.
However, Lesley Leonard, acting supervisor of the DPNR Air Pollution Control Program, questioned whether boiling water would have any effect, since the ash is not a bacterial substance. Also, she noted, the ash is not water-soluble. What is being disseminated through the air is gases and particulate matter. She said filtering should eliminate any ash-related danger from otherwise safe drinking water.
As far as cleaning up, the DPNR release said the ash can be removed from surfaces with water but recommended wearing a face mask while trying to remove it in dry form.
The Geological Survey web site also notes if volcanic ash gets into the inner workings of mechanical devices, from computers to cars, it can jam things up. It can contaminate and clog ventilation systems, water supplies and drains. And it can cause short circuits — "Power often goes off during and after ashfall," it states.
Personal experiences
Cars all over the islands looked like misplaced mini-dinosaurs, covered in the gray, gritty ash. Farmers and car-wash operators were happy, but just about everyone else was perplexed by what to do about it. Many contact-lens wearers were in pain.
Carlos Robles, horticultural specialist at the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service, said both Sunday's downpour and Monday's ashfall bode well for the territory's farming community. If there is a high concentration of potassium in the ash, it could be incorporated right back into the soil, and "farmers are likely to see a difference in plant growth" for the better, he said. He hadn't been able to get the ash analyzed Monday.
St. Thomas resident Jimmy Magras, noting that his trees and plants were covered in ash, said he had heard about the potentially beneficial effects of the potassium and added, "I hope it's good, and not not good."
On St. Croix, North Shore resident Lisa Giorgi said she listened to discussion of the ash situation on a St. Thomas radio station Monday morning and only then went outside, shortly before noon, to see if her island had been affected. "I discovered my car was covered with it, and the leaves on all the bushes," she said. And then she realized that inside her home, "the furniture was covered, too." The matter entered the house through louvered windows and a screened gallery. There would simply have been no way to keep it out.
Giorgi's eyeball analysis of the ash was that "it sort of sticks. Indoors, it looks as if it's dusty, but you can't just brush it off; there's a residue that clings to the furniture. It's a terrible mess."
On St. Thomas, Jane and Jerry Immel went out on their tugboat, Lady Salvor, around 2 a.m. Monday to take out a container ship, and all appeared normal. At 4 a.m., they went out again to bring another vessel into the harbor — and found their boat covered in gray matter.
"We didn't know what to make of it in the dark," Jane Immel said. By the time they got back to Crown Bay in the dawn's early light, they had figured out the cause. "I hope I'm finished sweeping now," she said. According to meteorologists, the odds are against it.
Further ash may fall
While the air was clear over the Virgin Islands late Monday afternoon, skies remained overcast. It was Sunday's tropical wave that carried the ash northwestward from Montserrat to the territory and Puerto Rico Sunday. Another tropical wave moving across the Atlantic is expected to bring weather similar rains and heavy winds to the territory by Wednesday, the National Weather Service reported. It could well carry — and drop — another layer of volcanic dust.
The Soufriere Hills volcano on the island of Montserrat, about 275 miles south of the Virgin Islands, has been active since 1995. The current activity apparently is implosive, as opposed to explosive, and does not pose any immediate threat to those still living on the island.
For continuous updates on the volcanic ash emanating from Montserrat, see the Washington Volcanic Ash Advisories page of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Satellite Services Division web site http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/messages.html.
TOURISM CALENDAR LOOKING FOR LISTINGS
July 30, 2001 – The Tourism Department is now collecting information for its 2002 activities calendar.
The department distributes the annual calendar, which lists local holidays, events and other activities, as a part of its promotional outreach "via its various public relations vehicles and the Internet," Tourism Commissioner Pamela Richards said in a release. She added, "The events calendar is updated regularly and continuously disseminated."
The deadline for submitting information is Aug. 31. It may be mailed to PO Box 6400, St. Thomas VI 00804; faxed to 774-4390; or e-mailed to usviinfo@usvitourism.vi.
The department distributes the annual calendar, which lists local holidays, events and other activities, as a part of its promotional outreach "via its various public relations vehicles and the Internet," Tourism Commissioner Pamela Richards said in a release. She added, "The events calendar is updated regularly and continuously disseminated."
The deadline for submitting information is Aug. 31. It may be mailed to PO Box 6400, St. Thomas VI 00804; faxed to 774-4390; or e-mailed to usviinfo@usvitourism.vi.
CHAMBER URGES VIDEO LOTTERY VETO AND PROBE
July 30, 2001 – The St. Croix Chamber of Commerce issued a release Monday "urgently" requesting that Gov. Charles W. Turnbull veto the video lottery enabling legislation passed by the Senate late on July 19 as one of numerous amendments to the governor's supplemental appropriations bill.
The release termed the legislation "insidious" and said it "could jeopardize existing and future casino operations," a view advanced last week by Eileen Petersen, chair of the Casino Control Commission. The chamber affirmed its support of "the development and expansion of the hotel industry on St. Croix as authorized under the Casino and Resort Control Act of 1995."
The chamber also called on Attorney General Iver Stridiron to "investigate the forces that are hell-bent on pushing this corrupting form of entertainment." In several states, the release stated, video lottery terminals are not only controversial but "targeted to be barred."
The chamber's leadership and members "are appalled at the irresponsible action of the Senate" in passing a measure "that in essence would destroy the growing casino and hotel industry and result in the loss of economic activity and employment for hundreds of local residents," the release said.
Also, it said, video lottery terminals placed in bars and restaurants would add nothing to the infrastructure of the community — "no significant number of jobs, hotel rooms, convention centers or other tourist-related facilities. VLT's will not provide the broader economic and tourism benefits that a casino would provide, and at the same time will undercut and severely diminish the probability of St. Croix ever establishing a thriving casino resort market."
The release termed the legislation "insidious" and said it "could jeopardize existing and future casino operations," a view advanced last week by Eileen Petersen, chair of the Casino Control Commission. The chamber affirmed its support of "the development and expansion of the hotel industry on St. Croix as authorized under the Casino and Resort Control Act of 1995."
The chamber also called on Attorney General Iver Stridiron to "investigate the forces that are hell-bent on pushing this corrupting form of entertainment." In several states, the release stated, video lottery terminals are not only controversial but "targeted to be barred."
The chamber's leadership and members "are appalled at the irresponsible action of the Senate" in passing a measure "that in essence would destroy the growing casino and hotel industry and result in the loss of economic activity and employment for hundreds of local residents," the release said.
Also, it said, video lottery terminals placed in bars and restaurants would add nothing to the infrastructure of the community — "no significant number of jobs, hotel rooms, convention centers or other tourist-related facilities. VLT's will not provide the broader economic and tourism benefits that a casino would provide, and at the same time will undercut and severely diminish the probability of St. Croix ever establishing a thriving casino resort market."
POLICE AWAITING AUTOPSY ON DEAD WOMAN
July 30, 2001 – Police are awaiting an autopsy report to determine the cause of death over the weekend of a 39-year-old St. Croix woman.
Jan Marie Hooper was found dead at the home of her ex-husband, Alan Zinman, in Catherine's Hope early Saturday morning.
Deputy Chief of Police Novelle Francis said Monday the autopsy will reveal whether a criminal investigation should be launched, adding that "investigators are uncomfortable with cuts" on Hooper's body and spots of blood in the bedroom where her body was found and in another room in the house.
Hooper, who lived in Pepper Tree Terrace, had reportedly been staying with Zinaman because she had been having some problems at her own home.
Investigators would not reveal the nature of those problems, saying they were still investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.
Francis said he expected the results of the autopsy by Wednesday.
Jan Marie Hooper was found dead at the home of her ex-husband, Alan Zinman, in Catherine's Hope early Saturday morning.
Deputy Chief of Police Novelle Francis said Monday the autopsy will reveal whether a criminal investigation should be launched, adding that "investigators are uncomfortable with cuts" on Hooper's body and spots of blood in the bedroom where her body was found and in another room in the house.
Hooper, who lived in Pepper Tree Terrace, had reportedly been staying with Zinaman because she had been having some problems at her own home.
Investigators would not reveal the nature of those problems, saying they were still investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.
Francis said he expected the results of the autopsy by Wednesday.
YOUNGSTERS TO SHOW HISTORIC SITE ARTWORK
July 30, 2001 – Nineteen youngsters who have been drawing historical landmarks in and around Christiansted as part of their summer art camp experience will exhibit their work Friday evening at the Danica Art Gallery.
Exhibiting are Tsion Aberra, Brandon Bolden, Joshua Cheatham, Tevon Chumney, Sherisse Lake Gardiner, Deidre Graham, Megan Grant, Jai Hewlett, Britteney Joseph, Nicole Lazare, Ivey Lewis, Natasha Wade Lewis, Christina Melendez, Ajaime Monell, Leonarda Rodgers, Anthony Rosado, Jonathan Scott, Jenna Thomas and Alex Akeel Williams.
As a result of his experience this summer, Anthony said, "I feel more confident in my artistic ability." Joshua's assessment was, "I feel more comfortable showing others what I've drawn now that I've had this class."
Danica David, owner of the gallery, and her assistant, Ginelle Encarnacion, have been teaching the students, ages 8 to 13, in a six-week program called "Sketch St. Croix." Scholarship assistance for students was provided through a grant from the St. Croix Foundation.
The historic sites where the students set up included Fort Christiansvaern, Government House, the Anglican Church, the former Victor Borge residence (now Innovative Communication Corp. offices) and the Steeple Building.
David said the focus of the camp has been "to encourage young people not only to increase their artistic skills but also to be aware of the outstanding career opportunities that are open to someone who has refined such talents."
The gallery is located at 54 King Street in Christiansted. The exhibition is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday. The public is invited and admission is free.
Exhibiting are Tsion Aberra, Brandon Bolden, Joshua Cheatham, Tevon Chumney, Sherisse Lake Gardiner, Deidre Graham, Megan Grant, Jai Hewlett, Britteney Joseph, Nicole Lazare, Ivey Lewis, Natasha Wade Lewis, Christina Melendez, Ajaime Monell, Leonarda Rodgers, Anthony Rosado, Jonathan Scott, Jenna Thomas and Alex Akeel Williams.
As a result of his experience this summer, Anthony said, "I feel more confident in my artistic ability." Joshua's assessment was, "I feel more comfortable showing others what I've drawn now that I've had this class."
Danica David, owner of the gallery, and her assistant, Ginelle Encarnacion, have been teaching the students, ages 8 to 13, in a six-week program called "Sketch St. Croix." Scholarship assistance for students was provided through a grant from the St. Croix Foundation.
The historic sites where the students set up included Fort Christiansvaern, Government House, the Anglican Church, the former Victor Borge residence (now Innovative Communication Corp. offices) and the Steeple Building.
David said the focus of the camp has been "to encourage young people not only to increase their artistic skills but also to be aware of the outstanding career opportunities that are open to someone who has refined such talents."
The gallery is located at 54 King Street in Christiansted. The exhibition is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday. The public is invited and admission is free.
V.I. JUNIOR LITTLE LEAGUE LOSES BAHAMAS OPENER
July 30, 2001 – Freeport, Grand Bahama — The Virgin Islands Junior Little League Team lost its first game in Latin American Championship play in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Sunday evening, falling to Panama, 5-1.
For the hosts, it was a night of firsts: the first time that the Bahamas has hosted a Little League Latin American Championship and the first time baseball has been played at night in the Bahamas.
For five innings, the game was a pitching duel between Tehron Christian of the Virgin Islands and Panama's, Rapad Pitti. Tehron worked his way out of trouble several time in those innings while Rapad cruised through, recording 10 strikeouts.
Neither team could muster a run for the first three innings. Both scored singles in the fourth, with Shareem Samuel of the Virgin Islands smashing a 340-foot home run over the left field fence. Neither team scored in the fifth inning. Panama scored another single in the top of the sixth to take the lead then held the Virgin Islands scoreless in the bottom of the inning. Panama sealed the Virgin Islands' fate with three runs in the top of the seventh to cap off the scoring.
The Virgin Islands had two hits and committed six errors. Panama had seven hits — with Joseph Guerra getting three in four at-bats — and committed two errors.
The Virgin Islands plays the Bahamas Monday at 2:30 pm. Eight teams are taking part in the tournament: Aruba, the Bahamas, Curacao, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and the Virgin Islands.
For the hosts, it was a night of firsts: the first time that the Bahamas has hosted a Little League Latin American Championship and the first time baseball has been played at night in the Bahamas.
For five innings, the game was a pitching duel between Tehron Christian of the Virgin Islands and Panama's, Rapad Pitti. Tehron worked his way out of trouble several time in those innings while Rapad cruised through, recording 10 strikeouts.
Neither team could muster a run for the first three innings. Both scored singles in the fourth, with Shareem Samuel of the Virgin Islands smashing a 340-foot home run over the left field fence. Neither team scored in the fifth inning. Panama scored another single in the top of the sixth to take the lead then held the Virgin Islands scoreless in the bottom of the inning. Panama sealed the Virgin Islands' fate with three runs in the top of the seventh to cap off the scoring.
The Virgin Islands had two hits and committed six errors. Panama had seven hits — with Joseph Guerra getting three in four at-bats — and committed two errors.
The Virgin Islands plays the Bahamas Monday at 2:30 pm. Eight teams are taking part in the tournament: Aruba, the Bahamas, Curacao, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and the Virgin Islands.
START SEARCH FOR A VIABLE ECONOMY AT HOME
The Virgin Islands Economic Development Summit held July 24 on St. Thomas and July 25 on St. Croix has stimulated a public dialogue and discussion that needs to be ongoing. During the 23rd Legislature, I worked with the Post Audit Division and the Finance Committee chair, Senator Lorraine Berry. With Sens. Roosevelt David and David Jones, Sen. Berry organized an economic summit that took place March 18-19, 1999. As the senior researcher-adviser to the post auditor and the Finance Committee chair, I was intimately involved in the formulation of the summit.
I wrote two reports in that regard. The first was a public policy document that was rejected as too "political." The second was simply a list of 175 suggestions for economic reform. Many of them ended up in the Five-Year Operating and Strategic Financial Plan submitted to the governor by his Economic Recovery Task Force. The majority bloc of the 23rd Legislature adopted a piecemeal approach to implementing some of the suggestions, but the political consensus necessary between the executive and legislative branches did not emerge.
This week's Economic Development Summit was very similar to the previous summit two years ago. Many members of the majority bloc of the 24th Legislature were in the non-majority of the 23rd Legislature. In fact, some of the organizers of this summit were the most vociferous critics of the last summit.
What a difference a term makes! At last, all of our leaders accept the principle that we must bring the public and private sectors together and respectfully communicate our different views. Finally, outside models, external investors, different theories and trained experts (with Ph.D.'s in economics and political science, and not "street sense") can inform us on ways to create a modern economy.
Yes, it took an academic from Singapore to tell us what we already knew. We must invest in human capital, and we must shift our focus from a service-based economy to a knowledge- based economy. How? We must invest our precious resources in modernizing public education. We must move heaven and hell to find more funds to transform public education as we know it.
You need not agree with me. Ask guest Dr. Linda Low from the National University of Singapore, and review the experiences of all Newly Industrialized Countries (NIC's). Singapore prioritized public education as the No. 1 area to be transformed. Modern schools were built and the university system was upgraded in order to provide the institutional capacity to guide the society. I will not even discuss the cultural issues — they deserve separate commentaries. Our political leadership must commit more resources to public education immediately in order to begin a structural change in the economy.
Further, Singapore created institutions that would intervene in the economy whenever necessary. It is absurd in any developing economy that a specific industry, say tourism, does not have a related public institution such as a "School of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Leisure Services." Despite the dominant presence of Amerada Hess in St. Croix, there is no "Institute of Petrochemical Production." How can any society allow tourism and petrochemicals to feature so prominently without creating public institutions to monitor, analyze or simply cooperate with them?
In Singapore, as in the case of all other NIC's in Asia, permanent institutions have been created to facilitate the development of private or state-owned corporations. We have not done this. We do not have a "Council of Economic Advisers" that is expert in economic development. Our political leaders have no problem inviting an expert from a university in Asia, but they shun economists from their own University of the Virgin Islands. We have two economists with Ph.D.'s — Dr. Simon Jones-Hendrickson on the St. Croix campus and Dr. Bruce Smith on the St. Thomas campus. Why aren't they consulted? In our political system, why isn't the internal intellectual community tapped? How can our political leaders in one breath say we must create a "knowledge-based economy" and in the next propose cutting the UVI budget in order to provide scholarships to other universities?
A dictum of political science is that all progressive societies pursue self-interests. It is in the best self-interest of present and future political leaders to invest in human resources. We would be wise to resolve our endemic political crises in a socially just and fair manner. As an unincorporated territory which will remain close to the American model for the immediate future, we must create a new political consensus and will in order to tackle our social, economic and political problems.
Our elected officials have crossed an intellectual threshold by holding two consecutive summits that said the same thing: The political system must change, and our economics must adjust to globalization. Be they conscious of this or not, our senators have accepted the need for change. Will they take the next step and transform the economic system?
Perhaps that is asking too much, but the 24th Legislature, and future legislatures, will have to make tough choices and necessary sacrifices. If you doubt me, ask the citizens of Singapore. Economic development has a price that must be paid. Prosperity is not free, and one generation must be willing to forgo luxuries — social habits, consumption patterns and societal behavior — in order for their children and grandchildren to reap sustainable development.
The 1990s politics will have to end. Race-baiting, ethno-insularism, St. Thomas-St. Croix bickering, excessive partisanship and kleptocratic politics must be thrown into the dustbins of history. We cannot truly imitate Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea. We cannot even imitate Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica. We must create our own model based on the present conditions of being a U.S. territory and a Caribbean society.
This will not be easy, but it must be done. We need to investigate the Singapore model a bit more thoroughly. The model is progressive in some respects, but we must carefully select only its good lessons and practices if we seek to adapt it to local conditions. If not, the model is dead on arrival. Virgin Islanders deserve workable formulas and models. We, too, should enjoy the global economy.
I wrote two reports in that regard. The first was a public policy document that was rejected as too "political." The second was simply a list of 175 suggestions for economic reform. Many of them ended up in the Five-Year Operating and Strategic Financial Plan submitted to the governor by his Economic Recovery Task Force. The majority bloc of the 23rd Legislature adopted a piecemeal approach to implementing some of the suggestions, but the political consensus necessary between the executive and legislative branches did not emerge.
This week's Economic Development Summit was very similar to the previous summit two years ago. Many members of the majority bloc of the 24th Legislature were in the non-majority of the 23rd Legislature. In fact, some of the organizers of this summit were the most vociferous critics of the last summit.
What a difference a term makes! At last, all of our leaders accept the principle that we must bring the public and private sectors together and respectfully communicate our different views. Finally, outside models, external investors, different theories and trained experts (with Ph.D.'s in economics and political science, and not "street sense") can inform us on ways to create a modern economy.
Yes, it took an academic from Singapore to tell us what we already knew. We must invest in human capital, and we must shift our focus from a service-based economy to a knowledge- based economy. How? We must invest our precious resources in modernizing public education. We must move heaven and hell to find more funds to transform public education as we know it.
You need not agree with me. Ask guest Dr. Linda Low from the National University of Singapore, and review the experiences of all Newly Industrialized Countries (NIC's). Singapore prioritized public education as the No. 1 area to be transformed. Modern schools were built and the university system was upgraded in order to provide the institutional capacity to guide the society. I will not even discuss the cultural issues — they deserve separate commentaries. Our political leadership must commit more resources to public education immediately in order to begin a structural change in the economy.
Further, Singapore created institutions that would intervene in the economy whenever necessary. It is absurd in any developing economy that a specific industry, say tourism, does not have a related public institution such as a "School of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Leisure Services." Despite the dominant presence of Amerada Hess in St. Croix, there is no "Institute of Petrochemical Production." How can any society allow tourism and petrochemicals to feature so prominently without creating public institutions to monitor, analyze or simply cooperate with them?
In Singapore, as in the case of all other NIC's in Asia, permanent institutions have been created to facilitate the development of private or state-owned corporations. We have not done this. We do not have a "Council of Economic Advisers" that is expert in economic development. Our political leaders have no problem inviting an expert from a university in Asia, but they shun economists from their own University of the Virgin Islands. We have two economists with Ph.D.'s — Dr. Simon Jones-Hendrickson on the St. Croix campus and Dr. Bruce Smith on the St. Thomas campus. Why aren't they consulted? In our political system, why isn't the internal intellectual community tapped? How can our political leaders in one breath say we must create a "knowledge-based economy" and in the next propose cutting the UVI budget in order to provide scholarships to other universities?
A dictum of political science is that all progressive societies pursue self-interests. It is in the best self-interest of present and future political leaders to invest in human resources. We would be wise to resolve our endemic political crises in a socially just and fair manner. As an unincorporated territory which will remain close to the American model for the immediate future, we must create a new political consensus and will in order to tackle our social, economic and political problems.
Our elected officials have crossed an intellectual threshold by holding two consecutive summits that said the same thing: The political system must change, and our economics must adjust to globalization. Be they conscious of this or not, our senators have accepted the need for change. Will they take the next step and transform the economic system?
Perhaps that is asking too much, but the 24th Legislature, and future legislatures, will have to make tough choices and necessary sacrifices. If you doubt me, ask the citizens of Singapore. Economic development has a price that must be paid. Prosperity is not free, and one generation must be willing to forgo luxuries — social habits, consumption patterns and societal behavior — in order for their children and grandchildren to reap sustainable development.
The 1990s politics will have to end. Race-baiting, ethno-insularism, St. Thomas-St. Croix bickering, excessive partisanship and kleptocratic politics must be thrown into the dustbins of history. We cannot truly imitate Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea. We cannot even imitate Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica. We must create our own model based on the present conditions of being a U.S. territory and a Caribbean society.
This will not be easy, but it must be done. We need to investigate the Singapore model a bit more thoroughly. The model is progressive in some respects, but we must carefully select only its good lessons and practices if we seek to adapt it to local conditions. If not, the model is dead on arrival. Virgin Islanders deserve workable formulas and models. We, too, should enjoy the global economy.
Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to source@viaccess.net.
