With bright red ribbons and small, white, lighted candles, about 200 people, from little children to grandparents, stood in a large semicircle Friday night to commemorate World AIDS Day at Emancipation Garden.
"I hold this candle," said one young girl, "for all the teen-agers out there who have died of this disease."
"I hold this candle for the students I teach."
"I hold this candle for my friends who are gone."
One by one, residents of all ages paid tribute to friends and loved ones, victims of AIDS.
Backed by the strong voices of the Caribbean Interdenominational Gospel Choir, the candlelight ceremony was a memorial to all who have died of the disease and an education to all those present.
Derek King, nephew of the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., gave the keynote address, a forceful and moving sermon, proving himself to be a charismatic speaker in the tradition of his late uncle.
King, who arrived on the island Thursday, said the island "is addictive, it's so beautiful." However, he said, "It is not detached from the social and spiritual ills of the rest of the world."
He stressed action: "The house is on fire. It doesn't matter who did it – it's burning and we have to put it out with education."
King cited three options: abstinence, being faithful to your mate and safe sex, protecting yourself. He said to have sex with someone, not knowing or knowing you are infected, is like putting a gun to someone's head, and saying, "I'm going to kill you."
"Until we learn to live together as brothers and sisters," he said, "we will die together as fools."
He reminded everyone that the disease started out simply, as a small gust of wind can signal the beginning of a hurricane or a drop of water can lead to a flood. Just as simply, we must stop it, he said.
"When people of commitment and conscience start coming together, things start happening," he said. "Now, I am a preacher. Do I hear an amen?"
He did, resoundingly.
Yvonne Zinicola, chapter manager of the St. Thomas-St. John American Red Cross, which sponsored the event along with the Health Department, gave the welcome address. In comparison to last year's small gathering, this year's number was increased tenfold, she said, adding, "I light my candle in hopes we increase by another tenfold next year."
Also addressing the group was Yvonne Greene of the Health Department, who had some sobering statistics. The Caribbean is second in the world after sub-Saharan Africa in AIDS/HIV infection. And AIDS is the main killer of African American men and Hispanic women in the territory.
However, the group suffering most is heterosexual women, she said – there is a huge increase in the territory and worldwide in cases among women.
Congressional Delegate Donna Christian-Christensen had sharp words, addressing this year's AIDS theme, "Men Making a Difference."
"I don't usually speak this plainly," she said, "but, men, you have to stop preying on young girls. Grow up and leave the young girls alone – and get tested." She said men have to "step up to the plate" and take responsibility.
The delegate cited her experience at clinics in St. Croix where she practiced medicine, and her different perspective on the disease from her new post. She said she is awaiting congressional passage of a $300 million AIDS bill, which will include some funding to the territory.
Many local health organizations, including the East End Family Health Center and the Knud-Hansen Clinic, had tables set up in the park with World AIDS Day ribbons, free condoms and an abundance of information for the public.
Also sponsoring the event were United Airlines, Cape Air, Best Western Emerald Beach Resort, Marriott Frenchman's Reef Resort, Coca-Cola, St. Thomas Dairies, Sib's Mountain Bar and Restaurant and Polli's Mexican Restaurant.
The evening started with lively Christmas songs from the Love City Pan Dragon Steel Orchestra and concluded with the choir humming in prayer to the lighted candles. "This little light of mine is going to shine," King concluded, quoting from a Southern spiritual.

Comfortable sea breezes, thorough planning and a squadron of helpful security personnel combined to pull off Friday night's annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Havensight Mall.
The central area of the mall was converted to a car-free zone to accommodate the families and friends of residents and visitors. Christmas decorations were strung from every light post. Local musicians, food vendors and entertainers filled the area with uniquely Caribbean sounds, smells and Christmas cheer. The Havensight merchants stayed open for Christmas shopping and at least two cruise ships remained at the dock late.
The highlight of the evening took place under a 25-foot Christmas tree. Following a well-received performance by the Signatures and Spirits, 8-year-old Jaanai Forbes pushed the button to light the multicolored Christmas tree, to the delight of all.
Hundreds of children thronged around Santa Claus to collect the "bubbles" or "yo-yos" he distributed. Also on hand with candy for the kids were Santa and Mama Deer and Mocko Jumbie Jamboree.
Local musicians, including Stanley and The Ten Sleepless Knights, Deep Unda Kova and Imagination Brass, played to applause at the corners of the pedestrian mall. Food vendors dished out such island fare as roti, kallaloo, stew mutton, Johnny cake and salt fish paté. The evening's events catered to children of all ages.

Casino Control Commission chairwoman Eileen Petersen warned Friday that a lack of funding to investigate a prospective casino applicant could seriously slow the approval process down.
Speaking at a regularly scheduled meeting of the casino commission, Petersen said that the commission could soon receive its second application in the past month, possibly by the end of the year.
However, she said, a $100,000 impress fund set up for the Division of Gaming Enforcement to investigate gaming applicants is empty. It could be funded with money from Golden Gaming LLC’s casino license application, which was filed late last month, but those funds have not been released.
"I have been in constant communication with the Department of Finance and it is my hope the funds will be released no later than [Friday]," Petersen said, adding that a quick background check of the applicant is at stake. "It appears there is no reason for the delay of money."
Petersen didn’t name the investor that would be checked out by the Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Golden Gaming, meanwhile, has applied for a Tier II hotel-casino that would be built on the east end of St. Croix. Licensing fees for a Tier II hotel, which must have 300 to 1,400 rooms and a 10,000-square-foot casino, are $200,000 for the first two years. A second two-year license costs $175,000.
Intensive background checks on a casino applicant are a normal part of the approval process, which also includes a verification of the project's financial viability.
The casino commission must also undertake a feasibility study to determine if the island can support the proposed casino.
St. Croix’s first casino, the Divi Carina Bay Resort, opened in March 2000 and now employs approximately 400 people, 276 of whom were either born in the territory or have lived here for at least five years.
A second casino application, by a Colorado-based company, was rejected by the commission after the company proposed that it be allowed to add the mandated amount of rooms over time.
The third application was filed by Mario de Chabert, a St. Croix businessman and attorney. His project, an eight-story, 193-room casino-hotel on his family's property near Sunny Isle Shopping Center, could break ground by the end of the year.
Golden Gaming would be the fourth license filed with the CCC since 1996.

Seventy-eight venerable buildings and properties nominated to the Virgin Islands Registry of Historic Places were presented by the St. Thomas/St. John Historic Preservation Commission at a public hearing Thursday evening. They ranged from well-known public buildings such as Fort Christian and Government House to relatively low-profile places like Daniel's Variety Store on Kronprindsens Gade and the Kean home in Catherineberg.
The hearing at the V.I. State Historic Preservation Office drew nearly 20 interested residents, some of whom own or represent properties on the nomination list. And while inclusion on the list would protect properties from being torn down or grossly altered in a manner inconsistent with the character of historic areas, some in attendance were wary of the financial and regulatory constraints such a designation would entail.
According to architect Chaneel Callwood-Daniels, commission chairwoman, owners of each property will be contacted in the coming weeks and invited to meet with commission members to discuss whether to have their property listed. The commission plans to nominate another 25 properties, most of them in the Charlotte Amalie National Register District, every quarter until a final list is drafted and sent to the Legislature for approval.
Part of the impact such a designation might ultimately have on the community as a whole was brought home forcefully in a video presentation on "heritage tourism" in such places as Charleston, S.C., Tucson, Ariz., and St. Louis. There, preservation efforts have been a boon to local economies, bringing in thousands of the sort of tourists who stay longer and spend more than the average cruise-ship passenger.
In addition, Callwood-Daniels pointed out that "preservation creates one-and-a-half times more jobs than new construction. And it lets property owners utilize sweat-equity in lieu of cash, if they so choose, in renovating a property."
But Alton Adams Jr., whose family home is nominated to the list, expressed concern that the skilled workers needed for historic renovation are hard to find on St. Thomas, and enlisting such workers from off-island drives up costs.
Myron Jackson, director of the State Historic Preservation Office, suggested that the office could serve as a clearinghouse of contractor information for such projects, putting property owners in touch with skilled workers. And he acknowledged that not all property owners will see historic designation as beneficial.
"It's important to realize the cost of insisting on conservation guidelines," he said. "In some area, that is often interpreted as someone taking their property."
The preservation office's architectural historian, Sean Krigger, also pointed out federal tax incentive programs for those restoring significant properties. But Krigger and others conceded that the local government had done little to make such restoration more feasible financially.
The registry of historic sites is aimed at preserving not just particular buildings but entire neighborhoods, and to that end includes step streets and open spaces such as Rothschild Francis "Market" Square, wells such as the one at Norre Gade No. 25, and cemeteries.
Callwood-Daniels also presented a newly proposed Charlotte Amalie Conservation District, whose outlines would follow those of the already extant National Register District.
For more information, call the State Historic Preservation Office at 776-8605.

The territory will again have a representative in the world's premier sailing event as V.I. professional sailor Peter Holmberg has joined software billionaire Larry Ellison's Oracle Racing team for the next America's Cup.
Holmberg won an Olympic silver metal in 1988 sailing for the Virgin Islands and is the second highest ranked American in the International Sailing Federation's Match Racing ranking. He sailed in the America's Cup 2000 as a member of Team Dennis Conner after his Virgin Islands Cup Challenge fell short of fielding an entry. Dennis Conner is the only man to both win and lose the America's Cup twice.
Holmberg explains, "It was a tough decision not to go back with Dennis Conner because they did treat me well and are a great group to work with. But the next Cup is going to be a more intense event than the last one, with a lot more fully prepared teams, and it will take a fully developed package to win. Oracle has an 80 million dollar budget, the Bruce Farr design office, a great group of sailors, and a belief that the best sailing team will ultimately win the Cup. I decided it was the better program for me."
Ellison's usual sailing program involves racing his maxi yacht Sayonara at events around the world including winning the 2000 Antigua Sailing Week. Top sailor Chris Dickson is already Ellison's skipper for Sayonara.
Ellison purchased the two America's Cup boats of Aloha racing, before striking a deal with Paul Cayard and the AmericaOne team. Cayard and AmericaOne fell just one race short of challenging for the America's Cup. Ellison's deal with Cayard included the team's boats, the existing shore base in New Zealand and contracts with Cayard and some of the AmericaOne management personnel. According to a story in Quokka Sports, keeping the momentum of the AmericaOne effort going was a key part of the decision by Ellison. Although Cayard was the skipper during the AmericaOne challenge, the contract with Cayard labels his position as Campaign Manager. Contracts with former America True helmsman John Cutler as Sailing Team Manager and Tomasso Chieffi, Italian helmsman and America's Cup tactician were in place before signing Holmberg.
The addition of Holmberg to the team gives Oracle Racing three experienced America's Cup helmsmen and two Cup tacticians, enough talent to fill the 'back of the boat' positions on two creditable America's Cup campaigns. When asked how this would work out Holmberg explained, "Chris Dickson is the skipper of the team. Cutler, Cayard, Cheiffi, and I are after guard and alternate drivers. The heart of the campaign is to do lots of sailing, so all of us will take turns driving the B boat and doing tactics. This will keep the training fresh and help learn various styles. In the end we'll see what the best combination on board is and take that team to the Cup."
With all the pieces and people in place, Oracle is already practicing in New Zealand as Holmberg reports, "I signed my deal in late October and had two weeks to pack up in time to start the first training sessions. The Oracle campaign is focused on lots of training, the plan is to train here for the New Zealand summer (November to February), then ship everything to Long Beach, Calif. and train there in their consistent good winds (April-September), then ship back here for summer, and maybe stay for that final year and train here through the winter."
Holmberg arrived in time to be out practicing November 22, when the keel snapped off of USA 61 being helmed by Dickson. Holmberg said, "It was absolutely wild. Probably a once in a lifetime sight . . . looking over and seeing an 80-foot yacht just slowly capsizing onto its side, and then laying there with crew scampering to get on the top of the hull. We were sailing along, 20-25 knot winds and big seas, rough stuff in these boats. Great testing day so we had wandered offshore 20 miles or so. (Tests consist of lining up for ten minute segments to isolate and test various things) Just lining up for a test and snap, over she rolled." No one was injured and the crew, with help and pumps from the team tender, kept the boat from sinking.
Not all of the training would be in the America's Cup class boats. Holmberg will still get out on the international match racing circuit as well. "We will put several Oracle teams on the circuit to keep us all learning, sharpening our skills, and getting a much needed break from the training. This is really what attracted me to this team," said Holmberg.
The project will be keeping Holmberg away from the Virgin Islands, "Although I will miss the Virgin Islands and will only be able to visit during breaks over the next two years, it's an incredible opportunity to work with such a talented group on such a major endeavor. My partner Denise (Balzac) is with me throughout the trip and we really love New Zealand and its people, so this is another great opportunity to experience a nice part of the world. Hello to all our friends and we hope you'll come down to visit us and see this incredible event."

Sens. George Goodwin, Donald "Ducks" Cole and Almando "Rocky" Liburd were in Charlotte, N.C., this week attending the National Caucus of Black State Legislators. Two of Goodwin's legislative staff members accompanied him.
The conference runs from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2. The caucus develops educational, research and training programs designed to enhance the effectiveness of its members as they consider legislation and public policy issues which impact African-American constituents.
Cost of the travel was not available Friday.

Armed with the advice of the V.I. Attorney General's Office, the St. Croix Board of Elections will now decide the fate of 56 challenged absentee ballots, and with them the fate of the district’s last Senate seat.
After re-counting absentee ballots on Monday at the request of Senate candidate Raymond "Usie" Richards, who tied for St. Croix’s seventh Senate seat with Sen. Vargrave Richards, 56 ballots were deemed "spoiled" because of questions about which candidate had been voted for.
Those uncertainties spurred Usie Richards to challenge the ballots. The challenge, in turn, caused the board to seek an opinion from the attorney general on what constitutes a valid ballot. On Tuesday, Dodson James, chairman of the St. Croix Board of Elections, asked V.I. Attorney General Iver Stridiron for an opinion on the validity of ballots when:
–– A political party has a full slate of candidates and an elector votes for that symbol, then marks an "X" next to an independent candidate or a candidate of another political party.
–– A political party has a full slate of candidates and an elector marks an "X" by the symbol for that political party and then marks an "X" in the district next to the name of a candidate of the same party. Does a vote for the individual supersede the party emblem or symbol?
–– A political party has a full slate of candidates and an elector marks an "X" next to that party symbol, marks an "X" for six candidates representing the same symbol and also marks an "X" by the names of candidates of another party?
In an letter of advice Thursday, Acting Attorney General Alva Swan reminded board members that they have the authority to resolve questions regarding the validity of ballots. In doing so, Swan said the board should "endeavor to discern the intent of the voter, and if such intent can be divined, it should be given effect."
As for the board’s questions, Swan said that in the first two scenarios it appeared it would be impossible for the board to determine the intent of the voter, "and those ballots should be declared invalid or spoiled."
In the third scenario, Swan said it could be reasonably determined the voter’s intention, which would allow the ballots to be counted.
Regarding the first scenario, Swan said "the act of marking an "X" next to a party symbol and then proceeding to vote for a senatorial candidate who is not running as a member of that party, renders that voter’s intention impossible to determine."
That is so, he said, because in order to validate the vote the board would have to disregard either the symbol vote or the individual candidate vote.
"Such a determination would be the equivalent of substituting the Board’s judgment for that of the voter," Swan said.
The second scenario has similar conflicts, he said, and could only be resolved by the board making a decision for the voter, which would violate election law.
"Our advice is that the Board should exercise its reasoned judgment in making every effort to determine the intention of the elector," Swan said, "and when this is possible, such a ballot should be determined to be valid.
"When you are not able to make such a determination of voter intent, after due examination and deliberation, your only choice is to rule such a ballot spoiled."
James, the St. Croix board’s chairman, said he and his colleagues will convene sometime next week to discuss the ballots. He said it shouldn’t be too difficult to determine valid ballots from invalid ballots.
"I don’t think so, based on our guidelines. The board is going to try and bring some closure to this," he said, adding that whatever happens after that is "out of our hands."
Usie Richards, meanwhile, declined to comment in detail about the AG’s opinion. He did say that he wasn’t surprised and that he plans to write a letter to the board detailing his views on voter intent "so they will be clear."
"The concerns that I had were not posed to the attorney general" in the board's letter asking for advice, he said.
After Monday’s recount of absentee ballots, Sen. Richards lead his cousin by only 15 votes. Sen. Richards received 137 votes compared to Usie Richards’ 122. The absentee ballots broke the election night tie of 3,936 between the two men.

When Florida computer consultant Michael Sigler asked his wife, Helga, what she thought about buying a hotel and moving to St. Thomas, at first she thought it was "absolutely crazy," said their daughter, Natasha.
But Natasha, who like her father worked in information technology, remembers thinking that far from crazy, "this sounds like something for us."
Her husband, Bobby Ruiz, a financial advisor, was also keen on the idea. So Sigler, who first learned about the sale of Mafolie Hotel over the Internet, began making inquiries.
After months of negotiations with former owners Tony Eden and Paul Roberts, the sale became final in August. Since then the family has been enjoying their new home at the hilltop hotel known for its magnificent views of Charlotte Amalie and the harbor. Sigler says he prefers the pace of life on St. Thomas and "not having to spend hours commuting to and from work every day." This is not his first experience living on the island, however. He lived here as a child, attending All Saints when it was just an elementary school. His mother, Maud Sigler, taught history and math at the island's only high school.
Compared to consulting work, Sigler says he loves the hotel business. "It's much more personable," he said. The family's first project has been upgrading the hotel's 22 guest rooms. Most of the rooms have now been completely renovated, with plush textured carpeting, new furniture and fixtures and freshly painted walls. They have also resurfaced the pool, embellished the pool bar and are awaiting new patio furniture for the pool deck. "Next year, we'll concentrate on painting the exterior," said Natasha.
Mafolie offers several categories of rooms ranging from doubles, many with awesome views of the harbor, to mini-suites with separate sitting areas, refrigerators and private balconies. Each room has its own character and charm; one deluxe room sports a fourposter bed and French doors opening to a view of the pool and harbor. All rooms are air-conditioned and have televisions and private baths.
An added bonus is Lindy's Seafood Restaurant, located within the hotel. An island favorite, it serves dinner nightly.
For more information, visit the Mafolie hotel Web site or send the Siglers an e-mail at mafolie@st-thomas.com.

Members of the Our Virgin Islands Labor Union may sign up with the United Steelworkers of America in order to go back to work, but only under protest.
The possible shift in strategy was announced Friday in a press conference held by OVILU, which represents 24 employees of St. Croix Cable TV. Those employees have been locked out of their jobs since last week because their parent company, Innovative Communication Corp., and the USW claim that their contract calls for a closed shop.
Terrence Nelson, OVILU president, said that talks between ICC and OVILU are taking place and that OVILU members could go back to work under the USW as a temporary solution to the stalemate. Three OVILU members have signed with the USW because of economic "pressure," he said.
"We’re considering signing on in protest to get the employees back to work," Nelson said, adding that Jeffrey Prosser, ICC’s owner, was "very wrong" to lock out the cable TV workers during the holiday season.
The temporary solution comes with terms proposed by OVILU, including, among others, maintaining their seniority, representation by OVILU, resumption of bargaining sessions with ICC, and that the company will pay St. Croix Cable workers for the time they were barred from work.
OVILU’s lawyer, Mary Faith Carpenter, said she was "cautiously optimistic that in the next few days, at least a temporary solution" can be worked out until the National Labor Relations Board makes a decision.
"If they sign off, they’re not waiving any legal rights," she said.
That optimism, however, wasn’t reflected in union members’ feelings about ICC. They took umbrage to an article in the Daily News newspaper, owned by ICC, that said they were on "unpaid leave."
"We’re not fired. We’re not suspended. We’re not on sick leave," said Ricky Brown, a customer service representative at St. Croix Cable TV. "We need to go back to work. We have responsibilities."
Nelson said ICC, through the Daily News, is misinforming the public to make it appear that the cable employees are willingly out of work.
"This is not unpaid leave," he said. "This is a lockout."
As for an act of vandalism early Thursday morning that knocked the cable system off the air, OVILU members disavowed any involvement. Nelson said there was a possibility that ICC sabotaged the system itself to "smear" OVILU.
"Our Virgin Islands Labor Union and the members of St. Croix Cable TV have nothing to do with this alleged sabotage," Nelson said.
Brown, meanwhile, said the cable employees don’t have a problem with cable being consolidated with ICC’s other subsidiaries, like the V.I. Telephone Corp. He did say they reject the ICC’s position that OVILU has been absorbed by USW.
That, Brown said, "needs to be handled by the NLRB and not the company."

For the second time, the Senate Finance Committee Friday held Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's proposal to amend the industrial development law to increase fees and penalties for noncompliance and to allow beneficiaries an extra three years of future tax breaks in exchange for forgoing them in fiscal years 2001 and 2002.
In an analysis prepared for the committee, legislative Post Auditor Campbell Malone criticized the bill as being an attempt at reform but "wholly without teeth."
With respect to the exchange agreement, "the bill does not mandate or otherwise direct or compel anyone to get the word out to the IDC beneficiaries," Malone said. It is impossible to estimate how many would take advantage of the offer and what that would mean in revenues in FY 2001 and FY 2002.
As for the new fee structure, Malone said it cannot apply to existing beneficiaries since they have contracts with the government that cannot be altered without their consent. The bill should specify that the changes would apply to new beneficiaries, he said.
Malone also questioned some of the language of the bill as being ambiguous.
The IDC bill was one of three held by the committee, which is scheduled to meet Tuesday and Wednesday to complete its work on the budget. It has 16 bills left, including those held Friday.
The committee did clear five budget bills from its agenda, all of them relatively noncontroversial.
Approved was a bill to appropriate $500,000 from the Tourism Revolving Fund to the Department of Housing, Parks and Recreation, with $300,000 of it earmarked for the Virgin Islands Carnival, $150,000 for the St. Croix Christmas Festival, and $50,000 for the St. John July 4th Celebration. The senators removed from the bill another appropriation that was an error, $500,000 for Youth World Basketball.
They approved a new administration version of a bill to appropriate money from the Internal Revenue Matching Fund which is funded by taxes collected on rum exports. The administration increased the appropriation because of an increase in rum revenues.
The bill transfers $14.2 million into the General Fund and it also appropriates $4.9 million for school bus transportation, $1.3 million for maintenance and repair of schools, $300,000 for Beacon Schools, $200,000 for Continuing Adult Education, $200,000 for awards to government employees, and $600,000 for a Summer Youth Employment program.
The committee also reported out the following appropriations bills:
– $1.9 million from the Interest Earned on Bond Proceeds to the General Fund;
– $3.1 million from the Caribbean Basin Initiative Fund for Labor, Workman's Compensation and Occupational Safety and Health;
– $1.8 million to the Business and Commercial Properties Revolving Fund.
It held appropriations bills from the Interest Revenue Fund and the Transportation Revolving Fund to clarify figures in them.