Here is the complete list of officers and committee assignments approved Monday by the new 23rd Legislature.
All members of the 11-member majority bloc have committee chairmanships except Senate President Vargrave A. Richards.
OFFICERS OF THE 23rd LEGISLATURE
President — Vargrave A. Richards
Vice president — Judy M. Gomez
Legislative secretary — Roosevelt St.C. David
Majority leader — Allie-Allison Petrus
Secretary for intergovernmental and territorial affairs — David S. Jones
Liaison to the White House — George Goodwin
Liaison to the U.S. Congress — Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg Jr.
Republican charge d'affaires to Washington — Violet Anne Golden
COMMITTEES
Economic Development, Agriculture and Consumer Protection
Chair — Jones
Vice chair — Lorraine L. Berry
Members — Donastorg, Golden, Norman Jn. Baptiste, David, Gregory Bennerson
Education
Chair — Jn. Baptiste
Vice chair — Gomez
Members — Jones, Adelbert "Bert" Bryan, Golden, Almando "Rocky" Liburd, Richards
Finance
Chair — Berry
Vice chair — Jones
Members — Golden, Bennerson, David, Goodwin, Alicia "Chucky" Hansen
Government Operations
Chair — Bennerson
Vice chair — David
Members — Berry, Jones, Bryan, Petrus, Donald "Ducks" Cole
Health
Chair — Petrus
Vice chair — Donastorg
Members — Berry, Golden, Liburd
Housing, Parks and Recreation
Chair — Goodwin
Vice chair — Jn. Baptiste
Members — Cole, Gomez, Hansen
Labor and Veterans Affairs
Chair — David
Vice chair — Bennerson
Members — Goodwin, Petrus, Hansen
Planning and Environmental Protection
Chair — Donastorg
Vice chair — Liburd
Members — Cole, Jn. Baptiste, Goodwin
Rules
Chair — Golden
Vice chair — Richards
Members — Donastorg, Bennerson, Gomez, Bryan, Liburd
Youth and Human Services
Chair — Gomez
Vice chair — Petrus
Members — Richards, Cole, Hansen

"Very grave" were the words Gov. Charles W. Turnbull used to describe the financial state of the territory in his first State of the Territory address Monday night.
Turnbull's tone throughout his address was one of gravity and urgency concerning the territory's "precarious" fiscal condition.
He said he had inherited a government that had doubled its long-term debt in four years to $1 billion. He referred, in addition, to the $489.2 million legislative appropriation for fiscal year 1999 including a proposed "technical amendment" of $23.4 million, which is, in fact, he said, a supplemental budget to cover expenses already committed. And he said the shortfall for fiscal year 1999 in the general fund will be $246 million.
He reported that many departments and agencies are in danger of losing federal funds because of non-compliance or non-use of the funds.
Turnbull was quite clear that the government will have to"bite the bullet" and stop living beyond its means. He said all branches must face reality, impose discipline and make sacrifices. Even with that, he said, the government faces the specter of payless paydays.
He set forth some plans to reduce government spending by:
— Implementing "a serious and real attrition program" that will reduce the workforce by 25 percent over five years.
— Halting duplication of services. He said he will soon propose a government-reorganization plan to consolidate departments and services.
— Limiting the number of exempt employees in his administration.
— Reviewing all leases and contracts to see which can be eliminated.
He proposed a broad spectrum of initiatives to increase revenue, including streamlining the permitting process, appointing a tax review commission to study the Industrial Development Commission and Government Development Bank procedures and enforcement to ensure compliance by beneficiaries, and appointing a task force to recommend ways to revitalize the beleaguered marine industry.
He even hinted at the possibility of investing in a territorial airline that would provide consistent service with affordable prices.
In keeping with his campaign promises, he said he would give special attention to the needs of St. Croix by bolstering support for casino gambling and working toward developing St. Croix as a homeport for cruise ships.
He also committed to spending 100 percent of the hotel occupancy tax on advertising and marketing all three islands as separate and unique destinations. Turnbull, a former Education commissioner, called education the "key to conquering the next century." He said we must improve student achievement and make sure all Virgin Islands children are computer literate.
He promised to implement measures to enhance the academic integrity of the University of the Virgin Islands, but did not say how he would pay for this and other improvements in services without money in the treasury.
He declared an "unrelenting war against drugs and crime" that would assure the safety of residents and tourists alike. And he promised to focus attention on the hospitals and health care facilities in the territory and to give them autonomy.
In his relatively short speech, punctuated often by applause, Turnbull pledged to address other issues in greater depth — such as youth, agriculture and our Hispanic community — at a later time.
He also said that despite serious funding shortfalls, the government still must provide quality services. That kind of service traditionally "begins with a warm greeting and ends with a fond goodbye," he said.
Turnbull called for the return of respect to the way of life in the Virgin Islands and made a commitment, himself, to maintain that respect for all individuals and all branches of government.
"We can agree to disagree without being disagreeable," he said.
He referred to the "tri-pillars" of his "grander vision" — unity, respect and service — and said that with those goals in mind, "We can reverse our present course" and the state of the territory "can become excellent."
Editor's note: The full text of the governor's State of the Territory address can be found on the Local Government News page.

Public Works is repaving Raphune Hill from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. this week, so motorists would be wise to take alternative routes.
Crews have been working all night since Monday to remove and replace old decayed asphalt on that well-traveled road, according to Tyrone Martin, special ssistant to the DPW commissioner.
Accommodations will be made for buses and residents of the area, but Martin asked all others to avoid the Route 38 area until work is completed.
"If you have to use the road, please adhere to all traffic signs and flag persons," Martin added.
The area is illuminated while crews are working.
"It is a minor inconvenience for a major accomplishment," Martin said.
Work on New Tutu, Route 382, from Splash 'n Dash car wash to the road going into the valley, has been delayed due to all the rain, according to Martin.
Other roads slated for work are: Route 33, Crown Mountain Road, from the old Tri-Mart intersection to the top of the hill; Route 30, the concrete road into Fortuna; and Route 39, Donoe Road, where Public Works is installing proper drainage and sidewalks.

Bicarbonate of soda, or baking soda, has many different uses in the household.
Although more expensive products have been developed over the years to do the same jobs, baking soda can work for you just as well, if not better.
Baking Soda:
1. To make your own baking powder, stir and sift together 2 parts of Cream of Tartar to 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch.
2. Be sure to keep an extra box of baking soda by your stove in case of grease or electrical fire. Scatter the powder by the handful to safely put it out.
3. Keep a container of baking soda in your garage as well as in your car to put out a fire. It won't damage anything it touches.
4. Baking soda will also put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs.
5. Clean vegetables and fruit with baking soda. Sprinkle in water, soak and rise the produce.
6. Wash garbage cans with baking soda.
7. Soak and wash diapers with baking soda.
8. Oil and grease – stained clothing washes out better with soda added to the washing water.
9. Clean your fridge and freezer with dry soda sprinkled on a damp cloth. rinse with clear water.
10. Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odors. Stir and turn over the soda from time to time. Replace every 2 months.
11. Soda absorbs kitty litter odors. Cover the bottom of the kitty box with 1 part soda; then add a layer of 3 parts kitty litter on top.
12. Always add 1/2 cup soda to your washing machine load.
13. Clean combs and brushes in a soda solution.
14. Wash food and drink containers with soda and water.
15. Wash marble-topped furniture with a solution of 3 tablespoons of soda in 1 quart of warm water. Let stand awhile, then rinse.
16. Clean Formica counter tops with baking soda on a damp sponge.
17. Wash out thermos bottles and cooling containers with soda and water to get rid of stale smells.
18. To remove stubborn stains from marble, Formica or plastic surfaces, scour with a paste of soda and water.
19. Wash glass or stainless steel coffee pots (but not aluminum) in a soda solution ( 3 tbsp. soda to 1 quart water).
20. Run you coffee maker through its cycle with a soda solution. Rinse.
21. Give baby bottles a good cleaning with soda and hot water.
22. Sprinkle soda on barbecue grills, let soak, then rinse off.
23. Sprinkle soda on greasy garage floor. Let stand, scrub and rinse.
24. Polish silverware with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry.
25. For silver pieces without raised patterns or cemented-on handles: place the silver on aluminum foil in an enamel pot. Add boiling water and 4 tbsp. baking soda. Let stand, rinse and dry.
26. Reduce odor build-up in your dishwasher by sprinkling some soda on the bottom.
27. Run your dishwasher through its cycle with soda in it instead of soap to give it a good cleaning.
28. To remove burned-on food from a pan: let the pan soak in soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry soda and a moist scouring pad.
29. For a badly-burned pan with a thick layer of burned-on food: pour a thick layer of soda directly onto the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle on just enough water so as to moisten the soda. Leave the pot overnight, then scrub it clean next day.
30. Rub stainless steel and chrome with a moist cloth and dry baking soda to shine it up. Rinse and dry. On stainless steel, scrub in the direction of the grain.
31. Clean plastic, porcelain and glass with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rinse and dry.
32. Remove that bad smell from ashtrays with soda and water.
33. Sprinkle a bit of dry soda in your ashtrays to prevent smoldering and reduce odor.
34. Clean your bathroom with dry soda on a moist sponge – sink, tub, tiles, shower stall, etc.
35. Keep your drains clean and free-flowing by putting 4 tablespoons of soda in them each week. Flush the soda down with hot water.
36. Soak your shower curtains in water and soda to clean them.
37. To remove strong odors from your hands, wet your hands and rub them hard with soda, then rinse.
38. Sprinkle baking soda on your wet toothbrush and brush your teeth and dentures with it.
39. Sprinkle soda in tennis shoes, socks, boots and slippers to eliminate odor.
40. Add 1/2 cups or more of baking soda to your bath water to soften your skin.
41. Putting 2 tbsp. of baking soda in your baby's bath water will help relieve diaper rash irritations.
42. Apply soda directly to insect bites, rashes and poison ivy to relieve discomfort. Make a paste with water.
43. Take a soda bath to relieve general skin irritations such as measles and chicken pox.
44. Take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water to relieve acid indigestion or heartburn.
45. Gargle with 1/2 tsp. baking soda in 1/2 glass of water. Freshens and cleans your mouth.
46. Used as a mouthwash, baking soda will also relieve canker sore pain.
47. To relieve sunburn: use a paste of baking soda and water.
48. Bug bites: use a poultice of baking soda and vinegar.
49. Bee sting: use a poultice of baking soda and water.
50. Windburns: moisten some baking soda and apply directly.
51. Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch.
52. Use soda as an underarm deodorant.
53. If your baby spits up on his shirt after feeding, moisten a cloth, dip it in baking soda and dab at the dribbled shirt. The odor will go away.
54. When scalding a chicken, add 1 tsp. of soda to the boiling water. The feathers will come off easier and flesh will be clean and white.
55. Repel rain from windshield. Put gobs of baking soda on a dampened cloth and wipe windows inside and out.
56. Add to water to soak dried beans to make them more digestible.
57. Add to water to remove the "gamey" taste from wild game.
58. Use to sweeten sour dishcloths.
59. Use dry with a small brush to rub canvas handbags clean.
60. Use to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from toaster. Dampen cloth and make a mild abrasive with baking soda.

Here's a series of tips to help you remember….almost anything.
HOW TO REMEMBER NAMES
You just called the TV repair shop and the voice on the other end of the line tells you "this is Don Smith."
About five minutes later you tell your wife that "this guy" will be out to fix the TV in the morning. You can't think of his name although you know he mentioned it on the phone.
This happens all the time to just about any of us unless we have learned to concentrate and implant the name in our memory right at the time we hear it.
To do this you first must make a habit of repeating the name back to the person. This action will remind you to store the name in your "memory banks" each time you hear someone's name, and, within a short time the "repeating" process can be discontinued.
When you meet someone in person, use the same procedure and, in addition, visualize something different, unusual or "ridiculous" about their appearance, position or actions that "ties in" with their name.
You may have to put the descriptive information on one side of a card or piece of paper and the name on the other side for a while until it is imbedded in your memory permanently.
Look at it repeatedly, see the "picture" in your mind's eye as you look at the name, or when you see the name visualize the "picture" you have assigned to the name.
Getting this system to work will require certain changes in your thinking and it may take several days or several weeks to become proficient. After all, you have developed a "bad habit" over many years and it is difficult to turn it around overnight.
This method also works with anything else work remembering, not just names.
When you have occasion to remember something, jot it down and incorporate it into your list . . . No complicated formula . . . Just a system that works with a little concentration.
HOW TO REMEMBER ANYTHING!
As mentioned above people may train their memory by associating names with specific illustrations. This works just as well with written information.
There are several key words or a key thought in each paragraph of printed matter that can be associated with an illogical or ridiculous illustration. It is much easier to remember and recall ridiculous associations than it is to recall normal and uneventful relationships.
As you proceed through any text, choose one or several key words or key thoughts from each subject and relate the same to a ridiculous cartoon or illustration. Actually "see" it in your mind's eye as it relates to the key word or key thought.
When you have occasion to remember a particular matter, the "picture" should automatically appear to you and the entire thought should be recalled. Be sure to SEE the ridiculous picture associated with the printed matter you wish to recall.
As you proceed through a book, practice seeing a picture and relate it to the key words or the main thought of the written material.
This method of learning should improve your ability to retain what you read. With sufficient "practice" using this method, many individuals will be able to develop a "photo-Type" memory.
The key to this memory system is to "see" the "picture" in your "mind's eye." After you have practiced and mastered the system and are able to get instant flashback recall, you should be able to read most any text material and visualize ridiculous pictures to associate with the thoughts expressed in the printed materials.
We suggest you prove this system to yourself. As you read the first several pages of information, "see" a picture related to the words or thought. It may be rather difficult to "see" at first but by constant effort and concentration, amazing progress can be made.
When you have seen the picture, just go on reading the following subject matter and repeat the process. Don't be concerned that you will forget the prior subjects! They should remain imprinted on your mind and recalled later, instantaneously and clearly.
After you have read several pages, recall the first few "mind-pictures." If you originally "saw" the picture as related to the key thought of the printed material, you should remember the basic information.
Try it! It's interesting!
After you have mastered this learning system, it should be easy to file various programs away in your memory and recall them as needed to progress in your search for success.
MEMORY AND PUBLIC SPEAKING TIPS!
The same system mentioned on the previous page may be used to memorize a speech by linking a series of thoughts to a series of ridiculous pictures in sequence.
Proper preparation of your speech is half the battle. Know your subject thoroughly, then make an outline for the introduction, main body and conclusion.
Start your speech with something to startle your audience into complete attention such as a weird statement or funny happening.
In presenting the main body of your speech, get the confidence of your audience by letting them know you know your subject very well. Get your points across without argument.
In making your conclusion you can briefly sum up what you have just stated, then end with a big bang; recommending action your audience should take or suggesting they change their viewpoint on the subject, etc. Finalize with a joke that fits the circumstances, or powerful word pictures they will remember after they leave the meeting.
Make your outline in large print with plenty of space between lines so you will be able to look up without losing your place on the sheets. Rely on your memory for the most important points, including the opening and closing lines.
Practice your speech with a tape recorder and in front of a mirror before the meeting. Work out any apparent speaking problems or things that don't sound just right.
Know what you are going to do with your hands and determine the better body movements to go with your personality. Continually make eye contact back and forth across the room.
Take time to think before answering questions. If you don't have the answer, ask another question, refer it to someone else better qualified to answer, answer in general terms or change the subject (like politicians do), complimenting the person asking the "impossible" question or by telling a "clean" joke.

One week ago, at the end of the inaugural ceremony at Emancipation Garden, Dr. Gwen-Marie Moolenaar announced that a full report on the swearing-in, including the text of Gov. Charles W. Turnbull's inaugural address, could be found following the
ceremony on the Turnbull-James website at www.turnbull-james.com.
With all due respect, where is it?
As the week has gone by, some things have appeared on the site, including photos of the inaugural balls, but so far no text of the governor's or lieutenant governor's inaugural addresses.
There is, however, a place set aside on the site for the speeches, complete with flashing messages saying, "Do It – Click
Here Now!"
Several calls to Government House have also not resulted in obtaining a copy of the addresses.
What is the problem? A simple explanation would probably suffice but that has not been forthcoming either.
We hope this is not a portent of the future with the new administration, which — to its credit — has promised complete and ready access for the people to all public information.
Addendum: The governor's public information team did fax copies of Turnbull's State of the Territory address to the media an hour or so after he finished giving it — a big improvement. As of late Monday night, the speech was not on the Turnbull-James website. Maybe Tuesday….

Outgoing Gov. Roy L. Schneider "willfully worsened" the territory's already-disastrous financial situation through "last-minute midnight raids on the treasury," Gov. Charles W. Turnbull charged Monday night in his first State of the Territory address.
In a no-holds-barred attack on Schneider, Turnbull said that from Nov. 3, 1998, to Jan. 4, 1999, Schneider and his staff bypassed normal procedures to give departing officials lump-sum payments ranging from $17,000 to $24,000.
Turnbull said that in the last days of the former administration, certain personnel who resigned or retired got substantial payments in a manner that circumvented payment of Social Security and income taxes.
He called these actions "without precedent" and said they were "clearly disapproved in an advisory memorandum by his own attorney general."
Turnbull said he has asked the attorney general — Julio A. Brady, a holdover from the Schneider administration now serving in an acting capacity — and the acting director of the Internal Revenue Bureau to look into the matter "with a view towards taking all necessary actions to protect and safeguard and public treasury from such abuse." He did not elaborate.
Turnbull also said that in an effort "to safeguard favored individuals" at the end of his administration, Schneider placed certain exempt employees in classified positions in direct conflict with Virgin Island law.
He said he has assigned the acting director of personnel to review this and vowed to reverse any personnel actions made since the election that violated the law.

With only a few notable and predictable exceptions, the incoming members of the 23rd Legislature promoted a spirit of unity, inclusion and decorum at their opening session Monday.
The 15 senators were sworn into office, elected officers, established committees and spoke briefly about their priorities and goals.
Beginning with Sen. Roosevelt David, who challenged his colleagues to create an atmosphere of inclusion and decorum, through new Senate President Vargrave Richards, who promoted a spirit of cooperation, almost to a person the message of the day was unity.
The other theme of the day: the economic state of the territory.
Richards spoke of the need to find a balance between development and providing jobs for the people. He proposed a joint private-public hotel venture in St. Croix to stimulate that island's moribund economy.
Sen Almando "Rocky" Liburd recommended a plan to offer a separation package to displaced V.I. workers that would give them a year's salary and continued health plans to allow them to find work outside of the territory.
Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen sounded the first strident note of the day by challenging her colleagues to take on businesses that she said exploit local people. She specifically named Hess, now known as Hovensa, and St. Croix Alumina.
Hansen, who is not in the 11-member majority, nevertheless offered her support to Richards, saying she was not going to
interfere with him because "our people need help. Our people need progress."
Sen. Adelbert "Bert" Bryan, who has been criticized repeatedly in earlier Legislatures for disrupting sessions and committee meetings, suggested that the majority's focus on decorum is just an attempt to avoid addressing corruption and deception in government.
Warning his colleagues that he will not change his way of conducting the public's business, Bryan also said, "This is a predominant African population. I will not allow my people to end up like the Indians and the Vietnamese."
He said some Vietnamese have it better in this country than some of the sons and daughters who lost their lives in Vietnam.
Bryan said he would not allow a "bunch of pilgrims and carpetbaggers" to destroy his homeland under the guise of progress.
Bryan also took exception to non-native senators heading committees. He said
he couldn't go to some other island and be part of the government there.
Freshman Sen. Norman Jn. Baptiste said he was born in St. Lucia but chose the Virgin Islands as his home. He also said the prime minister of St. Lucia, John Compton, was not born there.
Sen. David Jones, chairman of the Committee on Economic Development, said he was from Dominica but would live the rest of his life in St. Croix.
Jones also said we need to create an atmosphere that is conducive to attracting new investment. Jones said $4 billion a year circulates through the Virgin Islands, but much of it leaves the territory.
Jones called on the new administration to find ways to keep that money here, adding one way was by "retrofitting" the workforce.
Outgoing Senate President Lorraine Berry said that at this juncture, two paths could be followed: one of derisiveness, racial
intolerance and disrespect, or the road of progress and cooperation.
She said it is up to the 23rd Legislature to redeem the territory from political malaise and gridlock.
Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg noted that was the No. 1 vote getter — and that he had stood alone in the 22nd Legislature in
his fight to get the Public Services Commission to review the V.I. Telephone Corp.'s rate structure.
Donastorg called for a review of IDC beneficiaries as well, referring to an "individual" who had created a "government within a government" — a reference, apparently, to Vitelco owner Jeffrey Prosser, whose $34 million tax break from the IDC in 1997 continues to be an issue in terms of telephone rates.
Newcomer Donald "Ducks" Cole voted with
the majority to approve the new committee assignments, officers and rules, despite having been left out of the majority bloc. Cole suggested that the majority punished him because he is friends with Bryan.

It's "Blues Week" in the Virgin Islands, with four performances by the Paul Oscher Blues Band on tap Wednesday through Saturday.
The six-piece acoustic band performs classic Chicago blues from the late '40s, '50s and '60s, as well as newer compositions by band leader Paul Oscher that capture the vintage Windy City sound.
"This may well be the best real blues music group around today," says publicist Tom Radai Jr., whose company represents not only Oscher but numerous other blues artists. "People simply have to listen to the music to hear that it is not the diluted white style of blues pushed by the record companies today."
In the '60s, a teen-age Oscher replaced the great Walter Horton on harmonica in the legendary Muddy Waters Blues Band. In addition to playing harmonica — known in his circles as blues harp — Oscher is also a master of the classic Chicago blues tradition on piano and slide guitar.
The rest of the band consists of Chicago blues veterans Willy Young and Willie "George" Henderson on saxophones; plus Ted Adorino, Matt Raymond and Danny Sperduto on string bass, drums and guitar. Their collective experience includes work with the groups of Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, John
Lee Hooker, Johnny Copeland, Otis Spann and Otis Rush.
The group performs Wednesday night at Tillett Gardens, Thursday at the St.
John School of the Arts, Friday back at Tillett Gardens for a late night cabaret show and Saturday at the Jolly Roger on Tortola.
At a Paul Oscher concert, Raidi says, you can look forward to "some of the most authentic 1947 through mid-'60s classic-era Chicago blues music, performed masterfully by people who paid legitimate dues in the real world of blues, rather than today's pseudo blues players."
Oscher was just 14 years old when he got his first invitation from Muddy Waters to sit in with the band for a gig at Harlem's famed Apollo Theater.
Soon after, the teen-ager, who had already made his mark in the black blues clubs of Harlem and Brooklyn, got the call to become the first white member of Waters' band.
Playing in the band was the road education of a lifetime: touring 35 countries to perform in sumptuous concert halls, smoky nightclubs and "chittlin' circuit" venues.
In the '60s and '70s, Oscher made 30 recordings with Muddy Waters, as well as one each with Copeland, Johnny Young and Luther "Georgia Boy" Johnson.
After that, he took what turned out to be a 20-year hiatus from performing and recording.
The '90s find him back in the blues business with his own band and six new album releases, the most recent being "Knockin' on the Devil's Door" (Viceroots, 1996) and "The Deep Blues of Paul Oscher" (Blues Planet, 1997).
Here's when and where to catch the Paul Oscher Blues Band this week:
— Wedneday, 8 p.m., Tillett Gardens, St. Thomas. Tickets $25; three-course
pre-performance dinner with concert seating at tables $30 additional plus bar service and gratuity. Reservations required for dinner, recommended for concert seating. Call 775-1929.
— Thursday, 8 p.m., St. John School of the Arts, Cruz Bay, St. John. Tickets $30; reservations essential due to limited seating. Call 779-4322.
— Friday, 9 p.m., nightclub performance, cabaret seating, Tillett Gardens. Tickets $25; a la carte menu and bar service all evening. Call 775-1929.
— Saturday, 9 p.m.-Jolly Roger, West End, Tortola. Admission $20 in advance, $22 at the door, but $15 for those having dinner on the premises. Call (284) 495-4559.

Here are two dozen key indicators to show the relative strengths and weaknesses in the Virgin Islands economy.
These figures document trends in labor, tourism, taxes, school enrollment and home sales, among other areas.
— V.I. Labor Force – 53,530 in 1993, falling to 45,715 in 1997 or now equal to levels of the late 1980s, a 15% drop.
— Wage & Salary Employment – peaked at 48,650 in 1993 and has fallen to 42,300 in 1997 or a level last seen in the late 1980s.
— Manufacturing Employment – 1970 = 3,190 .. 1980 = 3,190, fell to 1,750 in 1986 and grew back to 2,900 by 1994 and has fallen to 2,210 in 1997 or a level of about 10 years ago.
— V.I. Government Employment – between 12,000 and 13,000 since 1980, but certain V.I. government wage payments have grown faster than those of the private sector.
— Wage Payments – Average annual growth rate of nominal wages = 6.6% from 1979 through 1996.
— Real Wages Payments – (1983$) have grown from $500 million in 1979 to $811 million in 1993, falling to $671 million in 1997, a 17% decline. Most teachers have not had a significant raise for almost nine years. Assuming even modest inflation of 2.5% per year, their standard of living has dropped by more than 20% during this decade.
— Wages by Industry – in 1978 government = $8,537 and private = $9,093, but in 1983 government passed private and by 1996 government was $30,400 and private $25,200. In 1996, the average wage paid by IDC beneficiaries equaled $22,440.
— Air Visitor Arrivals – peaked at 740,700 in 1988 and unsteadily fell to 462,300 in 1996 and equal to 508,800 in 1997, or a level now below 1980 and 1970.
— St.Croix Cruise Arrivals – peaked at 229,800 in 1995 and fell to 178,000 in 1997. The YTD value through October 1998 is down 15.1%.
— St. Thomas Cruise Arrivals – peaked at 1,560,200 in 1997 and is down 0.8% YTD October 1998.
— Visitor Expenditure – peaked at $900 million in ‘94 and fell back to $600 million in ‘97.
— Hotel/condo Units – At 5,102 in 1980, falling below 5,000 until 1987, peaking at 5,461 in 1994, falling to 4,406 in 1997, a level last seen in the 1970s.
— Room Nights Occupied – peaked in 1994 at 1,114,400 and dropped to 711,000 in 1996. In 1997, it equaled 828,700 and is up 10.8% YTD through October 1998.
— V.I. Occupancy Rate – Average has generally declined from 80% range in late 1970s to current average of 53.3% in 1997. The YTD average through October 1998 is 52.3%.
— Direct Flight Seats Arrivals – peaked at about 23,000 seat arrivals per week in early 1995 and fell to about 6,000 per week in late 1995 to a current level of approximately 15,000 or the level of 1993.
— Direct Flight & Visitor Expenditure Correlation – for every 1,000 additional direct flight seat arrivals per week, another $50 million in visitor expenditure is generated annually.
— Individual Tax Revenue Collections – After strong annual growth from 1970 to 1993 and a peak of $213 million, it fell to $174.7 million by 1996 and has recently increased to $183.7 million in 1997.
— Value of Building Permits – peaked at $350 million in 1990 after steadily growing since 1982. Fell steadily to $150 million by 1995 and has recently increased back to about $200 million.
— Rum Excise Taxes Returned – peaked at $40.3 million in 1982, fell to about $25 million in 1987. Since then, has slowly grown to $30.0 million in 1994. Rapid growth followed to $43.0 million in 1996, falling to $34.7 million in 1997. Long-term debt service equals about $40 million per year through 2026.
— Number of WAPA Customers, St.Thomas/St.John – 25,354 in June 1995, falling to 23,488 in January 1996 and slowly growing to 25,144 in September 1998. — V.I. Bank Assets – Are flat since 1993 at about $1.7 billion.
— School Enrollment – peaked at 33,092 in 1983 and has fallen steadily to 28,303 in 1997, a 15% decline.
— V.I. Home Sales (# sold) – peak of 478 sold in 1970, only re-attained at 486 in 1986, falling to 216 in 1992 and relatively flat thereafter.
— V.I. Condo Sales (# sold) – peaked at 519 in 1988, falling since to flat level around 150 currently.