The alleged assault by a police officer of a vacation rental property employee on St. John and the implication of a second officer in the case will be addressed at a press conference at 2 p.m. Friday in the Farrelly Criminal Justice Complex on St. Thomas, the head of the St. Thomas- St. John district Police Benevolent Association said Thursday.
Association president Elroy Raymo made the comment with regard to a disciplinary hearing for the two officers before Police Chief Jose Garcia on Thursday that reportedly lasted from around 11 a.m. until the end of the day. The two St. John officers were the subjects of the hearing following a preliminary investigation by the island's Zone D commander, Lt. Rene Garcia. Kelly Giggenbach, an employee of Caribbean Villas, told police an off-duty officer confronted her near the Cruz Bay dock on March 18 in connection with a dispute she was having with taxi drivers over a parking space. The officer then reportedly grabbed her by the breast and slammed her against a vehicle repeatedly in view of numerous persons in the area.The officer was subsequently brought up on disciplinary charges, along with the second officer, whose involvement has not been made clear.
Published media reports have identified the officer who allegedly accosted Giggenbach as Eugene Somersall and the second officer implicated as Lorraine Sprauve. Police have not publicly named those under investigation.
Deputy Police Chief Theodore Carty said Thursday that several witnesses appeared during the course of the proceedings. Police Commissioner Franz Christian said the results of the hearing would be disclosed upon conclusion. Around 7 p.m. Thursday, Raymo said a conclusion had been reached, but he would give no details on the results. He said the hearing would be one of the subjects addressed at the press conference at the Zone A Police Command in the Criminal Justice Complex.
PRESS MEETING SET ON ST. JOHN POLICE HEARING
The alleged assault by a police officer of a vacation rental property employee on St. John and the implication of a second officer in the case will be addressed at a press conference at 2 p.m. Friday in the Farrelly Criminal Justice Complex on St. Thomas, the head of the St. Thomas- St. John district Police Benevolent Association said Thursday.
Association president Elroy Raymo made the comment with regard to a disciplinary hearing for the two officers before Police Chief Jose Garcia on Thursday that reportedly lasted from around 11 a.m. until the end of the day. The two St. John officers were the subjects of the hearing following a preliminary investigation by the island's Zone D commander, Lt. Rene Garcia. Kelly Giggenbach, an employee of Caribbean Villas, told police an off-duty officer confronted her near the Cruz Bay dock on March 18 in connection with a dispute she was having with taxi drivers over a parking space. The officer then reportedly grabbed her by the breast and slammed her against a vehicle repeatedly in view of numerous persons in the area.The officer was subsequently brought up on disciplinary charges, along with the second officer, whose involvement has not been made clear.
Published media reports have identified the officer who allegedly accosted Giggenbach as Eugene Somersall and the second officer implicated as Lorraine Sprauve. Police have not publicly named those under investigation.
Deputy Police Chief Theodore Carty said Thursday that several witnesses appeared during the course of the proceedings. Police Commissioner Franz Christian said the results of the hearing would be disclosed upon conclusion. Around 7 p.m. Thursday, Raymo said a conclusion had been reached, but he would give no details on the results. He said the hearing would be one of the subjects addressed at the press conference at the Zone A Police Command in the Criminal Justice Complex.
Association president Elroy Raymo made the comment with regard to a disciplinary hearing for the two officers before Police Chief Jose Garcia on Thursday that reportedly lasted from around 11 a.m. until the end of the day. The two St. John officers were the subjects of the hearing following a preliminary investigation by the island's Zone D commander, Lt. Rene Garcia. Kelly Giggenbach, an employee of Caribbean Villas, told police an off-duty officer confronted her near the Cruz Bay dock on March 18 in connection with a dispute she was having with taxi drivers over a parking space. The officer then reportedly grabbed her by the breast and slammed her against a vehicle repeatedly in view of numerous persons in the area.The officer was subsequently brought up on disciplinary charges, along with the second officer, whose involvement has not been made clear.
Published media reports have identified the officer who allegedly accosted Giggenbach as Eugene Somersall and the second officer implicated as Lorraine Sprauve. Police have not publicly named those under investigation.
Deputy Police Chief Theodore Carty said Thursday that several witnesses appeared during the course of the proceedings. Police Commissioner Franz Christian said the results of the hearing would be disclosed upon conclusion. Around 7 p.m. Thursday, Raymo said a conclusion had been reached, but he would give no details on the results. He said the hearing would be one of the subjects addressed at the press conference at the Zone A Police Command in the Criminal Justice Complex.
BIRD LOVER DONATES ECOLOGICAL HABITAT TO SEA
An anonymous benefactor with a love of birds has made it possible for the St. Croix Environmental Association to purchase 60 acres of land at Southgate on the island’s east end.
The $822,697 donation means a prime nesting habitat for birds and endangered sea turtles long on the market for commercial development will be protected for perpetuity.
Newly named the Southgate Pond Nature Preserve, the property encompasses the eastern third of the salt pond east to Chenay Bay Beach Resort and the land between Green Cay Beach and East End Road.
Stuart Ketcham, chair of SEA’s board of directors, said the donation came from an individual who wished to remain anonymous. Apparently, though, the donor is a part-time resident of St. Croix who is also an avid bird watcher.
The story goes that on a recent birding excursion at the Southgate salt pond, the soon-to-be benefactor’s vehicle became stuck in the mud. While awaiting a tow truck at Cheeseburgers in Paradise, the person noted the nearby sign advertising the 60 acres for sale.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
"We didn’t have the money on our own to purchase the 60 acres," Ketcham said, adding that a management plan for the site will be developed jointly with the University of the Virgin Islands, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. "We can guarantee one thing," he said. "We aren’t going to build a 500-room hotel."
Along with the key sea turtle nesting beach, the dominant feature of the property is the salt pond, which is owned by the V.I. government. According to Olasee Davis, a SEA board member and a natural resource specialist at UVI, Southgate pond is one of the most important ponds in the Virgin Islands for local and migrating birds. Some 96 species have been recorded at the site, including 26 that are considered threatened or endangered in the Virgin Islands.
Although the salt pond is publicly owned, and therefore protected, Davis said, acquiring the surrounding land was vital for the pond to continue to be a stopover point for birds migrating between North and South America and those nesting locally.
"It doesn’t make sense trying to protect the pond without a buffer zone," he said.
The salt pond has shrunk to a third of its size half a century ago, Davis said. But while dredging by developers in the 1950s and the construction of Green Cay Marina to the west in the 1960s have changed the ecology of the pond, what remains is an important ecosystem, he added.
Davis also said the Southgate pond area has been designated by the Coastal Zone Management program as one of 18 Areas of Particular Concern in the territory.
Because the land will now be dedicated to preservation purposes, it is exempt from property and transfer taxes, according to Andrew Simpson, the attorney who handled the deal for SEA. He said a conservation easement is in place that ensures the land is held in perpetuity for preservation purposes.
The $822,697 donation means a prime nesting habitat for birds and endangered sea turtles long on the market for commercial development will be protected for perpetuity.
Newly named the Southgate Pond Nature Preserve, the property encompasses the eastern third of the salt pond east to Chenay Bay Beach Resort and the land between Green Cay Beach and East End Road.
Stuart Ketcham, chair of SEA’s board of directors, said the donation came from an individual who wished to remain anonymous. Apparently, though, the donor is a part-time resident of St. Croix who is also an avid bird watcher.
The story goes that on a recent birding excursion at the Southgate salt pond, the soon-to-be benefactor’s vehicle became stuck in the mud. While awaiting a tow truck at Cheeseburgers in Paradise, the person noted the nearby sign advertising the 60 acres for sale.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
"We didn’t have the money on our own to purchase the 60 acres," Ketcham said, adding that a management plan for the site will be developed jointly with the University of the Virgin Islands, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. "We can guarantee one thing," he said. "We aren’t going to build a 500-room hotel."
Along with the key sea turtle nesting beach, the dominant feature of the property is the salt pond, which is owned by the V.I. government. According to Olasee Davis, a SEA board member and a natural resource specialist at UVI, Southgate pond is one of the most important ponds in the Virgin Islands for local and migrating birds. Some 96 species have been recorded at the site, including 26 that are considered threatened or endangered in the Virgin Islands.
Although the salt pond is publicly owned, and therefore protected, Davis said, acquiring the surrounding land was vital for the pond to continue to be a stopover point for birds migrating between North and South America and those nesting locally.
"It doesn’t make sense trying to protect the pond without a buffer zone," he said.
The salt pond has shrunk to a third of its size half a century ago, Davis said. But while dredging by developers in the 1950s and the construction of Green Cay Marina to the west in the 1960s have changed the ecology of the pond, what remains is an important ecosystem, he added.
Davis also said the Southgate pond area has been designated by the Coastal Zone Management program as one of 18 Areas of Particular Concern in the territory.
Because the land will now be dedicated to preservation purposes, it is exempt from property and transfer taxes, according to Andrew Simpson, the attorney who handled the deal for SEA. He said a conservation easement is in place that ensures the land is held in perpetuity for preservation purposes.
FIRST DAY FOR DOWNSIZED VITRAN HAS ITS BUMPS
Things went far from smoothly in the first day of curtailed Vitran bus service on St. Thomas and St. John, and yet it could have been worse.
As Verne Callwood, Public Works assistant commissioner for transportation planning, put it, St. Thomas experienced a "few bumps." At the Vitran terminal office in Contant, he said the number of drivers reporting for work in the morning came up short by two. As a result, while five buses were scheduled to be in operation, only three were out on the road for the first shift.
However, Callwood said, the reason the employees did not report for work was that, under their old schedule, Thursday had been their regular day off.
Callwood said Vitran is required by union contract to send out layoff notices two weeks in advance, but nobody had reckoned on the layoff date falling in the middle of the week. "We're all to blame on that one," he said.
As luck would have it, the demand for public transit was less than it might have been under other circumstances. There were no cruise ships in port at St. Thomas on Thursday. It was, in fact, the first such day since Hurricane Lenny visited the territory in November, according to Jimmy Danet, officer manager for The West Indian Company. As a result, a lot of safari bus and taxi drivers were on the road looking to pick up local fares who might not otherwise have been available to do so.
In addition, intermittent showers during the day across the island may have dissuaded those who did not have to go out and travel on public transit.
There were no signs of would-be riders stuck waiting at bus stops. In fact, with the off- and-on rain, most downtown and West End stops were virtually deserted outside of the morning and afternoon rush hours.
On St. John, Vitran operations manager Donna Roberts said the first day of running a decimated system with an all-new staff was rocky. Her entire St. John crew was laid off because of a lack of seniority, since Vitran began operating on the island only three years ago, and five St. Thomas employees were transferred to St. John.
However, Roberts said, first thing Thursday morning, one laid-off driver was called back – – and came back — because one of the two St. Thomas drivers scheduled to begin service at 5:15 a.m. was late.
Then, she said, that bus, one of just two operating on the island, went out of service, and a mechanic had to be called over from St. Thomas.
Callwood said the St. Thomas driver who reported on time in the morning has family on St. John and had spent the night there. Drivers newly assigned to work on St. John are expected to make their own arrangements to be able to report for work at their scheduled starting times.
The "day-off" bug bit on St. John, too, in the afternoon. Roberts said one worker assigned to the second shift didn't show up "because Thursday was his regular day off." She added, "I couldn't blame him, because he worked all week and he wanted to take his day off."
Roberts said she was glad she had prepared a contingency plan on Wednesday while working out the new bus schedule. She predicted that by Sunday, the system should be running smoothly.
On Sundays, there will be "restricted" bus service on St. John but none on St. Thomas or St. Croix. The impact this will cause for places of worship remains to be seen, but a clergyman at one major downtown St. Thomas church expressed concern. The Rev. Clifton Niles of Christ Church Methodist at Rothschild Francis "Market" Square said his congregation members would have to get together to work out car pools or other alternatives to taking the bus. "To be honest, I don't know how we are going to handle it right now," he said Thursday.
At another downtown church, the Frenchtown Evangelistic Assembly, which has just constructed a new house of worship on Veterans Drive, Pastor Edward Magras said the absence of Vitran service would not be a problem. "We have our own safari bus, which the church subsidizes," he explained, "so we aren't concerned."
There was no word from Government House Thursday on any new developments in the public transit situation. Administration officials had said Wednesday that financial analysts were weighing legislation appropriating $600,000 for Vitran operations and a union offer for employees to go to a four-day work week and forgo sick-leave, overtime and holiday pay in order to save some jobs.
Callwood's projection for Friday was that it, too, would be "touch and go." He said he had anticipated personnel problems as a result of the layoffs but credited the drivers with being "professionals dedicated to their jobs."
He said he expects that the drivers will rally in the next few days because they "love their jobs and have a commitment to the community." He added, "It's my gut feeling that in a few days we will be over these growing pains and get adjusted to the new schedule."
Danet said only one cruise ship is scheduled to be at the WICO dock on Friday, and none again on Saturday.
Safari bus driver Burnett Smith had a word of advice for Vitran Thursday, as he awaited passengers at the main bus stop on the University of the Virgin Islands campus. "They should run it as a private company," he said. "If they had to sell service to survive, they'd do it."
As Verne Callwood, Public Works assistant commissioner for transportation planning, put it, St. Thomas experienced a "few bumps." At the Vitran terminal office in Contant, he said the number of drivers reporting for work in the morning came up short by two. As a result, while five buses were scheduled to be in operation, only three were out on the road for the first shift.
However, Callwood said, the reason the employees did not report for work was that, under their old schedule, Thursday had been their regular day off.
Callwood said Vitran is required by union contract to send out layoff notices two weeks in advance, but nobody had reckoned on the layoff date falling in the middle of the week. "We're all to blame on that one," he said.
As luck would have it, the demand for public transit was less than it might have been under other circumstances. There were no cruise ships in port at St. Thomas on Thursday. It was, in fact, the first such day since Hurricane Lenny visited the territory in November, according to Jimmy Danet, officer manager for The West Indian Company. As a result, a lot of safari bus and taxi drivers were on the road looking to pick up local fares who might not otherwise have been available to do so.
In addition, intermittent showers during the day across the island may have dissuaded those who did not have to go out and travel on public transit.
There were no signs of would-be riders stuck waiting at bus stops. In fact, with the off- and-on rain, most downtown and West End stops were virtually deserted outside of the morning and afternoon rush hours.
On St. John, Vitran operations manager Donna Roberts said the first day of running a decimated system with an all-new staff was rocky. Her entire St. John crew was laid off because of a lack of seniority, since Vitran began operating on the island only three years ago, and five St. Thomas employees were transferred to St. John.
However, Roberts said, first thing Thursday morning, one laid-off driver was called back – – and came back — because one of the two St. Thomas drivers scheduled to begin service at 5:15 a.m. was late.
Then, she said, that bus, one of just two operating on the island, went out of service, and a mechanic had to be called over from St. Thomas.
Callwood said the St. Thomas driver who reported on time in the morning has family on St. John and had spent the night there. Drivers newly assigned to work on St. John are expected to make their own arrangements to be able to report for work at their scheduled starting times.
The "day-off" bug bit on St. John, too, in the afternoon. Roberts said one worker assigned to the second shift didn't show up "because Thursday was his regular day off." She added, "I couldn't blame him, because he worked all week and he wanted to take his day off."
Roberts said she was glad she had prepared a contingency plan on Wednesday while working out the new bus schedule. She predicted that by Sunday, the system should be running smoothly.
On Sundays, there will be "restricted" bus service on St. John but none on St. Thomas or St. Croix. The impact this will cause for places of worship remains to be seen, but a clergyman at one major downtown St. Thomas church expressed concern. The Rev. Clifton Niles of Christ Church Methodist at Rothschild Francis "Market" Square said his congregation members would have to get together to work out car pools or other alternatives to taking the bus. "To be honest, I don't know how we are going to handle it right now," he said Thursday.
At another downtown church, the Frenchtown Evangelistic Assembly, which has just constructed a new house of worship on Veterans Drive, Pastor Edward Magras said the absence of Vitran service would not be a problem. "We have our own safari bus, which the church subsidizes," he explained, "so we aren't concerned."
There was no word from Government House Thursday on any new developments in the public transit situation. Administration officials had said Wednesday that financial analysts were weighing legislation appropriating $600,000 for Vitran operations and a union offer for employees to go to a four-day work week and forgo sick-leave, overtime and holiday pay in order to save some jobs.
Callwood's projection for Friday was that it, too, would be "touch and go." He said he had anticipated personnel problems as a result of the layoffs but credited the drivers with being "professionals dedicated to their jobs."
He said he expects that the drivers will rally in the next few days because they "love their jobs and have a commitment to the community." He added, "It's my gut feeling that in a few days we will be over these growing pains and get adjusted to the new schedule."
Danet said only one cruise ship is scheduled to be at the WICO dock on Friday, and none again on Saturday.
Safari bus driver Burnett Smith had a word of advice for Vitran Thursday, as he awaited passengers at the main bus stop on the University of the Virgin Islands campus. "They should run it as a private company," he said. "If they had to sell service to survive, they'd do it."
HOW DOES HAWAII DEAL WITH NEGATIVE PUBLICITY?
Dear Source,
My earlier email about safety in the islands spawned another response from your reader in Maryland.
My thoughts were not intended to suggest that the Virgin Islands guarantee anyone's safety. I merely suggest that the Virgin Islands, and ANY destination, take the issue very seriously. And, I totally agree with you that people should use common sense precautions wherever their travel may take them.
After living in the islands for 34 years, I think the majority of people in the islands are deeply concerned about how the islands are perceived by the rest of the country. I don't hear a great deal about travelers who are concerned with safety in traveling to, or through, Maryland.
Maryland doesn't generate a lot of press in that regard. But, we both know that the islands have suffered a great deal from negative publicity in the past. So, I would suggest that a method be found to neutralize the negative publicity that seems to visit the islands all too often. How to do that becomes somewhat problematic.
Since you have traveled extensively, perhaps you would share with the readers how Hawaii, Alaska, Canada and Europe deal with the problem and still maintain such a favorable perception.
Robert Miller
My earlier email about safety in the islands spawned another response from your reader in Maryland.
My thoughts were not intended to suggest that the Virgin Islands guarantee anyone's safety. I merely suggest that the Virgin Islands, and ANY destination, take the issue very seriously. And, I totally agree with you that people should use common sense precautions wherever their travel may take them.
After living in the islands for 34 years, I think the majority of people in the islands are deeply concerned about how the islands are perceived by the rest of the country. I don't hear a great deal about travelers who are concerned with safety in traveling to, or through, Maryland.
Maryland doesn't generate a lot of press in that regard. But, we both know that the islands have suffered a great deal from negative publicity in the past. So, I would suggest that a method be found to neutralize the negative publicity that seems to visit the islands all too often. How to do that becomes somewhat problematic.
Since you have traveled extensively, perhaps you would share with the readers how Hawaii, Alaska, Canada and Europe deal with the problem and still maintain such a favorable perception.
Robert Miller
KEATING CLINIC PAYS TRIBUTE TO EMPLOYEES
Financial administrator Dionidas Anthony was named Employee of the Year by her peers at the Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center.
In paying tribute to Anthony at a luncheon ceremony Thursday, administrator Erica McDonald said the clinic workers were invited to submit nominations for the honor to a selection committee, which then forwarded its recommendation to her.
The luncheon itself was in honor of longtime housekeeper Margaret Charles, who retired in December after 15 years of service. Retiring Health Department employee Sally Brown was also honored with a plaque and gifts.
Thirty-seven other Keating staff members were recognized with service awards for milestones in their years of employment.
McDonald said she felt it was important to recognize the contributions of her staff because "the clinic can run if I'm not here, but it can't if they're not."
Anthony's peers said she had distinguished herself by taking a leadership role during the months when the clinic was between administrators. But Anthony said that role had fallen to others and she simply had offered her support. "I do things in the background," she said. "You know I don't like to be up front."
In paying tribute to Anthony at a luncheon ceremony Thursday, administrator Erica McDonald said the clinic workers were invited to submit nominations for the honor to a selection committee, which then forwarded its recommendation to her.
The luncheon itself was in honor of longtime housekeeper Margaret Charles, who retired in December after 15 years of service. Retiring Health Department employee Sally Brown was also honored with a plaque and gifts.
Thirty-seven other Keating staff members were recognized with service awards for milestones in their years of employment.
McDonald said she felt it was important to recognize the contributions of her staff because "the clinic can run if I'm not here, but it can't if they're not."
Anthony's peers said she had distinguished herself by taking a leadership role during the months when the clinic was between administrators. But Anthony said that role had fallen to others and she simply had offered her support. "I do things in the background," she said. "You know I don't like to be up front."
UVI HOLDS 36TH ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT
The University of the Virgin Islands will graduate 303 students at its 36th annual commencement exercises this month. The commencement for the St. Thomas campus will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at the Reichhold Center for the Arts.
The St. Croix campus commencement will be held on Sunday, May 21, at 4:30 p.m. at the Island Center. Tickets are required for both ceremonies.
"I congratulate the members of the Class of 2000, who exemplify the very best that the University of the Virgin Islands has to offer –– sound academic achievement, vision and the technical expertise to shape the next century," said UVI president Orville Kean.
The commencement speaker for the St. Thomas campus is Emmit McHenry, president and chief executive officer of NetCom Solutions International Inc., an international telecommunications, engineering, consulting and technical services firm that has been honored with numerous awards from customers and industry for performance excellence. McHenry is an active member of the State Department's Advisory Committee for International Communications and Information Policy.
He has held management positions with IBM, Connecticut General, Union Mutual and Allstate Insurance Company, where he served in several positions including regional vice president for the five northwestern states (Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii).
The commencement speaker for the St. Croix campus is Michael S. Fields, chairman and chief executive officer of the Fields Group, a management consulting firm. The Fields Group provides operational, marketing and financial consulting services to emerging companies in the information technology industry.
Prior to founding the Fields Group, Fields founded and served as CEO and chairman of the board of Open Vision, a leading supplier of systems management applications for open client/server computing environment. Fields and his wife Sandra, a St. Croix native, maintain a home on St. Croix.
The St. Thomas student commencement speaker is Leandra Lailow. The St. Croix student commencement speaker is Shakira Wilson.
"As we embark on a new century, members of the Class of 2000 are poised to set the pace in their respective fields of endeavor with eagerness and determination — traits that are prized at the University of the Virgin Islands," Kean said.
The St. Croix campus commencement will be held on Sunday, May 21, at 4:30 p.m. at the Island Center. Tickets are required for both ceremonies.
"I congratulate the members of the Class of 2000, who exemplify the very best that the University of the Virgin Islands has to offer –– sound academic achievement, vision and the technical expertise to shape the next century," said UVI president Orville Kean.
The commencement speaker for the St. Thomas campus is Emmit McHenry, president and chief executive officer of NetCom Solutions International Inc., an international telecommunications, engineering, consulting and technical services firm that has been honored with numerous awards from customers and industry for performance excellence. McHenry is an active member of the State Department's Advisory Committee for International Communications and Information Policy.
He has held management positions with IBM, Connecticut General, Union Mutual and Allstate Insurance Company, where he served in several positions including regional vice president for the five northwestern states (Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii).
The commencement speaker for the St. Croix campus is Michael S. Fields, chairman and chief executive officer of the Fields Group, a management consulting firm. The Fields Group provides operational, marketing and financial consulting services to emerging companies in the information technology industry.
Prior to founding the Fields Group, Fields founded and served as CEO and chairman of the board of Open Vision, a leading supplier of systems management applications for open client/server computing environment. Fields and his wife Sandra, a St. Croix native, maintain a home on St. Croix.
The St. Thomas student commencement speaker is Leandra Lailow. The St. Croix student commencement speaker is Shakira Wilson.
"As we embark on a new century, members of the Class of 2000 are poised to set the pace in their respective fields of endeavor with eagerness and determination — traits that are prized at the University of the Virgin Islands," Kean said.
UVI HOLDS 36TH ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT
The University of the Virgin Islands will graduate 303 students at its 36th annual commencement exercises this month. The commencement for the St. Thomas campus will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at the Reichhold Center for the Arts.
The St. Croix campus commencement will be held on Sunday, May 21, at 4:30 p.m. at the Island Center. Tickets are required for both ceremonies.
"I congratulate the members of the Class of 2000, who exemplify the very best that the University of the Virgin Islands has to offer –– sound academic achievement, vision and the technical expertise to shape the next century," said UVI president Orville Kean.
The commencement speaker for the St. Thomas campus is Emmit McHenry, president and chief executive officer of NetCom Solutions International Inc., an international telecommunications, engineering, consulting and technical services firm that has been honored with numerous awards from customers and industry for performance excellence. McHenry is an active member of the State Department's Advisory Committee for International Communications and Information Policy.
He has held management positions with IBM, Connecticut General, Union Mutual and Allstate Insurance Company, where he served in several positions including regional vice president for the five northwestern states (Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii).
The commencement speaker for the St. Croix campus is Michael S. Fields, chairman and chief executive officer of the Fields Group, a management consulting firm. The Fields Group provides operational, marketing and financial consulting services to emerging companies in the information technology industry.
Prior to founding the Fields Group, Fields founded and served as CEO and chairman of the board of Open Vision, a leading supplier of systems management applications for open client/server computing environment. Fields and his wife Sandra, a St. Croix native, maintain a home on St. Croix.
The St. Thomas student commencement speaker is Leandra Lailow. The St. Croix student commencement speaker is Shakira Wilson.
"As we embark on a new century, members of the Class of 2000 are poised to set the pace in their respective fields of endeavor with eagerness and determination — traits that are prized at the University of the Virgin Islands," Kean said.
The St. Croix campus commencement will be held on Sunday, May 21, at 4:30 p.m. at the Island Center. Tickets are required for both ceremonies.
"I congratulate the members of the Class of 2000, who exemplify the very best that the University of the Virgin Islands has to offer –– sound academic achievement, vision and the technical expertise to shape the next century," said UVI president Orville Kean.
The commencement speaker for the St. Thomas campus is Emmit McHenry, president and chief executive officer of NetCom Solutions International Inc., an international telecommunications, engineering, consulting and technical services firm that has been honored with numerous awards from customers and industry for performance excellence. McHenry is an active member of the State Department's Advisory Committee for International Communications and Information Policy.
He has held management positions with IBM, Connecticut General, Union Mutual and Allstate Insurance Company, where he served in several positions including regional vice president for the five northwestern states (Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii).
The commencement speaker for the St. Croix campus is Michael S. Fields, chairman and chief executive officer of the Fields Group, a management consulting firm. The Fields Group provides operational, marketing and financial consulting services to emerging companies in the information technology industry.
Prior to founding the Fields Group, Fields founded and served as CEO and chairman of the board of Open Vision, a leading supplier of systems management applications for open client/server computing environment. Fields and his wife Sandra, a St. Croix native, maintain a home on St. Croix.
The St. Thomas student commencement speaker is Leandra Lailow. The St. Croix student commencement speaker is Shakira Wilson.
"As we embark on a new century, members of the Class of 2000 are poised to set the pace in their respective fields of endeavor with eagerness and determination — traits that are prized at the University of the Virgin Islands," Kean said.
EAST END TO GET HEART ATTACK AID DEVICE
East end St. John residents should soon have a new medical resource for emergency services, an interactive heart defibrillator that is being donated through the St. John Community Foundation.
Foundation executive director Mary Blazine said she was ordering the pocketbook-sized piece of equipment with funding help from a group of Coral Bay residents. "Apparently someone had a heart attack and the EMS just barely got there in time," she said, and this inspired a New Year's Eve party fund raiser that netted $4,250 for the cause.
Additional individual donations were solicited. Blazine said part of the money is going to purchase the defibrillator and the rest will be earmarked for maintenance of the equipment, defibrillator pads and other supplies.
Emergency Medical Services supervisor David Trahan said the device, which is used to revive heart attack victims, can be used by anyone trained in basic life support techniques. "The machine actually talks to the person," he said.
St. John's deputy fire chief, Brian Chapman, said a small supply of emergency medical equipment is kept at the island's two fire stations. More is stored in Coral Bay than Cruz Bay, as the town has ready access to the EMS station at the Morris F. deCastro Clinic, he said.
Trahan expressed the hope that adding the defibrillator to the Coral Bay inventory will help make quick assistance possible for those who might not otherwise receive emergency care in time because of being 8 to 12 miles away from the nearest medical facilities.
Foundation executive director Mary Blazine said she was ordering the pocketbook-sized piece of equipment with funding help from a group of Coral Bay residents. "Apparently someone had a heart attack and the EMS just barely got there in time," she said, and this inspired a New Year's Eve party fund raiser that netted $4,250 for the cause.
Additional individual donations were solicited. Blazine said part of the money is going to purchase the defibrillator and the rest will be earmarked for maintenance of the equipment, defibrillator pads and other supplies.
Emergency Medical Services supervisor David Trahan said the device, which is used to revive heart attack victims, can be used by anyone trained in basic life support techniques. "The machine actually talks to the person," he said.
St. John's deputy fire chief, Brian Chapman, said a small supply of emergency medical equipment is kept at the island's two fire stations. More is stored in Coral Bay than Cruz Bay, as the town has ready access to the EMS station at the Morris F. deCastro Clinic, he said.
Trahan expressed the hope that adding the defibrillator to the Coral Bay inventory will help make quick assistance possible for those who might not otherwise receive emergency care in time because of being 8 to 12 miles away from the nearest medical facilities.
CAR RENTAL AGENCIES AIR CONCERNS TO POLICE
Car rental agency owners on St. Thomas and St. John told top police officials this week that they are being overwhelmed by their liability for traffic tickets incurred and then ignored by customers.
St. John agents also complained of day-trippers touring their island in rental vehicles from St. Thomas, and agents on both islands warned of the dire consequences of a proposal to drop the provision for customers to leave a credit card as security.
Police Commissioner Franz Christian got the feedback as he conducted public hearings on both islands on vehicle rental quotas. The hearings are supposed to be an annual check on the numbers of rental vehicles offered by each agency, although it has been several years since the last one was held.
The third and final hearing is set for 7 p.m. Friday on St. Croix in the Legislature Building conference room in Frederiksted.
"You have to request the [number] of cars you need, and then you have to keep them up through licensing," St. Thomas Hertz Rent-A-Car manager Valerie Aubain said.
Back in 1994, St. John rental company owners tried to halt the barging of vehicles rented on St. Thomas over to St. John. At Tuesday's hearing on St. John, Charlie Marsh of C&C Rental in Cruz Bay told Christian that competition for customers has now expanded to include competition for parking space.
"The cars from St. Thomas are allowed to come here now, but there is no parking for them," he said.
The number of car and jeep rental businesses in Cruz Bay rose sharply around 1994, increasing competition on island. But, because of the small size of each agency, many St. John operators have low quotas for their vehicle inventories.
Agents on both islands described in detail their difficulties with unreported parking tickets.
Khalilah Samuel, who attended the St. John hearing for O'Connor Car Rental, said customers cited for traffic violations routinely return their vehicles without telling anyone about their tickets. "The cars are ticketed, but not the people," she said. "If it's a moving violation, the car company is responsible."
Agents on both islands said the problem is compounded by new Motor Vehicles Bureau rules which allow for penalty charges to be tacked on for tickets not paid in a timely manner. "I just paid $100 on a car that was sold," Samuel said. "There was a moving violation for a seat belt. We had to pay for it."
According to both Samuel and Aubain, Christian said he and his officers would try to address the problem. One officer placed part of the blame on the Territorial Court, saying it doesn't send in tickets on time, Aubain said. "Sometimes officers do not turn their tickets in on time," she added. "Sometimes it's a year until we find out there's a parking ticket."
"The commissioner was very responsive, but he said his hands are tied," Aubain said.
At the Wednesday hearing on St. Thomas, Christian said tourists don't always know where they can and cannot park, because there aren't enough signs posted in restricted areas. He said the problem was one that could best be addressed by Motor Vehicles.
Rental business operators attending the hearings — about 25 on St. John and eight on St. Thomas — also challenged a government proposal to end the credit card security policy. Marsh said the alternative now permitted — a $150 cash deposit — "can't work" because the insurance deductible per car is $750. He said he would prefer to see a cash deposit sufficient to cover the rental company in case the car is damaged or destroyed while in the customer's hands.
Bruce Thomas of Dependable Car Rental on St. Thomas said the subject of cash deposits also came up at a recent meeting of rental agents on St. Croix.
St. John agents also complained of day-trippers touring their island in rental vehicles from St. Thomas, and agents on both islands warned of the dire consequences of a proposal to drop the provision for customers to leave a credit card as security.
Police Commissioner Franz Christian got the feedback as he conducted public hearings on both islands on vehicle rental quotas. The hearings are supposed to be an annual check on the numbers of rental vehicles offered by each agency, although it has been several years since the last one was held.
The third and final hearing is set for 7 p.m. Friday on St. Croix in the Legislature Building conference room in Frederiksted.
"You have to request the [number] of cars you need, and then you have to keep them up through licensing," St. Thomas Hertz Rent-A-Car manager Valerie Aubain said.
Back in 1994, St. John rental company owners tried to halt the barging of vehicles rented on St. Thomas over to St. John. At Tuesday's hearing on St. John, Charlie Marsh of C&C Rental in Cruz Bay told Christian that competition for customers has now expanded to include competition for parking space.
"The cars from St. Thomas are allowed to come here now, but there is no parking for them," he said.
The number of car and jeep rental businesses in Cruz Bay rose sharply around 1994, increasing competition on island. But, because of the small size of each agency, many St. John operators have low quotas for their vehicle inventories.
Agents on both islands described in detail their difficulties with unreported parking tickets.
Khalilah Samuel, who attended the St. John hearing for O'Connor Car Rental, said customers cited for traffic violations routinely return their vehicles without telling anyone about their tickets. "The cars are ticketed, but not the people," she said. "If it's a moving violation, the car company is responsible."
Agents on both islands said the problem is compounded by new Motor Vehicles Bureau rules which allow for penalty charges to be tacked on for tickets not paid in a timely manner. "I just paid $100 on a car that was sold," Samuel said. "There was a moving violation for a seat belt. We had to pay for it."
According to both Samuel and Aubain, Christian said he and his officers would try to address the problem. One officer placed part of the blame on the Territorial Court, saying it doesn't send in tickets on time, Aubain said. "Sometimes officers do not turn their tickets in on time," she added. "Sometimes it's a year until we find out there's a parking ticket."
"The commissioner was very responsive, but he said his hands are tied," Aubain said.
At the Wednesday hearing on St. Thomas, Christian said tourists don't always know where they can and cannot park, because there aren't enough signs posted in restricted areas. He said the problem was one that could best be addressed by Motor Vehicles.
Rental business operators attending the hearings — about 25 on St. John and eight on St. Thomas — also challenged a government proposal to end the credit card security policy. Marsh said the alternative now permitted — a $150 cash deposit — "can't work" because the insurance deductible per car is $750. He said he would prefer to see a cash deposit sufficient to cover the rental company in case the car is damaged or destroyed while in the customer's hands.
Bruce Thomas of Dependable Car Rental on St. Thomas said the subject of cash deposits also came up at a recent meeting of rental agents on St. Croix.
