Testimony given by Labor Commissioner Sonia Jacobs-Dow and Finance Commissioner Bernice Turnbull on Monday revealed that worker's compensation payments will grind to a halt again this week as the result of the insurance fund being in the red by $2.9 million.
At a meeting of the Committee on Labor and Veteran's Affairs, a number of additional problems were uncovered.
Among them was Turnbull's revelation that on Friday she had authorized payment of $400,000 for claims against the worker's compensation program by "tapping other special funds of the government." Several senators became upset at that news, noting that the administration did not have authorization to tap other funds.
Turnbull responded that no further payments will be authorized until the Senate acts on an appropriation bill from Government House.
However, at a news conference Tuesday, Gov. Charles Turnbull supported Turnbull's action, saying, "What she did was a humanitarian deed; it was not illegal."
The governor said he would further discuss the status of the worker's compensation program when he meets with legislators Thursday. In fact, the governor placed the blame for the problems with worker's compensation on the Legislature's doorstep.
"In December, this same Legislature failed to enact a $3 million appropriation that would have covered the shortfall in the fund, the governor said. "The Senate dropped the ball and now there is a crisis."
The insurance fund is owed $6.8 million by the V.I. government and $943,012 by private companies, according to the Finance commissioner.
Additionally, Dow faced several rounds of tough questioning Monday as senators questioned her about Labor's failure to implement federally mandated "one-stop shopping" for services provided by the agency. Dow was also questioned about her failure to implement increases in unemployment benefits and decreases in employers' contributions to the fund.
Committee Chair Roosevelt David openly criticized Dow for failing to enact the provisions of that legislation, which was passed last year.

Water and Power Authority customers will see increases in their electric bills April 1, but the Public Services Commission has softened the blow a bit by restricting the percentage they'll go up for now.
The PSC agreed to let the utility raise rates by 17 percent for residential customers instead of the 23 percent that WAPA had projected, and by 14 percent for commercial customers and 19 percent for large-scale users. The increases will extend over nine months and split the increased cost of oil between WAPA and its consumers.
The average residential electric bill will go up $10.37 a month for residential customers, $28.08 for commercial users and $523.21 for large power users.
PSC investigative consultant Anthony Zarillo had advised the commission against the $14 average monthly household increase WAPA cited in a press release Friday.
Zarillo, in his report on the utility's "levelized energy adjustment," a surcharge linked to world market fuel costs that the PSC first permitted WAPA to add onto bills in 1981, warned against action that could produce "rate shock" among consumers.
The surcharge rate is adjusted every six months. With oil prices soaring, WAPA representatives said, it is sure to go up again in July. But they said that between now and then they will seek to prepare a recovery plan.
Each revision of the surcharge is supposed to balance projected oil costs for the six months to come with any over- or undercharging versus actual fuel costs for the previous six months.
Because of cost increases that have not been passed on to customers in the last year, WAPA authorities said, the utility's under-collecting will reach almost $12 million by the end of March. The surcharge adjustment approved by the PSC last October was based on an oil cost projection of $21.75 per barrel. The price is now about $30 a barrel.
Glenn Rothgeb, WAPA assistant executive director, acknowledged he had misjudged the price climb. He said he doesn't expect oil prices to go down any time in the near future, either. Even with the coming bill increases, he said, WAPA is "just treading water."
WAPA has been losing about $1 million a month since January and will probably need to borrow money to keep going, WAPA chief financial officer Terry Drake said.
Zarillo said consumers should not expect any relief until fall at the earliest, even if the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries increases the oil supply.
Both WAPA officials and PSC members expressed concern about how the increase will affect those on fixed incomes and small businesses. Commission member Desmond Maynard said, "I shudder to think what kind of reaction we're going to get in the community."
The choices, Zarillo said, are "either pay now, or pay later."

Is it a cliché that suggests that women are "natural peacemakers"? Does this image stem from a perception of women in their roles as mothers or does it reflect some truth common to all women?
Women are perceived as more compassionate, less threatening, more willing to listen, learn, and opt for reconciliation over force. Traditionally women have been acknowledged as peacemakers within the home, separating squabbling children with the paramount need to protect and cherish.
Now that women are playing much wider roles in society, gender-based assessment seems to show that women have something special to contribute to the larger realization of victory over violence, of the realization of peace.
Women have primarily been the victims of marital or partner conflict. Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 to 44. Every 21 days a woman is killed by domestic violence, according to the Bureau of Primary Health Care Database. Some 70 percent of murdered women are killed by a husband, lover or estranged husband or lover (Kellerman, 1992.
But there is another significant battery on women by husbands and lovers that is not seen as a killer, namely, unprotected sex by men with multiple partners. Women account for 50 percent of the cases of AIDS, according to the U.S.Virgin Islands Department of Health's Office of HIV/AIDS Surveillance Quarterly report from June 30, 1999.
Among women, the proportion of AIDS cases attributed to heterosexual contact was 47 percent. Women are the fastest growing population of AIDS cases. While every abusive relationship tells an individual story that may differ in some respects from other relationships, the common pattern of abusive behavior centers around the issues of power, control, and manipulation.
How can we deal with deeply entrenched cultural mores and traditional gender roles? How can women break out of the cycle of being abused and misused?
My own view is that women need to be more empowered and take more responsibility. We need a set of institutions and practices that will create opportunities for women to understand and recognize that violence, whether sexual or otherwise, is unacceptable. We need women to take responsibility for the sexual act, for it is costing them their lives.
We need to create the confidence in women that love at any cost is not true love. We need to energize women to take their capabilities of managing work and family in a holistic way and apply these capabilities to all aspects of their life. If women still believe that by staying quiet and submitting to male domination sexually and in the home is "keeping the peace", they cannot hope to contribute to peacebuilding on a wider scale.
In our discussions on "Victory over Violence" it was a young woman, my teenage daughter, who suggested let us produce images of peace and nonviolence which are as interesting and gripping as those of fighting and war.
In our discussions on HIV and AIDS, it was an older woman who stated that her anger of being helpless to her mate led her to act violently rather than responsibly as she would have if she were dealing with her children.
Let women who have decision-making authority in the home have the courage to change their helplessness and seek assistance from organizations that can make a difference. Let women who have decision making authority in the media, in the courts, in the offices, in the medical community, in the Senate, utilize the same skills of understanding, communication and negotiation, to make a difference to change the institutions in which we work.
Let us be proud of who we are; accept and respect ourselves; and require the same respect when in our partners’ arms as we do in the other aspects of our lives.
Let us join with the youth and engrave the pledge of victory over violence that reads as follows:
"I, _________________, will value my own life. Recognizing that a lack of self-identity and hope for the future lies at the root of all violence, I will reach beyond my limitations, taking concrete steps each day to uncover my real potential. I will never give up on my dreams, even if they seem impossible. I will respect all life. Recognizing that violence comes in many forms, I will not isolate myself but will create an environment where others feel comfortable and can be themselves. I will see beyond the superficial differences and reflect on my own behavior. I will inspire hope in others. With courage, I will resolutely stand against violence, be it verbal, physical or passive, and teach others through my own example. I will support others and encourage them to follow their dreams."

St. John is soon to have a multi-disciplinary team approach to dealing with all reported cases of child abuse, according to Iris Kern, director of the Safety Zone.
The team will consist of police investigators, medical and social service providers, teachers and specially trained volunteers, Kern said. They will have a shared goal of making sure troubled children get the observation and follow-through they need to overcome the effects of abuse and neglect, she added.
Kern, who has been working on the development of the team, said it should be ready to begin work within a month.
The not-for-profit Safety Zone offers intervention and help for families experiencing domestic violence. It also assists victims of crime and helps visitors who are facing crises while away from home.
Last week, with grant support from the National Child Alliance, the Safety Zone sent three volunteers to the 16th annual Symposium on Child Sexual Abuse, held in Huntsville, Ala. There, experts in the field presented close to 40 research papers to a gathering of 1,800 front-line workers — teachers, police, social workers, medical personnel and child safety advocates.
The topics addressed included forming working relationships with non-abusive parents, talking to children about what happened during an incident of abuse, and gathering information to aid in the prosecution of sexual predators. There was also a presentation on the psychological tricks used by predators to keep their victims from reporting abuse.
Safety Zone volunteer Lorna Nichols said she tried at the week-long forum to convey the particular challenges of assisting abused children living on a small island. "This is a close-knit society," she explained. "Everybody talks to each other, but nobody wants to talk to the authorities."
Also attending the symposium were representatives of Family Resource Center, formerly Women's Resource Center, of St. Thomas-St. John. Executive director Michal Rhymer said she sent staff members and volunteers in the preceding three years, but this year she attended the gathering herself, along with social worker Sandra Howard.
Child abuse has been part of life in the Virgin Islands for decades, Rhymer said, but more victims and their families are willing to report abuse and seek help today. As a result, she said, more young victims have a chance at emotional recovery so that they will be able to grow up to live healthy, productive lives.

If you enjoy writing, reading or listening to poetry, the St. Thomas-St. John Arts Council has an "Arts After Dark" event for you on Wednesday, March 22, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Frenchtown Deli coffeeshop.
"The Poetry of Paradise" is an open poetry reading being presented by the Arts Council, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization which hosts monthly events focusing on the various arts at varying venues on St. Thomas and St. John. It's free and open to the public. However, a few simple rules apply to those wishing to read:
Participants may read their own work, the unpublished poetry of anyone else, or the published work of any Virgin Islands poet. Those wishing to read are asked to sign up ahead of time — by calling or faxing to 776-4812, e-mailing to jetsinger@viaccess.net or registering in person between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m. on the day of the event.
Poetry readers are welcome to arrange acoustic musical or drumming accompaniment. Each person will be allotted five minutes. After all who signed up have had the opportunity to read, a second round will follow.
Students and published poets are especially encouraged to take part. A table will be available for those with published volumes of poetry to exhibit them for sale — and perhaps autograph them for purchasers. The price should be clearly displayed on each book.
There will be complimentary finger food. Gourmet coffees, cold drinks and deli fare will be available for purchase on the premises.

If you enjoy writing, reading or listening to poetry, the St. Thomas-St. John Arts Council has an "Arts After Dark" event for you on Wednesday, March 22, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Frenchtown Deli coffeeshop.
"The Poetry of Paradise" is an open poetry reading being presented by the Arts Council, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization which hosts monthly events focusing on the various arts at varying venues on St. Thomas and St. John. It's free and open to the public. However, a few simple rules apply to those wishing to read:
Participants may read their own work, the unpublished poetry of anyone else, or the published work of any Virgin Islands poet. Those wishing to read are asked to sign up ahead of time — by calling or faxing to 776-4812, e-mailing to jetsinger@viaccess.net or registering in person between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m. on the day of the event.
Poetry readers are welcome to arrange acoustic musical or drumming accompaniment. Each person will be allotted five minutes. After all who signed up have had the opportunity to read, a second round will follow.
Students and published poets are especially encouraged to take part. A table will be available for those with published volumes of poetry to exhibit them for sale — and perhaps autograph them for purchasers. The price should be clearly displayed on each book.
There will be complimentary finger food. Gourmet coffees, cold drinks and deli fare will be available for purchase on the premises.

Dear editor:
You must be aware just how delighted I am with the wonderful review of my exhibition. As a matter of fact, there was a let-down after my opening — an enormous amount of work behind me, the big build-up, and then not a word anywhere in print reviewing same. Good, bad or indifferent, it would have been nice to get some coverage by the print media.
Thank God for the Source. You guys do what the print media is just not doing, in this field as well as others. Rarely, if ever, is a review of any cultural event, be it music, theater or the visual arts, written in the local press.
Being able to make a living as an artist here in the Virgin Islands is next to impossible, as the climate has never been friendly to same. In the years I have lived here, I have not seen any art galley survive more than an all-too-brief period. Those that do survive must rely on diversifying their product mix. Your coverage and review will help, and I am hopeful that we will see some change in the future. Thank you again for your time and exposure.
Jens-Peter Kemmler

Dear editor:
You must be aware just how delighted I am with the wonderful review of my exhibition. As a matter of fact, there was a let-down after my opening — an enormous amount of work behind me, the big build-up, and then not a word anywhere in print reviewing same. Good, bad or indifferent, it would have been nice to get some coverage by the print media.
Thank God for the Source. You guys do what the print media is just not doing, in this field as well as others. Rarely, if ever, is a review of any cultural event, be it music, theater or the visual arts, written in the local press.
Being able to make a living as an artist here in the Virgin Islands is next to impossible, as the climate has never been friendly to same. In the years I have lived here, I have not seen any art galley survive more than an all-too-brief period. Those that do survive must rely on diversifying their product mix. Your coverage and review will help, and I am hopeful that we will see some change in the future. Thank you again for your time and exposure.
Jens-Peter Kemmler

The Public Services Commission Monday approved charges for a variety of optional and long awaited new services to be offered by the Virgin Island Telephone Corp. Vitelco filed a tariff with the commission in December 1999 proposing to introduce the new features.
One of the most popular features is caller ID, which identifies the caller's phone number before the customer picks up the phone. Deluxe ID also includes the caller's name.
Though caller ID will soon be available here, it will only identify calls made on land lines in the Virgin Islands, not long-distance or cellular phone calls.
The PSC is required by law to review proposed charges by the territory's public service companies within 30 days. However, at a February hearing the board voted to extend the deadline so members could study the request and examine caller privacy.
The charges for caller ID and other services were approved Monday by a vote of 2-0, with two abstentions. Chairman Walter Challenger and Commissioner Alecia M. Wells voted yes. Desmond Maynard and Luther Renee abstained, and Patrick Williams and Cora Hill were absent.
Attorney Frederick G. Watts, PSC hearing examiner, and Anthony J. Zarillo, executive vice-president of AUS Consultants, a consulting firm hired by Challenger last year, testified that they approved of the charges.
Zarillo said he had investigated 22 long-distance companies in the U.S. mainland and found Vitelco's proposed charges to be in line with those. Watts said the fees "were appropriate."
Maynard challenged the investigation, saying that he wanted more time to examine the new fees and that he had never seen a copy of the investigation. Since the PSC has "been under public scrutiny for a long time," Maynard said he needed more time to make an "informed decision."
Challenger said some states don't have hearings when the issue is simply introducing new features. He said the matter had been around for about three years and the commission should give the public the new technology.
As for getting caller ID on long-distance calls and cell phones, Vitelco representatives said they were negotiating with Puerto Rico and other long-distance carriers but it had to be economically "feasible" to Vitelco.
Watts must now prepare the order for the new fees, and Challenger must sign it, before they go into effect. Watts said that should happen this week.
The new features include call return, repeat dialing, distinctive ringing and long-distance alert. They also include a call-blocking feature that protects the customer's identity. This feature is important to human service organizations because of the agency's commitment to protect the identity of its clients.
In other action, the commission granted Vitelco a 50 percent waiver for reimbursement to customers for interruption of service, from the former 150 percent to 100 percent. The service periods are from Nov. 17 to Jan. 15 for St. Thomas-St. John, and Nov. 17 to Jan. 31 for St. Croix.
This means that credits given to customers who were without service will be based on the severity of the damage to their area, according to Keithly Joseph, PSC executive director.
Ebbesen and Vitelco attorney Kevin Rames said St. Croix's service is now "almost normal," adding about 300 lines were still out on St. Croix from Hurricane Lenny. They said they expected the work to be completed within 60 to 90 days. In the meantime Ebbesen has committed to providing cell phones to Vitelco customers who have had severe problems, Joseph said.
Joseph said Vitelco's new features are available now, but customers have to go to the company's business office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to obtain information and sign up.
Here is a rundown of some of the monthly rates for the special features:
Custom Ringing Service (Teen Service)
One dependent – Residence $4.00
Two dependents – Residence $6.00
Three dependents – Residence $8.00
One dependent – Business . $5.60(R)
Two dependents – Business $8.40(R)
Three dependents – Business $11.20(R)
Caller ID Services
Caller ID Basic – Residence $5.50
Caller ID Basic – Business $7.00
Caller ID Deluxe – Residence $6.50
Caller ID Deluxe – Business $8.00
Call return – Residence $3.00
Call return – Business $4.00
Repeat dialing – Residence $3.00
Repeat dialing – Business $4.00

Dear Students,
I am a member of the Charlotte Amalie Class of 1984 and a member of the U.S. Air Force stationed in Germany. I always make it a point to keep up with what is going on in the community and especially at CAHS.
I'm writing this letter to address the incident at the school on the 17th of February.
Frankly, I was angered and disgusted that such a thing could happen at MY school. I say my school because I and thousands of others before you have invested a lot of time, effort and hard work to make our school what it is today.
My contribution to this legacy was as a member of the Future Business Leaders of America, a member of the CAHS Marching Band, and a member of the varsity soccer and volleyball teams. And there are countless people who can make these or similar claims.
This school has produced educators, doctors, lawyers, governors, senators, members of Congress and professional sports players to name just a few.
These people are not only in the local community but all over this planet. And many of them can tell you that their success was due to the solid foundation that our school provided.
This school is rich in history and tradition and it pains me when something is done to tarnish its reputation.
You must realize when you put on that uniform, you are instantly recognized and anything you do will reflect on the school. No matter if you from Savan or "Ras Valley", once you put on that uniform, you now represent the Blue and Gold and you carry the weight of all those who have come before you on your back. This should be first and utmost in your mind.
To those who feel that they can't live up the challenge, should not be granted the privilege of wearing the uniform.
To those students of Charlotte Amalie High School who work hard every day to continue the tradition of our school, I salute you; and know that you are part of a special fraternity and you have years of tradition behind you.
I can tell from living abroad, the instant you meet a fellow Chicken Hawk an instant bond is formed like no other.
It's really something you will have to experience for yourself. I can say with confidence and a little bit of arrogance that CAHS is the best. And whenever anyone challenges that notion, I can say just look at our tradition and history.
Jason R. Bowry
Sgt. U.S. Air Force
Kaiserslautern, Germany