The latest bomb threat at the Cyril E. King Airport, while a hoax, has nonetheless created a heightened regard for security. Airport manager Barbara Ricketts said Friday that security is a normal priority, but the possibility of bomb threats increasing means paying even closer attention to detail.
"It puts us on more awareness and in a state of readiness," Ricketts said, adding that officials are always alert to suspicious behavior by people arriving at the airport.
The public, Ricketts said, is an important element in airport security. She would like to see travelers as alert at home as they are when abroad.
"When we travel, we tend to look around and know what is going on around us and we take precautions we don’t ordinarily take at home," she said.
Ricketts urged everyone to be observant. "If you see bags or suspicious packages, call the airport or police authorities right away."
Despite the two bomb pranks this week and the reactions they require,
Ricketts said the King Airport continues to meet the security standards of regulators and the industry.
"We are tested on these issues regularly," she said. "Our certification manuals are certified by the federal government, the FAA conducts annual and sometimes quarterly testing, and in general the V.I. Port Authority is qualified to run the airport in the manner it does."
POLICE UNION MEETS WITH CHIEF TO AIR COMPLAINTS
Representatives of the Law Enforcement Supervisors Union and the territorial police chief have met to discuss the complaints of the forensics unit about working conditions.
LESU President Al Donsatorg said the complaints were registered and the response of the police commissioner was as anticipated.
"In the final analysis, the territorial chief admitted that he was limited in what he could do at his level," Donastorg said, noting that the chief's finding would be turned over to Commissioner Franz Christian for final action.
"We are looking forward to the commissioner's response which is expected five days from the hearing," he said.
The story of the forensics unit is not a new one to the government. Officers were supposed to occupy the space at the former Territorial Court building, but Donastorg says that was six years ago.
"They have provided detailed reports from 1997 about the problems at the facility," Donastorg said after the meeting. "The only remedy is for the forensics unit to be relocated from the building across from Vendor's Plaza."
The supervisors union president said it has been especially disturbing to learn that federal grant funds have been available, and could have been used to provide decent working space for the forensics unit and other purposes, but not have been.
"We have to get to the bottom of this snag which is delaying the monies that are available to address the needs of the Police Department," Donastorg added.
He said he was told that only one-third of the monies are earmarked for forensics; the remainder has been allotted for the 911 communications system for software upgrades.
Donastorg said the mood at the meeting this week was amicable but the commissioner's response will determine how much progress has been made.
The Source first reported this week that officers of the forensics unit moved out of the office space and assumed offices at the Emancipation Garden as a result of unsafe working conditions.
LESU President Al Donsatorg said the complaints were registered and the response of the police commissioner was as anticipated.
"In the final analysis, the territorial chief admitted that he was limited in what he could do at his level," Donastorg said, noting that the chief's finding would be turned over to Commissioner Franz Christian for final action.
"We are looking forward to the commissioner's response which is expected five days from the hearing," he said.
The story of the forensics unit is not a new one to the government. Officers were supposed to occupy the space at the former Territorial Court building, but Donastorg says that was six years ago.
"They have provided detailed reports from 1997 about the problems at the facility," Donastorg said after the meeting. "The only remedy is for the forensics unit to be relocated from the building across from Vendor's Plaza."
The supervisors union president said it has been especially disturbing to learn that federal grant funds have been available, and could have been used to provide decent working space for the forensics unit and other purposes, but not have been.
"We have to get to the bottom of this snag which is delaying the monies that are available to address the needs of the Police Department," Donastorg added.
He said he was told that only one-third of the monies are earmarked for forensics; the remainder has been allotted for the 911 communications system for software upgrades.
Donastorg said the mood at the meeting this week was amicable but the commissioner's response will determine how much progress has been made.
The Source first reported this week that officers of the forensics unit moved out of the office space and assumed offices at the Emancipation Garden as a result of unsafe working conditions.
10TH ANNUAL FEDDY AWARDS
The St. Thomas-St. John Federation of Teachers will hold their 10th Annual FEDDY Awards at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 20, at Palms Court harbor View Hotel.
Tickets for the Federation Dedicated to Youths Awards may be obtained from the union office or any building representative for $25.
Nomination forms can be picked up at the AFT office from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For further information call the union office at 776-1825 or fax 777-1825.
Tickets for the Federation Dedicated to Youths Awards may be obtained from the union office or any building representative for $25.
Nomination forms can be picked up at the AFT office from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For further information call the union office at 776-1825 or fax 777-1825.
MEETING FOR CARNIVAL BANDS
VICC is inviting all bands participating in Carnival 2000 to a meeting at 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 1, at the VICC office.
Arrive on time for an efficient and productive meeting.
Jump Up and Sway, It's Carnival for Y2K!
Arrive on time for an efficient and productive meeting.
Jump Up and Sway, It's Carnival for Y2K!
TWO PLACED ON $50,000 BAIL FOR COCAINE POSSESSION
Two St. Thomas men who were charged Wednesday night with cocaine possession attempted to dump a five-pound bag of the illegal drug after they unknowingly drove into a police checkpoint in the Wintberg/Tutu bypass area, police say.
The two men were identified Thursday in Territorial Court as Kelvin Pickering and Devaughn "Butch" Todman. Appearing for an advice-of-rights hearing following their arrest, Judge Soraya Diase found probable cause to charge both men with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
At one point the hearing turned into a rancorous debate with defense attorneys Stephen Brusch and Federal Public Defender Brenda Scales arguing that the government did not provide enough information to detain Todman and Pickering.
In a brief appearance before the court, police officer James Marrishaw
said he and other police officers were conducting the random roadblock initiative when officers observed a white Toyota Runner stop about 50 yards from the checkpoint and suddenly reverse to leave the area.
Marrishaw said police officers pursued the vehicle driven by Todman and Pickering and observed Todman get out of the vehicle and dump the bag of cocaine in the bushes.
Both Todman and Pickering were detained, and when officers retrieved the bag and discovered the contraband, the two were arrested. The street value of the drugs was estimated at $25,000.
A probable cause fact sheet also said that officers found about $20,000 worth of checks from three V.I. banks. There was no mention of the checks in the Thursday court hearing.
Brusch argued that his client, Kelvin Pickering, was not involved in the possession of the drugs but was merely a passenger in a vehicle. Government prosecutor John Wilks argued that Pickering's presence in the car supports the charge of "constructive possession."
When Scales argued that the five pounds of cocaine was for personal use and not distribution, Wilks responded sarcastically, "Five pounds of cocaine is not for personal use."
Todman and Pickering were placed on $50,000 bail each. Family members were expected to post a property bond to secure Pickering's release from prison. Todman, who is unemployed, was allowed to post 10 percent of his bail or $5,000 to facilitate his release.
Also on Thursday, police officials confirmed that Pickering, a safety officer at the V.I. Port Authority, is the husband of a police officer. A large contingent of police officers was present during the hour-long court hearing.
The two men were identified Thursday in Territorial Court as Kelvin Pickering and Devaughn "Butch" Todman. Appearing for an advice-of-rights hearing following their arrest, Judge Soraya Diase found probable cause to charge both men with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
At one point the hearing turned into a rancorous debate with defense attorneys Stephen Brusch and Federal Public Defender Brenda Scales arguing that the government did not provide enough information to detain Todman and Pickering.
In a brief appearance before the court, police officer James Marrishaw
said he and other police officers were conducting the random roadblock initiative when officers observed a white Toyota Runner stop about 50 yards from the checkpoint and suddenly reverse to leave the area.
Marrishaw said police officers pursued the vehicle driven by Todman and Pickering and observed Todman get out of the vehicle and dump the bag of cocaine in the bushes.
Both Todman and Pickering were detained, and when officers retrieved the bag and discovered the contraband, the two were arrested. The street value of the drugs was estimated at $25,000.
A probable cause fact sheet also said that officers found about $20,000 worth of checks from three V.I. banks. There was no mention of the checks in the Thursday court hearing.
Brusch argued that his client, Kelvin Pickering, was not involved in the possession of the drugs but was merely a passenger in a vehicle. Government prosecutor John Wilks argued that Pickering's presence in the car supports the charge of "constructive possession."
When Scales argued that the five pounds of cocaine was for personal use and not distribution, Wilks responded sarcastically, "Five pounds of cocaine is not for personal use."
Todman and Pickering were placed on $50,000 bail each. Family members were expected to post a property bond to secure Pickering's release from prison. Todman, who is unemployed, was allowed to post 10 percent of his bail or $5,000 to facilitate his release.
Also on Thursday, police officials confirmed that Pickering, a safety officer at the V.I. Port Authority, is the husband of a police officer. A large contingent of police officers was present during the hour-long court hearing.
TRAIN TRAVEL GREAT TO SEE PLACES, MEET PEOPLE
Part 4 of a series on a St. Thomas couple's recent travels in China
Call it the romance of the rails, a desire to see where one is going, appreciation for the distance one travels, or just plain masochism; my wife and I enjoy traveling by train when it's an option. It was very much so during our recent travels in China.
We took the overnight Beijing Express from Hong Kong to Beijing, transferred from Beijing to Xi'an via a night train, commuted between Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai by rail, and finally departed China from Shanghai to Hong Kong on the Shanghai Express.
We checked into Hong Kong's Kowloon Station at 2:30 p.m. for a 3 p.m. train, and we arrived in Beijing the next evening. The price for our tickets, obtained at the China International Tour Services office, worked out to about $120. The Beijing to Xi'an train barely gave us time for a quick early breakfast; the tickets were given to us by our guide during the drive from the hotel to the Beijing station and cost about $50. The commuter train between Hangzhou and Suzhou cost about $8, and the Shanghai Express was $110 for a 26-hour ride.
There are supposedly five methods of train travel in China: hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper, soft sleeper and deluxe soft sleeper. Hard seat is one step above cattle car. You get to rub shoulders with the people — all the people. Soft seat is less crowded, more comfortable, and offers such amenities as a bar, cleaner toilet facilities and maybe an observation deck. Hard sleeper is a dormitory approach with a fixed bunk assigned to each passenger. Soft sleeper is a more comfortable fixed bunk enclosed in a compartment of two uppers and two lowers. The deluxe soft sleeper is a compartment with four fixed bunks assigned to one traveling entity (individual, couple, family).
The overnight trains we used had deluxe soft sleepers. However, one cannot get tickets for them in advance; they could only be purchased in the station within three days of departure or on the train from the conductor, and we were never able to get one. We were told surreptitiously that the compartments are available only for Chinese VIPs, and Western tourists don't fall into that category. So we took the soft sleepers for the overnight trips.
In fact, we are glad we did not hide ourselves away in a private compartment. On the ride to Beijing we had bottom and top bunks and shared our compartment with a Chinese woman of about our age. She did not speak any English, but we found ourselves conversing in terms of our grandchildren. As we struggled to communicate, she invited us to partake of her vast supply of fresh grapes that became dinner for the three of us. This charming lady was our first contact with non-tourism-oriented Chinese in China; she helped us to understand that the people are extremely interested in us Westerners and are anxious that we should like them.
Since we had stuffed ourselves for lunch in Hong Kong before departure, and only snacked on grapes for dinner, breakfast the next morning was our first meal in China proper. So far as we were able to ascertain, there were five Westerners on the train — ourselves, two backpackers and a wandering soul. The backpacking couple was alone in their compartment and apparently had brought along sufficient food to see themselves through the trip. For breakfast, the dining compartment crew seated us and served us two eggs, toast and coffee for about $15. At lunch, we protested that we wanted to eat what everyone else ate — and our food improved remarkably. The Chinese like to eat. They have a varied menu with all sorts of fish, fowl, meat, vegetables and don't ask/don't tell items.
We decided to adopt a daily regimen of breakfast, lunch and snack. Breakfast would include a rice soup (with multiple seasonings such as chives, pickles, salted fish flakes, chili paste and pearl onions), a noodle dish, several vegetable dishes, a meat, hard-boiled eggs, dumplings, salad, beans, and cookies or pastries of some type. Drinks would be tea or instant coffee. For lunch, there would be rice, several vegetable dishes, a couple of meat dishes, an egg dish and a sweet or fruit. Drink options included beer or soda. On the train costs ran about $5 each per meal for all we could eat of healthy and appealing food. Several times people who spoke English joined us to practice the language. Chinese not only enjoy eating; they enjoy themselves while eating.
Every compartment had a picture window inside with another across the corridor on the other side of the train. There was no lounge or bar car, but groups of Chinese men sat in the dining car between meals playing cards or mahjong, smoking and drinking.
Daylight hours were great for simply watching the countryside. The poorest accommodations we saw were in the cities in large apartment buildings next to the tracks. The countryside space was almost always used for something. Farmers lived in relatively new two- story houses, and most houses were clustered in villages. There were also houses as well as businesses strung out along the commercial highways.
On the train to Xi'an, our bunkmates included two Chinese rocket scientists. One spoke fluent English and had obtained his knowledge of rockets studying in Germany. When we boarded the train we noted a large McDonald's bag and assumed our mates had brought dinner. The bag was still there when we returned from the dining car after dinner, and it remained so through breakfast. As our English-speaking companion was getting his suitcase ready to depart the train, he told us the McDonald's treats were for his family — Xi'an only had Kentucky Fried Chicken!
On the train ride from Hangzhou, we sat across from a German lawyer who had come to China specifically to purchase a life-size replica of a terra cotta warrior to place in his law office — definitely a conversation piece.
On our trip from Shanghai to Hong Kong, two young men rushed to join us at our table for dinner. One immediately announced he was half-Chinese and half-British, born and raised in Hong Kong. He had been visiting his Chinese family and was on his way home. His cousin traveling with him was an engineer on the way to work with a company in the district. The Hong Kong native took great pains to explain his view of China, race relations, the new economics and anything else we wanted to hear about. They both were proud to share their selection of menu items with us. The next morning at breakfast, a couple who had been sitting across the aisle joined us. They didn't speak any English but were most accepting of our idiosyncrasies.
To me, the most impressive aspects of our train travel were the friendliness of most people and the absence of squalor throughout the country. One minor incident occurred at the Xi'an train station when we arrived an hour early and our guide was not there to meet us. It was the only such occurrence during our entire journey and not the fault of the guide.
Standing outside the arrivals gate, we stood out as Westerners. All the touts, vendors and beggars zeroed in on us. All but one made their pitch and, when rebuffed, departed. The exception was an old man determined to succeed where all others had failed. After a while, he really did become annoying. All of a sudden, a mature military man stepped out of the crowd and lambasted the old guy, who promptly disappeared, never to be seen by us again. The soldier stepped back into the crowd without so much as a further glance in our direction. For some reason, this experience gave us a sense of safety throughout the rest of our stay in the country.
China by train? Wouldn't have done it any other way. Anyone up for Beijing or Vladivostok to Moscow via the Trans-Siberian Express?
Next: Guilin, city of exotic tastes and tours to impressive Li River limestone sites
Call it the romance of the rails, a desire to see where one is going, appreciation for the distance one travels, or just plain masochism; my wife and I enjoy traveling by train when it's an option. It was very much so during our recent travels in China.
We took the overnight Beijing Express from Hong Kong to Beijing, transferred from Beijing to Xi'an via a night train, commuted between Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai by rail, and finally departed China from Shanghai to Hong Kong on the Shanghai Express.
We checked into Hong Kong's Kowloon Station at 2:30 p.m. for a 3 p.m. train, and we arrived in Beijing the next evening. The price for our tickets, obtained at the China International Tour Services office, worked out to about $120. The Beijing to Xi'an train barely gave us time for a quick early breakfast; the tickets were given to us by our guide during the drive from the hotel to the Beijing station and cost about $50. The commuter train between Hangzhou and Suzhou cost about $8, and the Shanghai Express was $110 for a 26-hour ride.
There are supposedly five methods of train travel in China: hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper, soft sleeper and deluxe soft sleeper. Hard seat is one step above cattle car. You get to rub shoulders with the people — all the people. Soft seat is less crowded, more comfortable, and offers such amenities as a bar, cleaner toilet facilities and maybe an observation deck. Hard sleeper is a dormitory approach with a fixed bunk assigned to each passenger. Soft sleeper is a more comfortable fixed bunk enclosed in a compartment of two uppers and two lowers. The deluxe soft sleeper is a compartment with four fixed bunks assigned to one traveling entity (individual, couple, family).
The overnight trains we used had deluxe soft sleepers. However, one cannot get tickets for them in advance; they could only be purchased in the station within three days of departure or on the train from the conductor, and we were never able to get one. We were told surreptitiously that the compartments are available only for Chinese VIPs, and Western tourists don't fall into that category. So we took the soft sleepers for the overnight trips.
In fact, we are glad we did not hide ourselves away in a private compartment. On the ride to Beijing we had bottom and top bunks and shared our compartment with a Chinese woman of about our age. She did not speak any English, but we found ourselves conversing in terms of our grandchildren. As we struggled to communicate, she invited us to partake of her vast supply of fresh grapes that became dinner for the three of us. This charming lady was our first contact with non-tourism-oriented Chinese in China; she helped us to understand that the people are extremely interested in us Westerners and are anxious that we should like them.
Since we had stuffed ourselves for lunch in Hong Kong before departure, and only snacked on grapes for dinner, breakfast the next morning was our first meal in China proper. So far as we were able to ascertain, there were five Westerners on the train — ourselves, two backpackers and a wandering soul. The backpacking couple was alone in their compartment and apparently had brought along sufficient food to see themselves through the trip. For breakfast, the dining compartment crew seated us and served us two eggs, toast and coffee for about $15. At lunch, we protested that we wanted to eat what everyone else ate — and our food improved remarkably. The Chinese like to eat. They have a varied menu with all sorts of fish, fowl, meat, vegetables and don't ask/don't tell items.
We decided to adopt a daily regimen of breakfast, lunch and snack. Breakfast would include a rice soup (with multiple seasonings such as chives, pickles, salted fish flakes, chili paste and pearl onions), a noodle dish, several vegetable dishes, a meat, hard-boiled eggs, dumplings, salad, beans, and cookies or pastries of some type. Drinks would be tea or instant coffee. For lunch, there would be rice, several vegetable dishes, a couple of meat dishes, an egg dish and a sweet or fruit. Drink options included beer or soda. On the train costs ran about $5 each per meal for all we could eat of healthy and appealing food. Several times people who spoke English joined us to practice the language. Chinese not only enjoy eating; they enjoy themselves while eating.
Every compartment had a picture window inside with another across the corridor on the other side of the train. There was no lounge or bar car, but groups of Chinese men sat in the dining car between meals playing cards or mahjong, smoking and drinking.
Daylight hours were great for simply watching the countryside. The poorest accommodations we saw were in the cities in large apartment buildings next to the tracks. The countryside space was almost always used for something. Farmers lived in relatively new two- story houses, and most houses were clustered in villages. There were also houses as well as businesses strung out along the commercial highways.
On the train to Xi'an, our bunkmates included two Chinese rocket scientists. One spoke fluent English and had obtained his knowledge of rockets studying in Germany. When we boarded the train we noted a large McDonald's bag and assumed our mates had brought dinner. The bag was still there when we returned from the dining car after dinner, and it remained so through breakfast. As our English-speaking companion was getting his suitcase ready to depart the train, he told us the McDonald's treats were for his family — Xi'an only had Kentucky Fried Chicken!
On the train ride from Hangzhou, we sat across from a German lawyer who had come to China specifically to purchase a life-size replica of a terra cotta warrior to place in his law office — definitely a conversation piece.
On our trip from Shanghai to Hong Kong, two young men rushed to join us at our table for dinner. One immediately announced he was half-Chinese and half-British, born and raised in Hong Kong. He had been visiting his Chinese family and was on his way home. His cousin traveling with him was an engineer on the way to work with a company in the district. The Hong Kong native took great pains to explain his view of China, race relations, the new economics and anything else we wanted to hear about. They both were proud to share their selection of menu items with us. The next morning at breakfast, a couple who had been sitting across the aisle joined us. They didn't speak any English but were most accepting of our idiosyncrasies.
To me, the most impressive aspects of our train travel were the friendliness of most people and the absence of squalor throughout the country. One minor incident occurred at the Xi'an train station when we arrived an hour early and our guide was not there to meet us. It was the only such occurrence during our entire journey and not the fault of the guide.
Standing outside the arrivals gate, we stood out as Westerners. All the touts, vendors and beggars zeroed in on us. All but one made their pitch and, when rebuffed, departed. The exception was an old man determined to succeed where all others had failed. After a while, he really did become annoying. All of a sudden, a mature military man stepped out of the crowd and lambasted the old guy, who promptly disappeared, never to be seen by us again. The soldier stepped back into the crowd without so much as a further glance in our direction. For some reason, this experience gave us a sense of safety throughout the rest of our stay in the country.
China by train? Wouldn't have done it any other way. Anyone up for Beijing or Vladivostok to Moscow via the Trans-Siberian Express?
Next: Guilin, city of exotic tastes and tours to impressive Li River limestone sites
DIVI CASINO TO BE ABOUT MORE THAN LUCK
For the Virgin Islands’ first casino to really succeed, its draw will have to be more than just rolling dice and yanking one-armed bandits.
Michael Ratner, manager of the soon-to-be-opened casino at the Divi Carina Bay Resort, said gaming wasn't his lone focus. Because casino gambling already exists in other Caribbean destinations, Ratner said St. Croix’s new venture won’t unleash a flood of new gaming travelers.
While Divi Carina Bay management expects a healthy infusion of off-island guests at the resort casino, Virgin Islanders are seen as the main source of business. With that in mind, Ratner, who has been working on the St. Croix project for years, said the casino must be more than just, well, a casino.
"We see it as an entertainment facility," he said. "The backbone of our business will be the local community. We don’t want people to just focus on gaming. We want the casino to rock."
To attract people who may not be high, or even low, rollers, Ratner said he plans to have local and off-island bands playing every weekend in the casino’s Mongoose Lounge. In addition to local acts, Ratner said he will check the Puerto Rican market for talent.
"We want to bring in some good solid acts," he said. "People can come in and listen and maybe put $10 down on a table or pull a slot."
Ratner said the casino was set to open shortly after the beginning of March, about three months after last November’s Hurricane Lenny spoiled the original unveiling. The casino will have 150 employees, 28 of whom are dealers.
The remodeled Divi Carina Bay Resort, dormant since 1989's Hurricane Hugo, reopened just prior to Lenny, on Nov. 3. The resort, located on Grapetree Bay on St. Croix’s southeast shore, features 126 ocean-front hotel rooms in the main hotel and 20 one-bedroom suites in four hillside villas.
Grapetree Shores Inc., which owns the resort and casino, has hired a Divi Resorts affiliate to manage the hotel. Grapetree is leasing the casino operation to Treasure Bay V.I. Corp., a local affiliate of Treasure Bay Corp., which operates a large casino in Biloxi, Miss.
The two-story casino will have 300 slot machines, 13 gaming tables, buffet, snack bar and gift shop.
Michael Ratner, manager of the soon-to-be-opened casino at the Divi Carina Bay Resort, said gaming wasn't his lone focus. Because casino gambling already exists in other Caribbean destinations, Ratner said St. Croix’s new venture won’t unleash a flood of new gaming travelers.
While Divi Carina Bay management expects a healthy infusion of off-island guests at the resort casino, Virgin Islanders are seen as the main source of business. With that in mind, Ratner, who has been working on the St. Croix project for years, said the casino must be more than just, well, a casino.
"We see it as an entertainment facility," he said. "The backbone of our business will be the local community. We don’t want people to just focus on gaming. We want the casino to rock."
To attract people who may not be high, or even low, rollers, Ratner said he plans to have local and off-island bands playing every weekend in the casino’s Mongoose Lounge. In addition to local acts, Ratner said he will check the Puerto Rican market for talent.
"We want to bring in some good solid acts," he said. "People can come in and listen and maybe put $10 down on a table or pull a slot."
Ratner said the casino was set to open shortly after the beginning of March, about three months after last November’s Hurricane Lenny spoiled the original unveiling. The casino will have 150 employees, 28 of whom are dealers.
The remodeled Divi Carina Bay Resort, dormant since 1989's Hurricane Hugo, reopened just prior to Lenny, on Nov. 3. The resort, located on Grapetree Bay on St. Croix’s southeast shore, features 126 ocean-front hotel rooms in the main hotel and 20 one-bedroom suites in four hillside villas.
Grapetree Shores Inc., which owns the resort and casino, has hired a Divi Resorts affiliate to manage the hotel. Grapetree is leasing the casino operation to Treasure Bay V.I. Corp., a local affiliate of Treasure Bay Corp., which operates a large casino in Biloxi, Miss.
The two-story casino will have 300 slot machines, 13 gaming tables, buffet, snack bar and gift shop.
CHRISTIANSEN COMMENTS ON STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christian-Christensen attended President Clinton's final State of the Union address before the members of the 106th Congress and the nation on Thursday night in Washington, DC.
The President highlighted his Administration's strong record as well as a
series of new policy proposals aimed at maintaining fiscal responsibility
and investing in the American people. Among the topics discussed were
fiscal measures designed to continue the upward trend of the national
economy, opportunity and responsibility in education, health care measures
such as prescription drug coverage for Medicare recipients, and effective
gun control.
The State of the Union also focused on issues that resonate in the Territory, including funding for school construction and enacting a Patients' Bill of Rights.
"In light of the recent and recurring problems with the school infrastructure in the Territory, I am especially pleased that the President will continue to push for much needed funding to repair the nation's schools, and hope that my colleagues in Congress will bring this issue to the floor for a vote this year," Christensen said.
"While the Patients' Bill of Rights does not directly affect us in the Virgin Islands, it is an important measure which protects the rights of patients to decide on matters in their health care coverage, and one which could have a greater impact on our health care decisions in the future."
"The measures outlined in last night's address will help to push forward a progressive Democratic agenda that is for the American people. President Clinton has already pledged his support for Virgin Islands specific initiatives, which when joined with his overall agenda for this year, should result in positive benefits for us and all of the U.S. Territories,"
Christensen said.
The President highlighted his Administration's strong record as well as a
series of new policy proposals aimed at maintaining fiscal responsibility
and investing in the American people. Among the topics discussed were
fiscal measures designed to continue the upward trend of the national
economy, opportunity and responsibility in education, health care measures
such as prescription drug coverage for Medicare recipients, and effective
gun control.
The State of the Union also focused on issues that resonate in the Territory, including funding for school construction and enacting a Patients' Bill of Rights.
"In light of the recent and recurring problems with the school infrastructure in the Territory, I am especially pleased that the President will continue to push for much needed funding to repair the nation's schools, and hope that my colleagues in Congress will bring this issue to the floor for a vote this year," Christensen said.
"While the Patients' Bill of Rights does not directly affect us in the Virgin Islands, it is an important measure which protects the rights of patients to decide on matters in their health care coverage, and one which could have a greater impact on our health care decisions in the future."
"The measures outlined in last night's address will help to push forward a progressive Democratic agenda that is for the American people. President Clinton has already pledged his support for Virgin Islands specific initiatives, which when joined with his overall agenda for this year, should result in positive benefits for us and all of the U.S. Territories,"
Christensen said.
CHRISTIANSEN COMMENTS ON STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christian-Christensen attended President Clinton's final State of the Union address before the members of the 106th Congress and the nation on Thursday night in Washington, DC.
The President highlighted his Administration's strong record as well as a
series of new policy proposals aimed at maintaining fiscal responsibility
and investing in the American people. Among the topics discussed were
fiscal measures designed to continue the upward trend of the national
economy, opportunity and responsibility in education, health care measures
such as prescription drug coverage for Medicare recipients, and effective
gun control.
The State of the Union also focused on issues that resonate in the Territory, including funding for school construction and enacting a Patients' Bill of Rights. year, should result in positive benefits for us and all of the U.S. Territories,"
"In light of the recent and recurring problems with the school infrastructure in the Territory, I am especially pleased that the President will continue to push for much needed funding to repair the nation's schools, and hope that my colleagues in Congress will bring this issue to the floor for a vote this year," Christensen said.
"While the Patients' Bill of Rights does not directly affect us in the Virgin Islands, it is an important measure which protects the rights of patients to decide on matters in their health care coverage, and one which could have a greater impact on our health care decisions in the future."
"The measures outlined in last night's address will help to push forward a progressive Democratic agenda that is for the American people. President Clinton has already pledged his support for Virgin Islands specific initiatives, which when joined with his overall agenda for this
Christensen said.
The President highlighted his Administration's strong record as well as a
series of new policy proposals aimed at maintaining fiscal responsibility
and investing in the American people. Among the topics discussed were
fiscal measures designed to continue the upward trend of the national
economy, opportunity and responsibility in education, health care measures
such as prescription drug coverage for Medicare recipients, and effective
gun control.
The State of the Union also focused on issues that resonate in the Territory, including funding for school construction and enacting a Patients' Bill of Rights. year, should result in positive benefits for us and all of the U.S. Territories,"
"In light of the recent and recurring problems with the school infrastructure in the Territory, I am especially pleased that the President will continue to push for much needed funding to repair the nation's schools, and hope that my colleagues in Congress will bring this issue to the floor for a vote this year," Christensen said.
"While the Patients' Bill of Rights does not directly affect us in the Virgin Islands, it is an important measure which protects the rights of patients to decide on matters in their health care coverage, and one which could have a greater impact on our health care decisions in the future."
"The measures outlined in last night's address will help to push forward a progressive Democratic agenda that is for the American people. President Clinton has already pledged his support for Virgin Islands specific initiatives, which when joined with his overall agenda for this
Christensen said.
IG TO EXAMINE HODGE REQUEST
The V.I. Inspector General's Office will examine retired Territorial Court Presiding Judge Verne Hodge's request for $400,000 in accumulated annual and sick leave.
"We're going to look at the numbers and look at the law and the Attorney General's opinion," Inspector General Steven Van Beverhoudt said Thursday. The action comes at the request of Sen. Anne Golden.
In an interview Thursday night, Hodge confirmed that he already has received a partial payment.
"They made one installment," he said. "It was around $50,000." After that, Finance Commissioner Bernice Turnbull asked for advice from Attorney General Iver Stridiron.
Turnbull said Thursday that "the review process has not been completed" despite Stridiron's position that the government should pay Hodge. She confirmed that "some monies were paid" to Hodge but would not give a figure.
Neither Hodge nor Turnbull has stated publicly the total number of hours for which Hodge is seeking compensation.
Hodge said "I was surprised, myself" when the total came back from the Finance payroll division after he retired. But he said he was able to avoid using his annual leave because he used "comp time" instead for days off. He said he put in a lot of overtime for which he could not be paid but for which he accrued "comp time."
In a letter to the inspector general, Golden asked him to "please convert 23 years of annual leave accumulated by the honorable judge into dollars. Is the $400,000 figure mathematically correct based on your conversion? Did the judge ever take any vacation in his 23 years on the bench? Was any sick leave ever used by the honorable judge in his 23 years on the bench?"
She also asked whether sick leave has ever been included in the lump sum paymenta to government employees who retire or otherwise leave their jobs. In all she had 11 items she asked the inspector general to consider.
Van Beverhoudt said some of Golden's concerns are legal questions which his office is not equipped to answer and he would refer Golden to the Legislature's legal counsel for those answers.
For his review, Van Beverhoudt said, he will contact Hodge, ask for records from Finance and review what was done with other judges who retired under the same law that Hodge is citing.
He said he hopes the review can be completed "within a few weeks – assuming I can get all the information."
"We're going to look at the numbers and look at the law and the Attorney General's opinion," Inspector General Steven Van Beverhoudt said Thursday. The action comes at the request of Sen. Anne Golden.
In an interview Thursday night, Hodge confirmed that he already has received a partial payment.
"They made one installment," he said. "It was around $50,000." After that, Finance Commissioner Bernice Turnbull asked for advice from Attorney General Iver Stridiron.
Turnbull said Thursday that "the review process has not been completed" despite Stridiron's position that the government should pay Hodge. She confirmed that "some monies were paid" to Hodge but would not give a figure.
Neither Hodge nor Turnbull has stated publicly the total number of hours for which Hodge is seeking compensation.
Hodge said "I was surprised, myself" when the total came back from the Finance payroll division after he retired. But he said he was able to avoid using his annual leave because he used "comp time" instead for days off. He said he put in a lot of overtime for which he could not be paid but for which he accrued "comp time."
In a letter to the inspector general, Golden asked him to "please convert 23 years of annual leave accumulated by the honorable judge into dollars. Is the $400,000 figure mathematically correct based on your conversion? Did the judge ever take any vacation in his 23 years on the bench? Was any sick leave ever used by the honorable judge in his 23 years on the bench?"
She also asked whether sick leave has ever been included in the lump sum paymenta to government employees who retire or otherwise leave their jobs. In all she had 11 items she asked the inspector general to consider.
Van Beverhoudt said some of Golden's concerns are legal questions which his office is not equipped to answer and he would refer Golden to the Legislature's legal counsel for those answers.
For his review, Van Beverhoudt said, he will contact Hodge, ask for records from Finance and review what was done with other judges who retired under the same law that Hodge is citing.
He said he hopes the review can be completed "within a few weeks – assuming I can get all the information."
