Ricardo A. Doward
Ricardo A. Doward, also known as “Pando,” of Estate Whim, died on Oct. 1. He was 61 years old.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Isabel Belardo James; and father, Augustin Doward.
He is survived by his daughter, Indica A. Doward; grandchildren: Richard White IV, Romelo White; sisters: Judith M. James, Juliet C. James, Joyce Doward-Webster, Lisa Doward, Esther James and Sherleen James-Jones; brothers: Elmo James, David Doward, Taj James, Kai James, Anthony James, Melvin Cornelius, Ivan James and Michael Cornelius; and nieces: Desirae Jarvois, Ava Doward, Amina Doward, Kheya James, Jacquelyn Feliciano and Aleysha Hicks.
He is also survived by nephews: Hanife James and Frank Javois; aunts: Anastasia Doward and Olga Barry Casimire; uncles: Gerard Doward and Vincent Doward; and other cherished family and friends include members of the Guerra, Belardo, Doward, James, Fredericks, Belardo-Gordon, BS Encarnacion families along with numerous other relatives and friends.
Other survivors include cousins and other relatives: Victor Belardo, Mario Belardo, Carmen Belardo Soto, Myrian Ramirez Belardo, Nivia Ramirez, Maxime Barry, Jose Squiabro, Carlos Squiabro, Migdalia Squiabro, Joan Weeks, Maria Doward, Nanette Doward, Patrisha Doward-Jones, Bolivia Doward, VernaMae Doward, Cynthia Doward, Clement “Boopy” Doward, Vincent “Tito” Doward, Damian Doward, Dwayne Doward, Ludvig Armstrong, Raymond “Stuff” Armstrong, James Weeks, Alexis Doward, Bernice Francis, Rena Francis-Hendrickson, Divinci Francis and Shawn Francis; as well as many cherished family and friends, too numerous to mention.
The viewing will begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Nov. 8, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Interment will be at Kingshill Cemetery.
Professional services are entrusted to James Memorial Funeral Home Inc.
A motion for a temporary restraining order was denied Thursday. (Shutterstock image)
The court has denied Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes’ motion for a temporary restraining order in her lawsuit against the Board of Elections but has set an evidentiary hearing for Monday on her request for a preliminary injunction — the day before the Nov. 5 General Election.
At issue in the case is whether the board overrode Fawkes’ authority when it voted at a meeting Sept. 4 to place Delegate to Congress candidate Ida Smith on the Nov. 5 ballot after Fawkes had disqualified her based on residency requirements. Besides the temporary restraining order, or TRO, Fawkes is seeking a preliminary injunction, permanent injunction and declaratory relief.
On Thursday, V.I. Superior Court Judge Yvette Ross Edwards denied the request for a TRO, writing that Fawkes would not be irreparably harmed without one, which is the most significant of four determining factors the court must consider when weighing a TRO or preliminary injunction ruling. It also would not be in the public interest, when early voting was already underway when Fawkes filed her complaint on Oct. 17, and with the General Election just days away, she said.
“The public interest factor is particularly weighty in the case,” the order states, noting that early voting began Oct. 14 — more than a month after Fawkes knew Smith’s name was added to the ballot — but she did not file her verified complaint until Oct. 17, her motion until Oct. 28, and supporting documents for the complaint until Oct. 29. Early voting ended Oct. 28, “by which time thousands of Virgin Islanders had already exercised their right to vote,” it says.
“To halt the voting process before the court can determine the merits of issuing a preliminary injunction when so many have already cast their ballots would create voter confusion and diminish voter confidence in the electoral process,” the order states. “Had there been an earlier filing, the public interest factor may not have weighed as heavily against the issuance of a restraining order. There would have been minimal disruption of the voting process, leaving sufficient time to address changes to the ballot, if any, without disenfranchising anyone. However, that did not occur here.”
As for whether Fawkes “has shown a reasonable probability of success on the merits” of her case, possibly so, the judge said in weighing another of the factors the court must consider.
While the Board of Elections, represented by the Attorney General’s Office, alleges Fawkes did not have the legal capacity to file suit in the first place because she is subject to the direction of the board, and has asked that the case be dismissed, V.I. Code does authorize her to disqualify candidates, the order notes.
“Relative to the review and acceptance of nomination petitions, [V.I. Code] notably states, ‘If the Supervisor determines that a candidate for election or nomination does not meet the qualifications established by law for the office, then [she] shall disqualify such candidate and delete the candidate’s name from the ballot if the ballots have not been printed,’” the order said.
However, the sections governing Fawkes’ powers are qualified by another “which extends the BOE’s direction, control, and supervision of the Supervisor of Elections to all duties vested in [her] ‘by this title,’” it said.
“If the Court finds that the statutory language places all duties and responsibilities of the Supervisor of Elections under the direction, supervision, and control of the BOE, then the Court’s analysis ends there. However, if, as Fawkes appears to argue, there are some responsibilities outside of the supervisory authority of the Board, including Fawkes’ ability to determine the eligibility of nominees for offices, then the Court must consider whether Fawkes has the right to petition the Court to protect her statutory rights from the overreaching of her supervisors. This consideration goes directly to Fawkes’ capacity to sue,” Ross Edwards wrote.
Additionally, the board’s consideration of Smith’s qualifications and placement on the ballot “is beyond the authority granted to the boards of elections under the Revised Organic Act of 1954 or the statutory authority of the Board granted by the Legislature,” the order states. “The language in Sections 411 and 412 appears to preclude the Court from finding an intent in the Legislature that the Board is also vested to conduct hearings on eligibility decisions made by the Supervisor of Elections, absent expressed authority.”
As for the fourth factor — whether a TRO would cause “greater harm” to the nonmovant, in this case the BOE and precluding it from overriding Fawkes — “neither party has presented significant arguments on this factor that would allow the court to make such a finding,” Edwards wrote.
“Each of the factors, when considered under the sliding scale standard, do not weigh in favor of granting a temporary restraining order,” she concluded. “Fawkes has not shown immediate and irreparable injury, nor has she made a strong showing of meritorious claims. Moreover, public interest concerns outweigh disrupting the voting process with a TRO. However, the denial of a TRO does not eliminate the need for a hearing on the request for a preliminary injunction.”
That hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday in Courtroom 214 of the V.I. Superior Court on St. Croix.
Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett said Thursday she’d reached a deal to avert further mail delays and barge packages to the territory from Puerto Rico — so long as they hadn’t been mislabeled by a USPS robot. (Source file photo)
It may soon feel like an early Christmas. Virgin Islanders tired of looking in empty post office boxes may have a pleasant surprise coming as Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett said Thursday she’d reached a deal to avert further delay and barge mail to the territory from Puerto Rico.
Much of the delay came from Amazon switching from shipping Ground Advantage to Parcel Select. That code change meant Amazon packages could no longer be flown from San Juan to St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. Federal Aviation Administration regulations prohibit these packages from being sent by air and require surface transport.
“Consequently, several packages were in the process of being rerouted back to Jacksonville since there has not been mail barge service between Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands,” Plaskett’s office said Thursday.
The problem was compounded by a malfunction with a U.S. Postal Service labeling robot that sent USVI-bound packages to addresses outside the territory. A Plaskett spokesperson said the delegate’s office had been flooded with calls, emails, and text messages from frustrated Virgin Islanders.
Numerous meetings with Postal Service regional leadership yielded no additional light on the robotic mislabeling issue, but Plaskett was able to make a deal to barge the packages that weren’t mislabeled to St. Thomas, then to St. Croix, starting Nov. 2. The barge would be a regular Saturday occurrence after that, she said.
Regular Priority mail and Ground Advantage packages not mislabeled by the robotic labeling issue will continue to be flown or barged from Jacksonville to St. Thomas and St. Croix without delays, Plaskett said.
“My team and I realize that this USPS issue impacts a myriad of people in our community—business owners awaiting their products, individuals who need prescriptions, and so many others. I would like to thank the USPS employees for their tireless work to ensure that we are able to get our mail despite the various delays with the system, and I would also like to thank all the individuals that called in and/or sent in their USPS complaints. My team and I will continue to advocate on behalf of our territory to ensure that this issue and others like it with USPS are resolved as quickly as possible,” Plaskett said.
Virgin Islanders continuing to experience delays can phone Plaskett’s offices at 340-778-5900 or 340-774-4408.
St. Croix airport to get a new terminal. (Photo courtesy VIPA)
Port Authority Executive Director Carlton Dowe assured members of the Senate Committee on Budget, Appropriations, and Finance that the territory’s airports were not being privatized.
However, that might be hard for Port Authority aviation employees who are told they can no longer be part of the Government Employees’ Retirement System to understand. Dowe said that the airport employees would now be employed by a private firm and, therefore, could not legally be part of GERS.
Dowe said that SkyCity, the firm the Port Authority contracted with in March to take over the airports’ operations, would be making an offer to all Port Authority employees, some of whom have expressed an interest in remaining in GERS.
Sens. Donna Frett-Gregory and Ray Fonseca raised concerns Wednesday about what that could mean for employees. Dowe said the offer would include “some kind of retirement plan.” He mentioned a 401(k). In a 401(k), an employee puts a certain amount in savings, and the employer matches a portion.
Fonseca pointed out that an employee pulling out of GERS loses all the money the government put into their account. This amount could be a $40,000 or $50,000 loss for an employee working eight or nine years for the government. Frett-Gregory wanted to know what would happen to airport employees who did not accept SkyCity’s offer.
Dowe said the Port Authority had vacancies in its other divisions, so no employee would be left without a job. Frett-Gregory wondered out loud how employees in the Port Authority could be absorbed in the marine division but said that discussion was for another meeting.
VIPA has 78 aviation employees and a total of 329 employees territory-wide.
Dowe testified that the partnership with SkyCity would result in a completely new terminal at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix, and the Cyril E. King Airport terminal on St. Thomas would go through a complete renovation.
This project will be completed in five years and bring state-of-the-art amenities, including upgrading the baggage systems and jet bridges and adding seating and concession areas.
The agreement terms should be completed by the second quarter of next year.
In his financial overview to the committee, he said the budget for next year was $199 million, down from $246 million the previous year. The decrease was attributed to fewer capital projects.
Frett-Gregory asked that the Port Authority consult with the Department of Planning and Natural Resources before selling any beach-quality sand extracted from St. Thomas harbor dredging. She said beaches near Frederiksted and other public beaches could use it. Dowe said cruise ship visitors to St. Croix were going from 40,000 three years ago to 275,000 next year. He noted an uptick in stops by Royal Caribbean was a big part of the increase.
According to Dowe, the good news on the aviation side was the return of daily JetBlue flights to St. Croix in December.
In response to a report concerning preliminary planning for a community park in Cruz Bay, Frett-Gregory said the Port Authority should be aware that the Senate had appropriated $10 million to the authority for that park.
Superior Court Judge Denise Francois said details about Mohammed Salem’s mental health shared by his attorney are “very concerning.” (Source file photo)
A rare set of court proceedings has provided a public glimpse into the case of a St. Thomas man accused of attacking two relatives with a knife in Hull Bay. Mohammed Salem has been ordered to stand trial in connection with the murder of his father on March 5 and an assault on his brother that same day.
The second of two motion hearings took place in Superior Court Tuesday before Superior Court Judge Denise Francois. The subject of the hearings was Salem’s mental health.
Salem is accused of entering the family home in Hull Bay and fatally stabbing his father, Hakim Salem, with a hidden knife. When his brother, Jamil Salem, tried to defend the father, the defendant allegedly turned the knife on him.
He was arrested by police at Hull Bay Beach after fleeing the home and is being held at the John Bell Correctional Facility on $1 million bail. The defendant is charged with murder, assault with intent to commit murder, domestic violence and use of a dangerous weapon by a felon.
At the first motions hearing held on Sept. 24, the lawyer representing Salem said because her client faced criminal charges, any mental health concerns had to be aired in open court.
Almost all matters involving the mental health of defendants are handled confidentially in the Superior Court Family Division. “Attorney Godfrey informed the court that she is concerned about the defendant because he is deteriorating and it’s very concerning,” the judge said, according to court documents.
Salem’s lawyer said she is seeking a court order for involuntary commitment based on the doctor’s recommendation. At the hearing held Sept. 24, Public Defender Lisa Godfrey cited a recent report by St. Croix psychiatrist Dr. Evadney Sang.
“Dr. Sang is of the opinion that Mr. Salem’s status has declined, that we need to pursue proper placement,” Godfrey said. Francois told Godfrey and Assistant Attorney General Jeremy Weddle the court had received Sang’s report and placed it under seal to guard the information.
The hearing was then postponed until Oct. 29, but the judge added she wanted more details from the psychiatrist before taking action. Francois said the issues raised at the two hearings presented “an extreme circumstance,” and she may convene a competency hearing once Sang provides the requested information.
Weddle told the court that he forwarded the required documents to Sang about filing a Petition for Involuntary Commitment according to 19 V.I.C. 1027 (B) but so far had heard no response.
If involuntary commitment is ordered, the court would also oversee a transfer of custody from the Bureau of Corrections to the Health Department, which would take responsibility for Salem’s placement in an off-island mental facility.
Jury selection for Salem’s murder trial is scheduled for July 28, 2025.
Public Works Commissioner Derek Gabriel answers questions about the omitted $5 million needed dollars. (Photo courtesy V.I. Legislature)
The Senate’s dealings with 2025 budget appropriations appeared to be over last month. However, Budget, Appropriations and Finance Committee Chair Donna Frett-Gregory said she received a “very troubling” letter from Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. on Wednesday. The letter said the Public Works Department needed a $5 million appropriation to subsidize VITRAN operations.
The committee discussed how the “miscommunication” concerning the appropriation came about. Sen. Dwayne DeGraff said the “miscommunication” would not be much of a problem if it was corrected and would not happen again.
Public Works Department Commissioner Derek Gabriel was at the committee meeting Wednesday to justify the request. “The omitted $5 million appropriation from DPW’s 2025 budget is essential for funding VITRAN’s personnel costs, fuel, and supplies necessary for daily operations. Without this funding, VITRAN will face severe financial constraints and be forced to significantly reduce or even cease operations and furlough employees,” he testified.
Spending little time on that discussion, senators used the opportunity to ask Gabriel about VITRAN operations.
Sen. Carla Joseph was concerned about VITRAN doubling the price for paratransit riders from $2 to $4. These rides are for handicapped people, often to dialysis treatment centers, other medical visits and personal care visits. Joseph said many of these people were on a fixed income and could hardly afford another rise in the cost of living.
“Competitor costs for similar services are much higher, up to 20 times higher than the current Paratransit fee,” Gabriel said. He added that VITRAN did not discuss the increase with groups representing the individuals using the service before it was implemented.
Sen. Ray Fonseca took the opportunity to thank DPW for the work it has done repairing the road in Bovoni and encouraged it to continue working on other roads in that estate. In fiscal year 2024, VITRAN gave 44,240 rides to seniors, representing approximately 20 percent of its ridership.
The government has historically funded most of VITRAN’s operations, with federal funds covering less than 30 percent of daily operations.
In addition to Sens. Frett-Gregory, Joseph, DeGraff, and Fonseca, the senators present included Novelle Francis and Marvin Blyden.
V.I. Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea (Photo courtesy DOJ)
Virgin Islands Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea joined a coalition of 50 states and territories on Thursday to announce two significant cooperation agreements and settlements with Heritage Pharmaceuticals and Apotex. The settlements, totaling $49.1 million, resolve allegations that both companies engaged in widespread and long-term conspiracies to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition, and unreasonably restrain trade concerning various generic prescription drugs.
As part of their settlement agreements, both companies have committed to cooperating in the ongoing multistate litigation led by Connecticut against 30 corporate defendants and 25 individual executives. They have also agreed to implement a series of internal reforms aimed at ensuring fair competition and compliance with antitrust laws, according to the press release
Also on Thursday, a motion for preliminary approval of a $10 million settlement with Heritage was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut in Hartford. Additionally, a settlement with Apotex for $39.1 million is pending and will be finalized and filed in the U.S. District Court once signatures from all necessary states and territories are obtained, the press release stated.
The settlements come as the states prepare for the first trial in Hartford, Connecticut, the release stated.
“Today marks a significant step toward accountability and fair competition in the pharmaceutical industry. The $49.1 million in settlements with Heritage Pharmaceuticals and Apotex Corporation underscores our commitment to combating price manipulation and protecting consumers. We are not only resolving past wrongs but also ensuring that these companies implement necessary reforms to promote compliance with antitrust laws. As we prepare for the upcoming trial in Hartford, our resolve remains steadfast in holding accountable those who seek to undermine fair market practices,” said Rhea.
Connecticut’s Assistant Attorney General Joseph Nielsen is the lead attorney for a coalition of nearly all states and territories filing three antitrust complaints starting in 2016. The first complaint included Heritage and 17 other corporate defendants, two individual defendants, and 15 generic drugs, the release stated.
Two former executives from Heritage Pharmaceuticals, Jeffery Glazer and Jason Malek, have entered into settlement agreements and are cooperating with authorities. The second complaint was filed in 2019 against Teva Pharmaceuticals and 19 of the nation’s largest generic drug manufacturers. This complaint names 16 individual senior executives as defendants. The third complaint, which will be tried first, focuses on 80 topical generic drugs that collectively generate billions of dollars in sales in the United States. It names 26 corporate defendants and 10 individual defendants. Additionally, six more pharmaceutical executives have reached settlement agreements with the states and are cooperating to support the claims in all three cases, it said.
The cases originate from a series of investigations based on evidence supplied by several cooperating witnesses involved in different conspiracies. This evidence includes a vast database of over 20 million documents and a phone records database that contains millions of call detail records and contact information for more than 600 individuals involved in sales and pricing within the generics industry. Each complaint addresses a unique set of drugs and defendants, outlining an interconnected web of industry executives. These executives gathered at industry dinners, “girls’ nights out,” lunches, cocktail parties, and golf outings, while also communicating frequently through phone calls, emails, and text messages that facilitated their illegal agreements, the release stated.
Throughout the complaints, the defendants use phrases such as “fair share,” “playing nice in the sandbox,” and “responsible competitor” to describe their unlawful practices aimed at discouraging competition, raising prices, and maintaining a culture of collusion. Among the records obtained by the states is a two-volume notebook that contains the contemporaneous notes of one of the states’ cooperating witnesses. This notebook documents his discussions during phone calls with competitors and internal company meetings over several years, it said.
In addition to the U.S. Virgin Islands, the coalition includes Puerto Rico, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin
and Wyoming, it said.
If you purchased a generic prescription drug manufactured by either Heritage or Apotex between 2010 and 2018, you may be eligible for compensation. To determine eligibility, call 866-290-0182 or email info@AGGenericDrugs.com or visit www.AGGenericDrugs.com.
Virgin Islands Police Department officers discovered an unlicensed Glock pistol Wednesday during a routine traffic stop on Emile Francis Memorial Drive on St. Thomas, the department announced.
At approximately 11 a.m., officers stopped a white Acura TSX driven by Chayanne Baron because the front windshield was fully tinted below the AS1 line, and there was no license plate on the front bumper, according to the police report.
When Baron rolled down his window, officers immediately noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. They proceeded to search the vehicle for marijuana or any related contraband. Instead, they discovered a Glock 43 pistol in a brown satchel located inside the vehicle. Baron confirmed that the satchel belonged to him. However, he does not have a license to possess a firearm, the police report stated.
Baron, 24, was arrested for possessing an unlicensed firearm. He was booked, processed, and remanded to the Bureau of Corrections after failing to post $50,000 bail, the report stated.
Bajo El Sol, the gallery and art bar in Cruz Bay, is hosting a book launch on Saturday, Nov. 2, from 4 to 7 p.m. to introduce historian David W. Knight Sr.’s new book “On the Outskirts of Eden.”
Historian David W. Knight Sr. will sign copies of his new book at Bajo El Sol in Mongoose Junction on Nov. 2. (Photo by Lolly Prime)
The book is the result of five years of research and more. “In reality, this is pretty much a culmination of my life’s work. This book has been percolating in my mind for over twenty years now,” said Knight.
Knight has spent countless hours combing through archives and examining historical records to clarify a misunderstood period of Virgin Islands history. The book’s true purpose is revealed in its complete title: “On the Outskirts of Eden; Exploring the Roots of Creole Society in the Virgin Islands, 1492 – 1672.”The cover of Knight’s new book is an Illustration from “A map of the British Empire in America with the French and Spanish settlements adjacent thereto” (Rendered by Henry Popple and engraved by William Henry Toms, London, 1733 [Danish Royal Library]).“I’ve always been fascinated with the earliest colonial period in the Virgin Islands, particularly the roughly 200 years before St. Thomas became a Danish colony. Previously, no one has ever produced any solid historical scholarship on this era,” Knight told The Source.
“Textbook narratives imply that the Danes arrived on St. Thomas in the 1600s and established the first European colony,” Knight said. “That is total malarkey. The truth is, St. Thomas was annexed by a Danish sponsored trading company in 1672 and prior to that date there was some 200 years of European presence on and around the island that has largely escaped our historical consciousness.”
That 200 years was a period of war among European nations emerging from the late medieval period into the modern age, according to Knight. Taking advantage of new technologies that made navigation easier, the Spanish, Dutch, English and French all brought their battles to the New World.
It’s well known that this was a period of genocide, disease and enslavement, resulting in decimation of Indigenous populations in the Caribbean. However, “The standard narrative that the Indigenous people were all slaughtered or died off clearly is not the case,” Knight said.
“In the past, historians have largely missed, or ignored, the huge Indigenous diaspora that occurred after the arrival of European colonists. Now there’s all this Indigenous genetic material showing up in [modern people’s] DNA.” Knight cites as an example the heritage of his daughter-in-law, Priscilla Hintz Rivera. Knight co-owns Bajo El Sol with Knight’s son, David Knight Jr.
Part of the reason for this relatively blank period in Caribbean history is that most of what is popularly known about Virgin Islands history is based upon Danish sources, but the USVI did not become a Danish crown colony — with its laws, courts, language, social structures, and record keeping — until 1755.
Knight’s book includes images like this one of early French settlers in the West Indies (Image from Guedeville’s Atlas, published in Amsterdam by Henri A. Chatelain, 1719).
“By 1498, the epicenter of contact (between Europeans and ‘The New World’) was the area between Cuba and Puerto Rico, including Hispaniola, Columbus’ first settlement. Whatever happened in Santo Domingo emanated out and affected Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands,” Knight said. “Therefore, the early colonial history of the islands is not Danish, but Spanish – followed by the Dutch, English, and, to some degree, French.”
Early European adventurers were “hot off the Crusades,” Knight continued. These “sea-rovers” ran the gamut from “knights to riffraff” — all types of men — but very few women.
It follows that these men arriving by ship had sexual relations with Indigenous women, and the result was Creole children. “Some was by rape, but not all of it,” Knight said. “There was extensive racial mingling and cohabitation. As long as those unions were legitimized by the church and the offspring baptized, those Creole children were thereafter officially recorded as ‘Christian.’”
A painting, “DESPAÑOL YD INDIA PRODUCE MESTISO” (attributed to Juan Rodríguez Juárez, c. 1715), depicts a Creole family.
“If you were a Christian, you were accepted as a free member of the colony. Ethnicity and/or color didn’t matter,” Knight continued. “But scholars throughout the centuries have interpreted the term ‘Christian’ to mean ‘European,’ and that misunderstanding has persisted.”
When the Danish West Indian Company took control over the island of St. Thomas in 1672, a significant number of Christian “Creoles” (persons born in the West Indies) were among the island’s earliest settlers. By 1686, when the first comprehensive census of the colony was compiled, nearly 50 percent of the island’s population were Creoles, according to Knight.
Knight searched the earliest records of the Danish colony on St. Thomas and found 88 adult Creole individuals – whom he identifies by name and place of birth in his new book – all born in the West Indies before the Danish annexation of St. Thomas in 1672. “The staggering fact was that 70 percent of these individuals were women,” he said.
Why women predominated is a primary topic of Mr. Knight’s book and something he plans to address in more detail at the book launch.
The new book — a slim volume of about one hundred pages — condenses hundreds of pages of information from primary sources. “Most of my other books have been either genealogical reference works or historical background studies. This book is more of a hybrid, with plenty of illustrations and both narrative and reference sections. A comprehensive bibliography with suggestions for further reading is also included,” Knight said.
For further information, contact Bajo El Sol at https://www.bajoelsolgallery.com or call 340-693-7070. For further information about Knight and his other works, please click this link: https://www.davidwknightsr.com.
The “Throw Cancer Overboard” National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Pirate Mutiny Party that was scheduled for Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Sion Farm Distillery on St. Croix has been postponed due to the inclement weather. Details about a new date will be announced.
