Sculptor Tom Elicker works carefully to clean and restore the busts in Educators Park. (Photo by Bruce Flamon)
The project to clean, conserve, and restore the bronze monuments located at Educators Park in historic Charlotte Amalie began this week, under the management of Virgin Islands Museum, Civic and Cultural Center Inc. and Tom Elicker, a renowned sculptor with ties to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, who was contracted to provide the conservation services.
This community effort was borne out of the concern of one citizen, Alda Monsanto, who was concerned with the physical condition and appearance of the monuments of outstanding Virgin Islands’ educators and community activists, Jose Antonio Jarvis, Edith Wiliams, and Rothschild Francis. She approached retired Sen. Myron D. Jackson, chair of the Virgin Islands Museum, Civic and Cultural Center, and a plan of action was put in place to raise the required funding needed for the restoration of the monuments.
After knocking on the doors of potential donors and discussions with Rotarian and bank executive, Jim Crites, more than $13,000 was raised to begin Phase II of this project. This funding was made possible through the generous donations of the Rotary Club of St. Thomas, Merchants Commercial Bank, and the Virgin Islands Museum, Civic and Cultural Center.
Preserving the bust of J. Antonio Jarvis (Submitted photo)
Phase I of this project included area enhancements spearheaded by John Euwema of Lab 4 Development and White Bay Group, the adjacent property owner of the recently renovated historic Joe’s Tavern landmark. They were interested in adopting and funding the enhancements and upgrades to the surrounding park, including the green lawn area of Educators Park, and an application was submitted and reviewed by the Charlotte Amalie Historic Preservation Committee in the Office of Historic Preservation. The enhancements for the area have been recently completed.
Educators Park was created through the advocacy and work of a citizens’ committee of St. Thomas educators, journalists and community activists led by Ariel Melchoir and Ruth Moolenaar, in tribute to educator, author, journalist, and artist Jose Antonio Jarvis; educator and suffragist, Edith Williams; and educator, journalist, community and political activist Rothschild Francis, who were luminaries in the socio-political and cultural development of the territory. The statues were created by Puerto Rican sculptor José Buscaglia Guillermety, born in 1938. He is a Fellow of the National Sculptor Society and a founding member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences of Puerto Rico.
VIMCC thanks Alda Monsanto for her advocacy; its Board of Directors; Rotary Club of St. Thomas, and Merchants Commercial Bank for the funding; sculptor Tom Elicker and team member Joel Asker for conservation and restoration; Sean Krigger and the Office of Historic Preservation; Lab 4 Development, White Bay Group, and Justin Wheatley and crew for on-site assistance; Jim Crites and Val Collens of the project team; Lyle Batiste, and all others who contributed and supported this vital community project.
The Estate Bethlehem Sugar Factory in 1965, before it phased out of sugar production in 1966. (Photo by USDA Soil Conservation Service)
As the world’s climate continues to change, every human being on planet Earth, including other organisms such as animals and plants, will be impacted by the repercussions.
Olasee Davis (Submitted photo)
According to an October study by Nature Climate Change, about 85 percent of the world’s population is already being affected by human-driven climate change. The great rivers of the United States, like the Mississippi, the Amazon River of South America, the Panama Canal in Central America, and other great rivers of the world that are used for transporting food across the globe to cities, towns and other countries worldwide are impacted by climate change.
As it stands in today’s world, what affects one part of the world affects the whole world — whether a war, droughts, hurricanes, earthquakes, viruses like COVID-19, etc. — and these things will have a major impact on the Virgin Islands. We seem to forget that when it comes to climate change, we all are on the same ship in rough seas of economic hardship. Let us not fool ourselves, food prices in the Virgin Islands will continue to go up. We can do all the complaining we want about food prices and other essential items we depend on in life, but that wouldn’t change the outcome of 1 + 1 = 2.
During the “Golden Era” when sugar was king, somewhere between 1760 to 1820, St. Croix was the fourth in the world for producing sugar. At its peak year of 1812, St. Croix had 175 sugar plantations and 26,000 enslaved Africans produced 46 million pounds of sugar and some 12 million gallons of rum for export into the world market economy. “By the beginning of the 19th century, 181 large plantations, manned by 27,000 enslaved laborers about half of whom had been born in Africa were producing 32 million pounds of raw (muscovado) sugar per annum, and St. Croix had become fourth largest sugar producer in the World,” noted George F. Tyson and Poul E. Olsen.
For the planters and merchants, this was the Golden Era. For their enslaved Africans it was hell. The island of St. Croix is only about 54,400 acres, or 85 square miles, give or take a couple of acres. The maximum acreage under sugar cultivation was about 30,000 acres. You can say the entire island of St. Croix was a garden and became known throughout the world as the “Garden Spot of the West Indies.” In 1847, just before emancipation, there were 23,971 acres in cane. A few years later, after emancipation, the area in sugar cane had decreased to 19,736 acres.
By the time the Bethlehem Sugar Factory phased out of sugar production in 1966, there were over 4,000 acres of cane land on St. Croix, 113 farms, and a gross farm return of more than $600,000 in less than one year. There were talks for decades to change St. Croix’s landscape from a monocultural system of sugarcane to a more diversified system, including a 1965 report titled “The Governor of the United States Virgin Islands on the Reconstruction of the Agricultural Economy of St. Croix.”
This 16-page investigative report basically said that if nothing is planted in place of cane, the fertile agricultural land, especially in the central plains of St. Croix, will disappear off the landscape of the island forever. “Urbanization of the agricultural area will radically alter the landscape of St. Croix and destroy a major share of its natural beauty. This is not only an aesthetic question, nor even simply a question of cultural pride for the inhabitants of St. Croix,” concluded the report.
It further stated, “It has important economic implications. The attractiveness of St. Croix is its most important asset for attracting settlers, tourists, and even certain high-value light industries.” As we stand today, countries all over the world are protecting prime agricultural land. Farmland now is an endangered species worldwide. There are governments in the United States, non-profit organizations, even countries such as China, that are buying up prime farmland in the United States.
The Valencia orange was one of the varieties selected to grow on St. Croix in 1962. The scope of the project was to establish and maintain 2,500 acres of orange groves on suitable sugar cane land to be leased from the Virgin Islands Corporation (VICORP) for a minimum period of 50 years. (Photo by Olasee Davis)
In the Virgin Islands, we are destroying our prime agricultural land by building upon it with roads, houses, hotels, etc., although government farmland is protected by law. Believe me, food security is an important factor to climate change if we are to survive economically as a people. In 1962, a study was conducted on St. Croix before the phasing out of sugarcane to grow oranges. Planning Division National Bulk Carriers, Inc., a company from New York, conducted the study to replace sugarcane with oranges. It is a 47-page document titled, “A Proposed Project for Producing Oranges in St. Croix, Virgin Islands & Processing Them into Orange Juice Concentrate.”
The scope of the project was to establish and maintain 2,500 acres of orange groves on suitable sugar cane land to be leased from the Virgin Islands Corporation (VICORP) for a minimum period of 50 years. The 2,500 acres included estate Lower Love, Jealousy, Coble, Bethlehem Old Works, Castle Burke, Body Slob, Bonne Esperance, Adventure, Golden Grove, and Upper Bethlehem. The oranges produced would be used for making fresh orange juice and frozen orange juice concentrate.
On July 27, 1962, this is the summary written by the late Dr. Ralph L. Miller of the proposed orange project on St. Croix. However, due to the length of it, I will mention only a small section of it:
“A summary of the climatological and soil conditions, as well as these interviews, has indicated that oranges can be grown successfully on St. Croix Island in an area between the Centerline Road and the foothills in the West Central part of the Island, south of Mt. Eagle and Blue Mountain.
“In this area there is an estimated 2,500 to 3,500 acres of land level enough for citrus production in which there is sufficient rainfall and water available to support good orange tree growth and produce crops satisfactorily.”
We have gone from the “Garden Spot of the West Indies“ to a child to be fed instead of an adult feeding ourselves. Over a half century ago, an orange industry in the Virgin Islands was proposed as an alternate crop to the once-dominant sugar industry. What happen!
This is the old milking parlor at the Estate Windsor Forest dairy farm on St. Croix. In the 1880s, Alice Lloyd was one of the early pioneers with her husband of dairy farming in the Virgin Islands. According to the 1969 Census, seven commercial dairy farms in the islands held over one quarter of the total land in farming and accounted for 69 percent of the value of all farm products sold. Island Dairy closed down years ago. (Photo by Olasee Davis)
A few years ago, we lost our dairy industry producing fresh Crucian milk. Meanwhile, our rich fertile agricultural lands are turned into a concrete jungle. The Senepol cattle, which bred up on St. Croix, are known worldwide for their heat tolerance, insect and disease resistance, and their ability to thrive on poor pasture land, are not in abundance anymore on island. Then, we have the St. Croix White Hair Sheep bred on St. Croix. In fact, the St. Croix White Hair Sheep and the Senepol cattle have been part of the Virgin Islands’ history since the 1800s. These animals show great resilience to climate change.
These are the native Senepol cattle of the Virgin Islands, known worldwide for their heat tolerance, insect and disease resistance, and their ability to thrive on poor pasture land. This photo represents two farms on St. Croix: Annaly, and Castle Nugent on the southeast side of the island. These beautiful animals no longer dominate the landscape of St. Croix. (Image courtesy Olasee Davis)The St. Croix White Hair Sheep is a specially bred animal known worldwide for its great resilience to climate change. In fact, the St. Croix White Hair Sheep and the Senepol cattle have been part of Virgin Islands history since the 1800s. (Photo by Olasee Davis)
Look at the world around us today. Governments worldwide are overwhelmed with issues, sometimes beyond their capacity to handle them. Climate change, wars, poverty, crime, viruses, the high cost of living, people crossing boarders to other countries for better living — the laundry list continues of what we human beings face today. The old folks would say, “God bless the child that has his own.” In other words, let us grow some of our own food. We don’t know what today brings, much less tomorrow. For one day, due to climate change, it could be a worldwide apocalypse.
— Olasee Davis is a bush professor who lectures and writes about the culture, history, ecology and environment of the Virgin Islands when he is not leading hiking tours of the wild places and spaces of St. Croix and beyond.
Judiciary of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Administrator of Courts Regina Petersen advises the general public and members of the Virgin Islands Bar of an update to the Judicial Branch of the Virgin Islands 2023/2024 holiday schedule to include the grant of administrative leave for non-essential government employees in the District of St. Croix for the Crucian Christmas Festival Food, Arts and Crafts Fair, and J’ouvert.
November 10, 2023: Veterans Day Holiday: Closed
November 23, 2023: Thanksgiving Day Holiday: Closed
November 24, 2023: Day after Thanksgiving: All Judicial Branch employees will be granted administrative leave from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
December 25, 2023: Christmas Day Holiday: Closed
December 26, 2023: Boxing Day Holiday: Closed
January 1, 2024: New Year’s Day Holiday: Closed
January 3, 2024: Crucian Christmas Festival: Food, Arts and Crafts Fair, employees on St. Croix only will be granted Administrative Leave from noon to 5 p.m.
January 4, 2024: Crucian Christmas Festival: J’ouvert, employees on St. Croix only will be granted Administrative Leave from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
January 5, 2024: Crucian Christmas Festival: All Judicial Branch employees will be granted administrative leave from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
January 15, 2024: Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Holiday: Closed
February 19, 2024: President’s Day Holiday: Closed
******************************
On the designated dates and times that the branch will be closed for the holidays and Crucian Christmas Festival activities in the District of St. Croix, all filings will continuously be accepted through the previously approved methods:
Supreme Court: The court’s electronic filing system; and a secured lockbox for non-electronic filers at the entrance of the Supreme Court’s premises at No. 161B Crown Bay, on St. Thomas, and No. 18 Strand Street, Frederiksted, St. Croix.
Superior Court: The court’s electronic filing system; and in the St. Thomas-St. John District, filings (including those for the Magistrate Division) will be accepted via a secured lock box on the first floor, East Wing entrance of the court’s premises at the Alexander A. Farrelly Justice Center. In the District of St. Croix, filings will be accepted via a secured lock box located at the entrance on the First Floor of the R.H. Amphlett Leader Justice Complex.
Members of the V.I. Bar in addition to pro-se litigants are reminded that they can access the Judiciary’s new e-Filing system through the unified portal for both the Supreme and Superior Courts. This portal can be accessed by visiting https://usviefile.vicourts.org.
For more information, contact:
Mrs. Regina deChabert Petersen
Administrator of Courts
Judicial Branch of the Virgin Islands
P.O. Box 590
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00804
Tel: 774‐2237 Fax: (340) 774‐2258 TTY: 693-4118
Regina.Petersen@vicourts.org
Julien Testamark
Julien Testamark, also known as “Molik,” has died. The viewing will be held from 9-10 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 10 a.m., Nov. 14, at Blyden Memorial Chapel. Interment will be private.
Survivors of Julien (Molik) Testamark
Son: Troy Tacuma Testamark
Daughter: Crystal Rena Testamark
Brothers: Joseph Testamark, Melvin Testamark, Edwin (Shibu) Testamark, Wayne Lucien Testamark, Wilford Dawson Testamark and Winston Callwood Testamark
Sisters: Dora Testamark, Rev. Dr. Judith Testamark Hodge, and Winnie Testamark, (Director V.I. Bureau of Corrections)
Sisters-In-Law: Joycelyn Testamark and Millicent Testamark
Daughter-In-Law: Lisa Testamark
Grandchildren: Niko Lewis, Cinai, Ami, Alicia, Malik, Tyrell and Tylisha Testamark
Nephews: Ahmed Hodge, Collin Testamark, Corey Testamark, Vern and Andrew Testamark, Melvin Testamark Jr., Kishawn, Kareem and Elijah Testamark, and Winston Byles
Special Nephew: Javier (Cinco) Hodge
Nieces: Shanna Hodge Byles, Nathalie Testamark Mason, Jill Testamark, Carol Nathaniel, Chante Testamark Hill, Tishma Testamark, Tasha Testamark, Nia Testamark, Semage Testamark, Ashley Thompson, Taffrone Testamark and Kisha Hodge
Adopted Niece: Tamara Joseph
Uncle: Ivan Turnbull
Mentors: Deserie Lambertis and Marilyn Creque
Special Friends: Amos Frett, Mona Donovan-Sumpter, Ruth Brown
And many other relatives and friends too numerous to mention
Contrary to some social media posts, lead- and copper-laden municipal water in some St. Croix neighborhoods is safe to wash with, officials said. (Photo by Mat Probasco)
Don’t believe everything you read on social media, government officials said Friday, warning against recent posts misstating guidance on avoiding lead-laden public water on parts of St. Croix.
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. and officials from the Water and Power Authority warned in mid-October not to use municipal water in many St. Croix neighborhoods for any reason. Following Environmental Protection Agency guidelines, they later lifted the ban on cleaning with WAPA water, saying bathing and doing laundry or dishes was fine.
No drink orders, including cooking with the water, remained in place at La Grange, Strawberry Hill, Stony Ground, Profit, White Lady, Hannah’s Rest, Whim, Williams Delight, St. George, Diamond, Castle Burke, Mon Bijou, Mt. Pleasant, Adventure Hill, Grove Place, Barren Spot, Sion Farm, Wheel of Fortune, St. John, Montpellier East, Colquohoun, Smithfield and Paradise on St. Croix.
Resampling of pipes on Oct. 20 and 21 found undetectable lead levels, or levels within EPA limits at Alfredo Andrews Elementary School, John Woodson Junior High School, Educational Complex High School, the Mt. Pleasant housing community, and WAPA’s entry point standpipe. They were well below the lead action level and, in some cases, undetectable, said WAPA spokesperson Shanell Petersen.
All 36 sample sites tested below EPA thresholds after letting the water run for 10 minutes, WAPA said.
Petersen said she was reached by a concerned WAPA customer who had seen social media posts this week contradicting guidance for the water. The post first appeared on Facebook, Petersen said, then “spread like wildfire through WhatsApp.”
Up-to-date news about copper and lead in St. Croix’s pipes can be found at www.viwapa.vi/stxwater and almost daily via the St. Croix Source.
Unlike bacteria, boiling will not remove heavy metals like lead and copper from water. Cistern water would not be affected unless the cistern was filled with WAPA water from one of the “hot zones.”
Government officials have known about the contaminated water since Oct. 13, warning St. Croix residents not to drink the water, then eventually shutting off some spigots. Bryan asked the White House to declare a federal emergency and declared a local State of Emergency Oct. 30.
While no amount of lead is safe, since 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has set the acceptable limit for lead in a child’s blood at 3.5 micrograms per liter. Blood levels above 10 micrograms are cause for concern, according to the CDC. A test of 15 parts per billion in drinking water triggers an EPA report. The worst of the water recently tested on St. Croix was 20,100 parts per billion.
The cause of the high lead and copper levels remains under investigation but WAPA officials have pointed to the age and likely deterioration of its pipes, as well as some people not using their municipal water on a regular basis, in some cases for years. WAPA officials have said the average age of water pipes in the United States is around 45 years old, and the Virgin Islands’ pipes older than that. Replacing the island’s pipes could take five or 10 years, Bryan said. WAPA CEO Andrew Smith has said it was more likely closer to 20 years to do all of St. Croix alone.
Lawmakers voted Thursday to subpoena Police Commissioner Ray Martinez. (Photo courtesy of V.I. Legislature)
Lawmakers serving on a Senate committee addressing public safety and justice voted Thursday to compel the head of the Virgin Islands Police Department to appear at their next scheduled meeting. The vote to issue a subpoena to Police Commissioner Ray Martinez came after St. John residents came to present their public safety concerns.
The discussion was part of a day-long hearing where three bills were approved and moved on to the Rules and Judiciary Committee for further consideration. Testifiers pointed to communication problems, delayed responses, a lack of feedback, and what some said discourages people from calling police in the first place.
Fresh on the minds of those who appeared was a recent armed robbery. “Some days ago one of my drivers, with a passenger, was robbed at gunpoint,” said businessman James Penn.
Penn operates a fleet of safari taxis that transport tourists to and from the St. John Westin Resort and conduct island tours. Former Senator-At-Large Carmen Wesselhoft-Hendrington also testified on Thursday. She told the committee that she drives a taxi part-time, and since the latest incident, she hesitates to accept some transport requests.
“Wesselhoff-Hedrington, who works as a taxi driver, stated that she was recently uncomfortable transporting a passenger to Cinnamon Bay because she felt uneasy,” said Legislature spokesman Jamal Potter.
The robbery was the latest in a string of violent crimes affecting commerce on St. John. In October 2022, robbers stole the automatic cash machine at the Cinnamon Bay Campground. Two jewelry stores were invaded by armed robbers; one business owner was shot and wounded in a daylight robbery on May 18. A nearby officer on foot patrol responded to the scene, but by then, the robbers had fled.
Worried residents and merchants gathered for a town meeting about crime and the response by law enforcement. At that time, many said police seemed unresponsive. Some who came to the meeting offered suggestions to aid police by increasing security in the commercial district.
A police representative did appear at the May 23 meeting held in the Cleone Creque Legislative Conference Room. But after Thursday’s no-show at the committee hearing, Martinez spoke briefly to a reporter, saying he and his executive team were attending a conference that day. He sent a notice to the committee saying so, something that was confirmed by Committee Chairman Kenneth Gittens during the session.
But the chairman said more could be done to reassure citizens and inform lawmakers. “We did receive correspondence from the commissioner — the executive team’s unavailability today. I not only speak for me but I’m sure I speak for my colleagues, and you’ll hear from them about our disappointment of (police officials) not being able to be here,” Gittens said.
The commissioner also addressed the public expressions of concern. “We have an uptick in crime on St. John. We know about it, and we’re working on it,” Martinez said.
That statement was confirmed to the Source on Friday by one of the merchants whose store was targeted in February. Police responded to the scene and had since returned to do a follow-up, they said.
Testifiers said they were also disappointed that no police officials attended Thursday’s meeting. Wesselhoff-Hedrington pointed to a police shortage on the island. When a crime occurs, investigators must be sent from St. Thomas to help the one detective assigned to St. John.
The former senator-at-large said there must be a plan to help St. John, or else the island’s tourism product would suffer. In her testimony, business owner Myrtle Barry described her efforts to help a rape victim who was having trouble getting help or advice from authorities.
Others, like Coral Bay Community Council Volunteer President Sharon Coldren, said she was concerned about the present circumstances but wanted to help the search for solutions. “I’m here today to help with some ways we can collectively improve our systems and processes that protect people from injury and crime and make a safer community for the future,” she said.
Coldren along with two representatives from the all-volunteer St. John Rescue, told lawmakers they also wanted to see an improved emergency reporting system on island. Rescue Board Secretary Vicki Schoedel and Executive Director Valerie Hewitt said other agencies besides police can help in areas where cell phone dead zones made calling the 911 emergency line difficult.
Senate Minority Leader Dwayne DeGraff — a member of the committee — said he’d like to see changes in the system that would make it easier for St. John crime victims to get help when needed.
But DeGraff said he, too, was at a loss over the lack of representation at the meeting. “Absent — the police are absent. I am totally frustrated,” he said.
Sen. Alma Francis-Heyliger urged residents to stage a public protest.
Committee member Franklin Johnson made the motion for a subpoena. “This is about the fourth time Ray Martinez has been invited (sic) to testify. He ain’t show up once. You are short-staffed, I accept that, but we have to do something better,” Johnson said.
Gittens said the vote to issue a subpoena would be sent to Senate President Novelle Francis for further action.
The aftermath of a plane crash on April 27, 1976, on St. Thomas, when an American Airlines Boeing 727 jetliner ran off the end of the airport runway and crashed into a Shell Gas Station, killing 37 of the 88 on board. (Wikipedia photo)
On April 27, 1976, an American Airlines Boeing 727 jetliner, while landing at the Harry S. Truman Airport (now the Cyril E. King Airport) on St. Thomas ran off the end of the runway and crashed into a Shell Gas Station, killing 37 (35 passengers and two flight attendants) of the 88 on board. Thirty-eight other passengers and crew were injured, and one person on the ground was seriously injured.
Chris Hanley
The runway was just 4,658 feet long at the time, yet still within the recommended length of 4,500 feet. But following this crash in 1976, and for the next 16 years, all large jets arriving to the U.S. Virgin Islands, including most British Virgin Islands passengers, were routed through St. Croix, whose runway was 7,600 feet long at the time (and has since been extended to 10,004 feet). They then began operating Convair 440 propliners that ferried St. Thomas-bound visitors from St. Croix over to St. Thomas, until such time that the St. Thomas airport runway was lengthened to 7,000 feet. The hill located on the eastern end of the runway was mined and lowered, and the fill was used to extend the runway westward into the sea. The St. Thomas runway expansion was completed in 1992, successfully extending the runway from 4,658 to 7,000 feet.
This sudden and massive increase in air lift to St. Croix quickly generated new interest from vacationers and residents alike, who would not normally see or experience the Big Island just 40 miles to the south of St. Thomas. Upon final approach, St. Thomas-, St. John- and British Virgin Islands-bound passengers would peer down to the right and witness for the first time one of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in the world, Sandy Point. Passengers looking out the left-side windows would see the charming and historic town of Frederiksted, its cruise ship pier, historic fort, and more beautiful beaches running northward up the shore as far as the eye could see. It may have been the first time they saw and set foot, albeit briefly this time, on St. Croix, but for many of them it would not be the last! This newly discovered gem of an island would soon become their next vacation spot.
Not long after the crash in 1976, the visitor count began to rise. St. Croix gained direct flights to New York’s JFK, Dulles and Philadelphia international airports and Boston’s Logan Airport in addition to the existing Miami flight. This created a major opportunity for U.S.- based visitors to easily access St. Croix via direct flights from major cities. Before this, nearly all St. Croix-bound visitors would have to layover in Miami or San Juan, Puerto Rico. As a direct result of this new increased airlift, business began to boom, hotel rooms began to fill, restaurants were full and began requiring reservations, taxi drivers were busy … St. Croix was coming alive like never before or since.
Blessed with wide open spaces, large tracts of undeveloped land, and the most affordable real estate in the Caribbean, developers took notice. It wasn’t long before they realized St. Croix was poised for growth and presented the perfect opportunity for new development. By 1980 plans were underway for several new condo projects, hotels, subdivisions for new home construction, hotels, nightclubs, restaurants, shopping centers and even more golf courses. As permits were slowly granted, construction began and by the early 1980’s there were numerous projects underway. The St. Croix boom was on, and the following developments were on their way to becoming a reality:
VILLA MADELEINE CONDOS — 43 freestanding villas with pool, plus Greathouse
SOUTH GRAPETREE RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION
CARDEN BEACH CONDOS — 30 luxury waterfront condos plus subdivision of waterfront homes and villas
GALLOWS BAY REDEVELOPMENT – Bank, U.S. Post Office, hardware store, etc.
DIVI CARINA BAY EXPANSION INCLUDING NEW TIMESHARE UNITS
POINT ELIZABETH — aka Grassy Point residential subdivision
SCHOONER BAY CONDOS — 54 condos in Gallows Bay, pools and tennis courts
SPYGLASS HILL RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY — Estate Eliza’s Retreat, with multiple spec homes built
CLUB ST. CROIX CONDOMINIUMS — 18 beachfront units, dock, tennis, pool, restaurant, with a second phase planned
CORMORANT COVE (NOW PELICAN COVE)CONDOS – 47 beachfront units, pool, tennis courts, with two more buildings planned
HIBISCUS BEACH HOTEL
DIAMOND KETURAH — a large hotel/condo and golf course development. (Hurricane Hugo ended it) Earthwork was underway, some condo pad sites in place
SPRING GARDEN — residential subdivision
GRANGE STOCK — residential subdivision
DEERHAVEN ESTATES — residential subdivision in Estate Rattan
VICORP LAND — residential subdivision
VISTA CONCORDIA — residential subdivision
ESTATE CONCORDIA WEST — waterfront residential subdivision
ENSENADA CONDOMINIUMS — Whites Bay (Hugo ended it), machines were onsite, Farchette, Hanley & Johnson Real Estate had 50 percent of the units pre-sold. It was to break ground when Hugo hit two days before.
CARAMBOLA GOLF AND BEACH RESORT — plus four residential communities, Ginger Hills, Prosperity Ridge, Carambola Crest and Hibiscus Point along with three golf course villa projects; Sweet Lime I, Sweet Lime II and Saman Villas and improved golf course amenities and future subdivisions under design
RITZ-CARLTON — site acquisition was underway and plans complete adjacent to the Carambola Hotel
LONG REEF CONDOS — existing apartment building converted to 84 studios/one beds/two beds
BAY GARDEN CONDOS — existing apartments converted to condos
ORANGE GROVE CONDOMINIUMS — lack of sales post-Hugo converted to rental apartments
ORANGE GROVE COMMERCIAL CENTER — adjacent west of Pueblo Supermarket
SUNSET BEACH CONDOS — 17 beachfront units north of Frederiksted
ESTATE LA REINE — residential subdivision
ESTATE LA REINE — commercial subdivision
SUNSHINE MALL — Anchor Stores Kmart and Sunshine Supermarket
SALT RIVER RIDGE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY — including spec homes, two of which were built before Hugo
OXFORD ESTATES — large parcel “Gentlemen Estates” residential subdivision on the West End in the rain forest
PROSPECT HILL ESTATES — residential community Frederiksted Northside A
CLIPPER POINT — Estate Concordia Northside B
EXPANSION OF THE LA GRANGE COMMUNITY — Through the stone pillars and up the ridge
DOZENS OF NEW HOME SPECULATION CONSTRUCTION ALONG WITH MANY NEW PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Through the 1980’s St. Croix enjoyed this prosperous time … locals and visitors alike were experiencing economic prosperity from this new influx of investment and tourism. The Sea Goddess mini cruise ship line began to call on Christiansted Harbor on a regular schedule. Property sales were booming, commercial rents were competitive, landlords were happy and new businesses were popping up everywhere.
Existing leaseholds were valuable and traded at significant prices. We even had a state-of-the-art carpeted and air-conditioned nightclub — anybody remember Hondo’s and Hondo’s Backyard? On any night, the towns were alive with restaurants, nightlife and tons of thriving shops and bars. Rumors Nightclub, Casa Loco, Grandstand, Wreck Bar, Sundowner (Frederiksted), Hamilton Mews, Parrots Perch, just to name a few. Up popped an expanded Little Switzerland, Java Wraps, United Colors of Benetton, Estee Lauder, Diamonds International, Violette’s Boutique, White House/Black Market, Sunglass Hut, Ralph Lauren POLO Outlet, Gem Expose, Gold Shop, Manhattan Deli, Ritz Cafe, Colombian Emeralds, Chart House Restaurant, Burger King and Pizza Hut in downtown Christiansted.
It was a glorious time for both towns. Frederiksted was hopping, and we opened our third Farchette, Hanley & Johnson Real Estate office on King Street in Frederiksted to service the exploding West End real estate market.
The mood all changed on Sept. 17, 1989. St. Croix got a direct hit from Category 5 Hurricane Hugo. It ravaged the island with a direct eyewall strike while only limping along westward at 3-5 mph. For 12 hours it pounded us and severely damaged or destroyed about 80 percent of the buildings. Power was not completely restored for over a year. St. Croix was in shambles. Luckily, reconstruction quickly began to take place, as back then insurance companies offered timely and generous payouts and property owners either sold their slab (we referred to hurricane damaged homes as “slabs”) and moved off island or stayed and rebuilt to the new building code. Confident investors swooped in and bought up damaged properties and rebuilt them to the new and stronger construction standards. It appeared that St. Croix was on its way to a magnificent comeback!
But as bad luck would have it, the 1991 Savings and Loan Banking Crisis kicked in, the U.S. mainland real estate market began to crash and the St.Thomas runway expansion was coming to completion. Little did we Crucians know, the direct flights that had spurred the St. Croix boom were gone for good. St. Croix returned to its pre-1976 flight options. The only way to get here was with a layover in Miami or San Juan.
The combination of the economic downturn on the mainland and the loss of St. Croix’s direct connectivity to major U.S. cities quickly began to take its toll on our island. Many of the developments underway or planned to begin in the coming months were canceled. Diamond Keturah and Ensenada presale deposits were refunded to anxious buyers worried about the economy and disappointed with the reduced airlift to the island. The Ritz-Carlton development was called off. The Hospital Street Redevelopment Project lost its steam, the Sea Goddess Cruise Line canceled all calls, additional phases of the new developments like Carden Beach, Cormorant Cove, and Green Cay Marina Phase II were all canceled. The future was looking bleak, and by 1994 St. Croix was nearing the low point of an economic bust. The boom was over, and those who remained in business were in survival mode.
So where do we go from here? For starters we must work diligently to attract additional air lift to St. Croix by creating the incentives that will bring back these much needed routes; subsidize/waive landing fees, waive passenger taxes, waive overnight airline parking fees, guarantee seats, reduce airline counter and gate space rents … make St. Croix an attractive option for airlines so they will return.
If we as a people truly want our island to prosper, it is up to us and our leaders to make it a priority and implement strategic incentives. What we may temporarily lose in Port Authority fees will be far exceeded by the increase on gross receipts and hotel taxes in the long run. If we do not, we will NEVER see the economic prosperity that we had back in the booming 1980’s.
Airlift = Accessibility = Commerce = Prosperity
— Chris Hanley heads Farchette & Hanley Real Estate on St. Croix.
Shaun A. Pennington (Source file photo)
Long forgotten unacceptable, yet continuing tragic incidences of attacks against tourists in the Virgin Islands are teetering on the brink of repeating themselves.
“They won’t do anything about it until ‘something’ happens” seems to be the theme among frustrated or apathetic officials, residents and the casual opinion-aters.
The looming “something” that comes to mind immediately while reading and hearing about taxis and their occupants and other travelers being robbed at gunpoint on St. John, is a 1996 gunpoint robbery at Saga Haven on St. Thomas that didn’t end so well. Eight tourists were held up in the stairwell of the parking garage at the East End location. Three were shot — all critically wounded — by what was reportedly an “automatic handgun.” There were calls at the time by statesiders to bring in the FBI.
The second story that has recently reared its ugly head occurred seven years later in 2003.
This story is almost unbelievable. A woman simply wanting a break from a particularly brutal northeastern winter was first robbed at knife-point during an intermission at an event at the Mark C. Marin Center, and less than three days later attacked by a pack of wild dogs on the beach at Magens Bay.
Fast-forward 20 years: I happen to know, since Magens Bay is my favorite place on the planet, there have been several reports of the feral dogs that are accumulating at what I have always considered one of the safest places in an increasingly unsafe world, going after people in the wooded areas behind the beach.
Nightly, I see the pups and/or their mother who has recently given birth to her second or third litter, roaming the mile-long sandy beach searching for food (prey) and water.
I am an ardent animal lover. These dogs are suffering. They were no doubt at one time domesticated animals expecting to be cared for by the people — human animals — who had somehow acquired and then abandoned them. They are now feral and displaying the natural behavior of wild canines: forming a pack or packs.
As a lifelong solutions-oriented person, at 74, I have spent more than half of those years, not just fomenting, but actually — with the help of many others — laying the physical and structural groundwork for realistic and permanent solutions, with varying degrees of success.
All of the suggestions, NGOs, white papers, activities and activists young and old are still available. All it takes is communication, cooperation and consideration to implement, revive and commit to the civil obligations incumbent upon all of us — the government and civil society together — to make the Virgin Islands a safe place for all forms of life.
Meanwhile, here is a positive look at what we are capable of: Many Good People Made Up for Two Bad Incidents.
Let’s band together and find immediate solutions, in the case of the feral dogs, and stop looking for short-term solutions for the hopelessness of our young people who are willing to put guns in the faces of others thanks to our faltering educational and governmental systems.
Waiting for “something” to happen to tourists (or anyone else, like maybe an innocent child building sand castles on the beach) is categorically unacceptable, but likely to also be a history that repeats itself.
Government House has announced a series of ceremonies to celebrate the life and contributions of the late Fire-EMS Director Daryl George Sr., who died Oct. 24 after a sudden illness.
Fire-EMS Director Daryl George Sr. (Photo courtesy of VIFEMS)
Candlelight vigils in memory of George will be held on both St. Thomas and St. Croix. The first, on Nov. 15, will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Charles A. Seales Fire Station Annex in Estate Grove Place. The St. Thomas vigil will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 16 at the Omar Brown Sr. Fire Station, located across from Barbel Plaza.
George will lie in state at the Omar Brown Sr. Fire Station on Nov. 17 from 9 a.m. to noon, providing an opportunity for friends, colleagues, and community members to pay their respects, Government House said.
The funeral services to honor George will be held on Saturday at the Omar Brown Sr. Fire Station, with viewing from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and the service from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Following the funeral service, the interment will take place immediately at Western Cemetery #1.
A repast in honor of George will be hosted at Joe’s Hot Spot, located across from the Property and Procurement Department on St. Thomas.
George was one of the first to join the Fire Service ranks from a youth program called Junior Firefighters. He also served as a union leader and later as assistant director before being picked as the agency head by former Gov. John deJongh.
He was known as Mousey because of his height, but George was also known for possessing standout leadership skills. One of his last achievements was overseeing the merger of Fire and Emergency Medical Services into a modern first-responder entity.
“Government House extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Director Daryl George,” Government House said in a statement announcing the services. “His dedication and service to the Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Services will be remembered and cherished by all. We invite the community to join us in these solemn ceremonies to celebrate his life and legacy.”
Paradise Discovered: The Unbreakable Virgin Islanders 2.0 took home top honors for best feature documentary at the fifth annual 12°N, 61°W Grenada Film Festival. Unbreakable won amid the competitive field of films presented at the festival, which included stories from Jamaica, Guadeloupe, USA, Dominica, Trinidad, Guyana, St.Vincent, Grenada and the UK, according to a press release Friday.
Paradise Discovered: The Unbreakable Virgin Islanders 2.0 documentary represents USVI in film festival. (Submitted photo)
“Congratulations to Peter Bailey and his team for winning best documentary film with
Paradise Discovered a poignant reminder of the importance of sharing Caribbean stories
worldwide,” said 1261 Film Festival founder Meschida Philip. “Their exploration of cultural
nuances fosters understanding among diverse audiences. We celebrate their achievement
and value their contribution to our festival and Caribbean cinema.”
Developed from Bailey’s New York Times Op-Ed, “Has America Forgotten the Virgin
Islands”, the groundbreaking Paradise Discovered series chronicles the survival and
rebuilding efforts of the people of the USVI in the aftermath of the devastating hurricanes
Irma and Maria in 2017. The series also highlights the impact of climate change on the
culture and people of the USVI. It’s a story that deeply resonated with attendees of this year’s 1261 Film Festival, according to the press release.
“I’m honored to continue this journey to share the inspiring story of USVI resilience which is the collective Caribbean story,” says Bailey, a St.Thomas native. “Caribbean people are craving to see our stories cinematically in our authentic voice and Grenada’s 1261 Film Festival is helping in this unprecedented movement.”
Paradise Discovered: The Unbreakable Virgin Islanders 2.0 wins award for best feature documentary at Grenada Film Festivals. (Submitted photo)
After experiencing both storms firsthand, Bailey famously wrote the Times’ piece while
building a makeshift roof after the storms ravaged his family’s home and made
international headlines for criticizing the U.S. government’s handling of the islands’
recovery and calling out neglect from mainstream media in its coverage, the press release stated.
The Unbreakable Virgin Islanders 2.0 is the sequel to Paradise Discovered: The Unbreakable Virgin Islanders, which won best feature documentary at Toronto’s Caribbean Tales International Film Festival in 2019 and is now streaming on Apple TV, Tubi and other outlets after debuting as one of the top 200 documentaries on iTunes in 2021. The first film from the series, Paradise Discovered: The Anguilla Connection, premiered in Anguilla in 2018, the release stated.
Bailey premiered his latest Paradise Discovered film last November with USVI public high
school students, which was featured in Essence magazine. Students described the experience of the screening as something that both instilled pride in them and opened their eyes to certain issues facing the local community, it said.
“Having this opportunity to witness this movie was very engaging and eye-opening to the
current issue facing us here in the Virgin Islands—the recurring issue of food security,” said
Alani Arnold, a Complex High School senior.
“How many students here in the territory don’t really understand how food grows at
home? We are reliant on other nations, instead of our own, when we have this great
amount of land diversity where we can grow food at our homes so we don’t have to rely on
neighboring countries or islands,” said Arnold.
Local leaders believe Paradise Discovered will serve as a catalyst for developing the region’s
film industry while promoting the territory, according to the release.
“This film beautifully captures the spirit of resilience and the boundless potential that lies
within the Virgin Islands. We are immensely proud to have been a part of this journey, and
we are grateful that this message of creativity, innovation, and the power of technology to
transform lives resonates not only with our beloved Virgin Islands but also with the wider
Caribbean community,” said Peter Chapman, CEO of the UVI Research & Technology Park.
“We are proud of the way Mr. Bailey continues to help spotlight our beautiful territory through film and look forward to his continued recognition,” added V.I. Tourism Department Commissioner Joseph Boschulte.
The series has been added to public libraries throughout North America, including Toronto,
New York City, San Diego and Los Angeles, and is being used in classes at Stanford University, Notre Dame University, University of Miami, University of Houston, and the
College at William & Mary, to name a few, the release stated.
