Crucians In Focus

The sudden public emergence of the Captain Morgan distillery plan and the urgency with which the Governor is attempting to push this initiative through the Legislature should raise red flags across the territory, particularly among the residents of St. Croix.

Let me be clear – I am a strong proponent of economic development in the Virgin Islands and will encourage and support any initiative that will genuinely benefit the residents and the community. Read the rest of this entry »

On Tuesday, the PSC board approved a 22.9-percent increase in the electric Levelized Energy Adjustment Clause (LEAC) rate and a 14.6 percent increase in the water LEAC rate. This action will raise the average monthly residential electric bill to $209.29 and the average residential water bill to $63.16 for a household using 2,400 gallons a month, according to the St. Thomas Source newspaper.

We are all aware of the global energy crisis – this is not a territory specific problem. But this is a multi-layered problem and the only option that was executed is one that places the financial burden on the backs of the residents of the territory – residents who are already struggling with the cost of other basics like food, recently shown to outpace urban mainland locations in cost. Read the rest of this entry »

Guest Opinion by Gonzalo Rivera

Eighteen months ago we went to the polls and elected a new governor and fifteen senators to represent us, yet today we are faced with the same challenges that existed at the time. Only difference between now and then is the fact that our representatives receive a bigger salary in exchange for increasing the number of people living in poverty.

The challenges related to families living below the poverty level, the escalating crime problem, the high cost of living to include the WAPA issue, the education of our children and accountability and transparency in government have all worsen. They voted to allow finance companies to charge more interests for unsecured loans. They set aside money to pay for illegal contracts for a second time and approved increases for government employees to pay more for their healthcare plan and medications. Read the rest of this entry »

What would candidate deJongh do to address our most pressing issue; the cost of living?

To date, we have witnessed:
-Press releases and press conferences on the formation of committees and task force groups Read the rest of this entry »