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May 5-11, 2008 © Copyright 2008 ST. JOHN 75¢ TRADEWINDS The Community Newspaper Since 1972 • St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands Ferry Companies Cutting Back Extra Runs Companies Blaming Rising Fuel Costs, Seeking Rate Increase — Page 2 Roundabout Work Now To Start in June Page 10 Pond Bay Club Breaks Ground in Chocolate Hole Page 3 Arson Confirmed in Construction Equipment Fires Page 3 School Group Continues Push St. John Tradewinds News Photos by Jaime Elliott for VINP Land V.I. Port Authority’s Page 4 Public Dinghy Docks Ned Gerard Makes China Olympics in Bad Shape on St. John Page 7 The Cruz Bay welcome mat for visiting boaters, the dinghy docks at the Loredon L. Boynes Ferry Islander Siska Dock are dangerously dilapidated, according to Is Outwitted on resident boaters. TV’s Survivor Page 9 The Marketplace / Suite 302 / Cruz Bay / St. John / Phone 775-7001 / Fax 775-7002 / www.theodoretunick.com 2 St. John Tradewinds, May 5-11, 2008 CZM Hearing Scheduled for May 21 St. John Tradewinds The St. John CZM Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 21, The two ferry companies at 1 p.m. at the St. John Legislature to consider the following: operaring between St. John – Request for modification of CZM Permit No. CZJ-2-03(L), and St. Thomas have elimi- Genoveva Rodriguez and James Phillips to add a vendor’s booth nated extra runs at peak (11 feet by 11 feet) to the existing retail building located at parcel hours because of rising fuel no. 13, Estate Carolina, No. 1 Coral Bay Quarter, St. John, Virgin costs. Islands. – Request for modification of CZM Permit No. CZJ-54-87(L), Caneel Bay Resort, to replace the existing RO building and entry building with new stone and wood frame within the same footprint, St. John Tradewinds News and expansion of an existing manager’s house to add a bedroom Photo by Tom Oat and a pool. Monsanto Is STJ Rep for Christensen Ferry Companies Cutting Back Runs St. John Tradewinds Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen has two new employ- ees to her district staff. Aesha Duval will work out of the delegate’s Between St. John and St. Thomas St. Croix office as public relations outreach specialist, and Lorelei St. John Tradewinds Red Hook to Cruz Bay blood from a stone.” Monsanto was selected as Christensen’s constituent services rep- Blaming skyrocketing fuel 6:30 a.m. In 1987 the companies were resentative for St. John. Monsanto will staff the delegate’s St. John costs, Varlack Ventures and Trans- 7:30 a.m. awarded an exclusive 30-year fran- office on Monday, Wednesday and half day on Friday. 8:00 a.m. “She will be extending the community services of the Office portation Services of St. John are Then every hour on the hour chises to run ferry service between cutting back ferry runs between until midnight. St. John and St. Thomas. Since the of the Delegate on St. John and keeping us abreast of ongoing St. St. Thomas and St. John starting companies provide public trans- John issues,” said Christensen. Monday, May 5, according to the Cruz Bay to Red Hook portation service, they should be 6:00 a.m. companies’ legal counsel, Clau- Then every hour on the hour subsidized by the government, ac- St. John Rescue To Conduct Training cording to their legal counsel. dette Ferron. until 11:00 p.m. St. John Tradewinds “The companies have not re- While the hourly Public Service St. John Rescue advises residents that rappelling training will be Commission (PSC) required runs Cruz Bay to Charlotte Amalie ceived any subsidies from the gov- 7:15 a.m. conducted on Thursday, May 8, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the end ernment — they haven’t gotten a will remain in effect, the island’s 9:15 a.m. of the road at Boatman Point. Residents should not be alarmed at dime,” Ferron said. “They are pro- two ferry companies can no longer 11:15 a.m the lights and rescuers scrambling over the cliffs. afford to schedule additional runs, 1:15 p.m. viding public transportation which Ferron explained. 2:15 p.m. is a government responsibility but 3:45 p.m. “We had included additional they aren’t getting any subsidies.” Power Swim Practice Swim May 18 runs and sometimes ran two boats Charlotte Amalie to Cruz Bay “Everywhere else in the states, St. John Tradewinds to accommodate the demand and 9:00 a.m. including Puerto Rico, when pri- Get ready for the Friends of the V.I. National Park’s annual Beach workers,” said Ferron. “But we 11:00 a.m. vate entities provide public trans- to Beach Power Swim on May 25 at the remaining practice swim, 1:00 p.m. can’t keep going with the fuel 3:00 p.m. portation they are funded by the which is scheduled for Sunday, May 18, beginning at Maho Bay costs the way they are. Costs are 4:00 p.m. government,” the attorney contin- and ending at Hawksnest. The practice swim begins at 8 a.m. at the increasing and revenue is staying 5:30 p.m. ued. north end of Maho near the dinghy channel. For more information, the same.” quested another rate examination, With the ferry companies oper- contact the Friends at 779-4940. The PSC approved a rate in- which is currently pending before ating in the red, something needs crease for the ferry runs in 2005, the PSC. Ferry representatives to be done, Ferron added. Nominations Sought for CZM Award and in that time the cost of fuel has have also asked for immediate re- “The ferry companies have been St. John Tradewinds and schools cannot nominate spiked more than 200 percent, ac- lief, but have not heard from the going into debt for the last 10 The Department of Planning themselves, but may be nomi- cording to Ferron. regulatory board, explained Fer- years,” she said. “How this is re- and Natural Resources has an- nated by others. Categories in- “Since 2005 when we had the ron. solved will be dependent on what nounced a call for nomina- clude: Coastal Zone Person of last rate increase — which was the “We made a request for a hear- steps are taken to deal with the cri- tions for its 2008 Virgin Islands the Year, Organization of the first rate increase in almost two de- ing for a fuel surcharge a few sis facing public marine transpor- Coastal Zone Management Pro- Year, Coastal Zone School of cades — the cost of fuel has gone months ago but have not gotten tation.” gram Awareness Award. This the Year, and Coastal Zone Col- up 234 percent,” she said. “In the any response from the PSC on “The issue of public transporta- award is open to individuals, lege Student of the Year Award. last six months the cost has gone that,” said the attorney. “The costs tion needs to be addressed by the private organizations, schools To obtain a nomination pack- up 28 percent and in the last three are rising and we can’t do anything appropriate entities, from the PSC and government agencies, from age, visit http://www.viczmp. months it’s risen 13 percent.” about it because we can’t do any- to the legislative body to the ex- the entire territory except for the com, call 774-3320 ext. 5117 The ferry companies have re- thing about our rates. You can’t get ecutive branch,” said Ferron. department of DPNR employ- or fax a request for a package ees or families of employees. to 714-9524. All nominations Individuals, organizations must be received by May 23. Constitutional Convention Forums Set St. John Tradewinds Informational public forums led by St. John residents Paul Devine and Ronnie Jones are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Julius E. Sprauve School on May 29, June 27 and July 17. The forums are intended to gather public input and to provide updates on what is happening with the Fifth Constitutional Convention. All input will be sent to Constitutional Convention delegates. St. John Tradewinds, May 5-11, 2008 3 © Photo by Jean Philippe Piter Pond Bay players (L to R): Jay Wicklund, Wharton-Smith; Claude Dupre, Pond Bay; Peter Pasqua, West LB; Ron Davoli, Wharton-Smith; Tracy Roberts, Springline Architects; Michael Casey, ARCAPITA; Governor John deJongh; Bob Emmett, Pond Bay; Beverly Nicholson-Doty, Tourism Commissioner; Leona Smith, St. John Administrator; Carmen Wesselhoft, Senator-at-Large; and Paul Hoffman. Pond Bay Club Proves Construction Has Begun with Ceremonial Groundbreaking By Andrea Milam is to work with people who add to agents and professionals and a lot a custom Pond Bay beach towel and “We managed to do exactly what St. John Tradewinds the Virgin Islands.” of those people who’ve worked on several informational brochures. we set out to do,” Ruhsam added. Developers First American De- Senator at Large Carmen Wes- the project, whether in the field of After guests had a chance to “We wanted to project the image velopment Group/Carib showed selhoft, V.I. Department of Tourism law, architecture, engineering, the mingle and explore the beachfront and the atmosphere of what Pond they are serious about moving for- Commissioner Beverly Nicholson- Department of Planning and Natu- portion of the 15-acre site to the Bay will be. I think it was a smash ward with construction of the luxu- Doty and St. John Administrator ral Resources and Coastal Zone tunes of a live steel pan player, 10 hit.” ry fractional ownership resort Pond Leona Smith were on hand for Management, along with local gold shovels were given to those Infrastructure work is currently Bay Club on Tuesday evening, the festivities, along with Michael business owners,” added Pond Bay who’ve been instrumental in help- being done at the site, and the re- April 29, when nearly 150 support- Casey of ARCAPITA, the project’s Office Manager Heather Ruhsam, ing the project come to fruition, and sort’s buildings should begin to ers of the project — including sev- banker; Peter Pasqua of West LB, who helped coordinate the ground- ground was officially broken.

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