USVI governor concludes another round of meetings in Washington
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| Published on Monday, June 23, 2008 |
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By Susan Mann
Caribbean Net News US Virgin Islands Correspondent
Email: susan@caribbeannetnews.com
ST THOMAS, USVI: US Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh wrapped up a three-day trip to the nation’s capital on Thursday afternoon following a meeting with US Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne.
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| Interior Secretary Meeting |
The officials discussed a range of key economic development initiatives, the energy crisis, air transportation, various National Park issues and progress being made in the St. John School-Estate Grange land exchange. “
I thought it necessary to meet the Secretary on these key issues and to thank him for taking a personal interest in the St. John school issue which includes his authorization of a $200,000 technical-assistance grant to conduct various studies at the proposed school site in Estate Catherineberg,” said deJongh.
The Governor had previously announced the technical assistance grant allocation during his press conference with Senator Jay Rockefeller when the St. John School-Estate Grange land exchange concept was unveiled last month.
The Governor also briefed Kempt Horne on progress in acquiring the Estate Grange property, as well as the strategy of the US Virgin Islands government to develop significant tourist attractions on St. Croix.
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USVI Governor deJongh took US Senator 'Jay' Rockefeller on a tour of the Julius Sprauve School and grounds prior to announcing plans to acquire land for a new school to be built on St John.
Photo: Susan Mann |
The Secretary reaffirmed the Interior Department’s commitment to assisting the Government of the US Virgin Islands in settling the decades-old unresolved school issue.
“The technical assistance grant was a good way to demonstrate that we are serious and the timing was right,” stated the Governor.
During his visit to Washington, deJongh also met with the territory’s closest congressional allies, including Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, Senator Orrin Hatch, Senator Jay Rockefeller, Senator Mike Crapo, Senator Jeff Bingaman and VI Delegate Donna Christensen.
The three days of congressional meetings covered a range of economic development initiatives, the EDC program, the Tax Extenders bill now being debated, and the rum tax rebate.
DeJongh also presented the redesigned Alexander Hamilton Award medallions to Representative Rangel and Senator Crapo, the 2006 award recipients.
On Thursday afternoon, deJongh traveled from Washington, DC to Chicago for a Democratic Governor’s dinner with presumptive Democratic Party Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama.
In Chicago on Friday morning, deJongh and the nation’s democratic governors met with Senator Obama to discuss political strategy and party fund-raising.
DeJongh returned to the Virgin Islands Friday night. |
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