From the inception of public discussions on Diageo and Cruzan Rum, this writer recognized the value of supporting the efforts of our government in pursuit of the opportunities for diversifying the Virgin Islands economy through increased rum production and exportation to the United States based upon special tax legislation. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- St Croix’s economy is getting an added boost this week as a record five ships call on the island bringing thousands of cruise passengers to its shores to shop, dine, and explore all St Croix has to offer. The banner week started with the arrival of the Summit on Monday followed by the Millennium. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- A Congressional Research Service analysis of the rum excise tax cover over program, from which Puerto Rico receives about $400 million annually and the US Virgin Islands about $90 million annually, finds that proposed legislation by the Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner would be detrimental. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- The Twin-City delegation from Montescudaio, Italy arrived in the US Virgin Islands on Sunday, January 24, thereby officially consummating the relationship of mutual friendship between the 11th-century Tuscan town and the historic Virgin Islands towns of Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, and Frederiksted. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- A twelve person jury returned a verdict of “guilty” Tuesday against a former Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Motor Vehicles who was charged with fraud. Delvin D Duggins, a 44-year-old St Thomas native, stands convicted of one count of fraudulent claims upon the government. read more...

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ST JOHN, USVI -- Starting in late July, the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) initiates a second inventory of the forests of US Virgin Islands. The survey begins on the island of St John and continues an effort to measure and monitor the forest lands of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. read more...

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NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) -- Morgan Stanley has been sued by a US Virgin Islands pension fund that accused the Wall Street bank of defrauding investors by marketing $1.2 billion of risky mortgage-related notes that it expected to fail. According to the complaint, the CDO was backed by low-quality assets. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- A rare collection of oil portraits of black people, painted by some of Europe’s foremost portrait artists between 1855 and 1894, is on display at historic Fort Frederik in the US Virgin Islands as an addition to “Sleeping with a Bachelor: The Antique Bedroom Furniture of Crucian Collector Wayne James”. read more...

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You may have noticed that the Virgin Islands Reparations Movement is front and center again in the world press. Related to Bill No. 26-0089, originally introduced in the senate by Senator Shawn-Michael Malone, an Associated Press story entitled "USVI activists push for slavery-era disclosures" has been published. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- In recent weeks, the issue has been raised of disclosure by corporations in the US Virgin Islands that operated during the slavery era. Legislation which would “require existing and new corporations to research their history to determine if any predecessor corporation existed which used... read more...

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PHILIPSBURG, St Maarten -- Chatting happily with new friends around the bar at Boleros, the Latin music and dance spot on the Oasis of the Seas, Bonnie Simpson is having a good time. The ship is hours outside of the port of Philipsburg, St Maarten, but the party continues on the decks well into the night. read more...

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Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 8, is a historical date in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands, when the Oasis of The Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world is scheduled to make her maiden voyage to the Caribbean with her first stop in the US Virgin Islands.  Incidentally it is the anniversary of the conception of Mary... read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- By the time US Virgin Islands Senator Wayne A.G. James had shaken hands for the first time with Montescudaio, Italy’s mayor Aurelio Pellegrini in front of the 12th-century town’s municipal building on the morning of November 26th, fifteen Italian newspapers had already run stories. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- US Virgin Islands government officials representing an inter-agency committee formed by Governor John de Jongh to prepare for the arrival of the world’s largest cruise ship on St Thomas will share plans at a press conference on Tuesday at the Crown Bay Center at 10:00 am. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- Aurelio Pellegrini, mayor of Montescudaio, Italy, has invited St Croix senator Wayne AG James to introduce a Resolution to the 28th Legislature to establish a twin city relationship between the 12th-century Tuscan town and the three historic towns of the US Virgin Islands. read more...

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I write today to inquire about the status of Bill No. 26-0089. Citing the more than four years that have transpired since this legislation was introduced by Senator Shawn-Michael Malone and held in the Committee on Government Operations and Consumer Protection, there are many concerned citizens. read more...

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ST CROIX, USA -- Additional non-stop flight service to St Croix in the US Virgin Islands announced in June will begin on Thursday with the arrival of American Airlines flight #879 from Miami. To mark the occasion, the Department of Tourism has planned a special reception at the Henry E Rohlsen Airport... read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- A suspect who has been wanted by police for five years was brought back to the US Virgin Islands to face charges. Khaeil Alphonso Thompson, age 27, was living in St Lucia since he fled St Croix in 2004 following a shooting in Frederiksted. VIPD detectives had information Thompson was in St Lucia. read more...

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I listened with great interest to the special session of the legislature on Tuesday October 27, 2009 called by the governor. I was deeply moved by the distinct pride and honor in Mr Gary Nelthropp’s voice as he spoke of Cruzan Rum’s rich heritage in the Virgin Islands, particularly on the island of St Croix. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- On Tuesday, November 17, at an official ceremony at historic Fort Frederik, St Croix Senator Wayne James will transfer to the people of the US Virgin Islands a collection of valuable documents, photographs, and moving images obtained from the University of Havana. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- Governor John deJongh on Thursday signed into law an agreement which fosters a 30-year public-private partnership and will continue both the diversification and growth of the US Virgin Islands economy. The agreement with Cruzan VIRIL Ltd. locks in an expansion of production capacity. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- Following their return from the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association’s (FCCA) 16th Annual Cruise Conference and Trade Show, US Virgin Islands officials have announced that the Territory has seen the highest cruise-tourism economic contribution ($384.4 million) in the region. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- Governor John deJongh on Tuesday expressed his appreciation and commended the members of the US Virgin Islands National Guard who assisted in a recent fuel depot fire in Puerto Rico. DeJongh said he was pleased to see VING personnel reaching out to the USVI's Puerto Rico neighbours. read more...

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ST CROIX, USVI -- Forensic detectives in the US Virgin Islands said a positive identification of the three persons who died in a single engine plane crash on Thursday on St Croix can only be made through dental records. The names of the deceased have not been released by the VIPD. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen said on Friday that the House Interior, Environment Appropriations conference report passed the House of Representatives with $900,000 for critical wastewater system repairs and improvements in the USVI. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen joined the Congressional leadership at the West Front of the Capitol at the rollout of the House version of health care reform on Thursday morning. Dubbed the Affordable Health Care for America Act, the House bill blends and updates... read more...

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NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) -- Run cuts at the giant 500,000 barrel-per-day Hovensa St Croix refinery in the US Virgin Islands will remain in place this quarter due to weak refining margins, part owner Hess Corp said on Wednesday. The Hovensa refinery ran its crude units at 76.9 percent of capacity in the third quarter. read more...

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NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) -- Hovensa said Monday unplanned work on a 150,000 barrel-per-day gasoline-making fluid catalytic cracker at its 500,000-bpd St Croix refinery in the Caribbean may end near Nov. 6 barring unexpected developments. The nature of repairs or when the work began was not stated.    read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- Senate President Louis Patrick Hill has denied reports that the US Virgin Islands police department was barred from entering either the Capitol Building or the grounds of the Legislature as was reported in the media. He said it was absurd to think any enforcement officer has ever been barred. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen has introduced a bill that seeks to establish Castle Nugent on St Croix as a National Historic Site. Introducing this bill continues an effort started in 2006 to preserve the unique landscape and view for the enjoyment of the people. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen said on Wednesday that significant progress has been made to include the Us Virgin Islands in the exchange as part of the health care reform package that is expected to come to the floor of the US House of Representatives for a vote. read more...

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FORT WORTH, USA -- American Airlines has made it easier than ever to visit the beautiful US Virgin Islands of St Thomas and St Croix. American, a founding member of the oneworld Alliance, has great low fares available for travel through mid December. Tickets must be purchased by Nov. 3, 2009. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- US Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh and Lt Governor Gregory Francis convened a meeting of the Cabinet this week at Government House on St Thomas to discuss various issues as the end of the Administration’s third year in office approaches. The outlook for fiscal year 2010 was discussed. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen, has applauded Thursday’s report by the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board that indicates that with just five percent of recovery dollars spent, more than 30,000 federal contract jobs have been created or saved. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- Caribbean hoteliers representing properties with 75 rooms or less gathered in St Thomas, in the US Virgin Islands, last week to strengthen their marketing and operations programs. With 225 delegates from 17 countries, 2009 attendance exceeded that of last year's event in St Kitts. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- US Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen, a physician and co-Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health and Wellness Taskforce, on Tuesday applauded the Senate Finance Committee for acting on health care legislation that brings the United States one step closer... read more...

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SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico -- The crew of a Coast Guard helicopter, Puerto Rico police and state and local Emergency Management crews combined efforts to rescue a man on Sunday who was stranded on a beach at the bottom of a 200-foot cliff in Puerto Rico. The man was reportedly missing since Saturday. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- The commemorative quarter-dollar coin honouring the United States Virgin Islands was officially launched on Friday in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. United States Mint Deputy Director Andy Brunhart and United States Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh hosted the ceremony. read more...

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ST THOMAS, USVI -- Late Wednesday afternoon, Governor John deJongh submitted a bill to the US Virgin Islands Legislature that, when approved, will ratify the agreement between the government and Cruzan Rum. DeJongh also called the Legislature into Special Session on October 27. read more...

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WASHINGTON, USA -- Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen received word on Wednesday that Turner Broadcasting has agreed to lift the blackout of baseball playoff games to the US Virgin Islands. The contract between Turner and Major League Baseball did not include rights to the Caribbean. read more...

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