Summary Update on Virgin Islands Recovery

• Federal agencies have committed to at least $1.5 billion in relief for the V.I.
  
• Concessionaires say it is unfair to charge them a fee in Frederiksted when independant taxi's pay none. Some say a dedicated taxi stand is needed near the pier. Senator Winfield James suggested the taxi drivers solve their problems because they don't want arguments and bickering in their city.
  
• Governor Schneider in a recent address to the territory said:
  
  • More hotels and business owners should apply for SBA rebuilding loans.
    
  • He is working on getting some smaller grants available from the Agriculture Department to rebuild homes, from the Labor Department for emergency unemployment insurance for people who lost their jobs, and from the Commerce Department for tourism, advertising and promotion.
    
  • Teachers will be paid for the extra days they work to make up for the lost school days.
    
  • A U.S. Navy ship will call on St. Thomas Dec.2-5th. The first Navy ship since Hurricane Marilyn struck the islands on Sept. 15th-16th.
    
  • Cruise lines are pleased with their ships' reception on St. Thomas for the past two weeks.
    
  • Hotel-Casinos development has begun in Green Cay, St. Croix. A group from Spain is also planning a hotel-casino in St. Croix.
    
  • Hess Oil Virgin Islands Corp. officials say they have no plans to close their plant on St. Croix.
    
• Large amounts of aid continues to pour into the islands from far away friends.
  
• The luxury liner Legend of the Seas will dock on St. Thomas today on its maiden voyage.
  
• Main Street again closed for pedestrian mall.

Produced courtesy of COBEX International