It was a tale of caution, close calls and hard knocks that highlighted the Monday Press Briefing at Government House St. Croix. It certainly started off with a feeling of celebration in the air as Government House Communications Director Richard Motta immediately handed the proceedings over to the VI Department of Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion, who wished everyone an enjoyable 53rd Annual AgFest & Food Fair which takes place this weekend at the Rudolph Schulterbrandt Agriculture Grounds on St. Croix.
“Congratulations to Commissioner Dr. Louis Petersen and his staff as well as UVI President Dr. Safiya George and her staff for putting on such a wonderful, successful event that we look forward to every year,” the Commissioner of Health remarked about AgFest. “It is also American Heart Health Month and we encourage you to patronize your heart health by staying active and eating a balanced diet and getting some rest…keep yourself safe and healthy this holiday weekend.
“We are in the peak of the flu season,” the Commissioner reminded everyone. “Be proactive and protect you and your loved ones against the flu. We are seeing an increase in the number of cases in the USVI.”
Ms. Encarnacion introduced Dr. Esther Ellis who talked about Dengue Fever also being in peak season.
“There are fifteen confirmed cases of Dengue in the Territory and all fifteen are on St. Croix,” Dr. Ellis cautioned. “We are alerting the St. Croix community of the outbreak, meaning it is spreading faster than expected. We are urging everyone to take precautions to prevent further transmission.”
Dr. Ellis reminded everyone that there are four easy steps to try and avoid catching Dengue which is spread by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes who can infect a person day or night.
1) Remove standing water from around your house 2) Repair window screens 3)Wear long sleeves and long pants 4) Use mosquito repellent when outdoors.
The Dengue Hotline numbers are: 340-725-5389 or 340-774-7477 ext 5647.
“The Commissioner and Dr. Ellis’ brief is a sobering reminder that information can mean the difference between protection and vulnerability, between preparedness and crisis,” Mr. Motta stated in no uncertain terms at the end of their presentation. “Paying attention to accurate information can save your life. That’s why ALERTS VI exists to ensure that every Virgin Islander is informed and empowered when it matters most.”
Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency’s (VITEMA) Director Daryl Jaschen took the podium and spoke in similar terms concerning the recent Tsunami warning issued in the USVI:
“A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Honduras this last weekend, which (originally) triggered a Tsunami Warning in the U.S. Virgin Islands,” Director Jaschen announced. “In that moment uncertainty and concern rippled through our community. But what followed was a testament to the power of preparedness and the strength of our people. Virgin Islanders did exactly what they were supposed to do. You received the ALERTS VI notification, families checked in on one another and emergency plans were set in motion. That’s what being ready looks like,” Mr. Jaschen declared. “That’s what resilience sounds like. We were fortunate that the warning was lifted without incident. But let this serve as a reminder: EARLY WARNINGS SAVE LIVES!”
Director Jaschen went on to describe the exact events and procedures that made up the details of what became a Tsunami Alert. He then spoke about the level of readiness in the USVI.
“The U.S. Virgin Islands has been deemed, by the National Weather Service, as being a Tsunami Ready Location since 2009,” he announced. “So the efforts we are putting in as a community here, we should be very proud of the outreach that goes on, the drills that we do, it’s a collaborative effort between the local and federal partners…that we educate ourselves.”
Director Jaschen concluded his remarks by mentioning AgriFest.
“This weekend at AgriFest VITEMA will have two tents set up. Come visit us. You can talk about your feelings on how you were affected by the Tsunami Alerts, get some literature, and learn about what you can do to be prepared,” he said. “Remember, Be Prepared. Stay informed. Be vigilant.”
Yellow Cedar Media Note: It might do well to remind Virgin Islanders that the 1876 earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 (hitting 20 miles SW of St. Thomas) and the ensuing Tsunami that ripped through the Danish West Indies (now U.S. Virgin Islands) with wave heights exceeding 33 feet, and that crashed inland at Christiansted up to 300 feet, caused hundreds of casualties and massive destruction on all islands. It was one of the worst natural catastrophes in Virgin Islands history.
Next up at the Press Briefing was VIPD Acting Chief of Police for St. Croix, Uston Cornelius. He spoke forcefully about the recent robbery at Eulalie Rivera K-8 Elementary School in which several pieces of commercial grade kitchen equipment were stolen, an eight-burner oven along with two commercial ovens and a 50-gallon ice maker.
“These items were used to make breakfast and lunch for the students,” Mr. Cornelius stated. “Any information you might know would be appreciated,” he went on. “We want our students to be able to have a chance in life. And (a good diet) is one step to them getting a chance to having a productive day.”
Mr. Motta spoke out on the heinous crime.
“Please community, if you know something, say something. Call 1-800-222-TIPS, Crime Stoppers…On behalf of the students who desperately rely on that equipment for nourishment during their school day,” Director Motta concluded.
In the Press Questionnaire portion of the Briefing, M.A. Dworkin of Yellow Cedar Media inquired about a problem with funding that was reported to Yellow Cedar Media by the VI Trail Alliance. Apparently a good deal of money that was allocated by the USDA in grants for the VI Trail Alliance has been put on pause by the Trump Administration. Rumors of other hold ups in funding have been circulating for days by organizations involved with projects that define the Green New Deal, Climate and DEI. Yellow Cedar Media was wondering if the Bryan Administration felt we were being targeted by the White House and that the USVI was possibly in the gun sights of the White House due to the Bryan Administration’s recent stance on the newly enacted ICE enforcement of immigration laws by the Trump Administration.
“I understand Governor Bryan issued a very diplomatic statement on this subject and yet Congresswoman Plaskett has not been so forthcoming in that diplomatic approach,” M.A. Dworkin inquired about the controversial issue..
“The Governor’s stance remains the same,” replied Mr. Motta. “His stance has always been in dealing with the White House, to advance the interests of the people of the Territory. That hasn’t changed. We have had policy disagreements with the first Trump administration, the Biden-Harris administration, and we have policy disagreements with the current administration. But it doesn’t hinder the Governor’s ability or his posture with respect to working with the administration on the things we need to work with them on to advance the quality of life for Virgin Islands residents,” the Communications Director clarified the Administration’s stance on the matter. “We don’t want to be a thorn in the side of any one particular administration…We stand our ground on policy disagreements and when we agree we work with the respective administrations.”
Yellow Cedar Media inquired about the bad pump at the Richmond Power Plant and the fact it had caused sewage to be pouring into the Ocean at a point in Christiansted Harbor.
“My understanding is that (issue) has since been rectified,” replied Mr. Motta. Repaired recently by the Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority.”
Yellow Cedar Media then asked if there had been any progress made on the Randall “Doc” James Racetrack controversy since the Government of the Virgin Islands recently filed suit against VIGL for breach of contract for non-performance in their lack of construction progress on the racetrack. VIGL has since issued a retaliatory statement through various media outlets that claimed, among other noteworthy points, their position on the racetrack was to continue to develop the racetrack in the manner they had agreed upon.
“They can have their point of view,” Mr. Motta replied. “The fact of the matter is the Governor has said the most important thing is for VIGL to begin construction (on the grandstands) and do the work on the racing surface. We’ll leave it there.” he concluded.
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