Those that feel the big hotel resorts are the way to go, as a conservationist and an environmentalist, my recommendation is to refurbish the closed hotels that already exist here on St. Croix, ex: Carlton Hotel, Clover Crest Hotel, Grape Tree Bay Hotel, St. Croix By the Sea Hotel, etc.

This proposal isn't a cure all, but it is an immediate approach to address housing accommodations for guest and travelers and creating jobs for the residents.

A B&B regulatory system establishing uniform standards throughout the industry would ensure a sustainable enterprise.

A call for a registry would bring out interested home and property owners from all over the Island. ( 100 B&Bs could supply well over 300 units. ) This should also include condos, estates and villas.

An immediate boost to the economy would be: loans and grants for property owners to bring their properties up to standards; jobs for small contractors increasing the demand for building supplies, tools and equipment,; increased tax revenues from property and income; the same jobs in house keeping, gardening and security are also needed at B&Bs.

If our government can give and offer all those EDC business millions in taxes shelters, they definite shouldn't see it to unreasonable to provide grants to qualified residents to improve their properties to eventually contributing into the tax base.

Everyone would benefit.

The Money, for the most part, would stay circulating here, benefiting residents not big share holders, far away.

Anyone who thinks this a bad idea cannot be for the empowerment of the residents of the Virgin Islands, especially on St. Croix.

Ivan Butcher II

Crime has been primarily concentrated in specific areas in our community, which can easily be eliminated if the profit was taken out of the drug trade.