The following material is being published, unedited, exactly as it was received via e-mail from the office of the government official named below, as a Source community service. Government office holders wishing to contribute to the bulletin board must e-mail source@viaccess.net. The Source reserves the right to choose what is published.
April 16, 2008 – In an ongoing effort to address issues of abandoned properties and urban decay in the down town Charlotte Amalie communities. Senator Ottley along with representatives from various government agencies and members from the Long Path Community Organization surveyed the Garden Street Community.
Senator Ottley stated that “This community along with all of our other Down town communities is teeming with a wealth of cultural, historical landmarks and buildings that are the envy of many other communities”.
Senator Ottley clearly saw the immense potential for Heritage Tourism and World Heritage status for key landmarks and birth places of Internationally recognized Virgin Islanders in the community. However, it was extremely disappointing to witness dilapidated and abandoned homes filled with excessive debris along with a failing infrastructure.
Senator Ottley continued by saying, “While there are prevailing legal issues surrounding many family dwellings in our down town communities that contribute the unkempt appearance of many dwellings, Government Agencies must play their part by performing basic maintenance which they are mandated to perform to ensure a safe and clean environment for its citizens.”
Senator Ottley wishes to thank the participants for their input during the survey and he will be conducting similar assessments in other down town communities in the following weeks to come in his effort to finally bring relief to residents of these communities and raise the quality of life of Virgin Islanders in general.
