The territory’s marine industry is likely to get a boost thanks to the passage Wednesday of a bill by the U.S. House of Representatives that will again allow uninspected charter boats in the Virgin Islands to carry up to a dozen passengers, Government House announced Saturday. That was the norm until 1993, when the limit was set at six passengers under the terms of the Passenger Vessel Safety Act.
The bill, which impacts only the Virgin Islands, passed the house with a vote of 413 to 3, indicating strong support for the measure.
The bill still needs Senate approval but it is expected to take up the measure next week. Gov. John deJongh Jr. said he was cautiously optimistic that the bill would pass the Senate.
The governor said passage of this legislation is crucial in reclaiming the territory’s place as the yachting capital of the world.
"Restoration of this important sector of our economy will offer a milieu of technical and entrepreneurial opportunities in the boating industry,” deJongh said. “This legislation is a critical first step in our journey to regain our position as the world’s leader in this important industry sector.”
The six-passenger limit sent the territory’s once busy charter boat fleet to other islands, including the nearby British Virgin Islands, where the limit was 12. The six-passenger limit also prevented foreign-flagged boats from entering Virgin Islands waters if they carried more than six passengers.
The impact of the six-passenger limit was felt throughout many aspects of the territory’s economy, including the once lucrative provisioning industry.
DeJongh said prior to 1993, the marine industry pumped more than $100 million a year and hundreds of jobs into the local economy.
He said that with the six-passenger limit, the territory could never fairly compete for charter yacht customers when the rules were so drastically tilted against the territory’s charter industry.
The change will come under the Coast Guard and Marine Transportation Act. A previous version of the bill passed the House earlier in the year. The current version is the product of a joint conference with the Senate, which will enable both chambers to vote on identical language before being signed into law by President Obama.
The governor also said he pushed for a special visa waiver program during a September visit to Washington, D.C., to discuss the six-pack law. Current requirements for visitor visas make it prohibitive for increased participation by non-U.S. residents, the governor said.
“One of the greatest obstacles to promoting our economic development is the inability of Congress to reconcile differences and legislate on important matters to the Virgin Islands that would allow us to be competitive in the Caribbean region,” deJongh said.
He said the special visa waiver would allow entry for marine regattas, Caribbean sporting events and shopping. It would allow increased traffic to the territory’s medical facilities, including the V. I. Cardiac Center and the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute, he said, adding that both draw foreign visitors for a short period.
According to deJongh, the visa waiver program will help generate new revenues from these events and activities specific to the territory.
The special visa waiver has been bogged down in congressional immigration reform debate since its introduction in June of 2013, he said. The final disposition for the amendment will most likely be taken up when the next Congress convenes.
