EFTA00800057.pdf

Monday, January 14, 2019 VIRGIN ISLANDS The Virgin Islands Daily News 3 Temporary schools still awaiting finishing touches By SUZANNE CARLSON but they're waiting for the kitchen Those were considered long-lead in a Sprung shelter. "so they're has been an issue for months, and Oaiivi News Stan to be outfitted with all of the equip- items because they had to be made waiting on the air conditioning for it remains unclear exactly when the merit and we can't move the school specifically for die dimensions of that facility?' which should also units will be finished and installed. Students at Arthur A. Richards in unless we can feed them." Muller those Sprungs.- Muller said. "So, be ready by late February or early Former Education Commissioner Junior High School on St. Croix are said Friday. it's just the air conditioning and the March. Muller said. Sharon McCollum submitted writ- expected to move into their tempo- The department is utilizing kitchens that we're waiting for in On St. Thomas, Addelita Can- ten testimony to the Legislature in rary campus some time in late Feb- temporary shelter facilities manu- those Sprungs' cryn Junior High School and Lock- October indicating thank Cana yo ruary or early Match, according to factured by the Sprung company. Once the Richards' campus hart Elementary School's campuses campus is "98 percent complete:- V.I. Education Department spokes- but "pretty much for most of the Sprung shelter is complete, students arc also still awaiting finishing but the lack of specialized air con- woman Keva Mullet Sprungs that arc not in use right will be able to relocate. Muller said. work on the campus kitchen boll. ditioning units was delaying use "The cause in the delay is the now. they're also waiting for the air St. Croix Central High School's tics. Muller said. of the Sprung shelters there and at classrooms are pretty much ready. conditioning units in those Spnings. gymnasium is going to be housed The lack of air conditioning units other school campuses. Fate of Yacht Haven hotel project uncertain By &J. MO there's really nothing here that gives Daily News Staff me comfort on what the markers arc:' she said 'To n-c. they turnaround of 12 ST THOMAS - • Negotiations to months doesn't seem like WS feasible place a new, ireematiorally branded and this whole modular business es not hotel al Yacht Ibsen Grande on St. cute for that arcs' Thomas have effectively stalled leav- A bill to authorize the SI 0 million ing millamofdollars m investment — payment for the project was ultimately and a potential economic boost to the tabled m October. island —in limbo. blakumal. on Filthy. toldThe Daily On Inday. Thomas Mukamal, CEO News that he was disappointed that no of Island Global Yachting. the parent action was taken in light of the time. company of Yacht Hawn said the VI effort and resources already spent. goer:mem has all but "abandoned" "It's 90 peceent designed." he said, the project, with the 32nd Legislature "We've pcmiitted it. Nk financed failing to bring it to a vote and an in- most of it. We came up with an idea coming administration that has 3rt to for the government to finance the rest cornet him, of it. We put it in a package with a nice - There's nothing we can do:' Muka- pretty bow. There really is r.othir.g else mal said. "We deal have a resonating we can do. The project seems to make parsec' anymore and there's no one for sense to everybody in pnvate, but rot us to talk to" everybody in public"' Indeed Mukamal said he wished Maktenal added that businesses al the 32nd Legislature would have at Yacht Haven Grande would have en- least voted one way or the other on the joyed the economic activity. but with projon. O. sxten Coma Al PtiO legislative inaction, "everybody in the A down rote, he said would have A PrOpOsed hotel project at Yacht Maven Grande on $t. Thomas has stalled after the VI. Legislature fated to put to a neighborhood loses. including us" still been an "acceptable outcome" vote government backing for the Dialect, according to Island Global Yachting CEO Thomas Mukamal. Naser Sakm, owner of Perftene since the democratic process would World and Men's Comer at Yacht Ha- haw flirt its courts. pey.wtk benefits. ven. oksenbed a prospective hotel as - But when you engage in a muki. hen-VI. Finance Commissioner the -must beneficial thine that could Seat negotiation with sonteone and Lbldamier Collens said 100.150 andi- happen to the Yacht Haven Grande then you just leave the= hanging and ron jobs would be created during the ProPenT" don't vote at all — how do you think ere-)car construction and develop- "As a local business owner, I would the person feels with wham you were ment phase, while another 30 perma- love to see anything that would con- resonating with?' he asked."It doesn't nent jobs would be created after open- tribute toward the island," he said show well to the investment communi- ing and an additional I5-20 seasonal "There vs so much potential hat. ty and r. [creates) a lack of confidence jobs. 'Mires a kit of mthussaun and traffic in whether the government can foto- "Hotel tratlic will also indirectly cre- hoc and we would definitely like to nowt not." ate another 3040 jobs in the retail and see something that would bring addi- The Ira-roan hotel mks-Lemma:. services sector:' he said. tional life to the property" ed to mss S3S million, was prommksl as Colkns said the VI. government Other businesses like Fat Tunk a putt venture bees...sn the VI gacm- would also receive 53.6 million as min- have recently completed renovations mere.Yacht Hawn and Pukum Group. Cu payments in the long term, as well and also indicated that a new hotel in a Polish manufactunng company that as more than SS million in new hotel the hotel would be a boon to the area. specializes et nodular construction tax revenue's net the Iris 10 years of A rendering of the proposed hotel project at Yacht Hawn Grande. For Mukarnal, hawser, the future Polcum and Yacht Hawn were shied operations Additional revenues would remains uncertain. to provide 520 million and SS million, also come cla income and gross receipt than 2.000 rooms, this isapproximately should provide a substantial loan to a "Hopefully, someone will call us in respronely while the VI government taxes. half of the pre-storm room count?' private company in the midst of other the next couple of weeks or months would put up the remaining SIO mil- Then-VI. Tourism Commissioner she said - The terracey ix desperately unfinished projects and debt obliga- and we'll pick up negotiations again." lion. using cash from the STO million Beverly Nicholson-Doty desenbed in need of accommodatiors With in. tions Mukamal said. "Bun we haven't heard closing payment made with the Lime- Mw the %usury s fledgling roe-urn' creased accommodations, we can only Dunn the session, den-Sen. la' from anybody yet, certainly not in tree Bay Tennalal> On St Croix, tourism teeter needed a spike in ac- expect increased airlift toots lerntory" :wee MillisYoung referred to the proj• any formal way. Hopefully, the voices In September. public and ',risme commodation in order to keep pace While many senators embraced ern as a "pie in the sky" insisting the that are favorable to the project can advceates for the project — including well other economies the region. the hotel project and hailed the SIO speakers failed to provide enough de- help resurrect it, but we don't feel Mukamal testified belbre the Leg- 'The total traditional hotel units cur- million as a worthy investment. Op- tail on the profitability of the project. from "here "e sit that there's any- 'shone on St Thorns to describe the rently operating in the tmuricy is less era questioned why the government "You throw numbers around but thing else we on do" EFTA00800057