VIIS
Rick Smith
Daily Kos
Sunday, December 17, 2017
Recovery in the U.S. Virgin Islands: a look at the people and the national park
The scenic beauty of the U.S. Virgin Islands is breathtaking. But the destruction wrought by back-to-back hurricanes Irma and Maria is heartbreaking, and the time frame for a full recovery is still in limbo.
The Kaiser Family Foundation provides some fast facts about the USVI:
- With nearly 110,000 residents, the U.S. Virgin Islands, a U.S. territory, is located in the Caribbean and consists of the islands St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John. Virgin Islanders are natural-born U.S. citizens.
- Although Medicaid and CHIP enrollment rates are similar, adults living in the U.S. Virgin Islands are two and a half times more likely to be uninsured than adults living in the 50 states and DC.
- Unlike the 50 states and DC, annual federal Medicaid funding for the U.S. Virgin Islands is capped, meaning once federal funds are exhausted, the island no longer receives federal Medicaid funds during that fiscal year. The territory also does not receive payments for uncompensated care (DSH).
- On September 6, 2017 Hurricane Irma hit the U.S. Virgin Islands followed by Hurricane Maria less than two weeks later, leaving severe damage to the infrastructure and limiting access to electricity, water, and basic necessities. Both hospitals on St. Thomas and St. Croix and the clinic on St. John were destroyed and will have to be rebuilt. In the meantime, dialysis patients and patients with critical medical needs have been airlifted to several mainland states.
- Two months after the Hurricanes made landfall, over two thirds of residents remained without power.
- The Hurricanes have placed additional pressure on an already strained economy, which relies heavily on tourism. Many hotels in the territory are closed for the 2017-2018 season, resulting in staff layoffs.
As I have discussed in the past, as poor as the coverage has been of Puerto Rico, the USVI might as well not exist as far as much of the major media is concerned. Last Sunday, I covered some of the Island’s history in “From the Danish West Indies to the U.S. Virgin Islands: Overlooked colony is celebrating centennial.” Today I’d like to explore the islands’ circumstances in the here and now.
When searching for current news of the USVI, I got pretty frustrated. From the time the hurricanes struck, there was little on Twitter and Facebook and even less in the major media. Much of what I did find were updates on various resorts and cruise lines. One of the few “recent” features dealing with USVI residents I found was in the New York Times. It was titled “After Irma and Maria: How 3 Spots on the U.S.Virgin Islands Are Faring,” and that was published on Nov. 10!
It focused on the plight of the Mahoney family, a restaurant owner, and the layoff of workers at a resort. All of these people are linked by a common element: tourism.
A quick overview of the USVI economy:
Tourism, trade, and other services are the primary economic activities, accounting for nearly 60% of the Virgin Island's GDP and about half of total civilian employment. Close to two million tourists per year visit the islands. The government is the single largest employer. The agriculture sector is small, with most food being imported. The manufacturing sector consists of rum distilling, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. Rum production is significant. Shipments during a six-month period of fiscal year 2016 totaled 8,136.6 million proof gallons.
In mid February 2017, the USVI was facing a financial crisis due to a very high debt level of $2 billion and a structural budget deficit of $110 million. The government introduced a "sin tax" bill that would introduce or increase taxes on rum, beer, tobacco products and sugary drinks, as well as internet purchases and timeshare unit owners. Governor Kenneth Mapp issued an order that restricted the use of government-owned vehicles, put a freeze on non-essential hiring, suspended wage negotiations, and froze non-essential travel paid for by the GVI. He also suspended negotiated wage increases, including those ordered by the U.S. appeals Court.,,
The latest data (May 2016) from the islands' Bureau of Economic Research indicates that there were 37,613 non-agricultural wage and salary jobs in the islands. This report states that the "leisure and hospitality sector" employed an average of 7,333 people. However, the retail trade sector, which also serves many tourists, averaged another 5,913 jobs. Other categories which also include some tourism jobs include Arts and Entertainment (792 jobs), Accommodation & Food (6,541 jobs), Accommodation (3755 jobs), Food Services & Drink (2,766 jobs). When those are totaled, it is clear that a large percentage of the 37,613 non-farm workers are employed in dealing with tourists; of course, serving the local population is also part of the role of these sectors.
These data make it clear why “news” about the USVI is limited to cruise ships, airline schedules, and resorts.
I had to shelve my frustration around finding little on the island’s people (my anthropological bias) and realize that the people are linked to and dependent upon the goodwill and patronage of tourists. During my time spent in St. Thomas in past years, though staying with a close friend in his home, I was just as much of a tourist as my parents, who would stay at Frenchman’s Reef when they visited. One recent news article I came across was about the Reef:
ST. THOMAS — The 470-room Frenchman’s Reef Marriott and Morning Star Beach Resort (“Frenchman’s Reef”) which sits on a 29-acre plot overlooking the Charlotte Amalie Harbor and owned by Diamond Rock Hospitality Company — a public real estate investment trust located in the United States — have continued to pay employee wages and benefits since Hurricane Irma hit the islands, the company said in a release issued Wednesday.
In a recent all associate meeting, employees were informed that their paychecks would continue with full benefits through the end of the year, with accrued vacation and personal time paid in early 2018. “We are truly blessed,” said Chris Donohue, former Marriott general manager as he addressed the gathering.
“Our primary concern after the storms was the safety of our 530 employee hosts,” explained Chris Donohue, former general manager of Marriott Frenchman’s Reef, now serving as general manager of the Ritz-Carlton, San Juan. “We reached out to our staff and determined that they and their families were safe while in need of basic living assistance.” One hundred and fifty generators and emergency supplies were also provided for those with immediate need, the company said.
St. John is the smallest of the three major islands, and the last to see its power partially restored. It depends upon tourism, but not of the large resort hotel kind. Instead, its economy relies on ecological, archeological, and wildlife tourism. During the hurricanes, most of the tweets I found were from people here on the mainland and in Europe who have spent time on St. John. They expressed concern for the status of the U.S. Parks Service Virgin Islands National Park. There were also tweets from St. John’s owners of tourist boats and guest houses. There are people who return to St. John yearly, who are fiercely protective of the park and the habitat it preserves.
Virgin Islands National Park is comprised of 7,259 acres of terrestrial habitat, which is about 60%, of the island's land mass. The park also includes 5,650 acres of adjacent submerged lands. The park owns the ridge tops to the reefs providing protection and preservation for tropical and migrating birds, fish, corals and other marine life, as well as some 800 species of plants.
In 1956, Laurance Rockefeller's Jackson Hole Preserve donated its extensive lands on the island to the United States' National Park Service, under the condition that the lands had to be protected from future development. The remaining portion, the Caneel Bay Resort, operates on a lease arrangement with the NPS, which owns the underlying land.
The boundaries of the Virgin Islands National Park include 75% of the island, but various in-holdings within the park boundary (e.g., Peter Bay, Maho Bay) reduce the park lands to 60% of the island acreage.
Much of the island's waters, coral reefs, and shoreline have been protected by being included in the national park. This protection was expanded in 2001, when the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument was created.
The park has a wide array of locations and activities of interest to tourists. If your interest is in plant life, the park is a rich habitat and includes things like the Century Plant.
PICTURE FAILED
Ed Gibney took this photo from the top of Great Thatch’s highest mountaintop, Judging from the century plant in full bloom, it looks like Ed and his son Matthew arrived here before the first wave of Mexican Snout Beetles, culprits responsible for the decimation of century plants on St. John, the Virgin Islands and elsewhere in the Caribbean. Not so long ago, I never would have thought that a photo of a blooming century plant would be a rare find. The plant was everywhere on St. John and although they bloomed only after twenty years, there were enough of them that come Easter time, the tall flowering stalks could be seen on just about any hillside on St. John. I used to manage a vacation rental and I found that the century plant was one of those things that visitors would often be curious about another one being a termite nest.
I would often be asked if they were aloes and I would tell them the story about how Christopher Columbus mistook these agaves for aloes, which at the time were used extensively in Europe as medicine and were valuable. And these were really big aloes, giant aloes actually, but unfortunately for Columbus not aloes at all. Columbus had his men cut up the century plants and haul the heavy leaves back to the boat, I imagine with the sticky oozy, itchy, sap, getting all over the poor sailors, only to find out at some time that they weren’t worth anything in terms of European money was quite disconcerting. Another interesting aside is that while Columbus was busy calculating his imaginary future profits in the aloe business, he passed by some Indians smoking an herb in a pipe, something that has brought entrepreneurs untold wealth up until this day, tobacco. Ignoring the tobacco, Columbus stood by and watched the presumably sweating sailors schlepping the “giant aloe” through the bush and back to the ship.
Then there’s the marine life, including the turtles of the Virgin Islands.
There are seven species of sea turtles in the world, and three of these inhabit the waters of St. John. The two most common are the green and hawksbill turtles, while the leatherback is rarely seen. Sea turtles spend most of their lives in the water only coming ashore to nest. Turtles travel thousands of miles a year. Visit the Sea Turtle Conservancy web site to see where they go.
Green (Chelonia mydas)
The green sea turtle can reach almost 40 inches in carapace length (top shell), weigh up to 500 pounds and feeds on sea grasses. They reach sexual maturity between 20-50 years. The green is the largest of all the hard-shelled turtles. They typically nest between June and September. They do not nest on St. John. During the season they lay about five nests (clutches), one every two weeks, and it takes about two months for the eggs to hatch.
The park also offers sites that highlight the island’s history as a slave plantation, and folk-life festivals featuring island culture.
The Archeology Program at Virgin Islands National Park is working to illuminate the complex relationships between indigenous Caribbean cultures, European colonial powers, and enslaved Africans brought to these small islands. Below is a brief timeline of human habitation on St. John. For more information visit the Timeline of Human Habitation on St. John page.
- The first humans arrived in the Virgin Islands between 2500 to 3000 years ago.
- The Taino culture developed between 500 to 1000 years ago.
- Columbus discovers the islands in 1493.
- Visitors from the United States began vacationing and moving to the Virgin Islands between 1920 and 1950.
- The Virgin Islands National Park was established in 1956.
Some of my anthropology students from over the years who had an interest in majoring in archaeology have made visits to the museum and sites on St. John. The park has a hurricane recovery journal detailing damages and which park sites are now open.
The Fate of Cinnamon Bay Archaeology Museum
Cinnamon Bay Archaeology Museum was destroyed during Hurricane Irma, September 5, 2017.
A lot of folks have asked about the fate of the Cinnamon Bay Archaeology Museum. The restored structure was the oldest building on St. John and housed the cultural exhibits enjoyed by so many visitors and residents. Be forewarned...if you knew and loved this place it will be disturbing to watch.
Not everything about the park and its impact is pristine and peaceful. Prior to the hurricanes, there was a controversy over the Cinnamon Bay Resort and Campground
Cinnamon Bay is the campground inside the national park. However, when a new concessionaire took over the maintenance and management of the place, many believe the focus has shifted from being the caretakers of a precious treasure of the USA to a "for profit"-resort style-cater to the rich place. Group camping may no longer be available to school and church groups once the number of bare sites are reduced to accommodate these eco tents which cost almost $200 per night.
These are not the only issues. Anthropologists and other social scientists have been examining the impact of groups like NGOs and conservationists on local populations for several decades now. Texts like “The Anthropology of Conservation NGOs: Rethinking the Boundaries” explore the issues and conflicts.
This book explores how NGOs have been influential in shaping global biodiversity, conservation policy, and practice. It encapsulates a growing body of literature that has questioned the mandates, roles, and effectiveness of these organizations–and the critique of these critics. This volume seeks to nurture an open conversation about contemporary NGO practices through analysis and engagement.
In the case of St. John and the National Park, a decade ago anthropologist Crystal Fortwangler, who is currently an assistant professor of sustainability and anthropology at Chatham University with a Ph.D.in anthropology and natural resources & environment, examined the relationship between the group that raises funding and supports programming for the park. Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park was featured in “Friends with Money: Private Support for a National Park in the US Virgin Islands.” (Here’s the pdf.)
Abstract:
With the decline of state-sponsored funding for protected areas, private support has become increasingly important, and, in some places, predominant. This article explores and analyses the implications of private support for the Virgin Islands National Park in St. John, US Virgin Islands. Specifically, it focuses on the emergence of an organisation called Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park. This organisation’s support has become essential to the management of the park, which consistently experiences significant shortfalls in federal funding. While this support has been beneficial to the park, it has exacerbated the long-standing tensions between park management and local people, which have existed since the park was established with support from Laurence S. Rockefeller in 1956. At issue are the ways in which the Friends Group raises money, the park programmes it funds, the interpretation of historic sites, synergistic relationships between the group and certain island residents, and the group’s political capital in national arenas.
The paper highlights the inequitable structural relationships in which local people find themselves and their values disregarded. By way of conclusion, the article addresses the more general implications of these dynamics for private support of protected areas, particularly how private support can disenfranchise those outside of philanthropic partnerships.
It does not take a degree in anthropology for you to begin to imagine what tensions and conflicts exist. In a territory where 78 percent of the inhabitants are black and of low to moderate income and the board of the Friends group has been all white and well-to-do or wealthy, this would predict a wide variety of differences in how participants might view control and management of the island’s resources.
Friends VINP has grown since its early days. It has a membership of about three thousand; two-thirds live in the US mainland and the other third lives part-or full-time in the Virgin Islands. Both sets identify primarily as white and are not originally from the Virgin Islands. The dominance of white members and staff echoes the scenario in most other Friends Groups (personal experience) and mainstream environmental organisations
She wrote:
St. Johnians, in particular, are critical of the group, some describing it as a “lily-white organization” unconcerned with issues of importance to St. Johnians and disrespectful of St. Johnians’ unique and historical relationship with the island. They also note an overall lack of awareness and sensitivity of Friends VINP concerning St. John and its cultural history (Fortwangler & Stern 2004). They argue that the group does not focus on enough issues of interest to St. Johnians, particularly Afro-Caribbean history and culture. Some St. Johnians wish the group would “just go away”. The friction that has developed over the past decade or so between Friends VINP and many in the St. Johnian community has taken on a life of its own. While St. Johnians are not entirely or always opposed to the group, some rarely waver from their opposition. They are tired of what they see as the hypocrisy of the group and the park of “preserving paradise” while accepting money from those directly or indirectly connected with the industries, namely real estate and tourism, which they see as most responsible for damaging the so-called paradise and environment (inside the park boundaries and outside).
How many of the issues covered in her paper have been resolved in the last 10 years is not clear, and I have not as yet been able to find other sources,
It does seem that the demands for expanded black history programs do not seem to have taken place, and a look at the photos of staff shows one black woman as an administrative assistant.
What is patently clear is that since so much of the USVI’s economy depends on the continued financial support from tourists and mainlanders who relocate or own vacation homes there, the imbalance in power relationships will continue.
Right now, much of the focus is on somehow getting things open and running during what is high season for tourism, which runs from mid-December through mid-April.
The Washington Post had an update titled “The U.S. Virgin Islands cleanup for the holidays.”
More than two months after nature’s smackdown, Coral World has reopened, but with some concessions. Though the sea lions are back and entertaining guests with handshakes, painting demos and dance parties, the sharks are gone. The aquatic attraction released the lemon, black-tip and nurse sharks to the wild after Irma and before Maria. (No power, no pumps, no oxygen for the fish.) Several exhibits, such as the Underwater Observatory Tower, remain closed because of damage — as do some adventures, such as Sea Trek. In addition, guests are no longer permitted to explore the grounds independently.
“Now, we’re in a place to do activities rather than self-guided tours,” said Trudie Prior, the general manager since 1997. “We think there is a story to be told about the impact the hurricane had on the animals and the marine environment.”
Every day, the U.S. Virgin Islands are improving. Slowly, steadily, painstakingly. Before Thanksgiving, the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority had restored 40 percent of the power on St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John; the utility company expects the number to rise to 90 percent by Christmas. Crews are clearing tree limbs, power lines and piles of debris from roadways, and patching up holes the size of moon craters. Cruise ships are tying up in St. Thomas and St. Croix, and JetBlue and Delta flights are landing on a daily basis. Captain Morgan’s tap is flowing.
“You know you’re getting back to normal when they start charging for the big parking lot,” said Scott Bradley, founder of My Brother’s Workshop, a nonprofit organization that helps at-risk youths , as he passed the car-filled site in downtown St. Thomas. “And two out of three McDonald’s are open, and the service is still slow.”
As high season nears, the U.S. Virgin Islands are scrambling to clean house before the guests arrive. However, visitors will notice some changes: a new shade of blue (FEMA tarps), a louder lullaby (the hum of generators) and a more charitable atmosphere.
“There is enough here to have a good time,” said Bradley, a Mainer living in St. Thomas. “It’s not perfect, but that is part of the charm. You become part of the solution.”
I know that if we can scrape together enough money to take a vacation, the hubby and I will head to the USVI. Our dollars will be a contribution toward helping the island’s economy.
How many of you have ever spent any tourist time there? Where did you go, and what did you see?
Rick Smith
5264 N Fort Yuma Trail
Tucson, AZ 85750
Tel: 520-529-7336
Cell: 505-259-7161
Email: rsmit...@comcast.net