An assistant attorney general for the Virgin Islands Dept. of Justice and the president of St. John Rescue, says the security fence at the Cruz Bay ferry dock is useless. The VI Port Authority should stop paying to police it, he urged.
In a paper prepared for a course on Homeland Security, Martin J. Alperen wrote, "The 85 degree Caribbean water is less than two feet deep … one only has to walk through the water … and climb back on the pier." He continued, "Security Guards … do not do anything but sometimes open and close the gate. The guards do not search anyone or anything. They do not look in bags, boxes or containers. They do, however, enforce the ferry boats regulations against eating on board."
"Spending government money on The Fence is useless because criminals and terrorists will utilize one of the unlimited numbers of NOT Inspected (car barges, for instance) or illegitimate entry posts," he continued. Alperen said he sent his paper to various government authorities but has received no replies.
Full text of Alperen’s argument against The Fence
Hi all…hope you are having an interesting holiday season.
interesting tha gas prices miracuosly dropped…althouth last year this time it was 50% less per gallon….
Marty Alperen is a courageous man.
He has integrity.
The “fence” of St. John.
What are we realy keeping out—-or more important what’s being kept in?
rational well controlled panned development of St. John or what we are experiencing at the ahnds of our “civic leaders?”
First—you have to believe that the whole reason for the Patriot Act was vali d that allows St. John’s fence.
OK–let’s build a fence in St. John–or anywhere else in the world– and this will protect us from terrorists—what terrorists?
The off island Developers and on-ilsnad carpet baggers destroying our island or is the sunburned tourists wanting 5 tee shirts for $10?
How about Mexicans or “down islanders” simply wanting to make more than $200 a year in wages???
If you do believe in the Patriot Act—then you don’t believe in the Bill of Rights and The First Amendment protections.
You are not American.
You are not American.
You are not American.
68% of Americans feel that the Bush Administration lied to the American public about Iraq.
The attack on the World Trade Center was the SECOND attack…not first..you think Clinton would have gotten Sandy Berger et al worried then.
Let’s talk bluntly.
The Bush Administration and Democrats in tow took political advantage of the SECOND attack…..its that simple-it became a ” public relations” bonanaza for Bush and his apologists..the Democrats.
Can anyone take Senator Leiberman seriously anymore?
Or any “network or radio news” host that extolls the virtues of war on a false premise?
Ann Coulter comes to mind ..isn’t that scary?
Senator Mirth and those who knew war personally in 1965 thru 1972 know blaming Iraq is a bogus excuse for war (as was Gulf of Tonkin episode leading to Vietnam’s…this corresponds to the SECOND Trade Center bombing)
The war in Vietnam was about oil and the global “seven sisters” oil company’s wanting control of Asian markets.
The war in Iraq is about Iraq’s oil and the fact that it is a buffering state to Afghanistan and its minerals and heroin.
The Afghanistan “war” is about control of 6 BILLION in herion trade (Russian/European/USA interests) that has REVIVED the trade (it was dead previously along with Taliban’s respect for human rights) with the newly planting of poppy fields (a new killing field) with heroin addiction up over 15% in the USA this year…
If you can’t see clearly the hidden agenda’s of politicians and their money backers–
the Cheney/Haliburton’s and the world domination of nation states by similar mindsets that has nothing to do with Democracy-and the international banking interests keeping developing contries in unsupportable debt…well..
It has everything to do with GREED and money. So much for family values and goverments that value families eh?
If you can’t see–you let Florida steal your election. You let the Supreme Court steal it the second time.
You let your government cost you 1 BILLION a day—1 BIllion a day to go into Iraq—–while our own citizens in New Orleans and other hurricane ravaged areas succumb to insurance companies (and the multinational banks who underwite them) who wont pay to rebuild their homes…the familes.
Family values.
You have to see clearly.
The REAL ULTIMATE global terrorist is called “global warming.” ie Global gluttony or mass consumerism creating products and false demands for products that are killing our world.
Mother Nature is really angry.
Bird Flu anyone?
How about a category 6 hurricane?
No such thing?
Just wait…
I would apprecite it if I could view the entire article by Mr. Alperen. I do hope that is possible. Thank you. Selma
BRAVO for Mr. Alperen. I am not a resident of St. John, just a frequent visitor. However, I am a resident of Washington, DC, and I can tell you we are subjected here to more ridiculous and useless security measures than you can stick a Halliburton contract at. At the same time that streets are closed without warning on Capitol Hill, there is no evacuation plan for our city or anyone in it. Meanwhile, we DC citizens must pay for all this security even though we have no voting rights in Congress.
Sound familiar?
Anne
The fence on the dock would be a great idea if…they continued it along the Mexican and Canadian border, and if…they inspected baggage and cargo in the holds of planes and ships and if…they inspected all cargo containers offshore prior to them arriving with a terror nuke inside at a US port. Otherwise, this fence, and others like it are a big waste of taxes, a huge eyesore and an inconvenience to residents. The terrorists likely would get a good laugh out of it. I remember back in 1993 when my office was in Tower One at the WTC. After the first attack they put all this absurd “security” in place. All it did was to hurt business and I said then, this is getting laughed at by bin Laden. In 2001, I still had an office there on the 79th floor but used it only occasionally to meet and greet overseas delegations and other clients. Thankfully that was the right decision and I was not there. Everyone on the floor was killed. All the “security” had no effect. On STJ, anyone knows you just have to come ashore a few feet from the dock where there is no fence for miles and miles…or just take the car ferry or a private boat. Its absurd.
This is a planet, not a back yard. Fences do not make for world peace, stable economies or functioning, law-abiding communities. Time for more creative strategies that are designed to actually solve problems, not just act out feelings of frustration.