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Illegals on island

It’s been going on for years.  Smugglers land on the East End. Illegal immigrants are their cargo. The U.S. Coast Guard reports they have intercepted 400 illegals in the VIs in the last six months. 

Last week, two Haitians were convicted of smuggling for hiding three migrants in an SUV on the car barge crossing from Cruz Bay to St. John. 

Migrants often fly from their homelands to Dominica where smugglers pick them up on sailboats headed to the Territory, according to a report by the Associated Press.  The Coast Guard told the AP that almost 75% of the illegals captured recently were Cubans, 11% Haitians, and 10% Chinese.

Concordia expansion adds cafe and yoga

Concordia
Estate Concordia is expanding with a new 1,500 square foot pavilion that began as a place for yoga instruction but which has now grown to accommodate a cafe, general store, massages, and artists.  Concordia Eco-Tents and Estate Concordia Studios are on the island’s southeastern shores, about 25 minutes from Maho Bay.

The new cafe’s manager, Mon Phon, is a chef of some skill and experience, who will feature Caribbean and Asian Cuisine.  One of the cafe’s highlights is a large grill which will encourage guests to "be the grill master" and perhaps cook their own.

A centerpiece oif the coinstruction is a 100-foot walkway which overlooks Salt Pond, Rams Head and Drunk Bay.  Concordia’s construction blog says a date for the grand opening is fast approaching. In island-speak, that’s "Soon come."

Westin to expand parking

The Westin Resort plans to almost double its parking.  Architect Theresa Roberts told a meeting of the St. John Coastal Management Committee the resort wants to add 161 spaces to the 204 it already has.  She said details of a parking structure have not yet been completed.  When they are she will present them to CZM for consideration, the St. John Source reported.

During the meeting at the Westin, the resort also sought and received approval to expand its water treatment plant, expand its hotel lobby for more to allow more sales space for timeshare units, and construction of a new building to house a carpentry shop.

‘Above average’ hurricane risk

The latest Colorado State University report predicting hurricane activity for the year has been released and its raising warning flags for the 2007 season. "Above average major hurricane landfall risk in the Caribbean," wrote Prof. William Gray, co-author of the latest tropical meteorology report. 

Overall, gray said the year could have 9 hurricanes, well above the average of 5.9, with 5 of them being intense (category 3-4-5); the average is 2.3.   The full report is online at http://typhoon.atmos.colostate.edu/forecasts/2007/april2007/

Chef Trujillo’s plans for Paradiso

Paradiso

Paul Trujillo has moved on down the road from the Lumberyard’s Ten Tables to the upscale Paradiso Restaurant at Mongoose Junction.  One difference is that he now has four people helping him in the kitchen.  At his former operation, in Chilly Billy’s space, he had one or two.

But it’s Paradiso’s menu where Trujillo hopes to see the biggest difference. He’s  working on the new menu by becoming familiar with vendors’ offerings of fresh meats and fish, vegetables, and fruits.  Among menu changes changes, he hopes to add a rack of lamb.

Trujillo has been on island about five years, having worked also at Asolare and Chateau Bordeau.  After those slots, he spent three months doing "gourmet deli" at Simple Feast.  "That was the end of it," he said. "I’m not cut out for that.  I need my own kitchen."  But because there were no chef openings on island, he did landscaping work for eight months.  "That was the best thing I could do to reset my mind and my enthusiasm."

Now, he’s back in the business and talking about it in a special two-part podcast.  In this first segment, Trujillo talks about his new menu, the challenge of running an upscale restaurant kitchen on island and how sometimes the customer is not always right. Trujillo also reveals where he goes for lunch when he wants good food.  Paradiso’s Web site is http://www.stjohnrestaurants.com/paradiso.htm.

Listen to the first part of our conversation with Paul Trujillo.

Click the play button below.

You can also download or hear the file by clicking here.

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Airline plans for more flights?

In Miami, Monday, the Governor spent time with executives of an airline now serving the territory.  "The closed-door meeting between (Gov. John deJongh Jr.) and the airline’s principals … center around the carrier’s present level of service to the territory and the long-range plans for its continued presence in the Virgin Islands," a news release from Gov. deJongh’s office said, according to the St. John Source.

The airline was not identified, but the Governor’s office described it as major. American, Continental, Delta, Spirit, United and U.S. Airways currently have service from the mainland to the islands.  The news release said 533,000 passengers used those carriers’ flights in 2006, down 10,000 from 2005.

Tax bills are in the mail

The Virgin Islands Tax Assessor, Roy Martin, has told Realtors on St. Croix all the 2005 property tax bills have now been mailed.  They are based on 1998 assessments. 

The 2006 bills, which will be based on a territory-wide reassesment, are expected to be mailed in the fall, according to a report of the meeting by Emma Sun, president of the St. Crox Board of Realtors.  This assumes the new valuations are approved by court authorities

Change coming for Caneel

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Rik Blyth
, the managing director at Caneel Bay Resort, has been tapped to head up the Virgin Islands Hotel and Tourism Association.  He was chosen from among two dozen applicants for the position which counts some 300 hotels and tourism-related businesses as members.

"It’s a great opportunity," Blyth told the Virgin Islands Daily News.  he succeeds Beverly Nicholson-Doty who headed the group for 14 years.  Blyth said he hopes to be in the job 14 years, too. Nicholson-Doty left the spot when she was named by Gov. John deJongh to head up the islands’ Tourism department. 

On his list of things to do, Blyth said, is to encourage more restaurants to participate in the group and to boost St. Croix tourism. The association’s Web site is http://www.virgin-islands-hotels.com/stthomas.htm.

My thought: Both Nicholson and Blyth are experienced and savvy about the importance of tourism to the Islands’ economy.  Neither, it appears, have relatives who need jobs.  Having these two people involved in boosting tourism, and counseling tourist businesses on island how to do more business by doing business better, is a very good news.