Delegate Donna Christensen’s proposal to have the Virgin Islands National Park lease 10 acres on island to the VI government for construction of a new school moved out of subcommittee last week in Washington. The bill now goes to the Natural Resources committee for approval.
Joe Kessler, president of the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park still opposes the idea of a land lease as a dangerous precedent for Park land, the St. John Source reported. He said the Friends do agree a new school is needed and the idea of leasing land mid-island is "worth considering."
I agree that this could be a bad idea. I am a teacher and would like to see a new school on St. John but not by leasing land. This could open the door for many other ideas that the government may think is a good reason to leasing more land.
If not leasing, what would be a good option? The bottom line is no one is denying we need to move the school out of Cruz Bay and give the children an opportunity to have all their schooling in St. John as opposed to having to ferry back and forth to St Thomas.
What are peoples suggestions other then leasing?