Little of Topic just curious

Iris, I'm new to St. Croix and still learning the ropes, but I can answer some of this.

Twenty-five percent of the population works for the V.I. government. The unemployment rate is around 10 percent, but my guess is that many people who are officially unemployed do odd jobs on the side to make money and this is never reported. Many also, no doubt, have family and friends to help them out. No one is starving here. Look in any garbage can, and you'll see that a lot of food gets thrown out. Yes, we have a food bank on STX.

For the most part, the police are one of your best friends here. The government here is a mixed blessing. It is very large and inefficient, although many employees at the lower level try to make it work. It is very corrupt at the top. A lot of stuff just slides here. You can drive around with a beer in your hand here and the police look the other way. If you're just a little tipsy, that's OK. But if you're all over the road and you get picked up for DUI, you're in big trouble.

Yes, we have drugs here and they are locally grown and illegally imported. There are guys who drink and smoke pot in the evening, but they manage to show up on time for work the next morning and stay sober and do good work. Others drink and smoke during the day and eventually dig their own graves. They get fired, no one else will hire them, and they start commiting crimes to support their habit. Eventually they're arrested and jailed or hop to another island and try to start over. They're fools.

Many people have "guard" dogs. You drive up to a property that has a scary sign that says trained attack dogs are just ahead. You go on to the property and find some of the biggest whimps you'll ever meet. The dogs run from you and stick their tails between their legs and cower and cry. Many of them have been abused in the past, and some nice owner has taken them in. Many West Indians are actually afraid of these cowards! They run away from cute little poodles!

Iris, this is not a perfect place. It's kooky more than anything. We have our problems, but 99.9 percent of us are basically good people and we look out for one another. If you use your head and associate with the right people, you can have a great life here.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed my time on STX very much and never felt unsave. I also lived in Center City Philadelphia long enough to keep my eyes and ears open. I just was wondering if citizens of the island wait for help or take the inniciative themself. I am more of a person who takes action then stand by and hope someone else will deal with the problem.

Iris

Hi Iris,

Just because these problems exist doesn't mean that the native residents of the territory are content to just lay back and accept it. It's quite the contrary, really. SInce moving here just a few months ago, I've seen several local families raising questions on the news and doing their own organizing to get answers about crimes when they felt shut out by the police. I saw local fisherman hold an even at the central island fish market in which they asked hard questions and made demands of the government officials that they felt were necessary to ensuring their livlihood. And there is marvelous discussion on local talk radio about the issues and what needs to and is being done to fix them.

I admire your desire to take action rather than waiting for someone else (in fact, I am a professional grassrolots organizer around social justice issues), but that's not something you should rush into as soon as you arrive on island. The West Indian/native Carribean Islanders that make up the majority of the islands' population are a bright, ambitious and proud people who were denied the right to self-determination for a very long time. The last thing they need or want are more non-islanders coming to their home and telling them what needs to be done to make their lives better. Think of it as akin to having someone land in your neighborhood and announce, "HI-- I'm from Washington DC and I'm here to help you!" *grin*

There is an extraordinary level of interest in governmental affairs here. The best way for those of us new to the island to help out is to listen, to learn, and ASK how we can be of service to those who are working to bring around change. The worst thing we can do is to run in and TELL the folks here how we are going to help them fix their problems.

Just a few random thoughts. I really look forward to your arrival here -- you sound like just my type.

HC

I agree with you. It is great to know that the local Islander are speaking up. There is always hope as long as the spirit of the people lives.
Iris