Message to VI Govt...why not try something that may benefit youth?

I don't find them annoying, but I admit, I don't have any in my yard. We have deer, mongoose and the occasional peacock.

"A country and a people that become self- sufficient by the development of agriculture can look forward with confidence toward the future." ~HIM Haile Selassie I

I will buy the gold and buy my food. Don't need some cook to advise communities on survival. However if you continue to support farming as a cure all for the USVI maybe you should go to( www.vifresh.com) You can also read about "Virgin fresh" Fruit Plantings Projects. Maybe you should try to find out how many restaurants support a taste of st croix and how the money is distributed and for what purpose. If you lived on the island you would know about these endeavors. So please get off your soap box.

www.visf.org
www. locally grown.net.

I have lived on the island. I have been down there, recently, for extended visits due to my sister in law passing from cancer. (RIP, she passed last week. 🙁 and is not suffering any longer.)

I received a PM from a gentleman who posts here from time to time, a local. Here is the main part of it. It speaks to your frustration of my wanting to help, and your resistance to it, and your several suggestions to stay away. Not sure what is so irksome to you to have an older woman want to come retire there and help kids learn some basics of growing food and poultry in her spare time.

" You must realize a lot of what you want to offer are already being provided, but there is room and a need for much more to be offered to the community, especially for the children.

You just have to prepare yourself for a lot of frustration, including from the very ones that you are trying to inspire and help.

But things are not going to change unless efforts are continual."

I am well aware of VI Fresh. I think paying people to grow their own food is as ludicrous as paying them to tie their own shoe laces. If they want to walk without tripping, they will. If not, then fine. Or go without. I think a knee jerk response to put your hand out for grants, loans or financial aid from the gov't is not a way to teach independence and self reliance. It is trading one form of welfare for another. Food stamps, or vi fresh paying you to grow food, what is the difference? This thread is about helping youth, not growing chickens. The greatest gift you can give youth is the belief in themselves, that they can do it, whatever it is, without government help, and do it so well that they can afford to sell or share extra. That is my goal, not to find some other government tit to get set up good on.

same old same old YawnZ Z Z Z Z Z

I'm sure you mean well and I don't mean to offend. If you reread your posts, you will see that you come across as a missionary coming to bring the natives salvation.

Once you arrive and get settled, you will find many opportunities to volunteer. Go slow and find your place.

Change is hard, but change is coming whether people want it or not. The sky is not falling, but the economic barrometer is falling, and fast. There are unavoidable hard times ahead, regardless of whether or not they raise the debt limit August second. Anyone who thinks different, well, good luck to you and yours if you are working class people. Most of us are. Now is a crucial time for helping young people get best equipped as possible to be multi-skilled and self reliant, flexible and ready to wear many hats in the fast changing job market. That is what this thread is about, not chickens.

As far as saving the natives. That is what mostly lives on St Croix. There are not that many white people, and it is a revolving door for many of them in any case. "The Natives" are exactly who I would like to give help to, as was given to me when I was young. I would not be the person I am today without the generousity and patience and enthusiasm of past generations of Crucians. I would like to give back to those that have an open hand and heart. Anyone else, don't have to worry. I won't be bugging them, ever. Some basic things I learned on St Croix, I come up here and learn ways that more money can be made for the same effort. I feel it is like insder trading, but legal, and with numerous side benefits as well. That is the info I would like to share with anyone who wants to learn. When I die, no one will likely remember me or care. I don't want to be famous, I don't want to take anything from anyone. Just share some genetics and info that might help someone get ahead in life. It is not that complicated, and shouldn't be such an issue. I would like to buy a vowel here, and find out why it has stuck such a sensitive cord with some people. That was not my intent and I apologize if anyone feels demeaned or devalued by my posts. I am sorry.

You misunderstand. I meant all who live here when I sand "natives".

Historically, missionaries (Europeans) went about "saving" natives, which were generally non-white people who lived there before the Europeans. That is how I understood your statement. How easy it is to misunderstand what is typed on a message board. And I may interject when I say "Native" that I do not say it in a derogatory tone. Native Son started this thread, and when I say Native, it is the same Native as he meant when he chose that username.

Never mind. Come, SAVE us. And don't forget the muu-muus.

Historically, missionaries (Europeans) went about "saving" natives, which were generally non-white people who lived there before the Europeans. That is how I understood your statement. How easy it is to misunderstand what is typed on a message board. And I may interject when I say "Native" that I do not say it in a derogatory tone. Native Son started this thread, and when I say Native, it is the same Native as he meant when he chose that username.

I would suggest you do a Little reading on the History of the islands, I believe Chris and the boys after, finished off the natives. Do White ,Asian and Hispanics kids get a chance to raise chickens in your plan?

The "saving" generally referred to their souls. Their bodies were promptly indentured, enslaveed or killed, generally.

I do not pracice any organized religion, due to the abysmal track record of Christianity over most of the past two millennium. I have not explored the other options. Don't feel the need.

Chris would have been Columbus. not Christianity! How about you answer quiestions asked without going to the moon.

If you are asking if I am only sharing my birds with people of african descent, no. Anyone who wants, can have.

The O.P. wrote "if we build it they will come"

Perhaps, ...but only if those jobs pay about $20,000 to $25,000 a year ---because that is what a "software technician" with several years of experience makes in India. (Google it yourself if you don't believe me). Customer service reps in India make even less.
A housekeeper at JFL Hospital makes about the same.

IMHO, the best hope for this island's economic future is for the people to begin producing things HERE which are currently being imported, and to produce them not only for the local economy, but for export.

Food, for example. STX's arable land gives it a unique advantage over many other islands. Based on current availability, is there a reason why there is not a thriving cottage industry for exportable Mango products? Thinking out loud...

An Indian company is getting ready to outsource 10,000 call center jobs back to the UNited States...think of the impact just 1,000 of those jobs would have on our economy, if we had a viable infrastructure to host such an opportunity.

St. Croix is going to be left in the dust by the global economy. Does Dominica have a better economy than St. Croix? Sure, they can feed themselves, and that is a great thing, but look at what happened to their banana industry.

Not all of our young people want to be farmers.

I agree with pushing agriculture, but you have to be on the lookout for global opportunities. Some guy went to Brazil, I think it was , with his girlfriend, (there was a special about this on one of the cable channels), he drank some coconut water and liked it, next thing you know he has started a multi-million dollar coconut health drink business and the farmers are selling every coconut they can grow. How many coconut sellers do you see by the roadside here who never even envisioned something like that?

You have to not always be fixated on salaries, ie Juan Luis Hospital custodians, and make it look like "well, forget it, because these jobs won't pay six figures". There are lots of people who used to work for places like Transducer Technology, (which packed up and went to China), who would grab one of those jobs...as a matter of fact, Home Depot probably pays less than that, and you can be sure they have hundreds of applicants.

When you start talking about farming for export, be prepared to deal with global agribusiness giants who are extremely competitive...are you prepared for that? Look what they did to the Haitian rice farmers.

I read some of the comments here, and there seems to be a lack of faith in our young people...some people make scathing comments about our educational system. Well, the kids from this educational system are sent, every year, to colleges in the US by their parents...go ahead and tell me this is not true. These same students, from our educational system, end up graduating from mainland colleges with advanced degrees and go on to have meaningful jobs in the competitive US job market....again, tell me that this is not so. Ergo, our children are smart enough to compete on a global scale.

You would be amazed at what our brain drain has done for the mainland. I would like to see some of the brainpower stay here, or be enticed to return by the availability of opportunities such as would be offered by a world-class tech park. That is still my pipe dream.

What I found absolutely amazing was that I started a thread about producing opportunities for our people by investing in the infrastructure that is required for technical education and a tech park that would be able to attract companies currently outsourcing to India and China, and the thread quickly degenerated into the usual negativity about how we as a society on St. Croix are unable to accomplish anything.

The usual bugaboos about "murder capital of the world" were raised. Well, you can curse at me until "onthespot" chickens come home to roost, but if you are fearful of being murdered on St. Croix you need to take stock of your company. The vast majority of murders are by gang members and drug dealers killing each other off in retribution for killing each other off.

If you are afraid of being killed, you must be a gang member or a drug dealer. Go ahead and fume all you want. Sticks and stones, and all that.

Some people want to raise chickens.

Some people want to farm.

Some people think we should stick to cooking, cleaning, fixing cars, etc.

There is room for farming, raising chickens, fixing cars, etc. but there is also room for a vibrant university that turns out technically competent graduates, backed by a modern tech park that provides employment for them.

This week we got what? 8% pay cuts and racino?

Historically, missionaries (Europeans) went about "saving" natives, which were generally non-white people who lived there before the Europeans. That is how I understood your statement. How easy it is to misunderstand what is typed on a message board. And I may interject when I say "Native" that I do not say it in a derogatory tone. Native Son started this thread, and when I say Native, it is the same Native as he meant when he chose that username.

Native Son started this thread, and it was quickly hijacked by people who want to insinuate that our young people are not disciplined enough, smart enough. or educated enough.

I find this highly insulting.

Software development has nothing to do with cultural background, i.e. India, but has everything to do with mental aptitude and proper training, both of which are entirely within our reach as a society. One of the most brilliant software designers I ever met was a local guy who grew up in a single-parent household in the projects. One of the first things he did was win a nationwide competition for software development...this was never even reported in the local media.

We let kids like that slip through the cracks every day because the assumption is that they're going to fail anyway.

Guys, guys!... (and girls)....

On Topic again:

Creating a govt funded training program and incentive to attract "tech support business" to create $20,000 a year jobs --is borderline crimminal use of taxpayer money, and an insult to the people you wish to help. $20,000 a year jobs for grownups is barely above welfare-think.

You also need to expand your thinking on what is meant by "Agriculture". We're not just talking about farmers.
It includes food processing and packaging, marketing, and exporting. Think "Con-Agra" not "Farmer Brown."

I would like to comment on the brain drain... I think why the drain? The young people leave these beautiful islands and everything and everyone they know at a critical time in social development, when they form lasting partnerships, business connections, marry, (or not, whatever) and have children, who again form more socially binding friendships, schoold affiliations, team sports. It is VERY HARD to get someone to uproot once they have gone down that road, bought homes (that they may be upside down on now, and completely trapped in gilded cages) and get them to come back to the potholes, (which don't bother me any) high price food, WAPA and all that entails. WAPA is its own can of worms that has driven many a good business into the ground

And speaking of WAPA, with prices so high, I don't think an India based company, shavng pennies, will set up shop here with unreliable current and lackadaisical and haphazard management of their lifeblood, which electricity, and pay X amount extra for the priveledge of getting shafted regularly when they can rent and power and fully staff on the mainland for far less $..

I am not trying to insult the island. Facts are facts. STX will not be able to grab a ride on the express train to the future and good paying jobs, unless we educate our people here, most likely, and provide jobs here, which are a living wage.

. Solar technology might be a realistic place to start with here, as there will no doubt be a burgeoning demand for power in more and more remote places. Just read recently that Chile is planning to dam up some of their most spectacular and pristine wild country, Patagonia, that draws tourism from all over the world, just to generate hydroelctricity.. :"Just to..." and I apologize to Chile for using that phrase. The truth is, they NEED electricity so badly they will cut off their arm (figuratively speaking) to get it. The dollar, could become less and less valuable in the near future, and petrol based power so expensive that WAPA will be off the charts per kw, and likely making no more profit than they do now. This is not just a VI problem. It is worldwide, and if we solve our problems locally, we can export technology worldwide, and our people to run it. Solar could be the ticket. Research and development can be done right here. Education can be done right here. We do have the brain power. Every year of brain drain, there are the next year of some very brilliant people coming up right behind them, and right behind them, hundreds more. The chidren ARE our future, and the most valuable thing raised on island. What we do with them... well... that decides the return realized. Nothing invested, nothing returned.

Dallas ISD Opening Speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjwjZe8u0-E

This is the most important message we need to get to young people and old alike.

Native Son started this thread, and it was quickly hijacked by people who want to insinuate that our young people are not disciplined enough, smart enough. or educated enough.

I find this highly insulting.

Software development has nothing to do with cultural background, i.e. India, but has everything to do with mental aptitude and proper training, both of which are entirely within our reach as a society. One of the most brilliant software designers I ever met was a local guy who grew up in a single-parent household in the projects. One of the first things he did was win a nationwide competition for software development...this was never even reported in the local media.

We let kids like that slip through the cracks every day because the assumption is that they're going to fail anyway.

I had tuned out this thread entirely because it went so off track despite it's promising start. I agree with this post, as a software developer who has lived and worked on St. Croix for almost 8 years I may have some relevant thoughts based on my experiences.

In terms of my introduction to software development, I was largely self taught, my background is not in Computer Science but in television production and writing software began for me as a hobby and turned into a career.

One thing about software development that I've learned, only some people will ever get "good" at it. It is not something just anyone can do. I've learned over the years to consider software development as a "functional art" and it is very much like producing a TV show, writing a book, or making a painting but the results serve an immediate function to someone for the most part. Just as anyone can write a sentence but few can write a good book, anyone can be trained to write some code but few can actually develop good software. Beyond having a creative mind for code you have to have a work ethic that is unrelenting. When a painter gets in the zone and starts painting he may go 20 hours straight without a break, the same has to happen to produce great software. You cannot have a 9-5 attitude and be good at this. You have to get into your project in a very painful way to produce results and be competitive. I live my job, even when not at work I am thinking about solutions to problems at work and am constantly researching on my own new ideas and technologies that may help me in my art. I often "dream in code" which is painful.

In terms of focusing on software development here in the islands, I think it's a great idea but my experience here also thinks it would be a bigger challenge then just teaching coding. Let me start out by saying that I don't buy into anyone being beholden to the limitations of "culture." The idea that someone is incapable of doing something because they are from the islands is absurd, and is insulting to me as well (I wasn't born here but my son was). We are all individuals and regardless of where someone grows up (like the local guy who grew up in the projects that you mentioned) I believe that we can overcome any external impediments to our success with enough perseverance. Like you say, anyone with the proper mental aptitude and training can learn but there is one additional trait that is absolutely necessary to be a successful software developer: an insane work ethic. One thing I have observed in my years here is an environment where, compared to other areas I've lived, people do not expect to have to spend as many hours in the office working to be considered successful. The idea of working 80 hour weeks during "crunch time" on a project is something that is not generally considered realistic scenario by many I meet here, whereas in say NYC this is a common sacrifice people will make for their job. Projects here get done when they get done which is not acceptable to the rest of the world. I'm generalizing and there are absolutely exceptions to this rule, but there is a reason that "island time" is such a popular phrase and this goes along with that. "Island time" is the first thing that has to go away if we are to be competitive in the field of software development. It's not just about educating people in the art, it's about aligning people's expectations on the amount of time they will have to devote to this craft to be competitive in the global marketplace. Good software developers often "live to work" because their work ends up taking over their life (like I said, I often "dream" in code). In general the idea of "living to work" is something people I encounter here find repulsive, more so than I did in areas that I previously lived. Without this level of dedication and commitment to the craft all the teaching in the world won't ever produce top shelf developers on par with what could be found in Silicon Valley, NYC, Washington DC, and increasingly in India who are willing to "live" their job to beat down the competition.

And again, there are definitely exceptions to this broad generalization and those exceptions should PM me as I would love to talk to them to see if they would be a fit for the company I work for!

Sean

The usual bugaboos about "murder capital of the world" were raised. Well, you can curse at me until "onthespot" chickens come home to roost, but if you are fearful of being murdered on St. Croix you need to take stock of your company. The vast majority of murders are by gang members and drug dealers killing each other off in retribution for killing each other off.

If you are afraid of being killed, you must be a gang member or a drug dealer. Go ahead and fume all you want. Sticks and stones, and all that.

http://stthomassource.com/content/news/police/2011/07/18/homicide-data-2011

(4) STT

Police officers dispatched by 911 operators to Palm Gardens Apartments at about 10:30 p.m. found a shooting victim, later identified as Tim Metzger. Preliminary investigation indicated he had been in the apartment complex parking lot when he was shot by an unknown suspect or suspects. Police have not released the name or age of the victim pending notification of his next of kin.

Clear cut case of gang on gang violence.

(3) STX

The body of a 16-year-old boy was discovered Monday in Estate Two Brothers in Frederiksted. Police reported Monday evening that the boy, whose name has not been released pending notification of his family, was reported as a runaway early in January. According to police the body had signs of “obvious trauma.”

Damn gang banger run-away kids...

(5) STX

Leroy Brooks, a 29-year-old man from Estate Campo Rico, was shot and killed at 4 a.m. Saturday following an altercation at the Frontline Night Club in Estate Glynn. Another man was wounded. The police said it is possible the two victims were shooting at each other, causing one’s death and wounding the other. Two firearms were found at the scene.

Nightclub gang bangers!

(6) STX

One man was shot to death and another injured Thursday morning during a robbery at the Two Brothers Meat Market in Frederiksted, and police charged two men, N'Kosi Parris and Mario Daniels Jr., with first-degree murder in connection with the death of the store owner.

Meat Market gang bangers!

(5) STT

Sean O’Connell, a 54-year-old director of operations for a St. Thomas construction management company, was shot and killed Friday night in the Mandahl Bay area, V.I. police reported Saturday, April 2. At approximately 9:56 p.m., 911 emergency operators sent officers to the Mandahl area, where callers had reported shots fired and an auto accident. Police on the scene found a pickup truck on its side in a residential neighborhood, and an unresponsive man lying next to it who had been shot. Emergency medical technicians from the Schneider Regional Medical Center determined that the man, identified as O’Connell, was dead. The pickup had visible signs of being shot at, and O'Connell had been shot at least once, police said.

Construction gang bangers!

And this demonstrates the climate of the islands very well:

(7) STX

At about 9:37 p.m. Sunday, April 3, 23-year-old Julio Alfredo Cruz was gunned down in Frederiksted across from the Vegetable Market on Queen Street, according to the V.I. Police Department. Police responding to the scene found Cruz, a Williams Delight resident, lying motionless in the road with multiple gunshot wounds and no vital signs. As police searched for witnesses, the crowd of residents that gathered at the scene became hostile and jeered police, which impeded the initial investigation.

(6) STT

Troy Gomes, 31, died April 14 due to complications that arose from a gunshot wound he received on his right leg during an attempted armed robbery of his home. Gomes was shot by a masked gunman who forcibly entered his Lerke Gade apartment on April 7. The police report said the masked man assaulted a male resident of the apartment by hitting him on his head with a hand gun. The resident told police that the suspect demanded that he give him “the drugs and the money.” The resident told police he did not know what the suspect was talking about. At that time Gomes, who also lived at the residence, arrived home and began to struggle with the suspect. Gomes then attemted to flee, but was shot by the perpetrator, who then fled.

This is interesting. I'm not sure exactly how gang bangers fit into this one.

(11) STX

Jose Delacruz, an employee in the 29th Legislature’s Business Office, was shot to death early Sunday morning near the Legislative offices in Frederiksted. Four men were detained for questioning but later released by police pending further investigation. According to the Virgin Islands Police Department, the 28-year-old De La Cruz was shot multiple times and collapsed from his injuries in the parking lot across from the Frederiksted Vegetable Market. When EMTs responded to the scene they said Cruz had no vital signs. Police rceived the reports of shots fired in Frederiksted at about 1:45 a.m. Sunday. Shortly after officers arrived on the scene, another patrol unit stopped a car on the La Grange Road. The car carried four occupants who matched the description of people involved in the shooting. They were detained and questioned by detectives, however they were later released.

Legislative gang bangers!

(7) STT

Police found the body of 57-year-old Calvin Dowe of Estate Thomas lying face down in the roadway with gunshots to his body. The body was found at about 4:30 a.m. in Estate Thomas near the Value Food Deli.

Baby boomer gang banger!

------------------

That is 8 out of 25 murders this year. Arguing that it is mostly gang on gang violence and therefor not that bad is equitable in all places - most crime these days anywhere you go are being committed by gangs.

The measure we have is per capita statistics. #2 murder-wise in the US last year was New Orleans, at 28 per 100,000. Right now all the USVI needs is 6 more murders to be #1 again this year.

(there) is your opinion! I'm sure there will be cuts and some families hurt, however the end is not here, the budget will be made by AUG 2, or extended. Don't confuse politics with real world.

Well... "politics" just cost the US S&P credit rating to slip from AAA to AA+.
http://www.salon.com/technology/how_the_world_works/2011/08/05/standard_and_poors_downgrade

Here's an interesting article that outlines different degrees of what could be the downside of a rating downgrade. The article is "How a US default could hurt you, but the second half deals with how a downgrade of the US credit rating would/could affect everyone.
http://money.msn.com/how-to-budget/how-a-us-default-could-hurt-you.aspx?gt1=33029

This is seriously bad news for the US. S&P says if they don't get their act together in the next two years, they will downgrade them to plain old AA rating. The other rating services so far have not followed suit, but I expect they will all too soon. Baaaad, baaaaad congress that could not tend to business sooner. Make your votes count people. Don't just vote for the prettiest smiley face this go round. Time to toss out anyone who cannot or will not do the job they were elected to do.

Onthespot,
As I Stated the Budget was passed on Aug 2, 2011. SP is only one credit rating agency and can you tell me the difference between AAA and AA+ rating and how it is going to effect the sky from falling. Stick with your chickens.

Stick with your head in the sand... If you need me to help you pick a starting point in the article, start with the last sentence on the first page. Read just that one sentence, and think about it for a while, maybe a week or two... then read starting at the top of the next page. Just take it a sentence at a time if it is too much to deal with at once.

The words "could happen" not will happen, should happen. Cluck, Cluck!