Negative USVI article

Blu,

You said that you wanted to address some serious issues that the TSA at STT has. Then you went on to talk about the poor attitude of the "lady who checks your ID as you first enter the metal detector area was sitting there slumped over her podium..."

That lady is not a TSA officer. I don't want to make this in to a TSA discussion, just want all to know that your issues should be with the airline personnel - and that Port Authority lady; not the TSA. The TSA does a great job here.

peace.... bert

And so you immediately wrote to this site, how about writing to "www.tsa.gov" and following their site links to complaints section, it will get results faster than you may think.
I wrote Wednesday about another item in reference to TSA "don't carry" list, and was answered by the first thing this morning.
You will be dealing with the United States Government, not the USVI folks...the USGov does not know that the TSA in USVI are acting like they work for the VIGov unless they receive the complaints and are a little more inclined to get the TSA to do their jobs!
I average at least 50 flights a year in and out of STX airport, and I have no problem to write up a complaint about a TSA person,m the web site makes it really easy!

Greetings to all those who commented on the Economist article.

I wrote it and did not know at the time they do not publish bylines. I have since learned that has been their policy for 143 years.

The Economist article is based on a Master of Arts in Homeland Security thesis written for the US Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. The Center for Homeland Defense and Security (www.chds.us) is the nation's premier homeland security educator and is sponsored by the US Department of Homeland Security.

Although the Economist was heavily edited, I stand by it 100 per cent. The thesis, upon which it is based, is heavily documented. There is very little in the thesis that is not supported by citation.

The thesis is available free on line in a pdf format from the Naval Post Graduate School.

“Towards a Homeland Security Strategy for the United States Virgin Islands…,”
Master’s Thesis, March 2006, http://theses.nps.navy.mil/06Mar_Alperen.pdf.

The Executive Summary is about 10 pages long and has some citations. The bulk of the facts upon which the thesis is based are in the body of the thesis with footnotes at the end of each page.

I hope this address some of your questions.

Martin Alperen

Sorry, I still think your article is a piece of crap. Can you respond to my concerns in my previous posting?

Dear DL.

I lived in the VI for more than 7 years, worked as an Assistant Attorney General prosecuting crimes for those 7 years, and was very active in St. John Rescue (a volunteer non-profit and the only agency on St. John to have the Jaws of Life (not the police, fire, or EMS). www.stjohnrescu.org

I commuted every day from St. John to St. Thomas and occasionally to St. Croix.

I know of what I speak and I suggest you download the thesis and read it. You are certainly welcome to disagree, but the facts and citations you want are in the thesis.

Thank you..

Martin Alperen

Dear Mr. Alperen,

My comment on your article was shot directly from the hip and, I will be the first to admit, was most uniformed.

Now that I know who wrote the article and what your background is, I have a question for you:

Is there anything that ordinary citizens can do to reduce the risk of terrorist activity (and/or an attack) in the territory?

Best regards,
Mell

Marty Alperen,

I brought to this board's attention that you were the author of the article and now that you have come on-line I take pleasure in congratulating you on what I perceived as a well-written and obviously well-researched piece even before I knew who authored it. I'll download and read the thesis with interest.

I did have a problem with so many posters "bashing" Canada and its alleged security deficiences on the assumption that because the article was posted as being printed in a Canadian newspaper it was written by a Canadian. The "straight from the hip" gut reaction to any information should always be tempered by research.

DL, I suggest you download the thesis, as Mr. Alperen has suggested, and read it with an open mind before once again denouncing it as "crap."

Cheers!

after all it was only for a Master's thesis, not an original Phd thesis.

Excellent thesis work Mr. Alperen.
I thought I was the only one who posted here with voluminous references to support my positions. As you have become aware, many here choose a "ready, fire, aim" approach to posts (LOL i.e., poor Canadians). At least this thread hasn't sunk to the character assasinations that have been all too common here. Learn a lesson that my mother taught me, and I too often ignored on this board: "Never argue with a fool... people looking on won't know which one is which". You need not justify your work to anyone who thinks it is "a piece of crap". Anyone who has the discernment and vision to see your points will know better.

Kudos to Mell for his humble apology.

Yes.

Thank you.

It was an original Master's Thesis
.
And again I must refer you to the thesis where I have a section devoted to what can be done now. I recollect that it was called Next Steps.

I have never written a PhD but I can assure you the Master;s was original. After that ordeal I can not imagine a
Ph. D

Marty.

Mr. Alperen, thanks for the article. It may help the USVI and federal government prepare for an event that may not be as unlikely as we could wish.

However, the choice of forum you cannot be blind to. Tourism is one of our biggest industries. The visitors we lose as a result of your article will not be helping boost the resources we'll need to prepare for this threat.

Did you provide the results of your study to local and/or federal authorities before going to a public media forum? If your desire was to call attention to the problem, it was possible to do so before taking the info to the rest of the world (including potential terrorists). If you did indeed do this, perhaps they are already working on it. I have seen many security improvements in the VI since September 11, and they are continuing.

Now that I know the article was prepared as part of a scholarly thesis, I understand why there were no quotations. But any journalist can tell you how the lack of identified sources weakens the credibility of the article, and doesn't make the author look too authoritative. The article would have benefited from some revisions in light of the change from an academic to a journalistic forum.

Have you any research to support your ideas that drunk driving is "winked at" and substance abuse is accepted, or is that just a personal opinion?

He actually wrote that drinking while driving is winked at, not drunk driving.

I have been tol by seversl people that driving with an open container, but not drunk, is ok. I have not and will not try it. I hope that this is NOT the case.

Martin,
I read most of your paper and I would have to say congratulations on completing such a indepth and difficult paper. My mother works for Homeland Security in Washington D.C. so I have a fair amount of conversations with her on some of the topics you brought up.
I will say that the threat and vulnerabilities that the USVI face are similar to many communities around the U.S. as far as being prepared. I would however not be in a big hurry to see the USVI get a massive increase in funding unless there would be some kind of federal oversight. Our track record on accountability is not too impressive and more money is like throwing oil in the fire.
My research has been more on the terrorist organizations. I would point out that Al Qaeda is looking for targets that are both symbolic and will have a great economic impact. There are multiple targets inside the United States that are far more appealing to terrorist groups then the USVI. With their goal of disrupting the U.S. economy the most logical attack on the USVI would be the HOVENZA refinery on St. Croix. Shut that down with an attack and you have made a greater impact on the economy.
Knock out a cruise ship or an airplane and you disrupt tourism and the local economy. Cruise ships based out of Florida always have the option of merely changing their ports of call throughout the Caribbean or transferring the boats to other areas like the increasingly profitable Asian and European routes.
I agree with your paper but I think it goes a long way in pointing out the glaringly obvious and that is the vulnerability of the USVI to a terror attack or natural disaster. The same could be said of virtually every Island in the Caribbean. I have no doubt that our response would not be adequate. Look at a big city in the U.S. like New Orleans. They had advanced notice of Katrina yet did not follow one step on their own Hurricane Procedure chart that is still up on the City website.
Unfortunately our history shows that we typically only react to something when it is deemed an emergency. The war on terror did not start on 9/11 but it did wake up most Americans to a group that had declared war on America decades before.
I hope someone inside the USVI Govt gets a copy of your paper and utilizies it to make some productive changes on how we prepare for natural disasters and a potential terrorist attack.

Thank you for you thought provoking paper.

The fact that the articles in the Ontario paper and The Economist are based on an academic thesis does not necessarily lend credibility to the claims made in the thesis or articles. An academic thesis generally asserts an academic perspective and it is usually possible to assert a contrary academic perspective with equal force.

A number of tenured professors at well know universities, folks with PhDs in physics and engineering, believe that it is scientifically impossible for the World Trade Center to have collapsed from planes crashing into the buildings, that there had to have been explosives placed in strategic places inside the building. A number of other well respected physicists and engineers disagree. Both sides have reams of scientific evidence to support their positions. Just because an academic argues a perspective and provides scientific evidence for his or her perspective does not mean that those who do not share his or her perspective are incorrect.

Mel,

If I had one option, it would be to change the leadership and end the corruption, nepotism, cronyism, and lack of vision. My thesis documents this in the footnotes but that research ended in March 06. It continues to be written about in the local papers, talked about on the talk shows, and discussed openly as common knowledge.

The online papers are:
http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/
http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com/
http://stj.onepaper.com/
and its almost identical cousin
http://sts.onepaper.com/.

Also, the lack of unity and isolation of the different groups that live there could be remedied at the grass roots level. The groups need to talk about their prejudices. Ever since I moved there in 1998 it has been obvious that many groups distrust each other on a deep level.

The lack of rapport with the police can only be half improved by the population because like any relationship, it is a two way street. The population could start the process by trying to meet the police and relate to them. The police must institute what is called Community Oriented Policing. They must get out of their cars and walk around and into businesses and say hi. The police vehicles should remove all of the very dark window tint (it is not posible to make eye contact). When they drive, they must have their windows at least part way open.

I have cut and pasted the last chapter of my thesis, below. I apologize to DL and others that the citations will not transfer to this posting but they are available in the actual thesis.

V. ACTION PLAN: WHAT WE CAN DO NOW
Several of these recommendations can be implemented with little or no cost to the VI Government.

A. THE GOVERNOR’S UNIFYING VISION
The task of initiating change rests with the Territory’s Chief Executive. The most important contribution to improving any and all aspects of life in the VI, law enforcement and Homeland Security, is for the Governor to develop a unifying vision. Not just a vision of economic recovery, but also of social recovery aimed at uniting the community and a New VIPD.

All levels of government and all levels of government employees will have a role in implementing this vision. The police, however, are paramount. The New VIPD will endeavor to foster not just appreciation of the individual cultures, but also a sense of belonging to a larger group. This will not happen by itself or in a vacuum. The Governor must appoint new police leadership and the Legislature must provide necessary funding to successfully create the New VIPD.

The Terrorism and Natural Disasters Planning Group and the critical changes needed will not happen on their own. It will require vigorous promotion by persistent and determined individuals because it challenges the status quo.

The problems that exist in 2006 were not all created during the current Governor’s two terms. Many of the problems predate him but they still exist, and that is a problem. If it remains clear that the Virgin Islands cannot reform itself, and this is a major unanswered question because such reform would alienate some people in power, then the Homeland Security imperative may cause the federal government to take over more local functions. A successful model for this federal supervision exists in the District of Columbia.

There are, however, many leaders in industry, the private sector and government who understand the complexities of the problems presented. These people recognize that there are brilliant, dedicated and caring men and women living and working in the Territory who would love to contribute. Thus, these leaders must be enlisted as sponsors. At the same time, the many talented, motivated and caring citizens who share these same understandings must be involved in the process.

Who could lead this endeavor? The Champion must be the Chief Executive, the Governor. It will require vision and top-down leadership. The task must be embraced with open arms and an open mind. Drawing from the Public Administrator as Hero, quoted above, the Governor will have the incredible opportunity to foster meaningful change on an unprecedented level — “to bring new life to a dying land.”

B. IMPROVE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT - THE NEW VIPD
Local law enforcement needs immediate overhaul. Absent the Synaptic Disconnect, the VIPD could be an effective law enforcement agency and the premier intelligence fusion agency in the Caribbean. It is important that the Virgin Islands welcome information from every level down through fire and police and local citizenry. Every citizen must be confident that information they relay to a local police officer, firefighter, teacher, WAPA employee, Public Works employee, etc., will be forwarded up the chain: from that person to that agency’s Intelligence Coordinator or Homeland Security Representative, then up to the New VIPD Homeland Security or Intelligence Division and the VI Department of Homeland Security and finally to the national level. Everybody has a role to play. The New VIPD will be networked with other agencies. There will be seamless information sharing and cooperation up and down the chains of command and from agency to agency.

The atmosphere in which this can occur requires new leadership in the VIPD with the power and will to fire low-performing officers and command staff who will not progress, a Governor-inspired unifying vision, and funding. A major federal intervention is needed to inspire the local government to pay more attention to border issues, to provide the VIPD with modern police training and to promote the major change, which is community policing.
Although they are currently not capable, the ideal Homeland Security strategy for the VI would have the New VIPD at the center of information collection. Caring, involved and highly motivated Community Oriented Policing officers, who have an excellent rapport with all segments of the community, gladly refer all citizen information to the New VIPD Intelligence Division and Terrorism Fusion Center, where a team of analysts turn the raw data (information) into intelligence. In the New VIPD, intelligence travels in all directions to those who need it. They do not ask who needs to know, but who else needs to know.

The New VIPD Fusion Center has its own multi-lingual intelligence officers, who represent the many groups who live in the Territory. The Fusion Center thus incorporates human intelligence sources, as well as open sources and citizen input. Because of the VIPD’s successful interaction and involvement with the community, the local ham radio operators even provide signals intelligence.

The Fusion Center works closely with all the federal agencies, other Caribbean islands and organized private sector groups, including the volunteer Rescue Squads. It regularly relays information about real-time alien, potential terrorist, border and transportation security to the CBP Task Force Teams, who, with the willing and highly motivated assistance of the New VIPD, intercept and arrest.

Because “there is a lack of structured and formal oversight of VIPD officers by command staff” for both Homeland Security and regular old law enforcement, the New VIPD must represent a major reorganization, leadership and attitude change.

At all layers, police must be in a ‘hunter’ not a ‘fisherman’ mindset: They must actively seek out, observe, and track their ‘prey.’ They must not stand idly by or simply wait passively until something happens to attract their attention or until someone does something demonstrably threatening. The senior commanders overseeing and orchestrating the [officers’] deployment must closely supervise and control the environment, making adjustments and changes as necessary.

C. INCREASE FEDERAL BORDER PATROL PRESENCE
Establishing a Border Patrol presence in the VI is an absolute imperative. Such a presence should utilize highly mobile teams on each island, with land, near-shore and far-shore marine and helicopter capability available to quickly track and intercept both the smugglers and the smuggled.

At the same time, the VI Government needs federal resources to increase the awareness of and response to border protection issues.

D. ENACT THE TERRORISM AND NATURAL DISASTERS PLANNING GROUP
The existing plans must be corrected so the Governor and other elected officials and leaders have the facts, insights and options needed for them to better prepare for the challenges they must address. Homeland Security encompasses all aspects of society and it will take participation from all aspects of society to learn, grow and make the VI safer.

E. PROPERLY FUND THE VOLUNTEER RESCUE SQUADS
St. Thomas Rescue, St. Croix Rescue, St. John Rescue and Water Island Search and Rescue (Rescue Squads) collectively save the Government of the Virgin Islands millions of dollars per year because they do what is traditionally a Government function. The Rescue Squads are completely volunteer – 100 percent of all funding goes toward operations, equipment, training, supplies, etc. Collectively throughout the Territory and individually on each island, there are more trained medical first responders in the Rescue Squads than there are in the police and fire departments. There are also more licensed EMTs on the Rescue Squads than are on the Government payroll. These men and women are on call any time of the day or night and in any weather. They do nothing but help people.

Yet the Rescue Squads are severely under-funded. They have bake sales, raffles and various fundraisers to raise money. They seek private donations and do receive some funding from the VI Government although it is inconsistent, and never to the proper level. Frequently members spend their personal money for supplies.
Each Rescue Squad has submitted budgets. Immediately, the Government should fund these requests in full for equipment, supplies and training and thereby increase the Territory’s life-saving capabilities.

F. PROPERLY FUND THE VOLUNTEER ARES
The same need for funding as for the Rescue Squads is true of the amateur radio operators. Keeping in mind that after Hurricane Marilyn, they were the only group with operational radio communications and they provided life-saving communications to the VI Government and its citizens. They have been using their own equipment forever. ARES has designed and given to VITEMA detailed plans for needed communications. This should be funded.

It has been a long time since ARES was the key player in Hurricane Marilyn so it is appropriate to remind our decision makers that ARES was very active in Florida and Alabama this past hurricane season. Any of those storms could have struck the VI. This footnote contains a statement from the ARRL, American Radio Relay League recognizing their contribution.

G. PROPERLY FUND A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM.
This system, described above, works and it will save lives. It is relatively inexpensive. Almost the entire Coral Bay region of St. John has been mapped and all with volunteer effort. The current planning is for St. John Rescue to purchase small laptop computers to be mounted inside of its rescue vehicles. They will then be able to find a location by occupant or owner name, phone number, house name, etc.

The next step would be for these laptops to be added to the police cars, ambulances and fire trucks.

H. IMPLEMENT EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS
Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) are written procedures to follow in the case of a specific emergency. They are basic planning documents but do not exist in the VI public sector. Attached at Appendix D are several EAPs designed by St. John Rescue. They are included here as a starting point only. They should be evaluated and improved. Making them better will cost nothing. Then they should be given to the Police Department’s Central Dispatch so proper resources can be brought to the emergency. For example, if there is an earthquake, Central Dispatch would look to the EAP for Earthquakes and have a list of whom to contact and what resources should be deployed.

I. DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR IMMEDIATE OFF-ISLAND ASSISTANCE
Because the VI’s first responders may be injured and unable to respond and because there is no help available from the next town, city or state, planning should begin immediately to automatically bring in outside rescue personnel. Planning without these provisions is simply inadequate. Designing these is essentially cost free.

J. EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS FOR IMMEDIATE OFF-ISLAND ASSISTANCE
Several of the British Virgin Islands are closer to St. Thomas and St. John than St. Croix, and VISAR (Virgin Island Search and Rescue, British based ocean rescue) is exemplary. The VI Government should immediately begin negotiation with the British Virgin Islands and with the help of the VI Department of Justice and perhaps the State Department, draft Mutual Aid agreements. Again, this is essentially cost- free.

To some extent, this type of cooperation has already begun. On February 24, 2006, it was reported that the FBI is scheduled to provide the British Virgin Islands with a weeklong training in Weapons of Mass Destruction.

K. NEGOTIATE MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Planning for disasters must involve the private sector. For example, as demonstrated above, there is not enough VI Government-controlled food for a major disaster. Therefore, the VI Government must negotiate agreements with the food and beverage wholesalers to make their inventories available in an emergency.

At the same time, because of the potential for looting, discussed above, the police or the Virgin Islands National Guard must be in place to preserve order at all of these locations. This needs to be negotiated beforehand too.
These agreements do not guarantee there will be enough supplies and off-island help will still be needed. For example, if the disaster were to happen during hurricane season, which is typically the slowest tourist season, these suppliers will not have the same amount of supplies in their warehouses that they have during peak tourist season.

Another example is the Mental Health Crisis Intervention planning discussed above and also in Appendix E. Because there is insufficient staff in the Division of Mental Health to meet our needs, the Government must contract with private sector psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors before the crisis hits.
All of these can be accomplished at little or no cost.

L. THE VI DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CAN ANSWER THE LEGAL QUESTIONS OUTLINED ABOVE
These include, who has Emergency Powers? What are they? What are the requirements before they can be implemented? What is their scope? What are their limitations? Who has authority to open or close local ports? Who has authority to order quarantine and who would enforce it? There is no need to wait for a catastrophe. An after-the-fact, crisis-driven response can and should be avoided. We should endeavor to answer these questions in a way that does not trample the cherished principles of liberal democracy. This too is essentially cost free.

M. CONCLUSION: WHAT WOULD PREPAREDNESS LOOK LIKE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS?
Our government leaders and the population must first recognize the problem. In Al Qaeda, Islamic extremists and others, we are facing cunning and ruthless enemies. We must recognize America is at risk, seaports are risk and the VI is at risk from them.

We have other enemies too. Change and true preparedness can not take place until the social issues have also been addressed.

Poverty, unemployment and inequality undermine the kind of social cohesion needed to manage change effectively and this is especially so where the lines of exclusion coincide with deep rooted ethnic and social divisions. They occur in the context of the intense exposure of the region's population, especially the youth, to affluent metropolitan life styles through the presence of a large tourist population and to a relentless diet of the cult of individualist consumerism, sex and violence, through satellite TV and other new technologies. This may undermine disciplined attitudes to study and work and contribute to the legitimization of antisocial behaviour.
We must eliminate government unresponsiveness, mismanagement, corruption, nepotism and cronyism, and the social issues including racism, economic disparity, poor education, lack of job skills, limited employment opportunities, poor police relations and the absence of a sense of community. These are vital to growth, prosperity, Homeland Security and survival.

The federal government and the Department of Homeland Security must also dramatically increase the federal law enforcement presence, including Customs and Border Protection. Because community participation is essential to effective law enforcement and effective Homeland Security, the federal government should
immediately take steps to support the development of Community Oriented Policing in the VI, and to grow the New VIPD. The Governor must develop a unifying vision. Not just a vision of economic recovery, but also of social recovery, an integrated community and a New VIPD.

The Virgin Islands must accept that it cannot reach the same level of preparedness as the mainland United States because we are isolated and cannot take advantage of Regionalization. Because of this, the Virgin Islands need a greater share of Homeland Security Funding so it can achieve more of the TCL capabilities. That money must be well spent and is meaningless unless there are adequate physical and personnel resources to operate or utilize those resources. Further, we must face the sober fact that our first responders may at the least be overwhelmed and perhaps not even able to respond. This means planning for the Virgin Islands, and perhaps all island states, must include off-island resources. We must find a way for “…federal assets to quickly supplement or, if necessary, supplant first responders.”

A Terrorism and Natural Disasters Planning Group will help in this process by bringing together the Territory’s untapped talent. The end product of the Planning Group will be well thought out recommendations based on accurate information, to the Governor, Senate, VI Department of Homeland Security, VITEMA and other leaders.

Marty

Sttafish,

The complete thesis was mailed in April to Governor Charles Turnbull, Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen and President of the Senate Lorraine Berry. It was mailed directly by the Naval Postgraduate School. I know it was circulated by the Governor to the the homeland security leadership.

I followed the mailing up with a personal letter enclosing the Executive Summary and offering to help in any way. The only person to call me was VI National Guard Adjunct General Eddie Charles.

Aside from General Charles, no one ever called me and my phone calls to them were not returned. I offered to testify before Congress (Delegate Christensen is on the Homeland Security Committee) to explain why I believe the VI needs more homeland security funding than a similar sized community stateside. Despite repeated calls, no response.

General Charles emailed Delegate Christensen suggesting that perhaps I could assist in securing more funding. No response.

After almost six months of being ignored, I decided the best way to create change in the VI was to try to motivate a dialogue in the community.

As to drinking and driving, the "winked at" language was inserted by the magazine without my knowledge. It is not winked at because it is legal to have open containers of alcohol in the VI. One can walk on the streets with an open container and one can drive a car with an open container.

Marty

Terry,

As I said in my posting to Sttafish, it is legal to drink and drive. Although it is illegal to be drunk and there are some arrests for drunk driving, in this respect it is "winked at" because enforcement is minimal. Most law enforcement in the VI is inconsistent and sporadic.

I read you paper with great interest...unfortunately with me your preaching to the choir! I travel alot around the islands and inside the USA, last year I flew over 330,000 miles and therefor you know I was searched and questioned many dozen times.
It is unfortunate that for reasons unknown to me, travel to and staying in the US territorial islands is something different. There is a reality to the world, terrorism will rear it ugly head at a moments notice, and the V I just doesn't believe that they could be a target!
Too bad some of the readers of this forum have reverted to the same unthinking realm...and after the smoke clears they are going say "what happened, why us!"
Thanks again, the text was great, thorough, and very to the point.