Pre-Move Visit

This might be of interest to you as the location is excellent and the price very reasonable:

http://www.rhodasguesthouse.com/#!about_us/c3r5

Just remember that any where you stay unless it's down town or on the bus route, you will have to rent a car or call a cab. Both are extremely expensive. Rental cars go for $75.00-$100.00 A DAY.

Just remember that any where you stay unless it's down town or on the bus route, you will have to rent a car or call a cab. Both are extremely expensive. Rental cars go for $75.00-$100.00 A DAY.

If you talk to people and ask around you can rent cars for $400-550 a month. They won't be brand new Wranglers but they won't cost you a fortune, either.

Good Day! My wife and I did the same thing last September, and are going for PMV #2 in 47 days! We stayed at Galleon House. I highly recommend it. The owners are full of useful info. We opted to not rent a car, because we wanted to "feel" the island from the "roughing it" side. I didn't want to worry about getting lost, I wanted to see what was around me, and do a considerable amount of walking. This time we are renting a car to see the places the safari busses don't go. We learned alot in one visit, and actually modified our stategies. Talk to the bartenders and servers in the restaurants, they are full of info and glad to talk about how it's not all "cherries and berries". Good luck and have fun! We'll see you on island one day, neighbor!

I sent you a PM.

Rocky Dock
Water Island

I'm not sure Tilett gardens will give you a real sense of how most transplants live. Don't get me wrong, it's fun stop for afternoon. Tilett is basically an arty-type-shopping-center across the busy street from HomeDepot and KMart and a low-income housing project. You'd be better off renting a studio with a kitchen. i know you don't want o stay in resort BUT many of the condo resorts offer economical studio units. I think Megan's Point (north), Blue Beards (Town), and Sapphire(redHook) offer studios at very reasonable prices. (equal or less than some guest houses) I would also spring for a car, especially if you will travel to business meetings. Just rent the cheapest car possible.

I sent you a PM

Thank you all for the advice and the PMs. Hopefully within the next few days I can contact a few of you to get some more information. Today -- I must do my best to concentrate on my enormous pile of school work. 🙂

You might want to reconsider relocating to the Virgin Islands. Recently, 5 high school boys lured a white elderly gentleman out and stole his truck and beat him to death. The only punishment that has been reported of this crime is.......they were sent back to school the next day. This is the only place in the world where it is acceptable to the general public... the native people.... to kill someone and have absolutely no consequences. You might want to think about relocating to a place where the students are free to kill people .

What a way to report on an ongoing crime investigation and charge. Hope you are not a reporter. The gentleman was called to give a young man that worked with him a ride as he usually did. He did. They jumped him, beat him up and he consequently died of the results of the beating a few weeks later. They were all charged on several charges and released to the custody of their parents. They did go back to school. This is the law anywhere in the United States of America as to their release. A person is innocent until proven guilty. While I agree they should have been bound in jail and not allowed to be released, this is the law. The way you write it is like saying this is ordinary around here.
The community is up in arms about the issue, and since Bill died, are awaiting the charges to be raised to murder and they be tried as adults. Most feel they are taking too long in the process, but now, as they await the judges decision, I understand that they made sure they had thoroughly investigated the case to make sure the charge of murder will stick. I am not defending the boys nor the ruthless act they committed. I knew Bill and know even he would not want what happened to him to be reported in the way in which you wrote it.

I would be more worried about the likes of you and the tone of your comment, that what you suggest goes on. Clearly your statement is quite racist.

Thank you, Ronnie for your voice of reason. That was a jaw-dropping post, gparrot... "Acceptable to the general public?" Not the public I know.

I am not a racist, I would be equally concerned if it were 5 white kids, 5 Indian kids, 5 Asian kids, 5 of any kids , killing someone needlessly, and then sent back to school the next day...... I admit my post may have been a little over the top.... I am frustrated with the amount of crime that occurs on the islands. Ronnie, Bill might not like how I explained his death,....but I believe he would have chosen to be alive .

Race is not the issue. Justice is the issue. The issue is that the boys pre-meditated a kidnap-robbery-violent assault, which turned into murder. Unfortunately the victim was dumped and life saving attention was delayed. Even if he had been discovered there is good chance he may not have lived anyway. Although I am not a lawyer, the incident sounds like murder with "special circumstances" (because of the "laying in wait and kidnapping). This is capital crime in many US states. I remember seeing this man around. I feel sick over the incident. Just horrible to imiage what his last hours were like. I have no idea how he would like his murder characterized. I bet he would rather be alive and not have suffered so horribly at the hands of those "boys".

Like I said I am not a lawyer, but I do know that minors are held in custody prior trial all the time in the states. I just don't get why if the cops had enough to charge the boys with assault, why the charges weren't up graded upon bill's death. A judge should not be making the call the DA should be enhancing the charges and demand that boys be held in custody until the trial. If there are no provisions for pre-trail-juvinal dentenetion here in the territory, then send the boys over to PR where such facilities exist.

Addionationally,Why haven' t the FEDS stepped up and pressed federal charges. It's kidnapping a federal crime? I believe that gang actitiy falls under the RICO statutes? Either the VIPD or the FEDs need to send a message and ARREST the boys and bring this case to TRIAL.
This is outrageous, known suspects roaming the streets, sitting in class (questionable) next to innocent children. This does NOT happen in the states.

FACT: THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF TERRITORIAL MURDERS GO UNPUNISHED. I too am frustrated (sickened) with how easily the population (white and WI) trun a blind eye to violence and lackadasical law efforcement efforts. Saftey is much more of a concern here in the VI then in the majority of main stream of state side communities. Of course there are few neighborhoods in the sates which have the same crime concrens (Parts of N.O. Detroit, DC, ST L.) But i never hear residents of those communites pretending that thier paritucalr crime issues are "just like everywhere else".

Incidents like the one described above are part of living in the VI.

Let's not hijack this post into a crime discussion.
Start a new one.

Let's not hijack this post into a crime discussion.
Start a new one.

I was on STT last year the month of June. I had a apartment on the north side. I speant most of my time diving with the dive shop at Bolongo and evenings at Iggies. I found out later that 2 days after I arrived the manager of Iggies and another employee were shot in a robbery attempt. I did not hear about for more than 2 weeks after it happened. It was all wispers and hush hush. Like it was being kept secret. No one wanted to talk about it. Why?

This should absolutely be discussed. Especially when some one is planning a move there. They should know what they are getting themselves into before they spend in excess of 10k to move. From what I've read every time this subject is brought up it's covered up. The focus is shifted some where else. There's crime every where etc. Yes there is. The difference is it's punished and the suspects are not released with a slap on the wrist. From what I've read most crime goes unpunished because of the nepotism. It's a mecca for criminals because they know little or nothing will happen to them.

So. IslandBound14. You need to research this subject and spend way more than 9 days in the V.I.

EMC2

I found out later that 2 days after I arrived the manager of Iggies and another employee were shot in a robbery attempt. I did not hear about for more than 2 weeks after it happened. It was all wispers and hush hush. Like it was being kept secret. No one wanted to talk about it. Why?

It was reported in the Daily News the next day - in this age of social media many people knew about it even before that.

EMC2

I found out later that 2 days after I arrived the manager of Iggies and another employee were shot in a robbery attempt. I did not hear about for more than 2 weeks after it happened. It was all wispers and hush hush. Like it was being kept secret. No one wanted to talk about it. Why?

It was reported in the Daily News the next day - in this age of social media many people knew about it even before that.

This is the online article for the benefit (one month after the june shooting). I don't recall seeing any "day after" reporting of the actual shooting in the hard copy daily news, but then again I don't read it every day.
http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/iggies-benefit-helps-wounded-employees-1.1340904

This is the tread from ViNow:
https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,183461,183547#msg-183547

Exit: please provide links for social media sites which give factual accounting of incidents like this. Sharing that inside info would be very helpful for folks considering moving their families and business to the VI.

EMC, Hushing up is only the first line of defense. Then comes attacking the credibility of anyone who mentions the (unmentionable) event. Then blaming the victim. (any one of color is assumed to be in gang. anyone under the age of 30 is assumed to be involved with drugs. Females, well of course, they are asking for it. Anyone who's great grand ma wasn't born on STT is stupid, Everybody else should know better) Since you are not from St Thomas, you may find these tactics strange.

As far as I know no arrests were made and the gunmen remain at large and free to rob another day.

EMC were you happy with your northside accomodations?

Let me start by saying I'm not trying to start a pissing contest. For starters, no one mentioned to the O.P. that 9 days is not enough time for a PMV. Even 5 PMVs 9 days long does not allow you to experience island life. I was there more than a month and felt I needed to come back and stay even longer next time.
As far as my time there and where I lived it was great. Until I heard about the shooting. I've been reading this message board way before I visited and since then. It really bothered me that nearly everyone knew I was a newby and kept the shooting quiet. And I mean take me to a neutral corner and wisper what had happened because it's a taboo subject. It made me wonder how much more of it there was that I would never hear about. From that moment forward I felt uncomfortable being out after dark. When I did, I was very cautious. I turned on my high beams pulling into the driveway and scanned the bushes before I got out of the car. Driving at night I checked my mirrors constantly especially when stopping for lights making sure I positioned the car for a quick getaway if needed. Even during the day I was aware of my surroundings.
Where I'm from, if there's a violent crime it's on the air immediately. They don't even wait for the 6 o'clock news. In the VI you may not hear about it at all.
I was blinded by paradise. When I was there violent crime was the farthest thing from mind. Nevermind all the secrecy. And lets be honest. Alot of the people posting answers here have been there for a long time. They are also business owners having a variety of tourist friendly businesses and they don't want to shed a negative light on the islands. Because if people hear about the crime and the way it's handled, they will be afraid to visit. And if tourism dies, the islands die with it. It's not fair when somone inquires about moving they're on their own. That doesn't mean when somone like the OP posts here you should blurt out "oh yeah we have lots of violent crime here and the police don't do jack about it". What I am saying is that when the subject comes up right away someone like Alana33posts "Let's not hijack this post into a crime discussion".
I was all set to make a go of it and now I'm on the fence about it. I've been to the VIPD site and the VI Daily News to name a couple. Violent crime is everywhere. Even where I live. The difference is it's punished accordingly. And when it's punished like it should be, the perps think twice because it's life in prison rooming with a guy named Bubba that wants to make you his wife or you get fried.

Let me start by saying I'm not trying to start a pissing contest. For starters, no one mentioned to the O.P. that 9 days is not enough time for a PMV. Even 5 PMVs 9 days long does not allow you to experience island life. I was there more than a month and felt I needed to come back and stay even longer next time.
As far as my time there and where I lived it was great. Until I heard about the shooting. I've been reading this message board way before I visited and since then. It really bothered me that nearly everyone knew I was a newby and kept the shooting quiet. And I mean take me to a neutral corner and wisper what had happened because it's a taboo subject. It made me wonder how much more of it there was that I would never hear about. From that moment forward I felt uncomfortable being out after dark. When I did, I was very cautious. I turned on my high beams pulling into the driveway and scanned the bushes before I got out of the car. Driving at night I checked my mirrors constantly especially when stopping for lights making sure I positioned the car for a quick getaway if needed. Even during the day I was aware of my surroundings.
Where I'm from, if there's a violent crime it's on the air immediately. They don't even wait for the 6 o'clock news. In the VI you may not hear about it at all.
I was blinded by paradise. When I was there violent crime was the farthest thing from mind. Nevermind all the secrecy. And lets be honest. Alot of the people posting answers here have been there for a long time. They are also business owners having a variety of tourist friendly businesses and they don't want to shed a negative light on the islands. Because if people hear about the crime and the way it's handled, they will be afraid to visit. And if tourism dies, the islands die with it. It's not fair when somone inquires about moving they're on their own. That doesn't mean when somone like the OP posts here you should blurt out "oh yeah we have lots of violent crime here and the police don't do jack about it". What I am saying is that when the subject comes up right away someone like Alana33posts "Let's not hijack this post into a crime discussion".
I was all set to make a go of it and now I'm on the fence about it. I've been to the VIPD site and the VI Daily News to name a couple. Violent crime is everywhere. Even where I live. The difference is it's punished accordingly. And when it's punished like it should be, the perps think twice because it's life in prison rooming with a guy named Bubba that wants to make you his wife or you get fried.

Spot On!

i agree as well, i would think that people want the honesty no matter what that honesty is. and lets face it, if you are moving to a new area you need to know the good the bad and the ugly. regardless of what it is

I just want to say that you don't hear *lots* of stuff. Communication is not a strong suit. The local news outlets are not the same as stateside. This is all part of the culture that some people cannot abide. When we say the culture is different, we mean that many of the beliefs you hold dearly are not part of the ethos here.

OMG, there is crime here? I had no idea.

I guess it'll help keep the prices down.

OMG, there is crime here? I had no idea.

I guess it'll help keep the prices down.

If you sit on ice cream blind folded can you tell what flavor it is?:S

OMG, there is crime here? I had no idea.

I guess it'll help keep the prices down.

Nice attitude.