WAPA’s Governing Board - held an emergency meeting Monday in response to WAPA Deputy General Counsel Mark Kragel’s Facebook posts. After a two-hour executive session to address the racially offensive social media post by Kragel. The Board determined it had no authority to take any job action against Kragel. Board Chairman Anthony Thomas said the oversight board controls the job of CEO Lawrence Kupfer and other high-level executives, but that there is little the Board can do regarding the enforcement of standards of conduct for any WAPA employee outside of the executive suite. Whether Mr. Kragel keeps his job is in the hands of Mr. Kupfer, Chairman Thomas stated.
Senate President Francis asked OMB Director O'Neal whether the government would be able to make payroll.
The Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority (WMA) has advised the St. Croix and St. Thomas communities that green waste and seaweed will not be accepted at the territory's landfills until further notice.
The Department of Health last week shut down "Hangovah Daiquiris", a popular nightspot on St. Croix in the United Shopping Plaza. A sign posted on the door that reads, "Due to high public health concern this establishment has been closed by the Virgin Islands Department of Health, Division of Environmental Health." Patrons who visited the establishment within the last 14 days are urged to contact the department.
New JetBlue service from New York to St. Thomas this fall will help to meet strong demand for travel to the Territory from the northeast United States. The effect of no cruise lines at the West Indian Company and Crown Bay in St. Thomas has been devastating to the Virgin Islands economy. Tourism represents about 60 percent of the U.S. Virgin Islands' gross domestic product (GDP), according to the V.I. Department of Tourism. JetBlue currently serves St. Thomas from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and will resume Boston-St. Thomas flights this fall.
The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) announced its members are voluntarily suspending operations out of U.S. ports through at least September 15, 2020. Among CLIA's members are Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and the largest cruise ship company in the world, Carnival Corp.