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Government
The USA
purchased the three Islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John from Denmark
in 1917, to prevent the islands from becoming a German submarine base during
World War I. After the US purchased the islands they fell under the
jurisdiction of the US Navy and later were granted territorial status.
The
official government of the United States Virgin Islands continues its
territorial relationship with the government of the United States of America.
The general organization of the Virgin Islands government was created through
the Revised Organic Act passed by Congress in 1954 with some powers left in
the hands of the Federal government. The affairs of the island are controlled
by the Governor and the Virgin Island Legislature.
Like other
island nations in the Caribbean, St Croix is heavily dependent upon tourism
for its economic base. Asset like special tax incentives, duty-free status,
foreign trade eligibility, good commercial rental rates marvelous climate and
the security of the American flag, all add to a favorable business atmosphere
for potential investors.
The
economy is heavily dependent on tourism, the
territory seeks to expand its economic base through the further development
of light and medium industry. In the 1960’smajor industries were also
established on St. Croix, including Hess Oil, now called Hovensa,
and St. Croix Alumina. The wisdom of the change from agriculture to tourism
and industry is proven by the dynamic growth of St. Croix in the second half
of the 20 th century.
The US
Virgin Islands is an unincorporated US territory with a non-voting delegate
to the US House of Representatives. Although everyone born here is a US
citizen and a likely taxpayer, residents have no vote in national elections
and their income taxes remain in the territory for local use.
Infrastructure
in the islands is well developed, and boss some of the finest
seaports, paved roads and airports in the Caribbean. State of the art
telephone and wireless services makes possible almost instant communication
with any point in the world. The VI Water and Power Authority produces and distributes electricity and desalinated water
from plants on all three islands. The territory is serviced by the US Postal
Service as well as UPS and Federal Express, DHL Worldwide Express and
Airborne Express.
Local
government operates from 8am to 5pm. Federal offices, US Postal Service and
banks close for all Federal holidays. Schools and government offices close
for all Federal and local holidays. For comprehensive look at the business
picture call the Economical Development Commission at 340-773-6499 or the St.
Croix Chamber of Commerce 340-773-1435.
Communication
The Virgin
Islands Telephone Corp., known as Vitelco. Vitelco is the first in the Caribbean and one of the
first in the continental United States to have total digital switching. All central
offices are connected by a fiber optic cable. Digital radio then connects the
islands to one another. The privately owned company has more than 50,000
telephone lines. This is larger than many European countries and has the
third highest total per capita users in the Caribbean, behind only the Cayman
Islands, and the Bahamas.
The Vitelco Business office in St. Croix is 340-779-9999.
Same for St. Thomas.
St. John
office is 340-776-6261.
Helpful Phone
Numbers, St. Croix USVI
Airport
340-778-0586
American
Airlines 800-484-4884
Bohlke International
Airways 340-778-9177
Costal Air
340-773-6862
Delta
800-221-1212
Liat 340-778-9930
US Airways
340-774-7885
Sun Air
Vieques Air Link
340-778-9858
Emergency
Numbers
St. Croix
Hospital 340-778-6311
St. Thomas
Hospital 340-776-8311
St. John
340-776-6400
Marine
Safety 340-776-3497
US Coast
Guard Aux. 340-774-6663
US Coast
Guard Emergency Only 787-289-2040
Chemical
and Oil Spills 800-424-8802
VITEMA
340-773-2244
Motor Vehicles
St. Croix
340-778-2211
St. Thomas
340-774-5765
St. John
340-776-6262
Attorneys
Hunt Logan
340-773-3200
Felice Quigley
340-773-7700
Flavia Logie 340-719-8181
Todd
Newman 340-773-3200
Kevin Rames 340-773-7284
Banks
Bank of
St. Croix 340-773-8500
Banco Popular Christiansted
340-773-0077
Bank of
Nova Scotia Christiansted 340-773-1013
Frederiksted Branch
340-772-0880
Sunshine
Mall Branch 340-772-2440
Sunny Isle
branch 340-778-5053
Chase Bank
Christiansted 340-773-1200
Chase
Orange Grove 340-773-1222
VI Community
Bank Christiansted 340-773-0440
Frederiksted Branch
340-772-0050
First Bank
340-773-0504
Churches
St Croix
Episcopal (Anglican)
Holy Cross
Upper Love 340-778-3272
St. Johns
Christiansted 340-778-8221
St. Paul’s
Frederiksted 340-772-0818
St. Peter’s
Castle Coakley 340-778-6471
AME
Bethel
Christiansted 340-773-5620
Medford
Zion Christiansted 340-773-6331
St. Luke’s
Est. Grove 340-778-9403
Apostolic
Faith 340-778-0122
Assembly
of God 340-773-4974
Frederiksted 340-772-4912
Bahia
Faith 340-772-3131
Baptist
Altona Northside 340-778-1331
Calvary
Upper Love 340-778-1014
Free Will
340-773-3179
Grace Mt.
Pleasant 340-772-1516
Grace
Golden Rock 340-773-5990
Southgate
340-773-2988
Catholic
Holy Cross
Christiansted 340-773-7564
St. Ann’s Barron
Spot 340-778-0484
St.
Joseph’s 340-772-2005
St.
Patrick’s Frederiksted 340-772-0138
Christian
Scientist Society 340-773-7664
Church of
God 340-773-8740
New
Testament Whim 340-772-1658
Prophecy
Richmond 340-778-8924
Church of
Latter Day Saints 340-773-5188
Church of
the Nazarene Golden Rock 340-773-4050
Central
Mary’s Fancy 340-778-2380
Established
on the Rock 340-773-2104
Holy Ghost
Deliverance Ministry 340-773-7196
House of
Prayer Ministry 340-773-7196
Jewish
Community of St. Croix 340-773-0096
Jehovah’s
Witnesses Richmond 340-773-7087
Whim
340-772-4092
Lutheran
340-772-0034
Lord God
of Sabbath 340-773-1320
Methodist
Bethel
340-772-9779
Community
United Frederiksted 340-772-1923
Richmond
340-773-4546
Moravian
Frederiksted 340-772-0268
Friedensfeld Est. Glynn
340-778-2524
Friedensthal Christiansted
340-773-1217
More than
Conquerors Ministry 340-778-4834
Presbyterian
340-778-0520
St. Croix
Community fellowship 340-778-6991
Seventh
Day Adventist
Christiansted
340-773-1822
Central
340-778-3437
Peters
rest 340-774-4564
Unitatarian Universalist
Fellowship 340-778-2880
Wesleyan
Holiness
Beeston
Hill 340-773-1017
Colquhoun
340-778-5788
Trinity
Christiansted 340-773-8335
Pets
The Animal
Clinic 340-773-1256
Frederiksted Animal Clinic
340-772-4781
Island
Animal Clinic 340-773-3106
St. Croix
Animal Welfare Center 340-778-1650
General and
Special Interest Groups
AARP
340-772-0560
American
Cancer Society 340-773-6335
American
Red Cross 340-778-5104
Legal Services
of the Virgin Islands 340-773-2626
Lions Club
340-7783329
Lioness
Club 340-774-2260
Navy
League 340-773-0096
Orchid Soceity 340-774-2536
Queen
Louise Home for Children 340-772-0090
Rotary
Club and Inner Wheel 340-773-9333
St. Croix Amateur
Radio Club 340-773-7425
St Croix
Environmental Association 340-773-1989
St. Croix
Landmark Soceity 340-772-0598
St. George
Botanical Garden 340-772-3874
Toastmasters
340-778-0017
USO
340-772-0523
United Way
340-773-0582
Women’s
Coalition of St. Croix 340-773-9272
Lending
Institutions
Allied
Mortgage 340-713-8263
Bank of
St. Croix 340-773-8500
Flagstar
340-773-8100
First Bank
340-772-6200
Art Groups
Arts Alive
340-775-1929
Caribbean
Dance Company 340-778-8824
Island Center
for the Performing Arts 340-778-5272
Point
Dance Company 340-778-0435
Virgin
Islands Council on the Arts 340-773-3075
Schools
A-Z
Academy 340-773-7909
Country
Day School 340-778-1974
Good Hope
School 340-772-0022
Manor
School 340-773-1448
St. Mary’s
School 340-773-0117
University
of the Virgin Islands 340-778-1620
Title Companies
VI Title
& Trust 340-773-0570
West
Indies Management Trust LTD 340-778-8588
Utilities
Vitelco / Innovative /
Cable 340-712-5029
Or
340-779-9999
VI Water
and Power Authority (WAPA) 340-773-2250
Youth Programs
Boys and
Girls Club 340-778-8990
Boy Scouts
of America 340-772-0934
Civil Air
Patrol 340-778-1280
4-H Club
340-778-0246
Girl scout
Council 340-772-1850
Kids and
the Sea (KATS) 340-773-7017
Pony Club
340-772-0401
St. Croix
Swimming Association 340-778-1398
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