Speaking to this news site in an exclusive interview last weekend, Mapp, who will be sworn in as the eighth elected Governor of the USVI on January 5, 2015, was asked to respond on the Six Pack Amendment recently approved by the US Congress and which is now law in the US and its Overseas Territories. Photo: VINO

It is felt that with the coming into effect of the new law, boating businesses in the Virgin Islands could be negatively impacted as similar businesses in the USVI benefit. Photo: VINO

Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) (left) said the Territory must remain ahead of the curve and has proposed a marine academy to prepare young people of the Virgin Islands for jobs in the maritime sector. Photo: VINO/File

Speaking to this news site in an exclusive interview last weekend, Mapp, who will be sworn in as the eighth elected Governor of the USVI on January 5, 2015, was asked to respond on the Six Pack Amendment recently approved by the US Congress and which is now law in the US and its Overseas Territories.

It is felt that with the coming into effect of the new law, boating businesses in the Virgin Islands could be negatively impacted as similar businesses in the USVI benefit.

Mapp in response said that the countries in the region must ask themselves how is it that they can improve the tourism product and grow the region’s economies.

“It (the new law) is important to our economy and we were able to make that argument in a very successful way before the US Congress…some of the restrictions that were imposed across America have hurt many American community economies as they tried to establish these rules,” he said.

“So having adjustments made to these rules [will see] some shifts in trade and business, but at the end of the day the question is how do we grow the region and grow the business and dollars that come into the region,” he said.

“I know that we in the USVI are not interested in having any trade wars between the two Territories. There is going to be always shifting of visitors from one end to another,” he said.

Mapp said that growing the region and growing the quality of the product of the region will bring more players to the table and will bring new dollars to the table “instead of focusing on who took this dollar and who has the next dollar.”

“As we talk today about having a strong collaboration and a working relationship, [we must talk] about how we in the region can grow the quality of our tourism product and the diversity of the experience that attracts more people to visit this region and spend more dollars in this region and grow the economies in that manner,” he said.

He said that he does not view it as shifting dominoes. “We want to grow more business in a collaborative effort at improving the quality of the product that we offer in the Caribbean,” he said.

“For example in St Croix we talk about developing that island really on culture and history and sports , and create a unique product so that [there could be] competition and track and field, and horse racing and drag strip racing, bringing that group of people who don’t visit this region into the fold,” he said.

Boats in the USVI were allowed to carry 12 passengers up to 1993, after which a limit was set at six passengers under the terms of the Passenger Vessel Safety Act. On December 3rd, H.R. 5769, the Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 passed the House and it was also this month signed into law by US President Barack Obama.

Need for marine academy

In a comment to this news site some weeks ago, Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3) said the Territory cannot relax on this issue and must push to keep its boating industry viable. He spoke of his proposed marine academy, calling it necessary if the Territory is to stay ahead of the curve.

“When the USVI does get the go ahead from the Senate to have 12 passengers on their boats they will now be where we are today. And by the time they are fully developed to where we are, we will be another step ahead. And that’s why it is so crucial to get this programme up and running once we are the Government of the next administration,” Hon Fraser had said.