Breaking

9-Year-Old Boy Dies After Being Shot in Head in Croixville Housing Community; Police Detain 15-Year-Old

Concerned Residents Clean Christiansted Town Using Their Own Tools, Money, and Some Help from the VI Fire Service

Territory May See Veterans Cemetery Through DeGazon-Sponsored Bill

Credit and Debit Cards of WAPA Customers Were Compromised Since August 30th, WAPA Says, Authority to Finally Start Issuing Notification Via Mail and Email

Sports Tourism in VI Gains Momentum as DC United Team is set to Play Exhibition Soccer Game on St. Croix

Carnival Breeze Brings 3,700 Tourists to St. Croix During Maiden Call; Senators, Tourism Officials Want to See More

Limetree Bay Willing To Provide $10 Million To Help Add Life to a Dying G.E.R.S.

American Airlines to Serve St. Croix With New Flights Next Summer

The Sudden Death of Influential Roots Reggae Visionary, Vaughn Benjamin of Midnite Band and Akae Beka, Has Rocked the Virgin Islands and Reggae Community Around the World

Arthur A. Richards K-8 School Hosts Anti-Bullying Campaign

Come Out. Hang Out. Have Fun at The Meat Up, One of St. Thomas’ Latest Hot-Spot for Good Food with Friends and Family.

UVI Board of Trustees Approves $47.1 Million Fiscal Year 2020 Budget; Sets $3 Million Fundraising Goal

Man Dies During Early Morning Car Accident on St. Croix; Driver of Car Arrested (Updated)

'You Did Everything You Could to Prevent this from Happening': An Emotional Goodbye to Young Aaron Benjamin

Back in Business: Cost U Less on St. Thomas Opened its Doors Friday to Thousands of Customers 2 Years after Irma and Maria

Bill Aimed at Regulating Credit Use by Gov't Departments and Agencies Among Others Held in Committee

Juan Luis Hospital Announces Completion and Availability of Mobile Dialysis Facilities

Tractor Trailer With Tank Carrying Thousands Of Gallons of Liquified Gas Flips Near Cool Out Bar; Driver Injured But Alive

Credit and Debit Card Hack Through WAPA Appears to be Widespread in Virgin Islands; WAPA Says Support Services Will be Made Available to Affected Customers

Facing Life in Prison Without Parole, Mother and Boyfriend Plead Not Guilty in Murder of 4-Year-Old Boy

New Law Requires All Guns To Be Registered At V.I. Ports Of Entry

Breaking News / Crime / Featured / News / Top Stories / Virgin Islands / June 30, 2016

ST. THOMAS — If Governor Kenneth Mapp signs into law a bill sponsored by Senator Tregenza Roach, all guns coming into the territory must be registered at ports of entry including sea and land, a measure — special-ordered to the Senate floor at the Earl B. Ottley Legislative Hall during a Wednesday session — that Mr. Roach says was forged based on complaints by Virgin Islands Police Department officials, who argue that weapons that are not registered eventually fall into the wrong hands and cannot be tracked.

“One of the authorities that’s given to the [police] commissioner or his designee upon the registration of the weapon, is also for them to make the determination whether such a weapon is legally allowed in the territory,” Mr. Roach said. “And so you have the issue of immediate registration and you do have the issue of confiscation of weapons that are not legally allowed in the territory.”

The law calls for at least three government agencies — Department of Planning and Natural Resources, V.I.P.D. and the V.I. Port Authority to collaborate in an effort to ensure the law’s enforcement. And it mandates proper signage at the territory’s ports directing gun owners to location of registration; what is required as a gun holder in the territory; and the penalties of not abiding by the law’s demands.

Failure to register, Mr. Roach said, would be a felony, with the law leaving in place penalties already in V.I. Code.

The bill was supported by the entire Senate, with all legislators signing on as co-sponsors, according to Mr. Roach.

The Senate took action on a myriad of other measures. It approved the $1 million hotel study bill, which also calls for research to be conducted on the viability of a small hotel near the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix. Senators Tregenza Roach, Janette Millin Young and Positive Nelson voted against the measure, pointing to the questionable nature in which they contend it was written, and the lack of abuse mechanisms.

“At least three times that I recall during that hearing, the question was raised by members of the committee about whether there had been any budget or any projections as to what budgetary amounts would be attributed to each phase, and in each instance the response was that there was no budget prepared setting out how this million dollars would be spent, and that it would actually achieve the objectives of bringing such a project to fruition,” Mr. Roach said on Tuesday.

And senators tacked on multiple amendments to the hotel study measure amounting to over $2.5 million, including a Senator Sammeul Sanes amendment appropriating $1.5 million — taken from the territory’s road funds — to the Department of Public Works for road repair. It also contains another Sanes amendment appropriating $1 million for the constructing of steel roofs at the Emile Griffith Ballpark here, and the Estate Profit and Estate Grove Place basketball courts in St. Croix.

Smaller amendments attached to the hotel study bill included an appropriation of $6,000 to the USVI Stars and Stripe Poker Run, sponsored by Senator Marvin Blyden; and a measure that would allow baby-sitting services in commercial areas allowing parents to drop their children off while they shop and conduct other business.

 

Correction: June 30, 2016

Because of an editing error, a previous version of this story stated that the session in which the firearm registry bill was passed was held on Thursday; when in fact it was held on Wednesday. We have updated the story to reflect the correct information.


Tags: ,



Ernice Gilbert
I wear many hats, I suppose, but the one which fits me best would be journalism, second to that would be radio personality, thirdly singer/songwriter and down the line. I've been the Editor-In-Chief at my videogames website, Gamesthirst, for over 5 years, writing over 7,000 articles and more than 2 million words. I'm also very passionate about where I live, the United States Virgin Islands, and I'm intent on making it a better place by being resourceful and keeping our leaders honest. VI Consortium was birthed out of said desire, hopefully my efforts bear fruit. Reach me at [email protected].




Previous Post

Jay Williams, Assistant U.S. Commerce Secretary, Says Obama Administration Committed To Aiding U.S.V.I.

Next Post

Island Parenting: Grounded In Culture And Heritage - A Question Of Maximum Worldly Exposure





You might also like

Leave a Reply


More Story

Jay Williams, Assistant U.S. Commerce Secretary, Says Obama Administration Committed To Aiding U.S.V.I.

ST. THOMAS -- Representatives from the U.S. Department of Commerce including Assistant Secretary Jay Williams, above center,...

June 30, 2016