The Sunday-Monday edition of our local newspaper listed 29 job openings. Not including those at the Buccaneer Hotel, which is looking for people to fill many vacant positions there. The Wednesday edition listed 28 openings, again, not including the Buccaneer. And at this time of year, we have many transient workers who are here for the high times, but will go to Sarasota or Alaska for the Summer. So there are not as many spots to fill as there are during the months of May through December. It’s still plenty. But people say “there are no jobs…”

We also frequently see “Help Wanted” ads (and we hear them on the radio) by the Divi Hotel and Casino. In fact, a few months ago, the Divi asked the government if they could hire people under 21 to work in the casino, since they could not find enough qualified Cruzans of age to work in the industry. Where are all the people who need jobs? Do they really WANT to work?

The “powers that be” support Paul Golden in his attempts to build a resort/convention center/casino on the South Shore because he’ll bring jobs to the territory. Hmmmm. There aren’t enough qualified people to fill the vacancies we have now, so….

He’ll have to hire more statesiders! And then the people dem will bitch about all “de outsiders dem takin’ all de jobs dem”.

It won’t be pretty.

And then there’s the guy we see at all the Paul Golden hearings. Roy Rogers. He has kids with college degrees. He wants them to work in Golden’s Resort. But he wants them to start out in managerial positions.

Well, I know a guy who’s the president of an oil company in RI. His father owned the company. But his father made him learn the business from the “ground up”. He started out cleaning boilers and working in freezing cold temperatures. He learned every aspect of the job so he could become a good manager. His company is very successful because of this. Why can’t Roy’s kids start out dealing cards at Divi to see what it’s like?

I came from the states a while ago, but I have paid my dues, doing everything (even with a master’s degree) from cleaning other peoples’ toilets to finally running a successful business. I don’t want an influx of Americans here. I left America because I wanted a simpler island-style life. Americans will bring their strip malls and IHOPs. Ugh!

St. Croix has so much potential to become a unique example of responsible development and non-invasive tourism. Why can’t we all just work together to make this happen rather than cow-towing to some big talking Jerseyite with a lot of PR and too little common sense and foresight?