Recently, an article appeared in the St. John Tradewinds News with the title of "Chamber of Commerce’s St. John Chapter Gathering Momentum".

The premise of the article was the reawakening of the Chamber of Commerce on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands in reaction to things like negative publicity due to the inconvenient things like the murder of Jamie Cockayne in June 2007.

Someone with this Chamber of Commerce, named Debbie Hime said in essence that they want to get the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism more actively involved and to encourage business owners on St. John USVI to be more "proactive" and to react faster when combatting negativity - this person referred directly to Jamie Cockayne's murder.

"Hmmmm. Let's see.." said the spin doctors working on their tans while sipping a cool island drink "How can we get the positive out of murder? How can we cheerfully spin those unfortunate incidents that happen to tourists like robberies and muggings?"

Spinning won't help and these folks need to be advocates for change, positive change. To that end, one of our members who knows one of Jamie Cockayne's cousins wrote a letter to the Chamber of Commerce on 12/31/07. We'll see if they receive a response. They e-mailed - here is an excerpt of that letter:

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Dear St. John Chamber of Commerce,

What are you doing as a Chamber of Commerce to actively combat the crime and corruption in the US Virgin Islands? .....Jamie wasn't just an unfortunate incident, he was a human being.

So, what are the people who reside year round on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands doing to combat crime and corruption? Seriously? What is better? Why should I spend my hard earned money as tourist dollars if I know that there is a really good chance I won't get home safely after my vacation? And why is it another crime topic that comes up when I research the US Virgin Islands is animal cruelty? As in domestic pets? And what of the cases of tourists like Don Calloway of Chicago who was attacked in what? 2006?

Why should any of us stateside be complacent to let the US Government continue to spend our Federal tax dollars in "America's Paradise"?

The US Virgin Islands are territories of the United States of America. Therefore, any subsidies, etc the USVI receives should be at the discretion of U.S. taxpayers. If kids are getting murdered, tourists constantly subjected to crime and muggings, and animals are being abused - please, I am asking you to explain WHY we should go to the USVI? Why not just choose someplace safer? Why not just boycott the USVI because if I want crime all I have to do is travel locally into the City of Philadelphia. Why should I travel long distance to discover the same "hospitable" amenities?

Seriously, why should we come to the USVI? We need real assurances not just publicist generated fluff. I am perplexed by your legal system which is the supposed to be the same as mine, only it is not, and I am perplexed at how year round residents don't live in fear? Or do you simply pretend the issues do not exist? Why not change the face of who governs you more effectively? Why not put your energies into campaigns for peace, justice and safety because if no one is safe then people think twice about visiting which then of course has the trickle down effect to your local economy which you are trying to combat, correct?

One final comment? When I first heard about the murder ....I wrote to the Governor, Lt. Governor, Police Chief, Tourism head, etc. I did NOT even receive so much as a "Dear Occupant" generic acknowledgement of my inquiries. I believe I wrote them over the summer.

So again, explain to people like me WHY I should want to visit St. John and why I should not be predisposed to be utterly negative about anything having to do with the United States Virgin Islands?

Happy New Year, I just don't think you can put a smiley face Band-Aid on all the problems the US Virgin Islands suffers from any longer. I think you should do your part to ensure that the Cockayne family and all their friends and relatives have peace and closure in 2008 and ensure that no other family (of either tourists or USVI residents) has to suffer as the Cockayne family has suffered.