The V.I. government should declare our beaches as one of our most precious resources and launch an aggressive beach maintenance and protection act. The act would engage all sectors of the community in a comprehensive beach repair, cleanup and education campaign to raise public awareness of the beach degradation problem. This measure should consolidate the few existing beach protection laws, authorize penalties and provide for more rigorous and consistent enforcement of conservation provisions. This measure should designate a specific entity to continuously clean and enhance our beaches.
This past Saturday my wife and I went to a reunion picnic at Cramers Park for the St. Joseph's graduating class of 1972. Of course, it was a great pleasure meeting and getting re-acquainted with so many very talented and successful Virgin Islanders who are doing so well on the U.S. mainland as well as locally. Like others before them, these St. Joe's grads have done extremely well and have continued the school's tradition of success.
Despite the lively and sweet occasion, we were very disturbed and embarrassed by the filthy and deplorable condition of Cramers Park. Beer cans, bottles, aluminum foil, cups, bones, condoms, diapers, napkins and pieces of clothing were strewn on the grounds and in the water. Cramers Park was covered with garbage.
Just imagine how these visitors and their families felt about their homeland. Many of them made a great sacrifice to come home from many places across the country for their class reunion.
Imagine how tourists who read the flashy and colorful brochures feel when they see our garbage-strewn beaches. What will they tell their friends when they return to their homes? They probably think we are nuts to allow our beaches to become trashy eyesores. It's a darn shame.
The Frederiksted beaches are in the same filthy and neglected condition. Besides the mounting piles of garbage, these beaches are never raked and maintained, hurricane-destroyed trees have not been replanted, overgrown bush blocks the spectacular views of our sunsets, and soil erosion and runoff continue to cause serious damage.
As we walked along the shore, we kept wondering about what has happened to our island of St. Croix? Where has the Crucian pride gone?
For God's sake, let's clean up and fix our beaches. Cleanups not only make our beaches beautiful and inviting, they make them safe for our families and visitors. And trashy beaches put a damper on tourism and the economy.
Let's make this precious natural resource better for us and for our future generations.

Editor's note: Carmelo Rivera is a St. Croix businessman and immediate past president of the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce.
We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to [email protected].
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.