Editor's note: The following letter, dated May 18 and addressed to St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce president John deJongh Jr. and St. Thomas-St. John Hotel and Tourism Association president Richard Doumeng, was circulated by Sen. Cole's office to the news media on May 19.
Gentlemen:
The fact is, the attraction of hosting events aboard cruise ships fascinates local groups and non-profit organizations and is slowly becoming a disadvantage to land-based hotels, bars and restaurants. Various groups and non-profit organizations are contributing to a growing trend of holding paid luncheons, seminars or other formal activities aboard cruise ships docked at The West Indian Company dock. I believe the impact of this trend should represent a looming threat to allied members in your organizations' food and beverage industry.
As this practice slowly develops into a pattern, I cannot casually sit and not make a statement as an erosion of commerce to local land-based businesses quietly shifts to cruise ship entertainment facilities. The cruise lines are now essentially competing against land-based facilities that provide the same services. Revenues to local tax-paying businesses and the livelihood of bartenders, waiters and waitresses are threatened when fund-raising and other leisure activities are steered away from local establishments and into a cruise industry that is historically against any move to levy any fees on its local operation.
My criticism of this practice should not be viewed as "bashing the cruise ship industry," [but] instead as an incentive for hotels, restaurants and bars to guard against the attack on their business by outside forces. With the islands' dwindling economy, local establishments should wake up and take notice.
Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole
St. Thomas