The West End News

REPORT
Of Governor John D. Merwin To The
People Of The Virgin Islands
On The Second Year Of His Administration September
25, 1958 To September 24, 1960

Good evening, my fellow Virgin Islanders:
This is your Governor, John David Merwin, reporting to
you on the activities of the Government of the Virgin Islands
over the past twelve months. It was my privilege to complete
yesterday my second year as Governor of the Virgin Islands.
As I did a year ago, I am bringing you a report on what has
been happening since I last made a general report on what
your government has been trying to do in promoting the progress
and welfare of the people of the Virgin Islands.
We, in the Virgin Islands, continue to be blessed with an
ever growing era of prosperity. The greatly increased volume
of tourism which we are now witnessing is creating many new
jobs and many new opportunities. However, as is true of all
change, new and bigger problems are being created every day.
Today we can say that the Virgin Islands are virtually
without any unemployment problem. Rather, the problem is
reversed. Persons in business now find it difficult to secure
enough people to work for them. Over 4,000 alien workers
are now in our midst in order that the work of serving a growing
tourist population may go forward uninterrupted. Naturally,
this influx of alien labor creates problems in health, in
housing and in many other areas of community service. Your
government has been endeavoring to cope with these problems
as they arise.
In my inaugural address two years ago I stressed the
need for harmony and cooperation between government and
civic groups, as well as the individual citizens throughout the
communities of the Virgin Islands. I am happy to report that
the continuing cooperation which I have received from
my fellow Virgin Islanders surpasses anything that I had a
right to expect. Everywhere people continue to serve eagerly
on important committees and commissions in order to help
their government better serve the needs of the community.
Your representatives in the Legislature continue to make sub-
stantial sacrifices in order to serve you and have cooperated in
developing legislative programs which have and continue to
bring increasing benefits to all the peoples of the Virgin Is-
lands.
To the many civic-minded citizens who serve without com-
pensation and with a constant devotion to duty, to the many
members of our Legislature, to the heads of the executive de-
partments and others working under them, who have contri-
buted so much to another successful year of growth and im-
provement in the Government of the Virgin Islands, Government
Secretary Dr. Roy W. Bornn and I wish to say here and
now—thank you.
I wish to cover briefly with you the highlights of development
in the government the economy and the social and political
life of the islands during the past year.
As I mentioned above, the economy of the islands con-
tinues to increase. Total local revenues collected during the
fiscal year just ended amounted to $7,274,353.62, or an in-
crease of 38% over fiscal year 1959. At the same time, the
total internal revenue matching funds made available to the
Government of the Virgin Islands amounted to almost five
million dollars.
The Department of Tourism and Trade estimates that
over 200,000 visitors came to the Virgin Islands during the
year. The gross tourist revenue was estimated at $24,000,000
substantial and gratifying increase over the preceding year.
To Be Continued