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Get active in community,
contribute to V.l.'s future
Before the death of the late Gov-
ernor Cyril E. King in 1978, I
promised him that when I finished
college, I would return home and
help the people of these Virgin
Islands.
Those of us who knew King per-
sonally knew that he was a man of
action and that he loved young peo-
pie. :
I recall a group of us young men
had a meeting in the 1970s at gov-
ernment house on St. Thomas with
the late governor to discuss agricul-
ture and the environment.
At that time, there were some
old tamarind trees in the market
square area that were dying of lack
of care. The governor turned to us
and said, "If one of you young men
was an agriculturalist, those old
tamarind trees would have been
saved."
To me, King was the best elect-
ed governor we ever had. He was a
--
Olasee
Davis
Our
spokesman and champion for the
people of the islands.
One way I am fulfilling the late
Governor's dream is by getting
involved in a community group.
Last week, I attended an annual
joint meeting of the Virgin Islands
Resource Conservation and Devel-
opment Council and the Virgin
Islands Urban and Community
Forestry Council. I am a member of
both organizations.
The Virgin Islands Resource
Conservation and Development
V See COUNCIL, facing page
COUNCIL
CTINUEs FPROM PAE0 20o
Council. Inc. is a Locfl nonprofit
Organization; asrablianod to carry
out a JSpA progrn established by
b.r Pood and A~griculture Act of
196S. Public Law 87-703.
COur losal toeI LO mission if
To enhance the &altty of life for
the people of the Virgin Island.
resource conservation and dOvop-
mOrtt ea tronuh the onservation
of natural and cultural resources.
.nd l. si-imulaion of growth anI
Mv'op a. Url-
COver toe yar t. t.ho V -RCf
has helped tbon.amns of residonts
throutg Bnenein1 Isalnaouw, ranm-
writing worxkahopa. leadership
grompdiwater.
Stany of tthee projects were
developed jointly .54th fedcral and
local gOVe.-nnent agencies and pet-
*Oats; non-Pont. org&eatlaiiora. Last
year. the VR1.RCO Council was
number one Mn the Caribbean. and
number two in the nrtion for itsa
5oomtplshmlnanr.
fThem V. Urban a4i Communityn
Porsitry Cbuncil i. another loc.
orthen.aion aiding cononfity
"through a fodCy -fn4asde pro-
gran, Theo Counoils mindaion is to
Onhance our urban forests through
education end astrregic scton.a
Thi7 orgniertion hs provided
ntirctaI Cssiataneo to many gov-
ernment act ton-npCrotis.org,,n*an-
Ilaot, itno eoemtfity.
At the joint meOting lsat week
wo bherd from 5peheora.inclurdBng
ucan Martinez. Caribboan area
director from Puerto Kico.; Elesa
Coturll. state conaervatlionst from
Sle natiostal RC^1; Robin Morgan
'Ibe 'VmlC&D Counoil identified
eia conuntisiy need. and eonoerr.
as a viable industry.
Enhance community leader-
o
S* rouitnot infrastruceuro
Encourage dvtorso economic
Improve, the effectiveness of
i lefft"heso meetings with lhb
feeling we should all try to get
1n'olved. bntamed of rumeing do big
months. Only then will we fulfill
better \Virgin Islands for all
Cfaorer bavisv.' uoo/CCs a ,na-
mr of scinc degree tn range mfn-
aftmwne and forestry acCt-any. fs a
twit-er
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