The area economy and public good would be far better if all the land from Anegada to at least Savana Island were a single trade and free passage zone. All the Virgin Islands need to somehow work together to be a single hospitality and travel market as they face the outside world. Yes, I know Washington plays a part in all that.

Making false statements to any government is no longer a good idea. We once ignored all kinds of fine print. The most common skirting of the rules was stopping at a St. John anchorage late in the day without continuing to check in with US C&I. Post 911 we no longer do that and do not make false claims on the forms or to government officials. Every so often they make an example of someone on both sides of the line painted on the bottom between St. John and Tortola.

There must be a step we are skipping here. Ships visit US ports everyday with massive food stores in the ship's pantries? The QE2 and Queen Mary do not throw all the food overboard coming into New York Harbor?

It time to put a sticker on all the boats saying you paid a tax and then have the enforcement headcount focus on something meaningful.