Virgin Islands Law Blog : Virgin Islands Lawyer & Attorney : BoltNagi Law Firm : St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix, Water Island, US Virgin Islands

A hearing officer on Thursday ruled that the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs had the right to fine two companies and revoke their solicitors' licenses for doing sidewalk promotions in downtown Charlotte Amalie.

In August, Caribbean Fun Stay and K&R Promotions filed two actions against DLCA pertaining to their solicitors' licenses. One was an administrative complaint against DLCA, arguing that Commissioner Kenrick Robertson overstepped his bounds by fining the two companies and revoking or denying their solicitors' licenses. The second was a complaint in District Court, arguing that DLCA denied the two companies their due process rights - the constitutional guarantee to be treated fairly and not unnecessarily deprived of rights or property.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Thursday awarded the Territory $570,662 in grants to help the homeless, marking the first time in recent years that the Virgin Islands has secured all available funding under HUD's Continuum of Care grant program.

"What we have done is broken the glass ceiling - come into our own - as far as federal assistance to help in the plight of the homeless," said Tom Bolt, Chairman of the Virgin Isalnds Continuum of Care on the Homeless, a coalition of local agencies, public and private, that work with people who are homeless.

"Now, we have gotten the maximum amount of money the feds would allocate to us under the formula," he said.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Tom Bolt, Chair of the Virgin Islands Continuum of Care on Homelessness, addressed the American Bar Association's Commission on Homelessness and Poverty at its Midyear Meeting earlier today in Boston, Massachusetts.

Bolt noted that the current economic situation would continue to put a strain on homeless services throughout the nation and would advance from the ranks of low income to middle income families.  "We are look at an economic tidal wave that could devastate many families that never thought homelessness would touch them."

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

St. Thomas based Merchants Commercial Bank has refused a $1.2 million investment from the U.S. Treasury, saying the bailout money was not needed and involved a commitment to rules that could be changed down the road.

The bank’s board of directors turned down the Treasury’s offer in a unanimous vote, said Tom Bolt, General Counsel for the bank.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link