In a perfect example of what ‘island time' means, a 25-cent/person/each way use fee for the Red Hook-Cruz Bay ferry will go into effect later this year. It was authorized by the Port Authority in 1996.
The fee has not been implemented before because there was no provision for its collection. No people, no machines, no nothing.
Now, the Port Authority has authorized $50,000 for the purchase of three turnstiles to be installed in the new Fredericks Marine Terminal. There will be no turnstile on the Cruz Bay dock. Ferry riders at Red Hook will have to deposit two tokens before boarding a boat. The money collected, expected to be about $500,000 a year, will be used to maintain the terminal.
The Virgin Islands Daily News editorialized against the move citing the expense to commuters ($130/year) and the irritation for visitors who will have to buy a ferry ticket at one counter and a ferry token at another. "The territory is always looking for ways to attract visitors. This is not one of them" the editorial said. "The solution is obvious. Forget those turnstiles and tokens." Read it here: http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_editorial?id=17634420