CAPTAIN MORGAN RUM deal an Economic Turning Point, Governor Says   
    
   July 24, 2008 -- The signing into law of a 30-year agreement between the government and beer, wine and spirits giant Diageo PLC for the construction of a new Captain Morgan rum distillery on St. Croix signals "an historic turning point in economic opportunities" for the territory's residents, Gov. John deJongh Jr. wrote Thursday.
  
     The agreement with Diageo will bring approximately $2.9 billion in new excise-tax revenues into the government's coffers throughout the life of the agreement, deJongh said Thursday. Rum production is expected to start in 2012, with the distillery producing an average of 20 million-proof gallons each year.
    
     The federal government currently collects $13.50 in excise taxes on each proof gallon of V.I. produced rum sold throughout the mainland. Of that amount, $13.25 is remitted to the V.I. government.
    
     Captain Morgan is the number two rum in the world, with sales of more than 7.5 million                       cases a year. Diageo, headquartered in the UK, owns Guinness, Johnny Walker, J&B,                                 Smirnoff, Tanqueray and Jose Cuervo, in addition to Captain Morgan.

JULY 24, 2008
Cruise Ships Will Make Regular Calls on St. Croix in 2009        by Pamela Reid Bussard

     April 22, 2008 -- After years of being passed by thousands of revenue-bearing cruise ships, St. Croix is back on the itinerary for cruise-ship calls.
     Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has included St. Croix on the itineraries of two of its large ships, Gov. John DeJongh Jr. announced Tuesday afternoon. Both the Adventure of the Seas and the Serenade of the Seas will call at St. Croix starting in 2009.
     The ships will call year round, bringing more than 5,000 tourists to St. Croix every two weeks. 

Cruise Drought Ends With 48 Ships coming in 2009 - by Bill Kossler

   Aug. 17, 2008 -- After a drought of several years and 3 ships scheduled for all of 2008, 48 ships have requested berthing in St. Croix in 2009.
    Based on the berthing requests, next year's arrivals will represent a total of 121,768 passengers to the island of St. Croix.
     The news comes following months of dialogue between the major cruise lines and the territory's Cruise Ship Working Group established by Gov. John deJongh Jr.

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