STATEMENT OF THE

ST. CROIX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

TO THE COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION

IN SUPPORT OF

DIAGEO USVI AND THE

PROPOSED CAPTAIN MORGAN RUM DISTILLERY

March 18, 2009

Good Evening.

I am Omer ErSelcuk, chairman of the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce. I would like to thank the members of the Coastal Zone Management Commission for this opportunity to express our support for this vitally important venture for St. Croix’s economic future and its citizens.

Speaking on behalf of our Board of Directors and our 325 members, the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce respectfully urges the Coastal Zone Management Commission to approve the necessary permits to enable Diageo USVI to construct and operate its planned distillery for Captain Morgan Rum in Estate Annaberg and Shannon Grove.

At a time when our tourism industry is suffering a deepening decline and our unemployment rate is on the rise, the proposed Captain Morgan Rum distillery offers us a golden opportunity to diversify our economic base and stimulate our stagnant economy.

Construction of the distillery over the next 16 to 18 months alone will represent an investment of approximately $160 million by Diageo USVI into St. Croix’s economy -- generating jobs and income for hundreds of construction workers, crafts people, suppliers, service providers and their families during a period when other local businesses are expected to be cutting their payrolls and curtailing production because of the worldwide economic crisis.

Once construction is complete, the Captain Morgan Rum distillery promises to create between 40 and 70 permanent jobs on-site for our local citizens. It also will contribute to the creation of hundreds of jobs through spin-off business and support services, ranging from landscaping services to office supplies to information technology support, and generate millions of dollars in new income for our local businesses and their employees.

Even for those who do not directly benefit through jobs or contracts with the Captain Morgan Rum distillery, all of the citizens of St. Croix will share in the economic benefits it brings to St. Croix through the tax revenues that it will generate for the Virgin Islands Government. These tax revenues of approximately $100 million a year over the next 30 years will enable our governing officials to improve our schools, our roads, our health care, our police and fire protection and other public services and infrastructure while lessening the tax burden on our local citizens.

The planned Captain Morgan Rum distillery will bring all of these benefits to St. Croix with minimal environmental impacts. The site of the planned distillery is within the St. Croix Renaissance Park, which already has been set aside for industrial development. There will be no floodplains or wetlands affected. The wash water from the distillation process will be contained within a closed loop systems and be fully recycled. There will be no process water discharge into the Caribbean Sea and bio-waste will be used to generate gas to fire the distillery’s boilers.

Finally, the presence of such an internationally respected company as Diageo will send a positive message to other companies and investors throughout the world that St. Croix is an ideal location for their relocating or expanding business.

I respectfully ask that the members of the Coastal Management Commission approve without delay all of the necessary permits for construction and operation of the Captain Morgan Rum distillery on St. Croix.

Thank You,