Dearest Virgin Islanders:
Today is a wonderful day! Today we announce and celebrate the formation of the United States Virgin Islands Coalition for Sustainable Economic Development, Inc. (VISED). This organization is a non-profit, charitable entity formulated to help develop a workable planning model for the coordinated development of economic policy for the territory. It is our goal to bring interested citizens, businesses, industry and community leaders together to seriously discuss and formulate a comprehensive plan for improvement and expansion of our economic base. We also want to ensure that the Virgin Islands people have a voice in discussions of Caribbean and Latin American economic policy issues. For far too long the Virgin Islands has been silent on the world stage.
Apolitical, our only aim is to get the Virgin Islands repositioned in a progressive direction. We must be poised to act quickly to combat unexpected incidences that negatively impact our tourism industry. We would like to expand and diversify our economic base. An example of this is the creation of a U.S. Virgin Islands Capital Market to attract investments. We would like our community and our governmental systems to be more business-friendly and accommodating of outside investment. We would like to work with our government officials to address the issues that are important to our membership and to offer the expertise that VISED can glean from the experts hired.
For any plan to work, all persons affected must buy into its viability. To accomplish this feat, we must address the social environment, the financial environment, the political environment, and the international commercial environment. Comprehensive economic planning will result in Government efficiency, economic expansion, greater avenues for employment, and hence a better standard of living for all island residents.
We live in an ever-more competitive world, fueled by the global marketplace and it's players that rival Goliath. To survive, we cannot continue to operate "as usual." If we sit back while the world is spinning at warp speed around us, we will justly deserve the name once hurled at us as being "the breadbasket of America." As a Frederiksted, St. Croix. native, and a proud Virgin Islander, I know we can do better. I trust that you too share our vision for improvement and will join us as we forge a path together for the betterment of these islands we truly love so dearly.

1.	To foster the formulation of economic policy for the United States Virgin Islands.
2.	To promote private sector led sustainable economic development initiatives in the territory and in the Caribbean region.
3.	To encourage association with non-independent territories and overseas countries in the Caribbean region to facilitate partnerships for prosperity in the region.
4.	To monitor, provide input and cultivate strategies to address the impact of free trade agreements on the economic development programs of the U.S. Virgin Islands, non-independent Caribbean territories, the Caribbean region at large, and Central and South America.
5.	To sponsor comprehensive plans, summits, conferences and workshops for efficient redress of community problems and Caribbean regional concerns.
6.	To accept any contribution, gift, bequest, or devise for the general purposes or for any special purpose of this Corporation.
7.	To make contracts and guarantees, incur liabilities, borrow money, and solicit grants and contributions from government, business and philanthropic organizations.
8.	To transact any lawful business that will aid in development and furtherance of governmental and private sector economic development policy.
9.	To make and amend bylaws, not inconsistent with the articles of incorporation or with the laws of the territory, for managing the business and regulating the affairs of the corporation.
10.	To conduct its business, locate offices and exercise the powers, the rights and the privileges accorded to charitable, non-profit corporations under the laws of the Virgin Islands of the United States

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