The first six months of 2024 set a tourism record, bringing the most visitor arrivals of any first half in Virgin Islands history and causing Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley to express “delight” in the “historic performance” under his government. But the record was driven...
September 9, 2024
September 6, 2024
Virgin Gorda man dies after finding clinic closed
Early last year, a scathing report about the sister islands’ emergency medical services urged the government to staff both clinics on Virgin Gorda with a doctor 24 hours a day. That recommendation didn’t help Revovion “Bucky” Sprauve. Mr. Sprauve, 61, died on Friday evening shortly...
September 5, 2024
Virgin Gorda teen busted with ‘suspected’ AK-47
A 14-year-old on Virgin Gorda was arrested and charged after police found a “suspected” AK-47 assault rifle and a magazine containing 18 rounds of ammunition during one of several search operations carried out over the weekend, they said. The teenager’s arrest came on Friday, when...
September 5, 2024
Opposition tries no-confidence vote
Citing a lengthy list of grievances and accusing the premier of “incompetence,” the opposition attempted to topple the government with a vote of no-confidence on Tuesday in the House of Assembly. But the plan didn’t work — at least for now. Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande”...
September 4, 2024
12 bills laid days before COI deadline
Two days before the missed Saturday deadline for completing the sweeping reforms recommended by the Commission of Inquiry, the House of Assembly suspended its usual rules to introduce 12 bills. Six are designed to meet COI recommendations, including five proposed amendments that address statutory bodies...
September 4, 2024
HOA votes to reform public service
After returning from a closed-door committee session last Thursday, the House of Assembly passed a bill designed to bring sweeping changes to the public service as part of the ongoing reforms recommended by the Commission of Inquiry. The Public Service Management Bill 2024, which passed...
September 4, 2024
Tourist Board markets VI in Vegas
Tourism Director Clive McCoy led a Virgin Islands delegation to Las Vegas this month for an event hosted by Virtuoso, a global network of luxury travel agencies. During Virtuoso Travel Week from Aug. 10-16, the VI delegates held about 100 meetings with travel advisors, tour...
September 3, 2024
Businesses urged to prep for storms
With another three months of hurricane season stretching ahead, businesses in the territory have been warned to get their disaster plans up to speed. The call came as BVI Finance hosted an online session with the Department of Disaster Management, which also urged companies to...
September 3, 2024
Teachers prep for new school year
Classes haven’t yet resumed after the summer holiday, but public school teachers are already back at work. During a week-long “summer institute” this week, they are taking part in educational sessions with a focus on the laws governing education, the “changing climate of education,” and...
September 3, 2024
Cops donate to Guides, Scouts
In 2020, the Police Week Planning Committee decided to raffle a pickup truck as a fundraising project under the leadership of then-Deputy Police Commissioner Alwin James. An East End woman subsequently won the vehicle in a drawing on Dec. 24, 2020. Nearly four years later,...
September 3, 2024
The ‘hidden universe’ in ‘our BVI backyards’
With a recent doctorate degree in hand, an alumnus of H. Lavity Stoutt Community College is back in the Virgin Islands to share a new tool for viewing the tiny micro-organisms that live in the territory’s marine ecosystems. Dr. Loay Jabre, who earned an associate...
