The economic hardships created by the Covid-19 crisis have prompted some desperate residents to put their money in illegal Ponzi and pyramid schemes that can promise as much as a …
Gov’t ignored 5 letters, BVICCHA says
Since the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association’s Business Task Force first met on March 19, the group has sent the government five letters with situation reports and recommendations …
Grants may not be as big as businesses request
Although she reiterated last week that “99.9 percent” of businesses that apply would qualify for the government’s recently launched $6.5 million grants programme, Junior Minister for Trade and Economic Development …
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Caribbean Airlines faces challenge to VI expansion
In recent months, Virgin Islands leaders have said that new flights proposed by the Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines likely would help ease the territory’s air access woes as regional airline LIAT …
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Virtual service reflects on emancipation
Though the annual Emancipation Service could not be held in person due to Covid-19 precautions, viewers who tuned in to a virtual version of the event last week still got …
Businesses can now apply for grants
According to Karia Christopher, director of the Department of Trade, Investment Promotion and Consumer Affairs, “99 percent of businesses that apply will qualify” for the government’s $6.5 million Small Business …
Discovering your own backyard
With borders tightly restricted due to the Covid-19 pandemic, now is a perfect time for a “staycation,” according to tourism-based businesses that have been promoting a variety of packages to …
UK singles out VI over company registers
The United Kingdom government singled out the Virgin Islands last week as the sole holdout among the inhabited UK overseas territories and Crown dependencies that has not committed to introducing …
$194k contract awarded for Great Mountain road
Government continued its recent series of infrastructure projects last Thursday, with Autland Heavy Equipment Company Limited awarded a contract for $194,065.08 from the Recovery and Development Agency for the first …
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Banks look beyond moratoriums
Last week, Republic Bank Managing Director Michelle Palmer-Keizer spoke to one of her customers, a small-business owner who had received a six-month moratorium on her bank loan. “She said, ‘I’m …
Airport report withheld from public
A taxpayer-funded report from an Atlanta-based consultant engaged in December to assess the future of air transportation in the Virgin Islands is “before the [BVI Airports Authority] board and not …
LIAT’s future still up in the air
As leaders of LIAT shareholder states struggle over the future of the beleaguered airline, BVI Airports Authority Chairman Bevis Sylvester has announced how the territory might fill the gap if …
Planning for hurricane season
As businesses ramp up preparations for the height of hurricane season, they need a plan, according to Kristi Creque, disaster management officer for the BVI Red Cross. This season, she …
West End terminal plans progressing
Government intends to use a portion of the $65 million Caribbean Development Bank recovery loan to build the long-awaited West End ferry terminal, and it is now seeking a consulting …
Experts weigh in on EU, Covid-19
The global Covid-19 crisis is slowing the ongoing implementation of “economic substance” rules that affect international financial centres, but this delay may result in a more considered strategy and rollout, …
Airport expansion in the works once again
During last year’s election campaign, now-Premier Andrew Fahie opposed the incumbents’ rush to extend the Beef Island runway following the government’s receipt of a $153 million bid from the China …
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Hospitality industry demands border info
With no confirmed date for the full reopening of the borders and no stated protocols in place for tourist arrivals in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, the approximately 140 …
Pandemic could cause rise in fraud cases in VI
The economic fallout from the Covid-19 crisis has sent businesses across the globe reeling — and fraudulent businesses are no exception, Virgin Islands based asset recovery lawyer Martin Kenney said …
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Digicel: US bankruptcy filing won’t impact operations
A Digicel Group affiliate has filed for Chapter 15 recognition in a federal bankruptcy court in New York, but company officials described the move as an administrative proceeding that won’t …
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Anegada Express launches new ferry from Road Town
On Tuesday Anegada Express launched a new, larger ferry that will operate four days a week between Road Town, Virgin Gorda’s Gun Creek, and Anegada. The vessel will run on …
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Caribbean islands prepare for tourism
When the doors of the Virgin Islands reopen to tourism, the territory’s leaders say, they intend to be ready. Some competing countries and territories in the region have announced plans …
How to communicate in a pandemic
Circumstances have changed dramatically for Virgin Islands businesses in recent weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some may have gone from encouraging employees to work from home to shutting down …
New EU rules to combat money laundering
In response to outcry from several countries, the European Commission published a new anti-money-laundering action plan this month and added 12 more countries to its AML blacklist. The addition of …
Government crypto partner declares closure, then quickly retracts
LIFELabs, a United Kingdom-based cryptocurrency company that partnered with the Virgin Islands government last year with plans to develop a digital currency known as BVI~LIFE, said last week that it …
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Caribbean e-commerce gets a boost from Covid
The coronavirus lockdowns have highlighted the Caribbean’s struggles to implement e-commerce solutions, but they have also presented an opportunity for innovation, according to a Zoom panel made up of owners …
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