A stream of walkers dressed in bright yellow made its way from Queen Elizabeth II Park to Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park on the morning of Oct. 9. As …
Cabinet Briefs (Sept. 8, 2021)
Governor John Rankin chaired a Cabinet meeting Sept. 8 at the Financial Services Commission Conference Room in Pasea. All members were present, and Cabinet took the following actions, according to …
Eight-foot non-native boa found on Tortola
Only a few species of snakes are native to the Virgin Islands, and none of them are venomous or otherwise dangerous. But a rather unusual reptile — an eight-foot-long boa …
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Skelton-Cline dodges many COI questions
Government consultant and radio personality Claude Skelton-Cline initially refused to answer many of the Commission of Inquiry’s questions on Oct. 4 after claiming its probe was unfairly focusing on him …
HOA approves airport, seaport merger bill
The House of Assembly passed a bill on Sept. 23 to merge the territory’s airport and seaport authorities into a new statutory body responsible for border management. But Premier Andrew …
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HOA okays almost $50m in spending changes
While lawmakers were working recently to avoid pandemic-related deficit spending, they saw some “interesting things” in the budget because of spending that was not “mindful,” Premier Andrew Fahie said in …
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One weekend, 400-plus pounds of litter
With one 10-person team working along the road near the ocean and another working the hillside, volunteers set to work clearing all the litter in sight on Sept. 18 in …
Cabinet Briefs (Sept. 1, 2021)
Acting Governor David Archer Jr. chaired a Cabinet meeting on Sept. 1 at the Financial Services Commission’s Conference Room in Pasea in the absence of Governor John Rankin, who was …
Fraser dodges the blame for project in SCB
Opposition member Julian Fraser claimed on Sept. 16 to have limited knowledge of the unfinished Sea Cows Bay Harbour Development Project in his Third District, alternately blaming its many problems …
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Government blasted for ‘massive’ response on Covid grants
Though representatives for the Attorney General’s Chambers have repeatedly complained that the government lacks the time and resources to keep up with information requests from the Commission of Inquiry, Commissioner …
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COI probes SSB appointment process
The board of directors for the Social Security Board was mostly empty for about five months in early 2020, but leaders couldn’t offer a clear explanation for that fact last …
Leaders make personal pleas for vaccination
After imposing an hour and a half maximum time for each member of the House of Assembly to voice their concerns under personal business, Speaker of the House Julian Willock …
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SSB heads will continue to act
Over the course of two lengthy meetings, the House of Assembly determined that Jeanette Scatliffe-Boynes would continue to act as the director of the Social Security Board for a six-month …
Government, COI still arguing over information delays
The Commission of Inquiry into alleged government corruption continues to be frustrated by government’s delays in providing certain evidence, Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom said Monday as hearings restarted after a …
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Climate fund has never benefited from eco-levy
Less than two months after the Virgin Islands Party came to power in the February 2019 general election, all six private-sector members of the Climate Change Trust Fund board received …
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Cabinet Briefs (Aug. 18, 2021)
Governor John Rankin chaired a Cabinet meeting on Aug. 18 at the Financial Services Commission’s Conference Room in Pasea. All members were present, and Cabinet took the following actions, according …
Crackdown coming on illegal entry
Covid-19 continues to plague communities around the world, which government leaders said last week was a main motivator for passing harsher border-control legislation that could lead to a 10-year prison …
HOA looks to go green with tax cuts
In the interest of supporting green industries, members of the House of Assembly passed a resolution on Aug. 26 to add certain energy-based goods to the list of zero-tax items …
WE ferry terminal tender expected in 6 months
Close collaboration between residents and planners will be key to making sure the design of the new West End ferry terminal fits the community’s needs, residents said during an Aug. …
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Housing issues persist four years post-Irma
When Covid-19 hit early last year, many Virgin Islands residents were still living in homes that had not been fully repaired from the damage they sustained during hurricanes Irma and …
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Social Security Board directorship debated
If a pair of resolutions pass today in the House of Assembly, Jeanette Scatliffe-Boynes would continue to act as the director of the Social Security Board through the end of …
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Cabinet Briefs (Aug. 11, 2021)
Governor John Rankin chaired a virtual Cabinet meeting held Aug. 11. All members were present, with the exception of Transportation, Works and Utilities Minister Kye Rymer, who was overseas on …
Government legal fees exceed $3m in COI
Asked recently how much the government is paying the law firm Withersworldwide for representation during the ongoing Commission of Inquiry, Premier Andrew Fahie did not provide an exact figure. But …
Commission of Inquiry team returning to VI
After taking a month-long break from holding hearings, the United Kingdom’s Commission of Inquiry is set to resume the process early next month. Then-Governor Gus Jaspert announced the inquiry in …
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Premier refuses to provide Cabinet info
Opposition Leader Marlon Penn sought a comprehensive list of Cabinet decisions during a recent House of Assembly sitting, but Premier Andrew Fahie declined to provide it, first claiming that it …