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Written by
FREEMAN ROGERS

February 15, 2021

North Sound admin building handed over on VG

The North Sound Administration Building on Virgin Gorda was handed over from the Recovery and Development Agency to Deputy Governor David Archer Jr. last week following the completion of repairs …

Continue reading “North Sound admin building handed over on VG”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
North Sound Administration Building
December 7, 2020

Confidential files left on ground at admin complex

Public officers’ employment records and bank account numbers were among the information included on hundreds of documents strewn on the ground around a dumpster at the Ralph T. O’Neal Administration …

Continue reading “Confidential files left on ground at admin complex”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
document spill
July 7, 2020

After wife’s Covid death, widower left with questions

When Deputy Premier Carvin Malone announced on April 16 that a patient at Dr. Orlando Smith Hospital had tested positive locally for Covid-19, he implied that she had waited too …

Continue reading “After wife’s Covid death, widower left with questions”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Maria and Lorenzo Vinuya
May 4, 2020

‘I think I had it’: After cruise-ship calls, negative Covid test raises doubts

A Tortola resident tested negative for Covid-19 last month, but she strongly suspects she had the disease because of the symptoms she and two co-workers suffered after interacting with passengers …

Continue reading “‘I think I had it’: After cruise-ship calls, negative Covid test raises doubts”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Costa Favolosa
March 13, 2020

Education reforms in the works, minister says

The government is planning various measures designed to engage stakeholders in wide-ranging education reforms, according to Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture Minister Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley. “I am …

Continue reading “Education reforms in the works, minister says”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Sports day
December 23, 2019

Slow progress at climate talks bodes ill for Virgin Islands

MADRID — No Virgin Islands delegation took part in the negotiations at the United Nations Climate Change Conference this month in Madrid, but decisions made as the fractious two-week meeting …

Continue reading “Slow progress at climate talks bodes ill for Virgin Islands”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
COP25 protests
December 17, 2019

EDITORIAL: COP25 a call to climate action

As a few large countries delayed needed action at the United Nations Climate Change Conference this month in Spain, people are dying from storms, rising sea levels, droughts and other …

Continue reading “EDITORIAL: COP25 a call to climate action”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
COP 25
November 29, 2019

Public holiday declared for day of first premier’s funeral

The day of former Premier Ralph O’Neal’s funeral will be a public holiday, according to a proclamation by acting Governor David Archer Jr.  published in the government’s Gazette on Friday. …

Continue reading “Public holiday declared for day of first premier’s funeral”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Ralph O'Neal
November 29, 2019

Taste of Virgin Gorda draws more than 300 people

As Virgin Islands chef Ariq Flax-Clarke garnished samples of coconut-flavoured risotto with micro-greens during Taste of Virgin Gorda on Saturday night, emcee Angelle Cameron narrated with the help of a …

Continue reading “Taste of Virgin Gorda draws more than 300 people”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Pork tacos
November 15, 2019

Food Fete continues on Scrub, Tortola

The BVI Food Fete officially got under way last Thursday night at the Scrub Island Resort and Spa, where Virgin Islands chefs served plates at the Gourmet Soiree. The event …

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by FREEMAN ROGERS
October 7, 2019

Incinerator part still not shipped, but repairs ‘nearing completion’

Electricity has been restored to the incinerator at Pockwood Pond, and repairs are “nearing completion” even though a needed part still has not been shipped from the United States, government …

Continue reading “Incinerator part still not shipped, but repairs ‘nearing completion’”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Pockwood Pond
August 28, 2019

In surprise, Dorian brushes VI, but no major damage reported

As of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, forecasters were expecting the centre of Tropical Storm Dorian to pass well to the south of the Virgin Islands, buffeting Puerto Rico and possibly …

Continue reading “In surprise, Dorian brushes VI, but no major damage reported”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Dorian delta flooding
July 31, 2019

The official toll is 4, but Irma likely killed more than 30

Jared Lettsome, a friendly 30-year-old with Down syndrome, survived Hurricane Irma huddled in a closet with his family as the wind blew the roof off their East End home. Sixteen …

Continue reading “The official toll is 4, but Irma likely killed more than 30”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Irma deaths line graph
June 28, 2019

Contract for incinerator parts not yet signed

The government plans to distribute facemasks and to reduce the smoke coming from the Pockwood Pond landfill, but the parts needed to repair the non-functional incinerator there still have not …

Continue reading “Contract for incinerator parts not yet signed”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Pockwood Pond
June 27, 2019

Speaker mum on why he dropped Vanterpool appeal

The day after public urging from Premier Andrew Fahie, Speaker of the House Julian Willock last week dropped his appeal against a High Court order to swear in Mark Vanterpool …

Continue reading “Speaker mum on why he dropped Vanterpool appeal”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
May 15, 2019

How to be carbon neutral: A Q&A with Bhutan’s former prime minister

The Virgin Islands’ Recovery to Development Plan promises to make the territory “near carbon neutral.” But what does that mean exactly, and how would it get done? The Beacon recently …

Continue reading “How to be carbon neutral: A Q&A with Bhutan’s former prime minister”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Bhutan
March 18, 2019

EDITORIAL: Campaign finance reform should come by next election

Imagine that a foreign billionaire wants to influence a Virgin Islands election because of a lucrative investment opportunity he wishes to make in the territory. To do so, he secretly …

Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Campaign finance reform should come by next election”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
March 12, 2019

Shore fix in Cane unlikely to last, experts say

About a month ago, excavations began along the beach in the north end of Cane Garden Bay as part of a government project designed to protect a shoreline that slips …

Continue reading “Shore fix in Cane unlikely to last, experts say”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Cane gabion baskets
February 4, 2019

Police respond to ESHS, but tight-lipped on ‘disturbance’

Police officers responded to the temporary Elmore Stoutt High School in Pasea after a “disturbance” there on Monday morning, according to Police Information Officer Diane Drayton. In a two-sentence statement …

Continue reading “Police respond to ESHS, but tight-lipped on ‘disturbance’”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Cop at ESHS
January 31, 2019

RAA won’t field candidates, but pledges to be ‘watchdog’

The recently formed Reform Action Alliance announced on Monday that it won’t field at-large election candidates as originally planned. Instead, it will focus on serving as a “non-partisan watchdog for …

Continue reading “RAA won’t field candidates, but pledges to be ‘watchdog’”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
January 28, 2019

Technically, pier project ‘audit’ was not an audit

During a press conference on Jan. 21, 2016, Premier Dr. Orlando Smith promised to commission an audit into the cruise pier project, which had given rise to allegations of impropriety …

Continue reading “Technically, pier project ‘audit’ was not an audit”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Pier park
January 18, 2019

RAA calls for ‘overdue’ laws, election reforms

The recently launched Reform Action Alliance issued a call last Thursday for a raft of laws that it claims are long overdue in fostering good governance, transparency, environmental protection, consumer …

Continue reading “RAA calls for ‘overdue’ laws, election reforms”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
January 14, 2019

SOL unseats Delta to win BVIEC fuel contract worth some $35-40m

After about 14 years of using Delta Petroleum as its primary fuel provider, the BVI Electricity Corporation has awarded SOL St. Lucia Limited a contract to provide fuel for Tortola’s …

Continue reading “SOL unseats Delta to win BVIEC fuel contract worth some $35-40m”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
BVIEC contract signing
January 10, 2019

Safari bus burns on Joes Hill, but no one injured

A safari bus carrying 13 tourists caught fire on Tuesday near the top of Joes Hill road, but officials said the passengers were quickly evacuated and no one was injured. …

Continue reading “Safari bus burns on Joes Hill, but no one injured”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
January 2, 2019

As eco-law delayed, mangroves and wetlands left exposed

Government officials recently threatened to fine a South African businessman who removed a large swath of mangroves and other vegetation from the Paraquita Bay lagoon as part of efforts to …

Continue reading “As eco-law delayed, mangroves and wetlands left exposed”

by FREEMAN ROGERS
Paraquita Bay lagoon

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