With all due respect and taking into consideration the Beacon’s delicate position as the territory’s leading print media outlet, I nevertheless permit myself to raise objections to the benevolence of last week’s editorial, “Online entry system hints at e-government promise.”
Your lenient comments concerning the introduction of the new online entry system are entirely opposed to my experiences.
In fact, the general attitude of the government toward tourism (with the exception of cruise ship tourism, probably due to vested interests) has steadily declined. My wife and I have visited the Virgin Islands almost every year since 1992, and we feel less and less welcome.
We are currently on a six-week trip to Tortola and Virgin Gorda, and our hurdles started before we even arrived. On Jan. 3 at the Miami airport, American Airlines at first refused to allow us boarding because of missing e-immigration confirmation. As the last passengers on board (after more than an hour of pleading), we were handed paper entry forms with no comment.
Border procedure
There was more to come upon arrival. Contrary to the procedure in 2024, the border official refused our request for a six-week entry stamp despite our explanation that we had paid $6,500 of hotel and villa taxes to the government in advance. One officer was not even ready to have a look at our documents. Another officer told my wife, “I know your face,” and instructed her not to request more than 30 days as we had done last year.
She even suggested that we go to St. John at the end of our 30 days and come back, as we were not ready to undergo the humiliation of extending our immigration time in Road Town as we have done in the past (thereby wasting eight hours of our vacation).
Instead, we renewed our time last week at the less-crowded Immigration Department offices in Virgin Gorda. This process was comparatively fast, taking about 25 minutes, although it apparently took three employees to process our request: two at the two counters and presumably one in the back office.
Additionally, there were no humiliating or offensive questions, and our Rosewood Little Dix Bay reservation was accepted as justification for the extension. At the end of the process, we were politely told to enjoy our stay.
Taxes paid
We read in your paper that the present premier is also responsible for tourism. At the time of Chief Minister H. Lavity Stoutt, the hotel and villa tax was seven percent. The present government demands 10 percent but makes us feel less welcome.
In addition, the government has continued to collect the environmental levy, but we have had to inhale obnoxious fumes from Pockwood Pond many nights during past stays (this year has been a pleasant exception so far).
We hope that you may reach out to some responsible people in the territory who might improve the situation.