New mother?
It seemed only appropriate that a leatherback turtle laid her eggs days before Mother’s Day last Thursday at Lambert Bay. The animals are known to return to the same beach where they were born to lay a clutch of eggs. The first time one Beaconite saw a leatherback turtle laying her eggs was at the same beach nine years ago. He wonders if it could possibly be the same turtle. In the future, more information will be available, because the turtle was tagged by a research team in the territory.
Permanent hold
A Beaconite experienced something for the first time Friday that is unfortunately not uncommon for his fellow reporters: what Beaconites call the infamous “permanent hold.” This occurs when a government official places a reporter on hold and never takes him or her off. The Beaconite called the Magistrates’ Court to inquire about several matters that were scheduled for that day but were adjourned, including the case of Dr. Nicholas Redhead for rape charges, John Creque for burglary charges, and a police officer for assault charges. A staff member answered his call and asked him to hold, and he assumed she was looking into his inquiries. But after half an hour, he was still on hold. Finally, at 3:30 p.m., the Beaconite hung up the phone because he knew the court would be closing. “Permanent holds are the worst,” said a fellow reporter when he explained the situation. The Beaconite understands that Magistrates’ Court staffers have to handle the scheduling and rescheduling of cases every week, but he didn’t appreciate not receiving a response. He thinks that since the Magistrates’ Court is required by law to be open to the public, community members should be able to easily ascertain when certain cases are to be held. Moreover, given the seriousness of the charges involved in the matters and the fact that one of the defendants is a government official, he thinks the public needs to know how the cases are proceeding.
Visitor
Last week, Dirk Nowitzki, a seven-foot-tall NBA basketball player, started popping up in The BVI Beacon’s Facebook feed. This was not because he was in the playoffs (he had just lost to the San Antonio Spurs in a seven-game series) but because he was supposedly on a fishing trip in the Virgin Islands, according to Facebook posts that included photos of the athlete posing with employees at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport. Beaconites are unsure if he caught any fish, but Mr. Nowitzki has led the Dallas Mavericks to 13 playoff appearances. In the recent loss, he faced Tim Duncan, of St. Croix, who scored eight points to Mr. Nowitzki’s nine. Beaconites wonder if Mr. Duncan told Mr. Nowitizki about the good fishing in the VI.
Rainy relaxation
A Beaconite noticed a common conversational theme amongst her friends and acquaintances following the weekend of rain: People were glad about it. Some said they stayed in and read, others cooked, and the Beaconite herself did a bit of spring cleaning while watching the BBC’s adaptation of Emma. This was not as thrilling as a day on the water or attending one of the now-postponed events, such as the Humane Society’s Gaming Night or the BVI Dance School’s fun day, but the reporter was glad to have a good excuse to stay in. She hopes readers stayed as safe and comfortable in the wet weather as she did.
Mango news
A Beaconite who enjoys eating locally grown mangos was amused last week by an article about a European Union ban on imports of the fruit from India. The ban was imposed after a large number of mango shipments were infested with fruit flies, according to the Associated Press. But it has had some sweet consequences for Indians. One of the most popular varieties, the Alphonso mango, is considered to be the “king of mangoes,” the news agency reported, but at $2.50 to $9 a kilogram it was unaffordable for most Indians. The ban means that a lot more Alphonsos are available for sale in India, dropping the average price to $2 to $3 per kilo or less, the AP reported. The newspaper Times of India celebrated the ban and price drop in an editorial. “Those jittery Europeans have taken fright at some fruit flies in our mango exports, flies which they fear will wreak havoc on their tomatoes and cucumbers. Imagine sacrificing the king of fruits for salad!” the newspaper wrote. A Beaconite wonders if the ban will affect mango prices here. And he’s anxious to try an Alphonso mango to see what the hype is about.
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