And the law won…

A Beaconite who spends a lot of time in court would like to offer a small but valuable piece of advice to all the drivers in the territory: If you get pulled over for a traffic-related offence, be polite and cooperate with the officers.

It appears that a surprising number of people think attacking or threatening a cop is a wiser course of action. But the punishment for many traffic-related offences, such as speeding or not wearing a helmet, will likely be a fine. On the other hand, physically or verbally attacking a police officer may very well land you in prison. So the Beaconite would like to advise drivers who hear a siren to pull over and calmly take a ticket.

Opposition reader

A Beaconite listened happily when Opposition Leader Andrew Fahie referenced a Beacon article about BVI Airways in the House of Assembly last Thursday — the same day the article was published. The article was about BVI Airways — which has received more than $7 million from government to begin direct flights between here and Miami — leasing one of its jets to a Haiti-based airline that’s using the plane to make flights between Cuba and Haiti. Mr. Fahie referenced the Beaconite’s article when he made the point that BVI Airways is profiting off of the taxpayer subsidy even though it has not fulfilled its agreement with government yet. Regardless of what the Beaconite thinks about Mr. Fahie’s point, he’s glad that the opposition leader is paying close attention to this newspaper, and thinks it would be wise for other legislators to do the same.

Work permit fees

A Beaconite thinks the latest confusion regarding work permit fees is a disheartening example of government disorganisation and lethargy. While the Beaconite acknowledges that seeking alternative revenue measures and re-examining a system that’s been the same since 1981 are both smart things to do, he believes such measures requires rigorous and open dialogue with the public. Instead, residents have been kept in the dark, drip-fed a bit of random information here and there, and left with no way of knowing what will come about. Last month, Deputy Premier Dr. Kedrick Pickering described a new fee system with some dramatic increases for high earners. He said it was scheduled for implementation on May 15. That date, however, passed with no word on the new system’s timeline. A huge number of businesses in the territory rely at least partially on expatriate workers, and they all have been stuck wondering what is going to happen next and how to plan. Despite this reality, government officials declined to comment on the issue, other than to say the equivalent of “Wait and see!” Anyone who listens to House of Assembly sittings on the radio has heard lawmakers chatter circuitously for hours in their chamber about wanting to improve the territory’s finances. Stable economies, however, are built on stable leadership.

Louie’s mule

For the past 10 years, a Beaconite has covered numerous events focused on Virgin Islands culture. She’s heard many fungi songs, eaten coconut bread, danced with the BVI Heritage Dancers, and sat for lunch with seniors. Needless to say, she now has a wealth of knowledge on the topic. In fact, she was named “Janet Dawson” by a senior citizen who thought she looked the part. But all her knowledge was tested on Saturday during the Incredible Race. One of the clues in the competition asked participants to find “Louie’s Mule.” Immediately, she remembered former legislator and historian Elmore Stoutt talking about this mule. But it took her nearly 10 more minutes to remember the mule being mentioned in a fungi song set in Brewers Bay. She told her teammates, and they rushed to the bay immediately, thus staying in the competition for a little longer.

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