Tax typo
Typographical errors are an inevitable part of writing, whether it’s a student essay, a court judgment or a newspaper article.
But the more important the document — for example, a “protocol made between the British Virgin Islands and the Kingdom of the Netherlands” that sets up an agreement for tax-information sharing — the larger the potential for trouble when a grammatical mistake is made. In this case, the mistakes were more embarrassing than troublesome: Former Premier Ralph O’Neal was referred to as “Prime Minister Ralph O’Neil.” Still, it’s probably not a good idea to get those details wrong. According to last week’s Gazette, the mistakes have since been corrected. The protocol was first inked in 2009, but tax information sharing agreements likely don’t have a lot of casual readers. One hopes, then, that few people noticed.
Scooter stopper
A Beaconite listening to several hours of legal arguments in High Court last week had a problem. The arguments were complex, the lawyers at times spoke softly, and the Beaconite had to sit far enough away that hearing the proceedings was difficult. And then the scooters started. Mid-afternoon two riders in particular began racing back and forth past the courthouse, drowning out the lawyers. After a few minutes, the presiding judge asked a lawyer from the Attorney General’s Chambers to call the Road Town Police Station. A few minutes later the Crown counsel left and re-entered the building, smiling.
“The most efficient traffic police is outside and is apparently handling the matter,” the lawyer said. She was referring to Glen Callwood, an officer sometimes known as “Supercop,” whose zealousness often evokes the public’s ire and admiration. The judge, hearing that the noise had stopped, was a fan. “I’m grateful for the accommodation; thank you very much,” she told Mr. Callwood.
Another ambassador
A Beaconite heard another tale of an everyday ambassador for Virgin Islands tourism recently. It seems the resident, who has lived and worked in the territory for some 30 years, assisted some cruise ship tourists in need. The family of visitors, a couple and their young child, had stopped in at a market in town to buy diapers, but on searching their pockets, discovered they didn’t have enough United States dollars to afford the $20 item. The VI resident bought the family’s diapers for them, saving them the need to walk back to the ship to change their child. The reporter is sure not everyone would be that generous, but she hopes that many would.
Rainy events
Beaconites attending outdoor events over the Easter weekend had to contend with mud and rain, but one reporter noticed that the showers have an interesting effect on crowds. As soon as rain begins to fall, residents and visitors alike suddenly become more friendly as limited sources of shelter are shared. A reporter in at the Darwin George Festiville observed as strangers who would normally stand arms-distance apart from each other got close enough to whisper. Umbrellas got shared, and those already well under a tent checked to make sure more recent arrivals were decently sheltered.
Remote-controlled fun
A Beaconite — who has a love for high speed and adrenaline, but fears danger — is thinking about saving up to start a new hobby: remote-control boat racing. He’s not quite sure how to get into the sport, but he found some helpful tips on floatways.com about how to beat the guys who are often seen racing their boats down at Brandywine Bay. The fastest type of RC boat is the “outrigger hydroplane,” according to website. “When set up correctly, they are capable of reaching speeds up to 115 mph” — just the type of harmless thrill-ride the Beaconite seeks! The article does, however, offer a warning: “At these speeds, though, one small mistake and you’ll turn your RC model boat back into a model kit within a split second.” On second thought, the Beaconite might start with a model sailboat and work his way up.
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