Happy birthday, Beacon
Following a difficult year that saw the Beacon continue reporting during and after Hurricane Irma, the newspaper celebrates its 34th birthday today. The Beacon’s first issue, on June 7, 1984, was a 12-page black-and-white edition composed on a single electric typewriter in the building that later housed The Dove restaurant. Today, the Beacon routinely exceeds 50 pages, it includes colour every week, and it has recently launched a revamped website that includes multimedia and other special features. Though Beaconites are still working out of Oyster Global Marketing in Pasea while their former office at Russell Hill undergoes repairs, they likely will move back within the coming months. They thank readers and advertisers for all their support throughout the years.
Non-transparent Trade
A Beaconite was dismayed to be turned away from the “e-commerce” training seminar hosted last week by the Department of Trade, Investment Promotion and Consumer Affairs. He wanted to cover the event and interview small business owners and professionals in the territory striving to modernise their operations, which seemed like a reasonable hope. The story, he expected, would reflect well on the department as well as the participants. When he got there, however, he was turned away without explanation — a decision he was told was made via order from DTIPCA Director Karia Christopher. Over the years, Ms. Christopher and Deputy Director Maxwell George have run one of the least transparent departments in government, consistently declining interview requests and refusing to provide government documents of public interest. Last year, they even refused to show the Beaconite the business centre they had reportedly opened up for struggling proprietors in the wake of the storms. The Beaconite hopes Ms. Christopher and Mr. George evolve soon and take a more modern approach to governance, because unnecessary secrecy in a department as important as theirs is a grave concern indeed — particularly at a time when the public has been promised “government in the sunshine.”
Entrepreneurship
At the launch of non-profit organisation BVI Restoration Foundation last week, several entrepreneurs from around the territory got a chance to be recognised. The event was intended to announce the creation of the foundation, but — as perhaps was the real intent — the spotlight was on the business owners themselves. Kristen Frazer started her own swimwear line with inspiration taken from the islands, Alexandra Durante creates natural products with local ingredients, and Akeem Leonard incorporates recycled glass into handmade items like countertops and floors. All three entrepreneurs (and countless others not at the event) have had their fair share of setbacks after Irma, but many have been able to rebound not even a year later. A Beaconite applauds entrepreneurs and their ability not only to start their own businesses, but to continue to grow them even after a natural disaster.
Storm ready?
Hurricane season has officially begun, and that means a Beaconite could soon be back where she began her journey in the Virgin Islands: fearing for her life. All kidding aside, other than a new flashlight she picked up for $1.99 at Rite Way, she has done little hurricane prep so far. Whether that means she didn’t learn her lesson the first time around, or trusts the solid construction of the building she now calls home (which emerged from Irma virtually unscathed), or is simply taking a fatalistic view toward the whole thing, she can’t say. But one thing is for sure: If the radar at any point does show a hurricane approaching, she will not be jumping on the first plane off the island, as many others may be planning to do in that scenario. She has already been hurricane-tested and approved.