Running smoothly
The official observers may be gone by now, but Beaconites, who were also observing the election, have a few things to share. Overall, the election seemed to go very smoothly. Elections officers, poll workers and police were helpful and professional, and kept their stations in order. Ballot counting was open and transparent, and in most cases was completed about as quickly as it could be. Government Information Services worked together with the Elections Office to plan the evening, and was proactive in making sure that reporters and the public understood what to expect beforehand, and knew the results as they were counted throughout the evening. There were a few minor hitches, however. In two polling places, the security officers were a bit overzealous in their enforcement and told reporters that they weren’t allowed within 100 feet of the polling place, when in fact the rule is that no campaigning or intimidation can take place in that space, but talking to voters is allowed. In another apparent misunderstanding, one Beaconite heard a radio reporter say on air that she was told she was not allowed to report the elections results as they were being counted. On the whole, however, the media appeared to succeed in reporting on the elections thoroughly and quickly with the able assistance of various officials.
Library cards
A Beaconite visiting the public library in Road Town last week was excited to learn the library is phasing out the system where index cards, too big to fit in a wallet, are used to check out books. When he went to the circulation desk, he was issued a new plastic library card, with his name and picture. Circulation information is logged in a computer database and, he learned, library patrons can now search the library catalogue at http://www.library.gov.vg/. In the future, users will be able to reserve and renew books online, too, he was told, and the new card system is scheduled to have its official launch before the end of the year.
Not a joiner
A Beaconite was taking photos of the political motorcades in Road Town this weekend when she got an unexpected invitation. A man who was leaning out the window of a vehicle decorated with balloons and posters in party colours, called out to her: “Hey! You should come with us! Come on!” As much as the reporter would like to experience a Tortola-wide motorcade, she declined the invitation, since it might lead onlookers to believe she would slant coverage to help that party. Besides, she’s pretty sure the man didn’t know he was inviting a journalist, and he probably wouldn’t want to be subjected to an interview as long as the motorcade.
Wrong dealer
A Beaconite had an interesting conversation with police officers outside the Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall on Monday night as they waited for votes to be counted. The Beaconite knows many police officers from covering stories in court, but he was taken aback by one of the officer’s statements. “I saw you dealing on Saturday,” the officer said. The Beaconite was a little confused as to what crime he was being accused of committing, until he realised that the officer sat at his blackjack table on Saturday during the BVI Humane Society’s annual Gaming Night.
Lost and found
Reporters often get strange phone calls. But when the Charter Yacht Society called yesterday morning to report that “Inflatable Judy” had been taken from the group’s display, a Beaconite knew it was going to be an interesting day. The five-foot-tall blowup doll was dressed in an apron and a “dining on deck” T-shirt, to advertise the group’s new cookbook. Someone stole the doll in the middle of the night, but a reader of the Beacon’s Facebook page called the newspaper to say that “Judy” had been found. The reader even dropped off the doll at the paper, so the Beaconite returned her to her friends at the CYS.