The World Wide Web
With the official launch of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court’s “e-litigation portal” this week, a Beaconite started thinking about all the other ways the Virgin Islands could go paperless. In 2018, it seems odd to praise the merits of the World Wide Web in bill paying, document sharing and so on — but nevertheless, she’ll proceed. Certain government departments — Labour and Immigration, for instance — would be much more efficient and cost-effective if residents could submit certain paperwork or information online instead of queuing for hours, or days, on end. The Beaconite hopes that government officials will follow the lead of the ECSC and look at making many more of their operations web-based — as some have promised to do as part of the hurricane recovery process.
Immigration advice
Now that a Beaconite has almost recovered from the trauma of her latest trip to the Immigration Department, she would like to gently urge the agency to please work harder to ensure that all employees are giving out the same information. The Beaconite knows enough to bring all potentially necessary documents with her. However, on the day of her appointment, she was just off the ferry from St. Thomas. Hoping not to have to stop back home unnecessarily, she called the department to find out whether her work permit renewal form and/or entry permit were needed. The employee who answered told her no: Her work permit card and passport would be sufficient. Most readers can probably guess what happened next: When the Beaconite arrived at the Immigration window, the officer there had the exact opposite idea. This prompted a frantic taxi ride to Cane Garden Bay and back to the tune of $60 in order to return before the appointment window closed. Amusingly, the driver guessed immediately that she was coming from Immigration. It seems he’d driven someone the previous week in exactly the same situation, suggesting that the Beaconite’s experience is not uncommon. However, it was especially maddening because she had done her due diligence in calling first, so the entire fiasco could have been avoided if she’d been given the correct information. To the department’s credit, at least they didn’t slam the door in her face when she returned.
Keeping the ghuts clean
Given the recent rains, which as usual during this season have been unpredictable and dangerous, a Beaconite believes that the territory needs to do a much better job of keeping ghuts and other drainage ways clear of rubble. Certainly, the government plays a very important role in this endeavour: It should be sending workers to clear the areas on a regular basis — a responsibility that seems to fall through the cracks too often. However, the wider community also needs to come on board. Too often, trash items large and small that are discarded on roadsides and in the bush wash straight into the ghuts at the first heavy rain. This is unconscionable. We hope that residents will begin to take more pride in the territory and properly dispose of their trash. And anyone who sees someone breaking the rules should consider filing a report with the police, who should enforce the laws prohibiting such behaviour. In the past, blocked drainage ways have been a major cause for the dangerous flooding in Road Town and other population centres.
Drive safely, please
A Beaconite has noticed that drivers seem to speed up in heavy rains. He’s not sure why, but he suspects they’re in a hurry to get home out of the foul weather. Whatever the reason, however, he urges them to slow down. The territory’s roads are dangerous enough when they are dry, and the rain creates slippery conditions that greatly increase the risk of an accident. And indeed, he has noticed that wrecks are much more common on wet days.