Murders

A Beaconite was disheartened to write about two suspected murders in two consecutive issues of the newspaper. Both men who were found dead seemed to be popular figures in the territory, and the Beaconite cannot imagine how it must feel for their friends and family to lose someone in such a grizzly manner. With the recent surge of coronavirus and the restrictive lockdown measures, there does seem to be a palpable edge in the air as people remain uncertain of when life will get back to normal and the economy will fully reopen. But nothing explains or excuses violence of any kind, and in this tense climate, it is even more important that residents treat one another kindly and compassionately. Anyone with knowledge of these suspected killings should contact Detective Inspector Vernon Larocque at 368-9809 or the Major Crime Investigation Team at 368-5682.

 

Recovery garden

A Beaconite moved to the Virgin Islands last December, so Sept. 6 was the first opportunity she had to observe the anniversary of Hurricane Irma. The reporter continues to be impressed by the tenacity of the community in pursuing recovery projects, even while “big picture” issues like the floundering United Kingdom loan agreement persist. The Beaconite is especially excited about her neighbour’s new garden. While trees including coconut and soursop that her grandfather originally planted were swept away by the destructive winds of Irma, the neighbour said she now plans to replant and rebuild the garden to its former glory. The Beaconite frequently sees her working day by day to make it better. She looks forward to seeing those trees one day bear fruit, and hopes badly needed public-sector repairs in the territory follow suit.

 

Curfew kudos

A Beaconite would like to commend the Ministry of Health and Social Development and the Deputy Governor’s Office for their prompt and courteous handling of the Beacon’s curfew passes. Initially, the staff’s passes were only valid until the end of the first curfew order, which lasted until Sept. 9. With the passing of a new curfew order, the Beacon staff reached out to ask if new passes were needed. They were told that new passes would be emailed, and that the current passes remained valid until the Sept. 9 expiration date. Sure enough, at around 6 p.m. on Sept. 6, the staff received their updated curfew passes. Of course, Beaconites have made sure to use the passes only when necessary, and only in the course of carrying out needed reporting as allowed by the rules.

 

Changes of heart

A Beaconite is surprised by the difference in reaction she has seen from the public in the current partial lockdown versus the original 24-hour lockdown in the spring. The first time around, most residents she spoke to praised the government for making tough decisions “for our own good,” hoping that the lockdown would somehow make the virus go away. Now, she’s seeing anger, frustration and outright desperation as people reach the end of their savings and the end of their patience, as many accept the knowledge that the virus is not “going away,” and express concerns that the government did not properly plan for that fact. She recognises that leaders have a very difficult job to do in the pandemic, and that they will receive plenty of criticism no matter how they handle the situation. But she also thinks it is a good thing that the people are questioning their decisions, as they should question every decision. Ultimately, the people are the government’s boss, not the other way around.