"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
“I would say we have a lot to be proud of,” Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said during a recent press conference when asked about the upcoming fifth anniversary of …
Continue reading “VI has come a ‘long’ way with recovery, but some still struggling”
The Virgin Islands has transformed in the five years since it was devastated by Hurricane Irma on Sept. 6, 2017. Scroll down to compare scenes photographed shortly after Irma to …
Recovery and Development Agency CEO Anthony McMaster answered the Beacon’s questions about his agency’s progress with the recovery on Aug. 21. This interview was conducted, condensed and edited by Zarrin …
Continue reading “Recovery and Development Agency boss fields questions about recovery process”
To understand the Virgin Islands’ recovery five years after Hurricane Irma, consider Sopers Hole. The bay — which was devastated by the storm, with yachts turned topsy-turvy and buildings ripped …
Continue reading “Five years after Irma: Private sector leaves goverment far behind”
High demands. Limited resources. Declined revenue streams. Premier Andrew Fahie said that these problems have been slowing the government’s recovery from Hurricane Irma as the territory rings in the fourth …
Continue reading “Government’s Irma recovery still dragging”
When Hurricane Irma came for the Bitter End Yacht Club, it destroyed nearly 100 buildings across 64 acres. But that didn’t mean that all of the resort was lost, said …
Continue reading “Businesses still at forefront of building back”
When Covid-19 hit early last year, many Virgin Islands residents were still living in homes that had not been fully repaired from the damage they sustained during hurricanes Irma and …
Continue reading “Housing issues persist four years post-Irma”
When Hurricane Irma hit the territory three years ago, John Klein had been in the process of expanding his Jost Van Dyke property White Bay Villas. “The only reason we …
Three years after Hurricane Irma, successive governments’ failure to secure the needed level of recovery funding — which now could be doing much more to help the stalled economy through …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Covid is highlighting Irma recovery failures”
A recent uptick in cases of Covid-19 in the Virgin Islands meant that community members couldn’t host any sort of large gathering on Sunday to reflect on the past three …
Shortly after hurricanes Irma and Maria caused an estimated $572 million in damage to nearly 7,000 residential buildings across the territory, Virgin Islands leaders announced a plan to spend more …
As the Covid-19 crisis has decimated the economy in recent months, leaders have sought to counter the dismal outlook while rolling out more than $10 million worth of contracts under …
Continue reading “Underfunded hurricane recovery still dragging”
Connie Haines Barry lives in an island-inspired haven in Spooner, Wisconsin, a town in the United States with a population of about 2,600 people. A pineapple-themed welcome sign hangs above …
Continue reading “Where are they now? Irma survivors abroad share their journeys”
Dr. Virginia Rubaine had plans to travel on Sept. 7, 2017. But on Sept. 6, Hurricane Irma swept through the Virgin Islands, devastating homes, businesses and livelihoods, and dashing any …
Two years after Hurricane Irma, a walk through Road Town suggests that the biggest victory of the private sector also remains its greatest challenge: rebuilding. “Many of the businesses are …
Continue reading “Businesses take a lead in Hurricane Irma recovery”
For about 10 months before Hurricane Dorian brushed the Virgin Islands last week, Wendy Hendricks would wake up each morning in the tattered tent in which she was living near …
Continue reading “Two years after Irma, many still struggling”
In the weeks after Hurricane Irma, the recovery effort roared to life. With the help of funding and personnel from the United Kingdom and other partners, the Virgin Islands government …
Over the past five weeks, Recovery and Development Agency CEO Paul Bayly scheduled and cancelled three interviews with the Beacon before ultimately declining to speak at the reported request of …
This article originally appeared in the Beacon’s Sept. 6 “Irma Anniversary” edition. Though Irma’s destruction is still visible throughout Road Town, the capital’s new culinary choices don’t reflect the spartan lifestyle often …
Continue reading “Rooftop tapas, homegrown vegetables and brunch”
This article appeared in the Beacon’s “Irma Anniversary” special edition on Sept. 6. Sharleen DaBreo, the director of the Department of Disaster Management, is trained to think about all the …
Continue reading “In looking back at Irma, hindsight is 20/20”
Before volunteers started reconstructing Wonder Years Daycare & Preschool, there was essentially no upper floor left at all. “The roof was completely gone,” project manager Mitch Lederman said while giving …
Continue reading “‘Doing a little bit towards something big’”
This article originally appeared in the Beacon’s Sept. 6 “Irma Anniversary” edition. The team of people who once served as Virgin Gorda’s de facto government now have their headquarters in …
Continue reading “One year after Irma, Virgin Gorda fights to recover”
In White Bay, Jost Van Dyke, the boats are back. Seddy’s One Love, Gertrude’s Beach Bar, Coco Locos and Soggy Dollar regularly teem with charter guests sucking down painkillers and …
Continue reading “Boats back on Jost van Dyke, though challenges remain”
Road Town was devastated by Hurricane Irma, but the capital is building back in leaps and bounds. Scroll down to compare scenes captured shortly after Hurricane Irma to the same …
Continue reading “Irma, Then and Now: Photos from around Road Town”
