During the eye of Hurricane Irma on Sept. 6, 2017, senior government officials in charge of the disaster response were forced to evacuate the very building that was supposed to …
September 7, 2023
September 7, 2023
Six years later, residents remember
The past six years have dealt some serious blows to the Virgin Islands community as residents worked to rebuild from hurricanes Irma and Maria, then had to deal with the …
September 9, 2022
VI has come a ‘long’ way with recovery, but some still struggling
“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 …
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September 6, 2022
Irma, then and now: Five years later
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 …
September 5, 2022
Recovery and Development Agency boss fields questions about recovery process
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 …
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September 5, 2022
Five years after Irma: Private sector leaves goverment far behind
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 …
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September 6, 2021
Government’s Irma recovery still dragging
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 …
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September 6, 2021
Businesses still at forefront of building back
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 …
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September 2, 2021
Housing issues persist four years post-Irma
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 …
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September 14, 2020
Covid curbs booming business recovery
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 …
September 14, 2020
EDITORIAL: Covid is highlighting Irma recovery failures
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 …
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September 13, 2020
Remembering Irma in the Covid age
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 …
September 13, 2020
Hundreds left out of housing programme
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 …
September 11, 2020
Underfunded hurricane recovery still dragging
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 …
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February 4, 2020
Where are they now? Irma survivors abroad share their journeys
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 …
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September 16, 2019
Irma’s mental health issues linger
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 …
September 11, 2019
Businesses take a lead in Hurricane Irma recovery
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 …
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September 11, 2019
Two years after Irma, many still struggling
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 …
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September 9, 2019
Gov’t recovery drags amid funding woes
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 …
September 9, 2019
Premier’s Office silences RDA CEO
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 …
September 6, 2019
October 4, 2018
Rooftop tapas, homegrown vegetables and brunch
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 …
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October 4, 2018
In looking back at Irma, hindsight is 20/20
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 …
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September 26, 2018
‘Doing a little bit towards something big’
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 …
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September 26, 2018
One year after Irma, Virgin Gorda fights to recover
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 …
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