"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
The Virgin Islands Marine Safety Investigation and Reporting Authority is one of the territory’s youngest government agencies, but its early work suggests it could become one of the most important. …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: New marine safety agency will save lives if heeded”
A new friend A Beaconite recently spotted a Virgin Islands tree boa perched on a porch chair, coiling its speckled brown body between the wooden backing. The snake, whose scientific …
When I conducted the economic analysis for the UberSoca Cruise’s coming visit to the Virgin Islands, I realised something quietly profound: You can’t truly measure “impact” if nobody’s keeping count. …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — UNDP consultant explains soca cruise study”
Nuclear option After the second atomic bomb devastated Nagasaki in August 1945, Japanese Emperor Hirohito took to the radio waves to obliquely announce his country’s surrender in the most understated …
In September and October, the United States began to move powerful military assets into the Caribbean. The US Navy has been the spearhead of the US defence system since World …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Warning sounded over US Navy tactics”
Our hearts go out to Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba and the Dominican Republic as they grapple with the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. The full impact is still being tallied, but …
All aboard A Beaconite spotted a school bus the other day, prompting him to wonder why the Virgin Islands doesn’t have a better system of grown-up buses for grown-up people. …
As international relations become more unpredictable in an increasingly uncertain world, diplomacy will be even more critical to advancing the national interests of the Virgin Islands. It is the best …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Premier’s special envoy explains diplomacy efforts”
Thirty years ago, 186 countries met in Copenhagen for the first Social Summit for Social Development. The gathering was the largest meeting of world leaders ever at the time. By …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — UN labour agency pushes 2030 goals”
Every year, Heroes and Foreparents Day should be a big deal. The observance — created under the landmark 2021 public holiday reforms — is meant to honour the many people …
In recent months, Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley has rightly drawn increasing attention to the lingering problems associated with the Virgin Islands’ colonial history. If he is truly committed to confronting …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: HOA secrecy is a colonial relic that must end”
The premier’s new tune A Beaconite has learned that tunes change — especially in politics. But lately, the premier seems to be conducting a full orchestra of contradictions. When the …
When the Virgin Islands adopted its 2007 Constitution, it was celebrated as a proud step toward self-governance and maturity. Yet within that historic document was a quiet change that continues …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘How the 2007 Constitution redefined belonging’”
Mabel Wagner’s 2015 memoir Lest I Forget draws on her husband Captain Wladek Wagner’s business letters and meticulously kept logbooks, together with her personal diaries and correspondence, to describe how …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — The Wagners of Trellis Bay, Part 42”
Always visible, never reachable A Beaconite listened carefully when Financial Services and Economic Development Junior Minister Lorna Smith rose in the House of Assembly recently to lament that the civil …
Make no mistake. We are losing our sons. From 2005, a single statistic tells a sad tale. We have lost more than 80 young men to gun violence. Moreover, as …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Idea offered to keep youths off streets”
Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley deserves credit for his courage in breaking political taboos and opening a needed conversation about independence. His recent remarks at the United Nations — calling for …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: A bold step toward a needed conversation”
The House of Assembly currently faces no task more urgent than getting constitutional reform right. The decisions made in the coming months will shape the Virgin Islands’ future for generations, …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: In constitutional talks, transparency is crucial”
Beach bummer It’s time to talk about beach manners. A Beaconite was disturbed recently by cruise ship passengers who decided to bring their own, very loud, stereo to the sands …
The Virgin Islands has entered a new era of immigration policy, with sharply increased fees that took effect Oct. 1. The changes cover everything from belongership and residency applications to …
This series of commentaries follows Mabel Wagner’s 2015 memoir Lest I Forget. The book recounts Ms. Wagner’s work with her Polish husband Wladek Wagner to transform the remote, bush-covered Trellis …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — The Wagners of Trellis Bay, Part 41”
Trust is a foundation of good governance. But last month’s jaw-dropping revelation that House of Assembly members secretly doubled their own salaries has shaken that foundation once again. The facts …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Secret pay hikes are unacceptable”
Life’s a beach The Virgin Islands has got its tourism buzz back, according to Britain’s most famous newspaper, The Times. A Beaconite was heartened to see an expansive piece in …
Each year on Sept. 28, the global community marks the International Day for Universal Access to Information. This is not a symbolic date. It is a powerful reminder that democracy …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — UNESCO rep calls for info freedom across Caribbean”
It’s great to be back in the territory after a summer in England. I think. The premier and his deputy were on the plane with us, but their vehicle picked …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Airport arrival leaves traveller disgruntled”
