"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
As the Virgin Islands reopens its seaports to international arrivals this week, leaders should expedite plans for a system designed to ease entry requirements for anyone who has been vaccinated. …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Vaccine passports could help jump-start tourism”
Unsung heroes While covering a poetry reading recently, a Beaconite found one poem presented by a young writer particularly memorable. He commended waste disposal employees for the work they do …
It’s very commendable that many people, from the premier down, are encouraging reluctant folks to take the vaccine. However, it is not helpful to “threaten” that unused doses approaching their …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Vaccines, ferries, speeches draw scrutiny”
Last month Britain published two significant post-Brexit policy documents setting out its future thinking on foreign policy, defence, security and development. Both referenced in general terms the importance to the …
No fishy business A Beaconite has had fish on the brain. Recently she reported on the Blue Belt fish monitoring programme coming to the overseas territories; discussed proposed changes to …
Only a strong social democracy, not a trickledown capitalist model, will deliver for the Virgin Islands. It was small business and the working man that kept the VI economy alive …
What global role should a post-imperial, post-Brexit Britain play? Can it reinvent itself in a manner that convinces a population increasingly divided by education, age, race, location and inequality, let …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — UK’s post-Brexit plans analysed”
The government should explain in detail the circumstances that led to funeral-goers being exposed to Covid-19 last month in a potential super-spreader event even as the territory apparently jumped from …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Government should explain funeral case”
Register of interests A Beaconite was not impressed by legislators’ recent bragging about their commitment to transparency when they voted to make the Register of Interests available to the commission …
There is an old saying that you wait ages for a London bus and then two (or even three) come along at once. It is not an expression, as far …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Ideas offered for UK-Caribbean relations”
Strong and wholesome community is a great tool against adversity: That has been a lesson from the pandemic. The social, economic and physical health of the Virgin Islands community is …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Division seen as threat to VI”
The BVI Electricity Corporation owes the public an explanation. Starting in late 2019, the utility used a highly unusual tender process to choose a contractor to build a multimillion-dollar solar …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: BVIEC owes explanation on Anegada solar contract”
Kudos to the new Virgin Islands Youth Parliament for providing a shining example of the enlightened public dialogue the territory needs from its leaders. This month during the body’s first …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Youth Parliament set a splendid example”
‘Bloggers’ Online commenters on Virgin Islands news sites, colloquially known as “bloggers,” often find themselves under fire from politicians and the wider community. Comments that are trolling or offensive are …
In this era of social media, coronavirus and organisations such as Cambridge Analytica, we have come to a new understanding of the pervasiveness of fake news and its pernicious influence …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Gov’t criticised for putting out ‘fake history’ on Women’s Desk”
It’s good news that Royal Caribbean is restarting Celebrity cruises based on St. Marten. But before we get too excited, please note it is for a limited season from June …
For the Virgin Islands and other British overseas territories, the weapons of diplomacy, tact and negotiation are better options in moving towards self-determination than banging an anticolonial drum. Indeed, tact …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — VI urged to use diplomacy with UK”
Ridge Road closure On Sunday, a Beaconite was on his way to surf at Josiahs Bay when he encountered a red plastic barricade that stretched halfway across Ridge Road. There …
The most powerful institution on earth is the United States Federal Reserve. Here is why. Global financial stability from 2008 is owed to the power of central banks intervening at …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Central banks’ role analysed”
Dear Commissioner of Inquiry, As touching as this commission of inquiry might be, what do you see? What do you understand is taking place? Let me give you my observations. …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Open letter describes inquiry as hypocritical”
March 11 marked the first anniversary of the World Health Organisation’s declaration of the Covid-19 pandemic, which brought a year of extraordinary challenges for this territory and the rest of …
Shortly after the 2019 election, the government gave two communications consultants from abroad one-year contracts worth a total of $176,000, according to a document provided to the opposition in the …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Why hire communications consultants from abroad?”
Online and onward A Beaconite was glad to see a series of digital-focused bills make their way through the House of Assembly over the past week. One of her friends …
The ability to change in a changing world is a great human asset — and a mark of resilience and intelligence. However, change gets harder as we grow older. Assumptions …
So, the commission of inquiry is searching for information to verify, or not, the claim that there is corruption in the Virgin Islands. Who would be interested in providing this …
