"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
Smart politicians pay heed to early disenchantment from voters. Why? Because to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Voter grumbling and voter discontentment at specific matters usually mark the beginning …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Gov’t warned of early grumbling”
Ban the ban? The Virgin Islands is among a dwindling number of countries and territories worldwide that continue to ban alcohol sales during Good Friday. Last year, after much …
So we are to get a third reincarnation of the “litter wardens.” What happened to the previous two times they were appointed? Were they paid? Are they still being paid? …
Continue reading “Commentary — ESHS, other projects scrutinised”
Once a government has decided upon its short-, medium- and long-term strategy, leading to realisation of a national vision, economics is the tool and vehicle to get the territory to …
Continue reading “Commentary — Call made for national vision”
We don’t understand why the government should pay Claude Skelton-Cline’s consulting firm $98,000 for six months of work that the public service should be doing. But now that leaders have …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Government should avoid consultant fever”
Hearing hearing A Beaconite had the privilege of attending the High Court hearing held last week to determine the legality of Mark Vanterpool’s resignation from the Fourth District. As she …
The world’s first formal stock exchange was established in Amsterdam in the early 1600s. The two major companies listed on it were the Dutch East India Company (founded in 1602) …
Continue reading “Commentary — ‘A contrarian view of independence’”
Brexit was never sustainable. Why? Because it was an act of political expediency by former United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron to appease the right wing of Britain’s Conservative Party, …
It is nice to know that the Water and Sewerage Department building will soon be restored. I wonder if the WSD director and the new minister of transportation, works and …
Continue reading “Commentary — Incinerator, other issues spark concern”
The newly planted flowers and trees along the James Walter Francis Drive demonstrate that relatively minor improvements can go a long way toward beautifying Road Town and other population centres …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Trees, flowers go a long way in Road Town”
Bush whacking A Beaconite was fortunate enough to travel to Guana Island this week with scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, exploring and identifying native plant species. The …
To hear that the festival finances are already $300,000 in the red is not really a surprise. Vendors and suppliers have continually complained that they don’t get paid. Successive governments …
In terms of value for money, investment in the West End ferry terminal is the most critical tourism and seaport investment the Virgin Islands can make right now. Investment in …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — WE ferry dock seen as crucial”
Congratulations to our newly elected members in the Virgin Islands House of Assembly, and God’s blessings throughout your term. The campaigning was quite short. As a result, many candidates did …
Moves towards e-government are welcome but overdue in an economy dependent on telecommunications to make its tourist product and financial services industry more attractive and efficient. We might emulate Estonia’s …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Ideas offered for e-gov’t, telecoms”
It is good to hear that the new government is moving ahead with longstanding plans to streamline labour and immigration processes by implementing an automated electronic system. This time around, …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Labour, immigration reform should be easy win”
More than a year and a half after Hurricane Irma, it was extremely disheartening to learn recently that the previous government had not sent the United Kingdom the information necessary …
Work permits A Beaconite has experienced plenty of frustrations while sitting in the Labour and Immigration offices when she could have been at work. She is not the only one. …
Talk show host Claude Skelton-Cline knows perfectly well why the British government imposed the Recovery and Development Agency on us. Just one reason. Successive governments here have shown themselves to …
We in the Virgin Islands have been talking a lot about diversifying our economy. We have spoken about diversifying our financial services pillar and enhancing and diversifying our tourism pillar. …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Food seen as third economic pillar”
Events over the last few weeks have strengthened the case for implementing the remaining recommendations of the observers’ report on the 2015 general election, most of which are expected to …
Continue reading “LETTER — Call for election reform repeated”
The recent victory of the Virgin Islands Party in the Feb. 25 general election could be viewed as a spectacular political achievement. Much of this success is to be attributed …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — VIP election victory impresses”
On March 23 Virgin Islands News Online published a bizarrely vicious attack against The BVI Beacon and our reporter Genevieve Glatsky, making outlandish false claims under the guise of an …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Bullying won’t silence the Beacon”
Veggie woes A vegetarian Beaconite has struggled to make affordable and healthy(ish) food choices when faced with import taxes on a journalist’s salary. Thus, she often finds herself compulsively checking …
Being a commonwealth or territory is permanent second-class status. – United States Senator Chris Murphy (D – Connecticut) A certain Clematius, a man of senatorial rank, who seems …