Price increase For the first time in nearly two decades, readers will notice that the price of the Beacon has gone up, from 50 cents to $1. The last increase …
COMMENTARY — A recovery plan response, part two
The following are more suggestions for the territory’s Recovery and Development Plan. Regarding the $80.14 million to be spent on health and social services, a detailed cost estimate should be …
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POEM — Immigration
Its 3:40 a.m. and my alarm starts to beep. I carefully rise, and silently creep Out of the door to the thick of the night, Negotiating potholes on the sleepy …
COMMENTARY — A recovery plan response, part one
It is with great interest and concern that I provide my views on the proposed Recovery and Development Plan for the territory that I love and cherish. I have examined …
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COMMENTARY — Pockwood Pond: Writer walks to town and back
Living on a hill at Pockwood Pond since the September hurricanes has been very trying but sometimes a good experience. During the weeks after Hurricane Irma, which destroyed my van, …
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EDITORIAL — Public service reform more urgent post-Irma
We were glad to hear the premier and governor promise that the hurricane recovery effort will include substantive public service reform. However, this is not the first time we have …
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EDITORIAL — Press briefings a positive step toward needed transparency
Kudos to Premier Dr. Orlando Smith for making himself regularly available to the media and for promising last week to hold a press conference every couple of weeks. We hope …
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REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK (Feb. 15, 2018)
Apartment hunting A Beaconite believes right now may be the hardest time to find an affordable apartment in the modern history of the Virgin Islands. As the easy-to-fix houses fill …
EDITORIAL — It’s time to crack down on derelict boats
In 2010, Hurricane Earl wrecked several abandoned ships in Baughers Bay and elsewhere, leaving a costly mess to be cleaned up at taxpayers’ expense. If the territory had learned its …
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REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK (Feb. 8, 2018)
The Irma Edition During and after Hurricane Irma, the Beacon never stopped publishing coverage of the storm at bvibeacon.com and on social media. But the newspaper was unable to publish …
LETTER — Recovery committee gets open letter
Dear Recovery Committee: Thank you for the opportunity to express my ideas about the territory’s Recovery and Development Plan. I attended the Fourth District public consultation meeting, which I found …
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COMMENTARY — Ideas offered for tourism plan
One fine evening at Pusser’s in Road Town, this Old Boy sat with a fellow Old Boy from the same United Kingdom alma mater. After a cold drink, the men …
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EDITORIAL — Valuable feedback aired at meetings
The ongoing public meetings on the Disaster Recovery and Development Plan have been well attended and productive, eliciting meaningful discussion and sound ideas from a wide cross-section of the community. …
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REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK (Feb. 1, 2018)
Public meetings are, well, public After Government Information Services Facebook live-streamed and radio-broadcasted government’s first two district meetings regarding the draft of the Recovery and Development Plan, a Beaconite was …
LETTER — An open letter to VG Yacht Harbour
TO: Meade Malone, BVI Investment Club president Eric Huber, Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour manager Keith Thomas: VGYH boatyard manager Dear Sirs: It is now almost five months since Hurricane Irma …
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COMMENTARY — Ideas offered for economic planning
Effective long-term strategic economic planning specific to a country’s customs, traditions and culture is great for everyone: national stakeholders, citizens, employees, employers, businessmen, investors and governments. However, any type of …
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EDITORIAL — New insurance tribunal could make big difference
Kudos to government for quickly launching a tribunal to handle insurance disputes in the wake of Hurricane Irma. The body — which was established by law last month and already …
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EDITORIAL — The year of Irma
Over the weekend, the holiday spirit shone brightly as the Tree of Hands, the Lions Club and other volunteers worked together to distribute a record number of gifts to needy …
EDITORIAL — Promising the moon
Once again, the government laid out a long list of commendable goals in the governor’s annual Speech from the Throne on Monday. And once again, the government appears to have …
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK (NOV. 13, 2014)
A cart full Yesterday morning, a Beaconite who had just arrived to Road Town via a ferry watched several workmen remove seaweed from the water near the Road Town Taxi …
DATELINE: PARADISE — Speech from my Throne
Madam Speaker, my government has an ambitious agenda for the coming year that will amaze everyone.
Fawkes fire seen as out of place in VI
I was recently taken by surprise by the public announcement from the Ministry of Communications and Works that a portion of Jennings Hill Road would be closed to vehicular traffic …
Late priest’s works recognised
In 1940 Father Ralph Perry-Gore and his family moved from Tortola to Trinidad to better their children’s education, as described in my Oct. 30 commentary “More VI-Cornwall ties explored.” In …
Congrats offered for new tech school
The opening of the Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies on Oct. 21 was a significant milestone in the annals of the education system in particular and the Virgin Islands …
Varied gun sentences raise questions
The headline “Justice system in disarray – residents” recently appeared in one of the online newspapers. In summary, the article reported that some residents — mainly senior students at the …