The government’s RATED programme spent $3 million helping people back to work last year, according to Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley. Mr. Wheatley told the House of Assembly last Thursday that …
January 27, 2026
December 26, 2025
HOA passes record $562m budget with boosts for security
House of Assembly members publicly debated the 2026 budget estimates for three days last week, sharing widely divergent perspectives on the territory’s future before passing an appropriations bill with amendments …
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December 24, 2025
Company formations jump nearly 19% in Q3
New incorporations in the Virgin Islands recently saw their strongest quarter in four years, according to statistics released by the Financial Services Commission. In the third quarter of this year, …
November 21, 2025
Soca cruise parties through Road Town
Dancing through the streets of Road Town on Tuesday afternoon, thousands of revellers from the UberSoca Cruise took part in a “Punk Rock J’ouvert” where they threw colourful powder and …
November 14, 2025
Premier slams UK’s ‘fiscal straitjacket’
When it comes to borrowing for major infrastructure projects, the Virgin Islands is trapped in a financial “straitjacket” imposed by the United Kingdom, Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley has claimed. The …
November 13, 2025
Record $550m budget set out
Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley unveiled a record-setting 2026 budget with proposed spending of more than half a billion dollars during a nearly two-and-a-half-hour address last Thursday in the House of …
November 4, 2025
Opposition backs premier on company register
The lives of business owners could be put at risk if the government allows full public access to the beneficial-ownership register it plans to launch by June, according to Opposition …
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September 2, 2025
Incorporations up nearly 8% in H1
Incorporation numbers for the first half of this year show a picture of steady growth, building on 2024’s modest recovery from the 25-year low recorded in 2023. All told, 14,008 …
January 2, 2025
Economy takes centre stage at budget debate
The House of Assembly passed the 2025 budget with amendments on Dec. 19 after a lengthy debate over two days that touched on the economy, infrastructure, healthcare, the minimum wage …
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November 3, 2023
HOA suspends Trade Commission Act
Government legislators reversed course this week on their previous plan to establish a Trade Commission as a statutory body in place of the existing Trade Department. The commission, which was …
April 28, 2022
Stimulus awardees urged to account for spending
As part of an update on a variety of economic affairs, Premier Andrew Fahie went into further detail on how government plans to account for the $40 million granted by …
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March 25, 2022
UK overseas territory minister visits VI
Amanda Milling, the United Kingdom minister responsible for the overseas territories, visited the Virgin Islands this week to discuss topics including Russia sanctions, other diplomatic affairs and public company registers. …
December 15, 2021
Government aims for growth in 2022 budget
Two contrasting pictures of the territory’s economic future emerged during the budget debate this week in the House of Assembly. Government legislators described 2021 as a successful year despite the …
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November 6, 2020
New economic council to advise premier
In consultation with Cabinet, Premier Andrew Fahie has decided to establish an ad hoc Economic Advisory Council to the Premier. “At this stage in the territory’s constitutional and economic development, …