The team of birders piled into a truck on Anegada on Monday to make the usual route around the island for the National Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count. Led …
January 13, 2025
January 9, 2025
Leaders endorse VI’s call for climate help
Caribbean territories and other small island states facing climate-change threats received a show of support from leaders around the region following an international meeting last month in St. Kitts and …
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December 28, 2024
EDITORIAL: After 7 years of strife, the VI must emerge stronger
The past 12 months have not been easy for the Virgin Islands, but 2024 nevertheless brought glimpses of the light at the end of a tunnel the territory entered when …
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December 16, 2024
FROM THE ARCHIVES, 2017: Down, but not out
On June 7, The BVI Beacon turned 40. To celebrate, it is re-publishing some of the biggest stories from its archives over the past four decades. The article below was …
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November 19, 2024
EDITORIAL: Virgin Islands should expect the worst from Trump presidency
It has been said that when the United States sneezes, the whole world catches a cold. We fear much worse than a proverbial cold for the Virgin Islands and the …
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November 15, 2024
Virgin Islands flooded again
Cars floated away, homes and businesses flooded, and roadways crumbled early Monday morning during the latest in a series of flash floods that have plagued the territory this year. “It …
November 7, 2024
Virgin Islands divided over Trump win
After a divisive campaign season tainted by mudslinging and racism allegations, Donald Trump won back the United States presidency at 6:34 a.m. Wednesday, handily defeating Vice President Kamala Harris and …
October 29, 2024
EDITORIAL: New vessel a big win for the environment
We welcome news of an important tool that will help address mounting threats to the Virgin Islands’ marine environment. This month, the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change …
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October 28, 2024
FROM THE ARCHIVES, 2010: Quake rocks Haiti
On June 7, The BVI Beacon turned 40. To celebrate, it is re-publishing some of the biggest stories from its archives over the past four decades. The article below originally …
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October 18, 2024
$600k ‘vending zone’ coming to Long Bay, Beef Island
A $600,000 “vending zone” and $133,000 worth of environmental restoration are the latest works planned for Long Bay at Beef Island as government continues implementing its beach management plan for …
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October 17, 2024
EU funds boat to help protect Virgin Islands waters
A new boat funded by the European Union will help protect Virgin Islands waters from illegal fishing, pollution and other damaging practices, government announced. The Vigilate, which was christened during …
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September 30, 2024
EDITORIAL: Fund the climate fund now
Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley is right to seek international funding to help the territory adapt to climate change. But if he wants to be taken seriously abroad, he must …
September 23, 2024
Climate cash still locked at home as premier seeks funding abroad
An environmental war chest of some $13 million could be freed up for climate change projects as early as next month following nearly a decade of delays, Premier Dr. Natalio …
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September 3, 2024
The ‘hidden universe’ in ‘our BVI backyards’
With a recent doctorate degree in hand, an alumnus of H. Lavity Stoutt Community College is back in the Virgin Islands to share a new tool for viewing the tiny …
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August 23, 2024
Flemming Street shops want flood relief
Shopkeepers in the commercial heart of Road Town have called for urgent strategic action to help stem the heavy loss of trade caused by regular flooding. Business owners on Flemming …
August 1, 2024
Premier pledges $400k in Beryl aid at OECS meeting
The Virgin Islands government will contribute $400,000 to help Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines recover from Hurricane Beryl, Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley pledged last week during a …
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July 4, 2024
Beryl batters the Caribbean, setting record
Hurricane Beryl swept across the Caribbean this week as an unusually early Category Five storm, laying waste to several islands, causing at least nine reported deaths, and lending credence to …
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May 29, 2024
Virgin Islands works to free up climate finance for Overseas Territories
As leaders of island nations around the world prepare to converge on Antigua and Barbuda next week for a major international conference, the Virgin Islands recently hosted a preliminary meeting …
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May 9, 2024
Flooding closes schools, offices
As much as five inches of rain fell in parts of the Virgin Islands Tuesday afternoon, tearing apart recently paved roads, flooding several businesses and the Elmore Stoutt High School, …
May 1, 2024
EDITORIAL: Sargassum is back, and the VI is not prepared
Sargassum is once again arriving on the shores of the Caribbean, but the Virgin Islands is not ready. Given the seaweed’s recent impacts in the territory, this is most unfortunate. …
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April 19, 2024
After 13 years, no end in sight for Caribbean sargassum invasion
Schools evacuated due to toxic gas. Smelly tap water at home. Tourist operators and fishers struggling to stay in business. Job losses. Power outages affecting tens of thousands of people …
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April 19, 2024
Seaweed piles on problems for Jamaica fishers
During more than half a century of working as a fisherman in Jamaica, Richard Osbourne has seen the industry steadily decline in the face of pollution, climate change, overfishing and …
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April 19, 2024
Sargassum is wreaking havoc on Caribbean ecosystems
For more than 20 years, Mexican biologist Dr. María del Carmen García Rivas has led a crusade to protect the coral lining the Yucatan Peninsula in the Caribbean Sea. As …
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March 8, 2024
Premier eyeing full Caricom membership
The government is considering pursuing full membership in the Caribbean Community under an arrangement that would not require signing on to all the regional organisation’s agreements, according to Premier Dr. …
February 23, 2024
New law aims to free up millions from tourist levy
For more than six years, the government has been collecting a $10 levy from most non-cruise ship visitors as required by the 2017 Environmental Protection and Tourism Improvement Fund Act. …
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