A top-level London summit of the leaders of the United Kingdom’s overseas territories and the British government was hailed a big success by Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley. The annual Joint …
December 4, 2025
December 1, 2025
Necker pitch winners to split $200k
After a live pitch contest this month on Necker Island, two homegrown ventures working on environmental solutions took top honours during Unite BVI’s 2025 Impact Challenge. Block Works VI and …
November 5, 2025
EDITORIAL: New pain from another storm
Our hearts go out to Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba and the Dominican Republic as they grapple with the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. The full impact is still being tallied, but …
November 4, 2025
OT leaders meet at Scrub Island
Leaders from five United Kingdom overseas territories met last week on Scrub Island to discuss shared issues including climate change, security, governance, UK relations and more, according to government. The …
September 12, 2025
EDITORIAL: Climate-change progress must accelerate
As the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference approaches in Brazil this November, the Virgin Islands government is rushing to tackle long-delayed reforms needed to prepare the territory for a …
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September 8, 2025
Students explore climate resilience
Five high school students got hands-on experience in engineering, electronics, environmental conservation and other topics during the Department of Disaster Management’s annual summer programme. The weeklong initiative was developed in …
September 5, 2025
VI swamped by record sargassum
Record sargassum growth in the Atlantic Ocean this year has swamped the Virgin Islands — straining filtration systems, blackening jewellery and other metals, and inundating homes, beaches and ports with …
September 2, 2025
Could dying reefs fuel ciguatera poisoning?
Caribbean governments are struggling to track and manage ciguatera fish poisoning, which is commonly under-reported. As oceans warm and coral reefs degrade in the region, some scientists fear the illness …
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August 29, 2025
Climate-policy review restarts eight years late
After two false starts and eight years of delays, the government has launched a required review of the 2012 Virgin Islands Climate Change Adaptation Policy. The results could prove a …
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August 22, 2025
Erin’s outer bands drench VI
The eye of Hurricane Erin stayed well north of the Virgin Islands over the weekend, but the Category 5 storm’s outer rainbands soaked the territory, triggered flash-flood alerts and knocked …
August 20, 2025
From AI to zinc: Scientists race to save reefs amid bleaching crisis
As record coral bleaching swept across the Caribbean over the past two years, scientists rushed to save the reefs using tools like multivitamins, artificial intelligence and underwater speakers. But the …
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August 19, 2025
Special envoy calls for climate justice
The upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference in Brazil must deliver a just outcome for small island states in the Caribbean and further abroad, Virgin Islands Special Envoy Benito Wheatley …
July 31, 2025
Coral bleaching ravages Caribbean reefs as aid falls short
A historic coral bleaching event has swept across the Caribbean over the past two years, threatening the ecosystems that feed, protect and sustain life across the region. This multi-part investigation, …
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July 10, 2025
Crime, food security, climate on agenda at Caricom
Organised crime, food security and climate change were among the topics Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley discussed with his regional counterparts this week in Jamaica. Mr. Wheatley attended the 49th Regular …
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July 1, 2025
Cops to probe sand mining
The government has asked police to investigate recent reports of illegal sand mining at locations including Long Bay, Beef Island, officials said. At Long Bay, the mining has compromised the …
June 6, 2025
Branson backs bid to boost VI oceans
Billionaire Sir Richard Branson is a key player in the launch of a $200,000 initiative to invest in Virgin Islands entrepreneurs seeking to launch businesses that will benefit the territory’s …
April 28, 2025
Project maps three reefs in 3D
As part of efforts to monitor and protect the territory’s coral reefs, a new project aims to model some of them in three dimensions. The initiative launched in January at …
April 22, 2025
Green VI says no to plastic litter
The Virgin Islands’ end of a three-year project to fight plastic pollution across the Caribbean kicked off last week with litter sampling at Long Bay, Beef Island. The local effort …
January 13, 2025
New year, new bird count
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 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 …
