The final frontier Beaconites were thrilled to see Virgin Islands-based billionaire Sir Richard Branson launch Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo into space on Sunday. After a mid-air launch, Sir Richard and three …
July 14, 2021
July 14, 2021
COMMENTARY — VI gentrification, part two
This commentary, continued from last week’s edition, is the second of a two-part series. The debate on the equity and inequity of gentrification is heated and controversial. The following …
July 14, 2021
COMMENTARY — Residents urged to vaccinate
The Virgin Islands — like the British overseas territory of Gibraltar — should have been approaching herd immunity and getting back to normal. Instead, conspiracy theories and anti-vaccinators have held …
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July 7, 2021
COMMENTARY — VI ‘gentrification,’ part one
Land is a scarce non-renewable resource and a tangible asset in the Virgin Islands. But at the current rate of sale, in a few short generations most Virgin Islanders will …
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July 7, 2021
COMMENTARY — VI seen to have a ‘stark choice’
The Virgin Islands has arrived at a proverbial crossroad in the Covid-19 pandemic. The territory will have to decide on two choices in the midst of a Commission of Inquiry …
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June 30, 2021
COMMENTARY — The VI, after the inquiry
After hurricanes Irma and Maria, the talk was all about what the Virgin Islands would look like as it recovered. Today, it appears the territory has learned very little from …
June 23, 2021
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK (June 24, 2021)
Volunteer festival Earlier this month, a Beaconite stopped by Volunteer Konect’s fair for nonprofit organisations. It was a great opportunity to learn more about organisations she hasn’t heard about much, …
June 23, 2021
COMMENTARY — ‘My time in the HOA’
The below is my paraphrase of the combined submissions House of Assembly members gave to the Commission of Inquiry in recent days, with the exception of Deputy Speaker Neville Smith. …
June 23, 2021
COMMENTARY — ‘Silver lining’ seen in COI
The Virgin Islands economy sits on a platform supported by international companies and investors. Financial services have kept this territory alive through the many months of pandemic and the collapse …
June 16, 2021
COMMENTARY — Call made for referendum on political status by 2030
The below is adapted from the speech Mr. Wheatley delivered on June 6 during the Frederick Pickering Memorial Lecture Series at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College. Let me …
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June 16, 2021
COMMENTARY — Cops criticised for armed arrest over money owed to the court
Twice on Tortola, my vehicle and I have been stopped by armed human beings with guns drawn. The first time I was with my 20-year-old child. It was over a …
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June 10, 2021
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK (June 10, 2021)
Happy birthday, Beacon The BVI Beacon turned 37 on Monday. The newspaper’s first issue — a 12-page black-and-white edition — was published on June 7, 1984 after being composed on …
June 9, 2021
COMMENTARY — Call made to rekindle softball’s ‘glory days’
Virgin Islands softball once soared and reached the pinnacle of international competition, excellence, and prominence. However, its status and standing has declined precipitously in the past decades. As such, the …
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June 2, 2021
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK (June 3, 2021)
Redacted On Monday, the Commission of Inquiry posted a redacted transcript of its May 5 hearing with BVI Airports Authority Chairman Bevis Sylvester. However, because the unredacted transcript previously had …
June 2, 2021
COMMENTARY — ‘Is the beach enough?’
Sometime in the next 12 months, when the pandemic is fully brought under control in North America and Europe, visitors will return to the Caribbean in significant numbers. Once that …
June 2, 2021
COMMENTARY — Call made for greater social equality
Social democracy means a bottom-up economy, with public spending directed at alleviating the burdens of the poor; public policy that drives greater social equality; and public investment in infrastructure that …
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May 26, 2021
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK (May 27, 2021)
Museum hop On Saturday, a Beaconite climbed aboard a safari bus in Road Town that whisked him away to several Tortola museums, none of which he had seen before. The …
May 26, 2021
COMMENTARY — Gov’t spending questioned
I didn’t realise how short of money we have become. The BVI Ports Authority puts out a tender and receives three quotes for old boats, not new ones. Where is …
May 26, 2021
COMMENTARY — ‘Random act of art’ in UK had VI link
I am writing to the Virgin Islands community from a small village in Cornwall in the United Kingdom about a figure we share in common: the late Reverend Ralph Perry-Gore, …
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May 26, 2021
COMMENTARY — Case made for social democracy
For positive change in the era of Covid-19, a Commission of Inquiry that is throwing a fog over the future, and a terrifying new culture of crime, social democracy is …
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May 19, 2021
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK (May 20, 2021)
HOA transparency A Beaconite was troubled by a quote from opposition member Julian Fraser during a House of Assembly sitting last week. When debating a bill to update supplementary …
May 19, 2021
COMMENTARY — Politicians warned of rising anger
Politicians who ignore specific sections of the population to focus on channelling public resources to a select group are usually in for a rude awakening. Politics and economics are joined …
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May 19, 2021
COMMENTARY — Show host, others called out
In the House of Assembly, members can get away with saying almost anything under privilege without fear of retribution, except perhaps for calling another member a liar. It is not …
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May 12, 2021
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK (May 13, 2021)
No good deed… Last week, a Beaconite received a text message that no one wants to read: He had recently come into contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19. …
May 12, 2021
COMMENTARY — EE library plans applauded
I was pleased to read in a recent issue of The BVI Beacon that Cabinet has approved a new location at Major Bay for the East End/Long Look Community Library. …