"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
In terms of value for money, investment in the West End ferry terminal is the most critical tourism and seaport investment the Virgin Islands can make right now. Investment in …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — WE ferry dock seen as crucial”
Congratulations to our newly elected members in the Virgin Islands House of Assembly, and God’s blessings throughout your term. The campaigning was quite short. As a result, many candidates did …
Moves towards e-government are welcome but overdue in an economy dependent on telecommunications to make its tourist product and financial services industry more attractive and efficient. We might emulate Estonia’s …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Ideas offered for e-gov’t, telecoms”
Work permits A Beaconite has experienced plenty of frustrations while sitting in the Labour and Immigration offices when she could have been at work. She is not the only one. …
We in the Virgin Islands have been talking a lot about diversifying our economy. We have spoken about diversifying our financial services pillar and enhancing and diversifying our tourism pillar. …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Food seen as third economic pillar”
The recent victory of the Virgin Islands Party in the Feb. 25 general election could be viewed as a spectacular political achievement. Much of this success is to be attributed …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — VIP election victory impresses”
Hugs, warm and tender touches, soft kisses and overwhelming cuddles are some of the tender loving care I have experienced as the mother of a child with Down syndrome. My …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Mother explains Down syndrome”
I am related to seven different kiwi (New Zealander) families, the first descended from a war bride taken in 1917 to a gold-mining town in South Island, better known for …
Continue reading “Commentary — Concerns about hackers linger”
At the gas station A new Beaconite has been busy covering political parties without bias or opinion for the past two weeks. But everywhere she seemed to go throughout town, …
The table is set for the Virgin Islands’ general election. Premier Dr. Orlando Smith dissolved the House of Assembly in January and set an election date for Monday. Last Thursday …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Voters urged to hit the polls”
I am following up my letter of last week, “Cyberattack victim recounts his ordeal,” to alert voters to possible external interference in our election, without compromising police investigations into the …
As Election Day approaches, this Virgin Islands resident pleads with the voting and nonvoting public to exercise patience, civility and cordiality throughout the whole electoral process through the voting on …
It’s February. February. Are they here yet? Where are they? Who? Why, the 450 medical students who were to arrive this month to begin, or continue, their studies. Perhaps the …
Continue reading “Commentary — Campaign rhetoric, promises mocked”
Last July, I had occasion to write to your newspaper about the postal services in the Virgin Islands. I had hoped to be able to write a follow-up letter some …
Continue reading “Commentary — PO woes seen to be worsening”
The European Union’s blacklisting threat against smaller territories is undemocratic and brutal. It also reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of what Virgin Islands companies do. Repetition is to be avoided in …
While we rebuild better, let’s consider the needs of the disabled residents in our midst. It also makes good commercial sense to encourage them to participate more actively in their …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — VI urged to rebuild to be disability friendly”
A year ago I wrote that there was opportunity hidden amidst the wreckage of Irma and Maria and that we just needed the wherewithal and the courage to find it. …
Continue reading “Commentary — ‘Make something frighteningly new’”
Prior to Hurricane Irma, I had been experiencing a sense of helplessness and hopelessness about what the Virgin Islands had become. That feeling was reinforced when I listened to a …
Continue reading “Commentary — Irma like ‘the voice of God’”
I indicated earlier that the provisions of the 1948 Nationality Act did not favour ancestral Virgin Islanders and that fact was not generally known here. It may be that the …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Past nationality laws deemed unfair”
I read with a wry smile in your esteemed newspaper that the government is moving forward to establish physical addresses for all properties in the Virgin Islands, one of the …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Postal system called ‘disgrace’”
When I speak of ancestral Virgin Islanders, I am referring to those persons whose ancestry goes back to the middle and late 1800s. I expect that such persons would have …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Former nationality rules draw scrutiny”
In September 1966, I was a 22-year-old American Peace Corps trainee straight out of college, fortunately placed on Tortola for two months of agricultural training in chickens and gardens. My …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — Tortola visits, 52 years apart, recounted”
Over the past years, many Christian residents, including ministers of religion, government ministers, politicians and many others, keep saying that this is a Christian community. However, the actions of many …
I related in “Walker recounts travels of his youth” (Beacon, June 28) how I came to work in Linz, Upper Austria, in a Quaker organisation helping to settle refugees from …
Continue reading “COMMENTARY — ‘Dedicated walker’ recounts more travels”