"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
Kudos to the new government for tackling the touchy issue of permanent residency and belongership. The overall plan to ease the requirements for both statuses seems reasonable and fair. However, …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Belongership reform welcome, but it must be consistent and fair”
The new government has taken a step backward by implementing an explicit “policy” of revoking and replacing the boards of all statutory bodies and government committees. Though previous administrations often …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: ‘Policy’ of replacing boards is an unfortunate mistake”
Last week’s Earth Day celebrations were a heartening demonstration of community spirit, but they were also a reminder of the looming threats facing the territory’s delicate natural environment. In the …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Substitute green action for green rhetoric”
We don’t understand why the government should pay Claude Skelton-Cline’s consulting firm $98,000 for six months of work that the public service should be doing. But now that leaders have …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Government should avoid consultant fever”
The newly planted flowers and trees along the James Walter Francis Drive demonstrate that relatively minor improvements can go a long way toward beautifying Road Town and other population centres …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Trees, flowers go a long way in Road Town”
It is good to hear that the new government is moving ahead with longstanding plans to streamline labour and immigration processes by implementing an automated electronic system. This time around, …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Labour, immigration reform should be easy win”
On March 23 Virgin Islands News Online published a bizarrely vicious attack against The BVI Beacon and our reporter Genevieve Glatsky, making outlandish false claims under the guise of an …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Bullying won’t silence the Beacon”
During its first three weeks in office, the new government has made some major changes. At times, the public has struggled to keep up. Starting immediately, the Virgin Islands Party-led …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: New government needs communication strategy”
Imagine that a foreign billionaire wants to influence a Virgin Islands election because of a lucrative investment opportunity he wishes to make in the territory. To do so, he secretly …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Campaign finance reform should come by next election”
Once again, United Kingdom politicians have missed the mark in their handling of the overseas territories, with a parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee releasing an extremely tone-deaf report on the future …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: United Kingdom politicians missed the mark. Again.”
The people have spoken, and the message is clear. The Virgin Islands Party’s win was a ringing declaration that voters want a change. It is also clear what form they …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: VI wants change, and new government must bring it”
All eligible voters should exercise their right to cast a ballot in the General Election. But first, they should do their due diligence, putting aside any preconceived notions and learning …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Please vote on Monday, but do it wisely”
The insurance tribunal that government established after Hurricane Irma was a good idea, and its members are now making sound recommendations that we hope policymakers will take to heart. In …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Leaders should act on insurance tribunal’s good ideas”
Last week the Afrikan Studies Klub once again held a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate Africans who died in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The well-conceived event — which is held each …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Wreath-laying ceremony a step toward reclaiming history”
Given that Premier Dr. Orlando Smith spent three years promising the public a comprehensive “audit” into the cruise pier project, we are greatly disheartened that the report finally released this …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: The cruise pier project audit that wasn’t”
In the Virgin Islands, 2018 was a rollercoaster of highs and lows. The hurricane recovery, of course, dominated the news, which ranged from inspiring tales of phenomenal heroism to heart-wrenching …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Looking back on an emotional and turbulent year”
In light of this month’s Culture Week celebrations, the Virgin Islands should commit to vigorously incorporating heritage preservation and cultural projects into the hurricane recovery process. After sound recommendations from …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Culture is key in hurricane recovery process”
As soon as possible, the government should keep its promise to provide a comprehensive account of how it used the donations it received after Hurricane Irma. If it doesn’t, other …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Government should account for all Irma donations ASAP “
It is inexplicable that legislators once again failed to pass the Human Rights Commission Act this month. Various versions of the bill have been tabled in the House of Assembly …
“The Virgin Islands must build back stronger.” In the weeks after Hurricane Irma, this phrase was repeated like a mantra. A year later, is the territory succeeding? The answer varies …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Virgin Islands strong, but must be stronger”
It is troubling that the United Kingdom Parliament’s inquiry into the UK’s relationship with the overseas territories was launched without a comprehensive effort to solicit input from OT citizens. The …
Instead of launching expedited “executive work permits” for high earners, the Labour Department should concentrate on reforming its systems from the ground up in order to process all work permits …
Though the government’s new “Recovery to Development Plan” lists general spending projections and touts many laudable goals, it is disappointingly vague. Because the document does not include specific priorities and …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Recovery plan is still too vague”
It is disheartening that the long-delayed Human Rights Commission Act was removed from the House of Assembly’s agenda last week. For about a decade, legislators have been promising to pass …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Human rights law needed urgently”
Repairing the territory’s public high schools should be a top priority in the recovery effort, and until the job is complete government should devise a way for students to comfortably …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: High school should be full time by September”
