Rotting boats clogging harbours are one of the most common visual reminders of the 2017 hurricanes, and a new effort to get them removed is now under way, Premier Dr. …
Sewage plant to come online soon
The hurricane-damaged Burt Point wastewater treatment plant is still out of commission, but Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer said last week that it should be coming online next month. …
Progress promised at Prospect
Ever since government purchased the Prospect Reef Resort in 2005 with plans to convert it into a hospitality-training centre, the property has been mired in controversy and false starts as …
Legislators walk back ‘Greedy Bill’
Legislators voted Tuesday to walk back a controversial 2021 law that dramatically upped their compensation package by allowing them to continue receiving their full salary for up to four years …
House of Assembly repped in Turks and Caicos
A delegation from the House of Assembly travelled to the Turks and Caicos Islands last month for the 45th Annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. The CPA Conference of …
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SAP to support school repairs
School rehabilitation works will get a boost from $630,000 allocated via a Schedule of Additional Provisions that the House of Assembly passed July 13, according to Education, Youth Affairs and …
House of Assembly grants programme blasted by new report
Though some needy residents benefitted from the nearly $4 million in Covid-19 Assistance Grants handed out by House of Assembly members during the pandemic, others abused the programme in the …
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House of Assembly okays spending variations via a Schedule of Additional Provisions
After spending about 15 hours in closed-door committee over the course of a week, the House of Assembly voted unanimously last Thursday to pass a Schedule of Additional Provisions, freeing …
EDITORIAL: Women much missed in House of Assembly
There was an elephant in the room this month when the territory celebrated International Women’s Day amidst the ongoing election campaigns. In recent decades, Virgin Islands women have increasingly taken …
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Premier withdraws Police Act
Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley moved to withdraw the controversial Police Act 2023 last Thursday in the House of Assembly, saying that he would re-introduce a scaled-down bill today that …
Cabinet commits to paying increments
In recent weeks, public officers including members of the BVI Teachers Union have complained vocally about pay increments that government has owed them for years. But Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” …
Premier: UN, VI relations ‘stronger than ever’
As part of its legal obligation to support the world’s non-self-governing territories, the 77th United Nations General Assembly recently adopted its annual resolution to support the Virgin Islands. In that …
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Minister promises progress on teacher increments
Amid upset concerning outstanding increments due to teachers, Education, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sharie de Castro met with the BVI Teachers Union last month and promised progress, according to …
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Minister reps Virgin Islands in climate change meeting
Natural Resources and Labour Minister Mitch Turnbull attended and moderated a virtual regional forum on climate change last month, and before it got under way he stood in the Feb. …
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EDITORIAL: A long cheer for short campaigns
With a general election due in less than three months, the Virgin Islands is heading into an unusually short campaign season. That’s a good thing. Prior to past elections, campaigning …
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Premier lays national plan in House
Looking far beyond the few remaining months the current House of Assembly will be in place, HOA members have made official a roadmap for the territory’s development until 2036. Premier …
Police bill returns to House
Years of efforts to reform the legislation governing the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force — including by broadening officers’ powers to make arrests without warrants and to collect physical evidence …
10 civil servants on paid interdiction
The number of civil servants on paid interdiction has been rising, and the government is trying to find the best way to address associated logistical and budgetary challenges, Premier Dr. …
Plans made to boost marine research
The Virgin Islands is charting a way forward to work in collaboration with the world’s largest marine studies institute to better understand the natural resources of its waters. Natural Resources …
Ministry aims to strengthen principals’ leadership skills
In the interest of teacher retention, student achievement, and the overall success of the territory’s schools, a cohort of school administrators are participating in leadership training, according to Education, Youth …
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76 find temp work through jobs programme
Since the recent introduction of a new programme designed to match jobseekers with short-term employment opportunities, hundreds of residents have expressed an interest in participating and some have since found …
EDITORIAL: We hate to say it, but the HOA may need to slow down
For decades, successive governments dragged their feet in the House of Assembly, moving at a snail’s pace and getting bogged down in politicking and petty squabbles instead of efficiently passing …
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House passes 2023 budget
Legislators celebrated the allocation of funds to several delayed capital projects before passing the 2023 budget on Dec. 21, but they also called attention to other stalled work and took …
Penn: Joes Hill project ‘substantially complete’
The Joes Hill affordable-housing development that originally broke ground in April 2017 is nearing completion, and the application process for prospective buyers is under way, according to Health and Social …
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930 take part in health training
Ahead of the holiday season, the Virgin Islands is preparing to join a regional programme that aims to set standards for public health management in the tourism sector across the …